DET ØRN HAR LAND! (THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!) 2005

In the final stage of its journey to assume command of ISAF, HQ NRDC-IT has this week deployed to NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway, to conduct Exercise EAGLE THUNDER from 11 to 23 June. The Exercise will provide up-to date training and briefings on the situation in theatre, and test the Headquarters’ staff in a simulation of situations they could face when they deploy in August to command the Kabul-based NATO force.

Exercise Programme

The Exercise has been designed by the NATO operational Headquarters directing the Afghan mission, Joint Force Command Brunssum, as part of the mandatory mission rehearsal training for Headquarters and personnel deploying to Kabul . The programme will concentrate first on allowing the Staff to become fully up-to date with the Afghanistan situation, putting branches together with experts on their specific areas and learning how their ISAF cells operate. The Staff will then have a chance to put their new knowledge into practice, as the main exercise puts them through a simulation of the staffing, communications and situational scenario in Afghanistan today, including potential crises. The main focus of the exercise will be the upcoming National Assembly Elections, due to face the Italy-based HQ a month after it takes over command. As well as focusing on the support of the Afghan Government and NATO’s expanding role in the country, the Staff will have to plan around accidents and natural disasters which make the country such a challenging theatre of operations. The exercise follows 6 months of training and preparation by the Headquarters for its first operational deployment. The most recent, Exercise EAGLE ACTION, was designed to prepare the Headquarters for its mission readiness training and ensure it extracts the most value from this opportunity.