[wzslider autoplay=”true”] Several-days long combined exercise “Quick response 2016”, which is performed under the baton command of EUFOR, and in which, besides units of EUFOR and KFOR, Armed Forces of BiH were represented with significant forces, was finished yesterday at the training ground of barracks “Mika Bosnic” in Manjaca.
During the preparation and planning of this exercise, the command of EUFOR closely cooperated with the Armed Forces of BiH and relied on the local infrastructure and the domestic training capacity, primarily on the Peace Support Operations Training Center (PSOTC) and the Center for Combat Simulations.
Exercises such as “Quick response 2016” are central events in the calendar of EUFOR’s training and they represent the crown of the annual training cycle. This year’s exercise was performed in accordance with a screenplay that was completely adapted to possible challenges of our forces in peacekeeping operations.
Exercise in Manjaca showed that peacekeeping operations are increasingly important and demanding form of use of the armed forces in the world, and that the implementation of these operations requires the ability to solve wider spectrum of missions and tasks, ranging from conventional operations, such as fight and defense, through the suppression of violent demonstrations and the removal of unexploded ordnance, to medical evacuation of injured.
In the exercise “Quick response 2016” participated a total of 750 soldiers under the flags of BiH, Austria, Great Britain, Turkey, Portugal and Hungary, and the Armed Forces of BiH were represented by one mechanized troop from the 5th Infantry Brigade. Air support was provided by three helicopters of EUFOR, and in the exercises were involved additional support of engineering squad from the composition of the Austrian KoV, teams for removal ordnance from the United Kingdom, Austria and Hungary, as well as international military police. In execution the exercise was included a total of 70 combat and other vehicles, including M113 of AF BiH.
The exercise was attended by numerous officials and representatives of the participating countries, including Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, head of the EU Delegation in BiH. Wigemark expressed his satisfaction with exercise and opportunity to testify how good cooperation between EUFOR and the Armed Forces of BiH actually is, adding that. “This exercise demonstrates our willingness, our from EU and EUFOR, but also our partners from the Armed Forces of BiH as well as our partners from other countries that are participating in the EUFOR mission and the countries whose troops participated in today’s exercise.”
General Ante Jelec, the Chief of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of BiH, thanked EUFOR for the trust and acceptance of the Armed Forces of BiH as an equal partner in training and operations. “Today AF BIH exercised for support to peace, the maintenance of peace and together with European forces demonstrated their abilities to participate in the UN missions of preserving and building peace in the world,” said general Jelec.
General Friedrich Schroeter, commander of EUFOR, said that with the exercise “Quick response 2016″ “wanted to show how seriously we take our tasks and how seriously we approach their execution. We want to be active, proactive, especially when it comes to safe and secure environment, but also when it comes to collaboration, working with our colleagues from the Armed Forces of BiH and we want to help them to develop more and better in the future.”
(Source: faktor.ba)
