NATO STEADFAST COBALT 2017

Kaunas (Lithuania) – 22 May 2017. The "NATO Steadfast Cobalt 2017" exercise enters its most demanding phase. Run by 50 servicepersons from the J6 of the NRDC-Italy (NATO's Rapid Deployable Corps-Italy) and the 1st Italian Signal Regiment, this exercise involves soldiers from 35 units of the NATO Force Structure and from 25 Alliance nations. Designed to test IT architectures in support of Command and Control, this year the exercise focuses on the interoperability and the resilience of IT systems, as well as the deployability of hardware and infrastructures needed to support a highly deployable Communication Information System (CIS).

The importance of the presence of the Italian contingent in the exercise has been emphasized by the visit of Italian Ambassador to Lithuania, HE Stefano Taliani de Marchio.

Signal assets of the enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF) and the VJTF (Very-High Readiness Joint Task Force) have been under special attention. In fact, the NRDC-Italy is preparing for the validation as LCC, Land Component Command, of the enhanced NATO Response Force, responsibility which it will assume in 2018.

The enhanced NRF is a highly capable joint multinational force able to react in a very short time to the full range of security challenges. It represents the main military instrument of the Alliance for a rapid military response, either within the boundaries of the Collective Defence or the so-called Crisis Response Operations (conflict prevention and resolution, and crisis management).