Latvia: NATO Chieftain Inspects Strike Force’s War Games

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
November 6, 2013

NATO Secretary General visits Steadfast Jazz exercise in Latvia

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen together with the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš, the President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and senior NATO commanders observed command and control drills during this year’s Steadfast Jazz exercise at the Adazi military base in Latvia on Wednesday (6 November 2013). “This exercise is about more than just certifying the NATO Response Force (NRF) for another year. It is about building the future of NATO – a future in which our forces work together seamlessly, no matter which country they come from,” the Secretary General said.

Latvia is playing a key role in this year’s exercise, hosting the certification of military headquarters staff from NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum, which is being tested to ensure it is ready to lead the NRF in 2014. The Secretary General along with Baltic leaders and senior military officials visited a tent-city set up by the deployed command headquarters and received briefings from soldiers and commanders involved in the exercise. Mr. Fogh Rasmussen said that Steadfast Jazz would ensure that the NRF, which is the Alliance’s rapid-reaction force, can defend any Ally, deploy anywhere and deter any threat. The NRF will be at the heart of the Connected Forces Initiative, which sets out an ambitious plan of training and exercises for the years ahead “to keep us ready for anything, even the unexpected,” said the Secretary General.

Steadfast Jazz involves around 6,000 troops and is the Alliance’s largest exercise since 2006. All 28 NATO Allies, as well as Finland, Sweden and Ukraine are taking part in the exercise. Around 3,000 of the troops in the exercise are participating in live exercise training and 3,000 headquarters personnel are involved in a command and control drill. During his visit to Latvia the Secretary General met separately with Latvian President Andris Bērziņš and Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis. He will also be meeting the Defence Ministers of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

On Thursday (7 November 2013), the Secretary General will observe the Steadfast Jazz exercise in Poland.