The Eagle Joker 14 exercise, which involves numerous bodies, commands and units of the armed forces, is aimed at ascertaining the ability of the NRDC-ITA (body of rapid action of the born) to autonomously manage naval and air forces in areas subject to conflicts. NDCR-ITA is one of the two high-profile NATO organizations based in Italy. Our country supplies almost 70% of the staff, and the remaining 30% consists of officers and non-commissioned officers from other nations. 15 are the participating countries and among them also the USA. This is extremely relevant as it has provided an opportunity to show how NRDC-ITA is using resources (personal and economic). Furthermore, it shows how NATO has declared with art.5. a joint task force to conduct operations to restore territorial integrity and to assist the government, creating a safe and secure environment thus constituting regional stability.
The aim is to maintain the necessary degree of efficiency and interoperability to operate in crisis scenarios, ie the ability to work together also through the use of common technologies, command and control systems of the different armed forces at national level and international. The exercise conceived in this way responds to the need of NATO to equip itself with standard training procedures and methodologies, common to all the member countries of the Alliance and, in general, valid at international level.
The NRDC-ITA command, the unit based in Solbiate Olona (VA), has been deploying since the end of September in the training area of Torre Veneri (LE) and Brindisi, to obtain national certification to manage naval forces autonomously and air. The aims are two: capacity for logistical support and doctrinal capacity of NATO, exercise of NRDC command and control of a multinational force.
Everything happens mainly in English. 210 media, 165 container, 2 naval carriers, 3 air carriers and 2 rail carriers will be used.
Between 23 September and 31 October over 1.500 military of the 15 nations that contribute to form the Rapid Reaction Army Corps in Italy will be engaged in this important stage of the process that will allow the NRDC-ITA to meet the requirements from the new structure of the armed forces, only three of the nine rapid reaction corps commands present in Europe the others are England and Greece, were chosen at the time for this evolution, which - once completed - will allow the NRDC-ITA to confirm itself a resource fundamental for the country and, as a projection headquarters with command and control capabilities, for the Atlantic Alliance.
Asking military personnel what the advantage of this command and exercise is, I was told (and I must say with great enthusiasm) that there is not only a cultural and professional exchange, which leads to personal enrichment, but also a strong international recognition as capable of holding such a NATO command role.
The Eagle Joker 14 is part of a larger joint force exercise, the Joint Eagle 14, which contains the 14 Virtual Flag of the military aeronautics that takes place at the Poggio Renatico (FE) air operations command.
Now if I can, once the formalities are put aside, allow me to thank the men and women who work in both the operational and logistic sector that allowed me to spend a day with them in the training area. Thank you!
Daniela De Chirico
(photo of the author)
