On November 6 Distinguished Visitors and Media Day of NATO's Response Force Exercise STEADFAST JAZZ 2013 (SFJZ13) was held at Adazi Military Camp of the Latvian Armed Forces. Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius, other ministerial and military defence representatives attended the event alongside NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, leaders of other states and distinguished visitors.
"Exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 and Baltic States' exercise Baltic Host 2013 that are running concurrently have complemented one another. That is an indication that we are maintaining high-level cooperation inside NATO. This exercise that was scheduled a long while ago shows our abilities to generate forces effectively, to find common solutions, to carry out joint planning and action, and to respond to possible threats. This exercise planned before a long time trains to complete NATO's collective defence tasks," Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas said.
The President of the Republic of Lithuania observed presentation of Steadfast Jazz 213 alongside the Minister, the Chief of Defence and media representatives. The guests were familiarised with exercise tasks and aim, structure of exercise organisation, and exercise scenario. They also met with Lithuanian participants of the exercise, toured the NATO's JFC headquarters deployed at Adazi and observed operational planning procedures being carried out at a command post training.
"NATO's focus on our region of such an extensive scope allows troops of the allies to familiarise with the Baltic States, infrastructure used here and situation on the ground. That helps them to better informed about us, and Lithuanians are able to collaborate with experienced representatives the Alliance's member states, to share experience, and to improve interoperability inside the Alliance. I know that Lithuania is and will be a protected member of NATO", Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lt Gen A.Pocius said after the presentation of SFJZ13.
Lithuania has delegated 10 staff officers and civilians as well as several additional troops to ensure NATO-Lithuania communications to the portion of the exercise at Adazi, Latvia, where the JFC HQ and exercise command element are deployed.
In total, STEADFAST JAZZ 2013 involves over 6 thousand participants from NATO members and partner states, approximately 300 of them - on Lithuania's behalf.
Lithuanian troops at Pabradės Training Range of the Lithuanian Armed Forces are ensuring support to an Italian Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters. Several Lithuanian staff officers have been delegated to take part in the exercise from NATO's Joint Warfare Centre in Norway. The Lithuanian company (approximately 140 members) is involved in LIVEX from Drawsko Pomorskie Training Range, Poland, in composition of the multinational battalion (NATO Response Force, in other words). Lithuanian military assigned to NRF air control parties will join them.
STEADFAST JAZZ 13 is aimed at training and certifying readiness of NATO's Response Force to respond to any threat in any part of the world or to engage in combat action. The exercise will also put to test readiness of NATO JFC Brunssum to lead joint NATO operations in 2014.
The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational NATO force. The NRF is composed of military units assigned by NATO member states which maintain high readiness and conduct standbys in their permanent deployment locations and are preapred to deploy into the area of operations within a designated period of time in case a decision to activate the NRF was made. In such case the NRF rotation of standby would be able to deploy into the area of operations within five days. Political authorisation to use the NATO Response Force is given by the North Atlantic Council.
As NATO gradually winds down the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan, the NRF is crucial for maintaining NATO forces interoperable.
Find more photos from the SFJZ13 Disitnguished Visitors and Media Day at Flickr gallery.
