STRIKFORNATO's Deputy Commander, Rear Admiral James Morley, delivered the welcoming remarks followed by remarks from AIRCOM's Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Pascal Delerce, and MARCOM's Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Commodore Jeanette Morang.
Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it is of the utmost importance that our leaders routinely get together to explore scenarios that the alliance could potentially face in the near future
The exercise had several key objectives: to serve as Key Leader Training for Exercise STEADFAST ALLIANCE 2022 (STAL 22); to focus on the transition from peacetime to crisis through the posture level change process; to address present and future real-world IAMD challenges; and to educate Senior Leaders on the NATO IAMD Mission in accordance with the approved NATO Standing Defence Plan.
Rear Admiral Morley weighs in about the exercise and current NATO defence, "The IAMD TTX was an excellent opportunity for senior leadership throughout the NATO Alliance to discuss the complexities of the evolving IAMD threat in Europe. Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it is of the utmost importance that our leaders routinely get together to explore scenarios that the alliance could potentially face in the near future, to ensure that we are best prepared to defend NATO Nations against military threats within our region."
Representatives from NATO and NATO Commands such as Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Joint Force Command Brunssum, Allied Land Command (LANDCOM), NATO Communications and Information Agency, and flag and general officers from a total of sixteen allied countries were among the distinguished participants in attendance.
"This TTX is a key opportunity bringing together senior joint leaders to compare our notes on NATO's integrated and collective tactics, techniques and procedures", said Lieutenant General Delerce. "NATO's IAMD is an essential multi-domain element of our deterrence and defence, which contributes to the Alliance's indivisible security and freedom of action," he added
During the two-day exercise, the participants focused on measures to deter, nullify or reduce any air and missile threats through IAMD, discussed the standing NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) mission and the new challenges or threats that may arise in NATO European territory.
"IAMD depends on the strong network through which coordination and integration of capabilities from all domains is achieved," Commodore Morang said. "This exercise helped create common understanding between NATO and Allies of the network and the roles of its different entities."