February 8-10, the final planning conference of the multinational exercise "Baltic Host11" will be held at Gen Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre. In the event structure, final scenario and certification criteria of the exercise will be approved.
"Baltic Host11" is the largest multinational host nation support (HNS) exercise held in the Baltic States this year. The map-exercise will take place in the beginning of April in all the Baltic States simultaneously with the command headquarters in Lithuania. The aim of the exercise is to ensure national capabilities necessary for hosting an established number of allied troops in the Baltic States.
In the exercise capacity of the states' infrastructure and institutions to host allied forces will be evaluated, a variety of situations and problems will be simulated and possible solutions will be sought together with civilians institutions. The exercise is planned to drill interoperability of civilian and military institutions of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other NATO members, enhance and upgrade cooperation in rendering HNS operations, and set directions for development of states' infrastructure and institutions in enhancing security and defence capacity.
The final planning conference pulled together over 60 participants from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, USA, NATO and the United States European Command (EUCOM). Chief of Staff of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (Naples, Italy) Brig Gen John K. Love.
"The exercise is a great opportunity to test cooperation between civilian and military institutions," said Brig Gen J. Love in his opening address at the conference, he also stressed that HNS exercise is a contribution to developing security in the Baltic region. "Baltic Host11" is a perfect illustration of NATO's collective defence principles in the region," said J. Love, who will act as commander of incoming allied forces according to the scenario of the map-exercise to be held in April.
Host nation support encompasses civil and military support rendered in peace time, extreme conditions, crises or conflicts by a host nation to allied forces and organisations deployed or operating in the host nation's territory or transiting the territory.
More information at: PR Officer of "Baltic Host11" Capt Ričardas Uzelka, phone no. 00370 686 79 624.
