BAUMHOLDER, Germany - Paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division and six NATO nations deployed to conduct a massive airborne Joint Forcible Entry operation on Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr Training Areas in Germany Aug. 18 through Sept. 12.
Operation Swift Response 15 is a multinational military training exercise designed to enhance interoperability with NATO allies.
The training will test the Devil Brigade paratroopers and allied forces by evaluating their execution of strategic outload in conjunction with allies through the use of an intermediate staging base, airborne joint forcible entry and follow-on missions.
The exercise includes the largest airborne operation in Europe since World War II and will help prepare participating forces to operate successfully in a multinational, integrated task force.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division will take the lead in providing the jumpmaster teams, drop zone safety officer team and more than 2,500 parachutes. More than 3,000 U.S. military members are participating in the exercise along with Soldiers from 11 different NATO nations. This includes more than 2,800 Army Soldiers, 165 Air Force personnel, and 45 support forces. Parts of the exercise will take place in four different countries - Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Romania.
Allied troops from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom deployed to 1st Brigade's exercise area of responsibility to train and participate. The training event provides opportunities to integrate multiple allied nations' high-readiness forces to train as a cohesive and interoperable team and to demonstrate the reach of the global response force and the high state of readiness of multinational forces.
"We're looking back on several months of hard work leading up to this historic opportunity to work with our allies. Our paratroopers, across eight different countries, have been training hard, and I know they're ready for this tough, realistic training exercise. Combined training events like Swift Response 15 strengthen our relationships with our allies and reinforce our collective capability," said Col. Colin P. Tuley, commander, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
The Devil paratroopers will execute the joint forcible entry alongside allied paratroopers, parachuting into drop zones in Germany and Romania. The task force will then conduct a range of offensive and defensive follow-on missions while testing new equipment and validating interoperability.
The objectives of this exercise integrate Army airborne and land operations with joint air support and special operations against a "world-class" opposing force. Task Force Devil will defeat hostile forces, secure built-up areas and protect populations from exploitation by a broad spectrum of adversary elements.
Swift Response 15 will test the multinational task force concept, the forces participating and the strength and determination of a great many paratroopers. Training such as this helps to form a cohesive and interoperable team, strengthen relationships among allied militaries, and contribute to regional stability while demonstrating the U.S.' commitment to NATO.
All The Way! Airborne!
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