Eurocorps exercises its Readiness as NATO Response Force

From October 24th to November 9th 2005, Eurocorps will conduct an exercise at the Army Warfighting Simulation Centre in Wildflecken, Germany, in preparation of its mission within NATO’s permanently available, multinational joint force at very high readiness – the NATO Response Force (NRF).

NATO heads of State and Government decided to create the NRF in November 2002. NRF is a catalyst for transformation of capabilities in the Alliance.

It is a milestone in the history of Eurocorps that its headquarters has been designated for the Land Component of NATO’s Response Force 7 (NRF 7) and will be ready to start to deploy quickly to wherever needed, as decided by the North Atlantic Council, and that after 5 days notice as of July 2006 till January 2007. This designation clearly is a concrete example of the mutual reinforcement of the NRF and a EU rapid reaction capability. With NRF 7 the whole NATO Response Force should reach full operational capability. Since 23rd September 2005, Eurocorps is commanded by the Belgian Lieutenant General Charles-Henri DELCOUR.
COMMON TENACITY 2005 is the first of a series of important exercises to train the Eurocorps headquarters and the French German Brigade for its NATO Response Force mission. The exercise will bring together more than 1500 participants from 14 different nations in a mainly computer assisted exercise.

The German Army Warfighting Centre provides the tools and support for conducting this Computer Assisted Exercise.

For the editors:

• For more information about the exercise a specific exercise web page will be accessible from the EUROCORPS public web site at www.eurocorps.org
• A special programm for media will be organized on November 7, 2005 at Wildflecken. The detailed programm and timing will be posted on the exercise web site. All interested media representatives are invited to register by e-mail: pressofficer-be@eurocorps.org
• A possibility to visit the exercise on a different date is offered whenever feasible during the whole duration of the event.

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