UK forces lead NATO exercise
NATO Exercise Arrcade Fusion is underway in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania led by the British armed forces, the Ministry of Defence announced on 10 November.
The exercise will put the land element of NATO’s new Rapid Reaction Force - the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) – to the test as part of preparations for the force becoming operational in 2016.
The British Army is leading the exercise along with support from Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel. The UK has committed 800 troops and around 350 army logistics vehicles.
Troops from 18 NATO nations will take part in the exercise, giving NATO the opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to operate in complex environments across the conventional, unconventional and hybrid spectrum of warfare.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: ‘This exercise underlines our commitment to the sovereignty of the democratic nations of Eastern Europe.
‘It builds on our decision to deploy RAF jets and company sized units to the Baltic region. It will also provide crucial training to ensure the effectiveness of the new Rapid Reaction Force when it launches next year.’
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