The Minister of Defense visits NATO's Rapid Deployable Headquarters

The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, accompanied by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Amador Enseñat y Berea, visited NATO's Rapid Deployable Headquarters (NRDC-ESP) in Bétera (Valencia) on August 16th.

With the addition of three Slovak officers in July, the number of participating nations at this headquarters has increased to 13: Germany, Slovakia, France, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Czech Republic, Turkey, the United States, and Spain. Specifically, the NRDC-ESP is the multinational component of NATO's High Readiness Land Headquarters, based in the Valencian capital, which Spain hosts at the 'Jaime I' military base in Bétera, all under the command of Lieutenant General Luis Sáez Rocandio.

During her visit, the Minister of Defense held a videoconference with the contingent of this unit deployed in Slovakia. Since March, 16 military personnel from the NRDC-ESP have been permanently stationed at the Slovak base in Kuchyna to facilitate liaison with national authorities and keep the national chain of command informed. Additionally, the Defense Minister had the opportunity to closely observe the work of the 1st Military Police Battalion, which is integrated into the High Readiness Land Headquarters.

In her remarks, Margarita Robles emphasized the role of the Spanish forces in NATO's deterrence efforts on the Eastern flank, noting that the work they do, both on national territory and in Slovakia, is 'essential and very important' for peace. She also highlighted the international recognition of Spanish military personnel on missions, who are held in 'high esteem' for being a professional and effective army.

As part of NATO's deterrence and defense efforts on the Eastern flank, the NRDC-ESP, which has the capability to command a group of large units in high-intensity combat operations, has been designated as the IV Warfighting Corps (WFC) for times of crisis/conflict. It is currently developing tactical planning in the areas of Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.