Over 1800 military personnel from across the armed forces of 18 NATO countries have successfully concluded Exercise Eagle Meteor 19, the most important Command Post Exercise of the year for the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA).
Eagle Meteor 19 has deployed affiliated and subordinated units command elements in the field under command and control of the Milan based HQ. The complex deployment saw the different Command Elements of NRDC-ITA deploy to the following locations throughout Italy: the Main HQ was based in the home base of Solbiate Olona, the Rear HQ in Bellinzago Novarese and the Forward Command Element in Sicily near Lake Rubino. Also involved are the Deployable Air Command and Control Center (DACCC) of Poggio Renatico, the Vittorio Veneto Division in Florence and Carpegna and the NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in Turkey.
In the year of the NATO’s 70th anniversary celebrations, one of the founding principles of the Alliance, ‘collective defence’ was a central theme for Eagle Meteor. In fact, the exercise tested and consolidated NRDC-ITA capabilities in synchronizing and conducting high-intensity operations.
Eagle Meteor 19 also enabled the completion of the Light Command Post Concept. Witnessed by several General Officers from different NATO HQs, the implementation of this concept supports agile decision making and flexibility.
The deployment of the Forward Command Element in Sicily was also an opportunity for NRDC-ITA to witness the constant attention of the Alliance in this key area, on NATO’s “Southern Flank”.
The execution of this command post exercise represents a further success for the Milan based HQ and enhances its role as a ready, capable and adaptive organization, proud to contribute to the overall Alliance for a safe and stable global security environment.