NATO and Russia to Conduct Joint Missile Exercise

NATO and Russia to conduct joint Theatre Missile Defence Exercise

Under the aegis of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), the Theatre Missile Defence Ad Hoc Working Group will conduct the second in a series of joint NATO-Russia TMD Command Post Exercises - 'Collaborative Arrow 05' - from 14-23 March 2005 at Airbase De Peel, the Netherlands. The first exercise was conducted in March 2004 at the Joint National Integration Center (JNIC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado ( US) and the Russian Federation has offered to host a TMD CPX in the latter part of 2006.

The objectives of the CPX are to exercise the Experimental Concept and associated Experimental Concept of Operations (CONOPS) developed by the joint NATO-Russia TMD Ad Hoc Working Group as well as to practice procedures for TMD planning and coordination.

Over fifty participants from ten NATO nations and the Russian Federation are expected to participate in the exercise with additional support and personnel provided by the NATO Military Authorities (NMAs) and the tri-national Extended Air Defence Task Force (EADTF) (1).

The CPX is a computer-assisted, real time event that focuses on command and control of forces. Together with a joint Interoperability Study being conducted concurrently under the lead of the NATO C3 Agency (NC3A), the CPX is expected to provide the basis for future interoperability enhancements and developing mechanisms and procedures for joint operations in the area of Theatre Missile Defence.

Over three million Euros have already been committed to the Interoperability Studies and Exercise programme. Collaborative Arrow 05 is another important step in the deepening practical cooperation between NATO and the Russian Federation as foreseen in the Rome Declaration of 2002.

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