NATO Mission Iraq  /  Newsroom  /  News  /  2024  /  Command Post Exercise 'Red Lightning' - A Step by the Iraqi Armed Forces towards Alignment with NATO

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi 9th Armoured Division conducted Command Post Exercise (CPX) ‘Red Lightning’ in Camp Taji near Baghdad, Sept 23 to 25, 2024.

It was the first exercise by the Iraqi Army planned according to the NATO Exercise Planning Process, with support from NATO Mission Iraq (NMI). For the Iraqi Armed Forces, this is a small but significant step to reach alignment with NATO.

The exercise, which was attended by high-ranking Iraqi officers, as well as Commander NMI, Lieutenant General Lucas Schreurs, and the Iraqi Minister of Defence, Al-Abbasi Thabet, stems from the intention of the Iraqi Chief of Defence, Staff General Al-lami Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, to participate in the NATO Operational Capability Concept (OCC) Evaluation & Feedback Programme.

Although this exercise was planned in accordance with the NATO process of Collective Training & Exercise, the operational planning process used was of largely Iraqi origin. NMI will conduct a four-week workshop in Oct 2024 with a German Mobile Advisory Training Team at Taji, with members of the Iraqi Core Planning Team, 9th Armoured Division and 1st Special Forces Division, focusing on the Operational Planning Process of a brigade according to NATO standards.