Swift Respone 2015: NATO launches biggest multinational airborne drill since WW2 222108152

Defence & Security News - NATO
 
Swift Respone 2015: NATO launches biggest multinational airborne drill since WW2
About 5,000 soldiers frim a dozen of NATO member countries began on Thursday the largest multinational airborne drill in Europe since the Second World War, Bulgarian Ministry of Defense said in a press release. The U.S.-led exercise codenamed "Swift Response 2015" would be held until Sept. 13 simultaneously in Germany, Romania, Bulgaria and Italy, involving also other NATO members including Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Britain, the press release said.
     
Swift Respone 2015 NATO launches biggest multinational airborne drill since WW2 640 001The 82nd airborne division will participate in Swift Response 2015
     
"The aim of the exercise is to integrate the high readiness forces of individual NATO members so that they can operate as one and be able to respond effectively to changes in the security through the entire territory of the Alliance," the press release said.

The U.S. contingent will be led by headquarters elements from the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps and the 4th Infantry Division Mission Command Element, and will include the Europe-based 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the U.S.-based 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.


In an earlier statement from the US Army, Brigadier Giles Hill, Deputy Commanding General-Interoperability for the 82nd Airborne Division, said that "This is a chance for us to do something that is new for our forces... Swift Response will contribute to NATO's capability to rapidly respond to crisis situations."

The drill would help the new forces established by NATO, Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), it said.

VJTF task was to ensure NATO's ability to respond to changes in security on its territory within 48 hours, the press release added.