NATO’s ''spearhead''

The Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) is a new concept launched by NATO. It will be composed of a land brigade supported by air, sea and special forces and will be available to be deployed at very short notice when the sovereignty of any member of the Alliance is under threat. In its first year, it will be led by Spain.

The unit designated to be at the core of VJTF is the 7th Light Infantry Brigade “Galicia” (BRILAT by its Spanish acronym). As a result, it intensified its preparation during the first half of 2015 in order to achieve its national certification, eventually obtained with an exercise which took place at the “San Gregorio” Training Centre from 8 to 19 June. The exercise was dubbed “Spearhead”, which is also the purpose of VJTF: to be the vanguard, the first to arrive. If the crisis escalated and more troops were needed, two other land brigades would be deployed to provide rapid support.

The activities were aimed at enhancing the training of VJTF’s Spanish component and strengthening the cohesion of the participating units. The culmination of the exercise was a Task Group mission coordinated by BRILAT’S Command Post involving live fire, an air assault and the occurrence of incidents. Controllers were deployed at this stage to carry out the assessment of the units. The Brigade is now ready to face its final test, which will include the integration of subordinate units provided by other countries during the “Trident Juncture” exercise, scheduled to take part in several scenarios during the months of October and November.

The VJTF dispositive to be led by Spain in 2016 will include the High Readiness Land HQ in Bétera (Valencia) together with the very high readiness units. This ensemble of headquarters and units with Spanish command and control centres and tried and tested procedures has been training for a year and can be deployed and operational within a few days in any country of the Alliance. The bulk of the units within VJTF has been generated by BRILAT: headquarters, motorised infantry, reconnaissance, field and anti-aircraft artillery, sappers and logistics.

However, VJTF elements which do not belong to BRILAT also took part in the exercise: Joint attack terminal control teams generated by Field Artillery Command as well as a signal centre and a Tetrapol node from the Signals Brigade. They were joined by other elements not integrated into VJTF: a protection force unit generated by the 2nd Battalion “Toledo” which will take part in “Trident Juncture” securing the multinational headquarters and helicopters from the Army Aeromobile Forces.