MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania - American forces along with select NATO members came together to celebrate the third annual iteration of Tobruq Legacy at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania on July 22, 2017.
Tobruq Legacy is a multinational air defense exercise bringing various NATO countries together to train and to share air defense knowledge and techniques. This year more than 1,800 air defenders from 10 nations embarked on the exercise together. The exercise spans across Europe, having various components in the Czech Republic and Lithuania as well as Romania.
US Army Maj. Kyle Anderson, chief of planning with the 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command, spoke on how this year was different than others.
"The Allied vision for Tobruq Legacy 2017 wanted to expand on the last iteration by proving that multiple forces could work together across separate countries with the help of new SBADOCs (Surface-Based Air Defense Operations Centers)," he said.
These facilities changed the way that NATO looks at the skies, allowing the Allies to share info faster than ever. German Col. Thorsten Stratemann, from NATO's Combined Air Operations Center at Uedem, Germany, explained their uses in depth.
"It is our heart, because it connects the SBAD (Surface-Based-Air-Defense) systems of other countries and different weapon types in an attempt to fuse them together for a higher command to control easier," he said.
The event consisted of speakers from multiple nations and a handing down of a ceremonial totem between Romanian, American, and Hungarian military leaders.
The ceremony also included a celebration of accomplishments by many of the soldiers who helped put various air defense exercises in motion during Tobruq Legacy. Some were awarded with medals and others with plaques.
After the ceremony was completed, the guests were invited to observe a static display of weapons systems from various nations, and the command staff met to further discuss how to prepare for next year's Tobruq Legacy.
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