BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Exercise Trident Joust 2017 officially kicked off Sept. 11, 2017, at the Bydgoszcz, Poland-based Joint Force Training Centre.

 

During the exercise, the headquarters of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, under the banner of the NATO Response Force, will train on hybrid threats within a non-Article 5 crisis response operation. The exercise has the NRF deploying to prevent an escalation of hostilities in a fictional scenario. The multinational staff from JFC Naples will also practice interoperability with partner nations participating in Trident Joust.

"Trident Joust 17 is a great opportunity for our team to come together and showcase our ability to meet the modern security challenges facing the Alliance,” said Canadian Army Lieutenant-General Christian Juneau, commander of the NATO Response Force and deputy commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples. "I look forward to what we’ll accomplish over the next couple of weeks here in Poland as we further demonstrate our capabilities under the banner of the NATO Response Force.”

Exercise organizers said participants will also have the opportunity during the exercise to practice cooperation, coordination and liaison with a variety of local and national officials as well as international and non-governmental organizations.

The NRF, launched in 2002, is a highly ready and technologically advanced, multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and Special Operations Forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly, wherever needed. The decision to deploy the NRF is taken by the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s highest political decision-making body.