STAVANGER, Norway – After 18 months of preparation, STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 (STJA21) computer-assisted/command post exercise (CAX/CPX) officially kicked off at multiple exercise locations in Europe.
About 2,500 civilian and military personnel will support the exercise, which will be conducted from November 30 to December 9, 2021.
Sponsored by SHAPE and directed by the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC), STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 is designed to train and evaluate NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA) as a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) in planning and conducting a non-Article 5 small joint operation (SJO), focusing on counter-hybrid activities and stabilization.
Additionally, the exercise will train the French Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) in preparation for NATO Response Force 2022 (NRF22).
Other training audiences of the exercise include Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) as the theatre component command; the German Special Operations Component Command; NATO Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Reachback Element, and the CBRN Joint Assessment Team.
STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 aims to challenge the different training audiences at the operational and tactical levels, focusing primarily on NATO’s land and cyber domains.
Major General Piotr Malinowski, Commander JWC
Major General Piotr Malinowski, Commander JWC and the Exercise Director, said: “Our aim is to enhance NATO readiness, and, ultimately, to make NATO better. The STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 exercise scenario answers the needs of the 360-degree approach to the concept for the Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA), and, in particular, NATO’s vigilance area in the South. There is a real-life relevance to what we will achieve together, so that we can respond to the threats of today, and make us fit for the future.”
The Commander added: “STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 will provide vast training opportunities for all our training audiences and strengthen their ability to operate as a joint and combined force on behalf of the Alliance.”
Based on a realistic and demanding fictitious scenario developed by the JWC, the exercise will involve counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against a simulated hybrid adversary to ensure stability in the joint operations area, highlighting NATO’s comprehensive approach to security.
Exercise STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 will also contribute to NATO’s new Air Command and Control Concept of Operations (AirC2 CONOPS).
“For 18 months we have been planning for STEADFAST JACKAL 2021. Together, we prepare for every potential threat to increase the readiness of Allied forces and strengthen their interoperability,” said Lieutenant Colonel Olivier, the Centre’s lead planner for the exercise.
“Based on the scenario, the training will focus on land-heavy joint operations that incorporate air and special operations forces to further their ability to manage crisis and promote stability.”
Lieutenant Colonel Olivier
Additionally, during STEADFAST JACKAL 2021, several NATO doctrine-related documents will be assessed on a variety of topics, such as operational-level planning, special operations, cyberspace operations, military police, host nation support, medical support, and movement and transportation.
During the execution phase, the JWC will provide the core of the 450-strong Exercise Control (EXCON) organization, which will be mainly located in Stavanger, comprising a coherent system of functional expertise in areas such as content, scenario, the Opposing Forces (OPFOR), CAX, the Grey Cell, media simulation, lessons learned and experimentation. The Centre’s EXCON Forward teams, including the advisory teams, will be deployed at multiple exercise locations in Europe.
Overall, in addition to the JWC staff, the EXCON organization includes subject matter experts and other augmented staff across NATO, trusted agents, and additional external sources.
Based on a realistic and demanding fictitious scenario developed by the JWC, the exercise will involve counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against a simulated hybrid adversary to ensure stability in the joint operations area, highlighting NATO’s comprehensive approach to security.
EXERCISE STEADFAST JACKAL 2021 AT A GLANCE
- What: Computer-assisted/command post exercise (CAX/CPX)
- Level: Operational and tactical
- When: From November 30 - December 9, 2021
- Who: Nearly 2,500 participants
- Location: Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, France, and Norway
- Objective: To train NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA) as a Joint Task Force Headquarters to command and control a land-heavy non-Article 5 small joint operation (SJO), using air and special forces components. Additionally, STJA21 will train and evaluate the French Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) in preparation for their role within NATO Response Force 2022 (NRF22).
- Officer Scheduling the Exercise (OSE): General Tod D. Wolters, SACEUR
- Officer Conducting the Exercise (OCE): Admiral Robert P. Burke, Commander Joint Force Command Naples
- Officer Directing the Exercise (ODE): Major General Piotr Malinowski, Commander Joint Warfare Centre
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