Exercise Baltic Host 2015 which had been honing interaction between the Baltic states' military and civilian institutions with a prospect of rendering Host Nation Support to the NATO Response Force in the event of a crisis concurrently in all three Baltic states ended on November 16.
"Having required contributions from numerous institutions and units, this was an extremely beneficial exercise. It improves interaction and cooperation, and identifies shortfalls to know where improvements are needed. It has been a very valuable exercise to all the participants: host nation support committees, the Joint Staff, the ARRC, and the NFIU," Chief of the Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Brigadier General Vilmantas Tamošaitis said.
Exercise Baltic Host 2015 is unique for being linked with Exercise Arrcade Fusion 2015, an exercise of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps training its command and control units operational control and interaction with national elements to facilitate deployment of the NATO Response Force into the region. ARRC command and control elements were deployed to the three Baltic states in early October. Arrcade Fusion 2015 trains roughly 1700 personnel.
The NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) operating in Lithuania also took part in Exercise Baltic Host 2015. The key mission of the NFIU is to mediate and ensure liaison between NATO and national forces. The unit in Lithuania was inaugurated this September.
"I am really satisfied with the contribution the recently established NATO Force Integration Unit has made at the exercise. Taking part for the first time, the unit provided a smooth coordination and organisation of NATO and national forces' actions," Brigadier General V. Tamošaitis underscored.
The total of approx. 350 military personnel and representatives of civilian institutions (ministries, business, etc.) were training in Baltic Host 2015 concurrently in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. For over a week the exercise was training participants to quickly and fluently plan and provide host nation support to incoming forces and the NATO Response Force deployed into the region. The exercise is held annually since 2009.
