Venerable Gauntlet 2016

NRF - NATO Response Force 

The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a technologically advanced multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and Special Operations Forces (SOF) components that the Alliance can deploy rapidly, wherever needed.

The NRF is based on a rotational system where Allied nations commit Forces units for 12-month periods.

The purpose of the NRF is to provide a rapid military response in case of emerging threats, both, threats to the collective defense and to crisis situations.

NATO Response Force structure

With the introduction of the VJTF concept, the enhanced NRF now comprises 4 parts:

•            Command and Control element: based on a deployable Joint Task Force HQ;
•            Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF): a new component of the NRF consisting of forces at the highest level of readiness.  It is a joint force, consisting of a land component with appropriate air, maritime and special operations components, as needed, able to deploy within a few days in response to any threats or challenges that may arise on NATO’s flanks;
•            Initial Follow On Forces Group (IFFG): These are high-readiness forces that can deploy quickly, following the VJTF, in response to a crisis;
•            Response Forces Pool (RFP): NATO will retain the same broad spectrum of military capabilities that it did in the previous NRF structure.

Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF)

At the 2014 NATO Wales Summit, the Allies decided to increase NATO´s capabilities to provide a rapid joint response to new emerging threats.

With this goal, a spearhead force within the NRF known as VJTF – Very High Readiness Joint Task - was created to be able to deploy in 72 hours.

The first VJTF is operational in 2016. It is Spain-led with the HQ NRDC-ESP acting as Land Component Command (LCC) and its brigade is organized mainly with components of the BRILAT (Brigade ``Galicia VII’’).

The VJTF is a joint task force made up of Command and Control elements and Very high readiness units from different Commands.

Venerable Gauntlet 2016 exercise

The exercise VENERABLE GAUNTLET 2016 (VEGT 2016) is a LIVEX exercise, Brigade level. It will be implemented at the British base of Sennelager (Germany).

The goal of the exercise is to improve the interoperability between the different units within the framework of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF 17) Brigade that will be UK-led. Besides, it will be a period for the HQ national certificate of the 20th Armored Infantry Brigade (20 AI).

Between 2016, Aug. 29 – Sept. 23, the exercise will take place.

From Sept. 5 to 16, the moment of maximum deployment and the exercise capabilities’ integration phase will happen.

Sep. 15th is the date scheduled for the DVD exercise. 

Exercise VEGT16 will have 265 people participating plus the following materials:

•             25 Light Vehicles
•             32 Fighting Vehicles:
              22 HMTV (VAMTAC).
              10 LMV.
•             4 Sapper Vehicles BMR.
•             3 Light Gun Artillery.
 

Other important materials:

•             2 Spike AGTM launchers.
•             2 Mortars (88 mm).
•             1 Barrett Riffle (12.70mm).
•             3 Accuracy Riffles (7.62mm).
•             4 LGs (40mm).
 

The material of the Spanish Force will travel by sea from Almería on Aug. 23th

The personnel will also travel by air from Almería on Aug. 31st and Sep. 4th

The majority of the personnel will return on Sep. 17th

In both cases, the means of transportation will be civil contracted with a logistics operator.

The Chief of the 8th Legion Flag will command the Tactical Group “Colón”.

The organization of the Tactical Group “Colón” for the exercise VEGT16 will include the following units of the Legion Brigade (BRILEG in Spanish).

•             Tactical Group Staff.
•             A protected-light Company.
•             A Sapper´s Unit.
•             An Artillery Battery
 

The Logistic Support Group XXI (AALOG XXI, in Spanish) will supply the personnel to organize a NSE.