Exercise TRIDENT LANCE 14 will train LANDCOM and three corps headquarters from the NATO Force Structure in the execution of a follow-on mission post-NRF initial entry, conducted by exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14.

Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) kicked off the Main Event List/Main Incident List (MEL/MIL) Scripting Conference and STARTEX validation for associated exercises TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14 (TRJE 14) and TRIDENT LANCE (TRLE 14) on 2 September.

The exercises will test NATO's ability to coordinate and execute a NATO-led Article 5 Collective Defence operation in a multinational environment and certify the 15th rotation of the NATO Response Force (NRF) under high-intensity, warfighting conditions.

Both exercises will enhance joint and combined interoperability between NATO/Partner and national units in a federated, multinational environment integrating the Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) and train them on the principles of Collective Defence in an Article 5 high-intensity combat action, as well as demonstrate Visible Assurance that NATO is committed to defence of its member states.

Scripting Worskhop

Nearly 150 representatives from various NATO Command and Force structures as well as national headquarters and units have gathered at JWC's training facility in Jatta to build and design detailed, complex and realistic incidents in order to deliver the two associated exercises in November and December this year.

"It takes a great amount of time and effort to design major exercises like TRJE 14 and TRLE 14 as the scenario, setting and the planning process are very complex and demanding for all involved parties," Lieutenant Colonel Frank Aarrestad, JWC's OPR (Officer of Primary Responsibility) said. "I would especially like to thank our colleagues and liaison personnel from the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish Ministries of Defence."

"We are scripting on two databases to deliver an exercise for a four-level Training Audience from SHAPE, the Joint Task Force, Single Service Commands and NATO Rapid Reaction Corps. This shows enhanced interoperability at strategic, operational and tactical levels from planning through execution. Scripting is also tailored to help us in establishing and maintaining robust Command and Control (C2) capabilities for our rapidly deployable forces," noted Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Ristow, exercise Chief Scenario Development.

"The main challenge is to script for two different but linked exercises while refocusing mid-stream from one to the other and tailoring our efforts to their different Training Objectives," added exercise Chief MEL/MIL, Lieutenant Colonel Rick Williams.

Moreover, the scripting event will provide the required conditions to validate the exercise war-game simulation and emplace friendly and opposing forces (OPFOR) into the CAX database.

"In a simulation based exercise, simulation is the real-world," said Ivan Vianello from JWC's CAX Support Branch, adding: "In a MEL/MIL driven exercise, CAX provides perception of the battlefield as well as consistency in space, time and forces. It also ensures interaction with NATO C2 systems and enables the exercising staff (Training Audience) to plan and execute joint operational level military activities where they can also observe the effects of their decisions."

The realistic, comprehensive SKOLKAN scenario in the Baltics region offers an environment with various long-standing regional issues and stakeholders with competing interests. Coalition operations here focus on hybrid warfare, theatre-ballistic missile defence, cyber defence and chemical, biological and radiological defence, including a high-intensity combat scenario against an invasion by a neighbouring force.

"The scripting conference provides a perfect opportunity for the media simulation team to work with the other functional areas and subject matter experts to bring the exercise to life," said Pete DuBois of the JWC Media Simulation Section. He added: "Through the use of our media simulation platforms, including television news, print media and social media simulation, we are able to create a highly realistic and challenging media environment for the training audiences.

TRJE 14 and TRLE 14 aim to assure Allies of NATO's Article 5 commitment and readiness

TRJE 14: Sponsored by Allied Command Transformation (ACT), directed by Commander JWC, exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14 (TRJE 14) will be executed in November.

The exercise will train Joint Force Command Naples (JFC NP) and components of the NATO Force Structure in NATO's new deployability concept and on achieving an effective and airtight multinational C2 capability when deployed on operations.

In addition to JFC NP, NRF 15 involves the following commands:
- 1 German/Netherlands Corps
- French Joint Force Air Component Command
- Spanish Maritime Force
- Polish Special Operations Forces Command

Lieutenant Commander Scott "Taz" Simpson, JFC NP OPR (Officer of Primary Responsibility) for TRJE 14, said: "Given the developing real world challenges and threats going on around us each day, it is critically important that our exercises and training events are both relevant and substantially challenging. The team that has assembled here at JWC is developing an exercise that will fully meet those needs. It is an impressive site to see so many people from different countries, service branches and backgrounds working so well together toward the same goal."

TRLE 14: Also sponsored by ACT and directed by Commander JWC, exercise TRIDENT LANCE 14 (TRLE 14) will be executed in December.

It will train LANDCOM-Izmir and three corps headquarters from the NATO Force Structure (NFS) in the execution of a follow-on mission post-NRF initial entry, initiated by exercise TRJE 14.

In addition to LANDCOM as the primary Training Audience, TRLE 14 involves the following commands:

- NATO Rapid Reaction Corps Turkey
- NATO Rapid Reaction Corps Greece
- NATO Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE)
- South-Eastern Europe Brigade

Upon completion of TRLE 14, LANDCOM will achieve Full Operational Capability as NATO's single service Land Component Command.

Referring to TRIDENT LANCE 14, an Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) article stated "this will be the largest and most sophisticated command post exercise for NATO land forces since the end of the Cold War."

TRIDENT LANCE 14: A new experience for NATO

Royal Marines Major General (Ret.) Roger Lane, the Senior Advisor for the exercises highlighted the fact that exercise TRLE 14 will set a new experience for NATO's joint land operations.

Major General Lane said: "LANDCOM's certification through multiple corps level operations is very important. We are exercising multiple corps in joint land operations. This is a very challenging exercise to deliver. Certification of LANDCOM requires them to demonstrate their capacity to command and control multiple Corps. With a recent focus on Afghanistan and Peace Support Operations, the return to high-intensity combat operations at scale in a modern context has been a new experience for many participants. This demonstrates the commitment by the Alliance to exercise the full spectrum of operations."

The Scripting Conference will conclude next week.

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