"VALIANT LYNX". The most of the year

Some 5.000 military personnel, 290 chain vehicles, 550 wheeled vehicles and 160 containers took part in the exercise. The figures give an idea of its size and importance and also of the logistic complexity involved in mobilising all human and material resources to its various sites.

The Logistics Brigade has been one of the main responsible for making this possible, thanks to the work of some 350 of its members.

This, the Transport Group was responsible for the transport of most of the armoured/mechanised means of the 12th Guadarrama Brigade from its General Staffs in Madrid to Zaragoza, and for their return. This is no mean feat, given that the 12th Brigade mobilised 290 chain vehicles and 332 wheels. It also deployed about 2.500 military personnel and 252 from other platforms (including containers, trailers, etc.) It is not surprising then thatm in order to prepare all the necessary coordination and support for the deployment, the Logistics managers at the General Staff and in the 12th Logistics Group have invested "some seven months" as stated by 1st Sergeant Castrillo, from the Logistics area of the General Staff. Nor that, during the development of the activities, they have had to combine the real day-to-day logistics (food, fuel, ammunition, etc.) with the preparation of the withdrawal.

Fortunately, they have had the invaluable support of a General Support Logistics Complex (COLAG), set up by the 61st Logistics Support Group (AALOG) in San Gregorio, and of a health training type ROLE 2 of the 3rd Health Group.

The 41st AALOG also offered its support, through its fuel and supply centres and its ammunition Company.

In “Chinchilla”, the CGTAD support battalion had the collaboration of the 21st AALOG for showers, watering, maintenance and recovery.

The live phase (LIVEX) had as main character the 12th Brigade, which was deployed with all its units, practically. Hence, the Chief of Staff of the Brigade and the Advanced Command Post, Lieutenant Colonel Romulo, did not hesitate to refer to it as "the most demanding exercise of recent years for the 12th Brigade".

Its task was to implement the actions envisaged under Elephant Operation, an offensive mission of the multinational force deployed to restore the territorial integrity of a member state. For this purpose, it had four Force units, generated from the units of the Brigade, and with the integration of external capabilities, such as helicopters, Remotely Operated Air Systems (RPAS), Electronic Warfare, NBC or Air Force Aircraft. "Rarely does something like this happen", said Colonel Jiménez, head of the 61st "Alcázar de Toledo" Regiment and second in command of the Brigade. An unparalleled opportunity to "test the comprehensive combat system that is the Brigade, and generate synergies" said General Colomer, its chief.

In addition, during the first days of its deployment in "San Gregorio", the Brigade certified the contingent it will be taking over in Latvia this summer.

On the other hand, both in the CPX and LIVEX phases, an important milestone was achieved: the interoperability of the Fire Support Command and Control System (TALOS) at SIMACET. This was a step prior to Spain's certification as an ASCA nation (Cooperative Artillery Systems Activities).

The LIVEX phase ended with a visit to "San Gregorio" on the last day by the Minister of Defence, María Dolores de Cospedal, accompanied by the JEME, Chief of the General Staff of the Spanish Army, General Varela. There he witnessed two tactical exercises that included real fire and stressed the importance of being interoperable for collective defence.