Exercise Steadfast Jackpot 2006

Eurocorps continues its preparation for the NATO Response Force Strasbourg - From 24th April to 09th May 2006, EUROCORPS will participate in a NATO Response Force exercise at the Strasbourg/Entzheim Airfield in France. The preparation phase has already started and re-deployment should be completed by 17th May. This exercise nicknamed Steadfast Jackpot 2006 is the culmination of the preparation and certification process for the NATO Response Force (NRF). Steadfast Jackpot 2006 will be conducted by the Allied Joint Force Command Headquarters, Brunssum, the Netherlands, and will take place simultaneously at the Joint Warfare Centre Ulsnes in Stavanger, Norway, where personnel of EUROCORPS will participate as well as representatives from the French German Brigade.

EUROCORPS started last year after its return from Afghanistan with the NRF preparation process and conducted already several exercises to train its capabilities for this crucial mission starting on 1st July 2006, when Headquarters EUROCORPS will command the Land Component of the NRF 7 rotation until 10th January 2007. During this period the headquarters will be ready to deploy at a 5-day notice to wherever the North Atlantic Council may decide.

The NRF is a high readiness, joint and multinational force package that the NATO heads of States and Governments decided to set up in 2002. NRF demonstrates NATO’s ability to face threats wherever they may be. Consequently, exercise Steadfast Jackpot 2006 is destined to train, validate and certify the chain of command and the command and control elements dedicated to NRF. The training and exercise events are based on a fictitious scenario inducing NATO-led crisis response operations conducted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter beyond NATO’s geographical area.

Beside around 200 participants of Headquarters Eurocorps, personnel from various headquarters coming from Army, Navy, Air Force and specialized units assigned to the NRF 7 rotation will be involved in the exercise representing the full spectrum of NATO nations. Steadfast Jackpot will be the key milestone to certify the Combat Readiness of the NRF 7 package for the six-month period commencing July 2006.

 

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