Cooperative Longbow / Lancer -2008 NATO exercise kicks off in Yerevan Sept. 29

PanARMENIAN.Net - On Monday 29th of September, 2008, in the Military Academy of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, under the framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), will be launched the international exercise Cooperative Longbow / Lancer -2008 (COLW/COLR-08). The exercise is being staged in Armenia until 20th October, 2008, the RA Defense Ministry's press office reported.



A press conference, will take place at 12:00, 29th September, followed by the opening ceremony of the exercise. The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan and the Deputy Commander of the Allied Land Component Command Headquarters Heidelberg, Lieutenant General Jack Gardner, will attend at Opening ceremony.



Involving approximately 900 troops from NATO, PfP, and ICI nations, the exercise will provide an opportunity for the participants to learn how to work together within the framework of a NATO-led operation.



The exercise scenario is based on a United Nations (UN) mandated NATO-led Crisis Response Operation involving the evacuation of non-combatant civilians, counter-terrorist activities and stabilization operations.



The exercise Cooperative Longbow/Lancer 2008 will provide the opportunity to improve interoperability between NATO and partner forces inside a Crisis Response Scenario. The exercise will include a command post exercise employing a multinational brigade headquarters and a field exercise involving a multinational battalion. Over the past year the Government and Armed Forces of Armenia have done a superb job in preparing to serve as this year's host, and NATO looks forward to a great exercise.



The annual Partnership for Peace exercises, which regularly occur in the autumn, are a proven instrument for NATO to involve interested nations in a well tailored training event aimed at harmonizing common procedures. Armenia was chosen to host the exercise in 2007.