International exercises contribute to better force readiness

International exercises organised in Slovakia enable SVK troops to practise, besides the exercise's intent, carrying out road moves, escorting vehicles, as well as the logistics that goes hand in hand with that. “The exercises where we have the Host Nation status contribute to our Armed Forces getting ready to protect the Slovak Republic much better,” said SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš, after inspecting Exercise Tobruq Legacy 2016, which was held from 20-30 Sept at the Training Centre Lešť. “The exercise scenario is designed to allow troops to test their assets and tactical interoperability under conditions as realistic as possible, and to synchronise their SOPs within NATO,” explained the Minister.

“We create a space for troops to communicate in English as the military operational language, which is, for this type of exercise, very specific,” added CHOD Gen Milan Maxim. The Deputy Commander of the SVK Air Force, Brig Gen Miroslav Lorinc, who was the commanding officer for the exercise, noted that the preparations for the exercise had started last year. The Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic, Gen Josef Bečvář, added that the exercise is among the largest ones even for the Czech Air Force. It is aimed at achieving the synergy and interoperability of the Surface Based Air Defence (SBAD) systems in service with NATO Member State militaries. Approx. 1,250 international and 450 SVK soldiers have assembled for the exercise. Among the troops taking part are servicemen and women from 8 NATO countries, while another nine countries have sent their observers.