Royal Navy Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CBE, Commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, (MARCOM) Northwood, visited NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) on Thursday, 20 March in preparation for Exercise TRIDENT JEWEL (TRJL 15), which is scheduled for March 2015.
As a successor to the STEADFAST Series of Exercises, NATO’s new operational-level TRIDENT Series directly supports the implementation of the Connected Forces Initative (CFI), which will be crucial after 2014, on completion of the ISAF mission.
Vice Admiral Hudson was welcomed to the JWC by U.S. Air Force Brigadier General John W. Doucette, JWC’s Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander. Following the office call with Brigadier General Doucette, the official programme continued with a series of detailed briefings on the planning process and coordination for Exercise TRJL 15.
Vice Admiral Hudson then toured JWC’s state-of-the-art training facility, which is NATO’s leading site to use virtualization and information technology during operational level exercises.
About his visit the Vice Admiral said: “My visit to JWC today was extremely useful. Not only to see for myself the hugely impressive facilities here in Stavanger, but also to discuss directly with the team who will help deliver Exercise TRIDENT JEWEL.”
Vice Admiral Hudson noted the importance of the exercise for MARCOM and said: “I am always mindful that challenging and rewarding exercises don't happen by themselves and that clear and honest input from those who will be exercised is hugely important. Exercise TRIDENT JEWEL will be a very important event for Allied Maritime Command on the road to Full Operational Capability. I want to ensure it is a demanding test for MARCOM, which confirms our ability to command a Smaller Joint Operation (maritime).”
Vice Admiral Hudson explained how the JWC’s mission supported MARCOM’s priorities: “JWC is a fantastic facility, I know from previous experience how much it has to offer to Component Level Commanders. My visit today has reminded me of the potential which exists here. The facilities are first class and the team could not be more helpful. I will look for every opportunity in the future to make full use of them.”
Vice Admiral Hudson assumed command of the NATO Maritime Command at Northwood in February 2013.