POCEK, Slovenia (Feb. 4, 2015) -- Signaleers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the Slovenian Armed Forces conducted combined radio training in Postonja, Slovenia from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2 as part of Exercise Agile Titan.
Agile Titan brought together signal companies from the 173rd Special Troops Battalion and the Rodovski Battalion for allied field training in order to build interoperability between American and Slovenian communication systems.
During the combined operations, Soldiers from both countries trained on technical and tactical skills, and validated system platforms.
"The key to NATO's success is developing partnerships between allies that reinforce interoperability and build trust and confidence between partner nations," said Capt. Marc Levitt, commander of the American signal company. "Agile Titan provided the American and Slovenian forces the ability to validate secure communication platforms, [thus] enhancing mission readiness and enabling successful mission command for the combined task force."
The combined exercise allowed both nations to communicate securely over multiple radio platforms for local and beyond line-of-site communications. The training provided an opportunity for both nations to validate radio interoperability and work together to establish successful communications despite having different equipment and operating procedures.
"Agile Titan taught our Soldiers important lessons on partnership," said Slovenian Maj. Ales Lesjak, commander of the Slovenian signal company. "Demonstrating that our communication systems can securely operate together is essential to combined operations."
Agile Titan builds on a close relationship between the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the Slovenian 1st Brigade. The units have conducted a series of exercises over the past two years, but this was the first time the units focused on communications during an event.
This relationship has also led to real-world mission success.
When Slovenia suffered its worst ice storm in over a hundred years last February, the 173rd was called to deliver generators and other equipment to assist the 1st Brigade in its humanitarian relief efforts.
Both units plan to continue their partnership throughout 2015 in exercises including Eagle Titan in May and the larger multinational exercise Immediate Response in September.
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