GRAFENWOEHR TRAINING AREA, Germany -- Allied artillery and supporting units will practice integrating joint fires and test interoperability in a multinational environment here during the U.S. Army Europe-led exercise Dynamic Front 18, Feb. 23 -- March 10, 2018.
Dynamic Front 18 will include approximately 3,700 participants from 26 NATO and partner nations.
The Dynamic Front series is designed to develop the capabilities of U.S. and allied fires to operate side-by-side, from identifying targets at a multinational, theater-level command to tactical units pulling lanyards in the field.
One of the major focuses of the exercise will be on digital communication. For the first time, all members of the Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities, or ASCA, will participate in Dynamic Front. The ASCA software interface allows nations to digitally link and translate between different field artillery and fire support systems, which should enable faster, more-effective firing missions among allied field artillery units. Nations currently using ASCA include France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the U.S.
This year, Dynamic Front will also incorporate joint and multinational close-air support, provided by U.S. and Czech air force fighter planes. U.S. rotational units in Europe will provide both operational staff and live-firing units, and the Army National Guard will provide a field artillery brigade headquarters to work alongside the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
The Dynamic Front series is an important piece of U.S. Army Europe's training and exercise program, conducted by the 7th Army Training Command. In addition to annually conducting a dozen large-scale exercises in the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Area, the 7th ATC also conducts and supports hundreds of readiness events throughout Europe alongside our Allies and partners.
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