29 Sep. - 14 Oct. 2005

Response Force demonstrates amphibious capabilities News 29/09/2005 - SHAPE News and photos from the exercise Background NATO Response Force The NATO Response Force tested its capability to conduct complex sea-based operations in NATO’s largest amphibious exercise, Destined Glory (Loyal Midas), in the Tyrrhenian Sea , 29 September to 14 October. Over 8,500 personnel, 37 ships and 57 aircraft from ten NATO countries took part in the exercise. The key aim was to test and certify the forces the forces that will make up the maritime component of the NATO Response Force from January to June 2006. “We are focused on our task which is interoperability between our forces and gaining the ability to operate together,” said Colonel Luis Martin de la Hoz, Commander of the Second Batallion of Spanish Marines. A rapid expeditionary force The NATO Response Force is a special, technologically advanced force made up of land, air, sea and special forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed. Building on past Destined Glory exercises, Loyal Midas presented more complex scenarios incorporating increased levels of ‘free play’, where the commander had to react to unexpected situations. “In previous years, [the commander] has had a program to go by; this year he [didn’t],” stressed Rear Adm. Cooke, Deputy Commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. The forces engaged in a number of missions and exercises, practicing the full range of crisis and emergency response scenarios. This included amphibious units fighting their way from ships towards their land objective.