HQ NRDC-ESP

Deployment from Bétera to Chinchilla

NRDC-ESP Command Post in Chinchilla

Military units stationed in different Spanish cities like Burgos, León, Madrid and Valencia start the deployment of personnel and assets to take part in the exercise Valiant Lynx 18 during this week.

Exercise Valiant Lynx 18 will be conducted simultaneously in the Training Areas of Chinchilla (Albacete) and San Gregorio (Zaragoza), as well as in Betera Military Base and Torrejón de Ardoz Military Air Base.5000 troops will participate, 800 from Valencian bases (Bétera and Marines) until end of May.

A total of 250 armored/mechanized vehicles, such as the tank Leopardo 2E, the Infantry Combat vehicle Pizarro, more than 550 light vehicles, and 160 equipment containers, will move to their final destination to participate in the exercise.

Exercise VALIANT LYNX 18 aim is to train the Spanish Army Command and Control structure from Corps to Brigade level in a Major Joint Operation Article 5 (collective defense of Alliance establishment Washington treaty) in a scenario which involves several international actors.

The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Spain Headquarters (HQ NRDC-ESP) from Betera (Valencia) will lead this exercise, and it will train as a Corps Headquarters, commanding and controlling a multinational force deployed in a decisive operation. The San Marcial Division Headquarters (Burgos), Guadarrama XII Brigade (Madrid), Field Artillery Command Headquarters (León), Cavalry Regiment España 11 (Zaragoza), Army Logistic Brigade (Zaragoza), and the Spanish Army Aviation will also participate in the exercise.

Valiant Lynx 18 exercise will serve to measure and verify their combat readiness, including the Signal Command (MATRANS), NRDC-ESP Support Battalion and the Military Police Battalion, all of them located in Bétera.

Multinational Headquarters such as the Allied Land Command (LANDCOM), homed at Izmir (Turkey) and the NATO Force Integration Unit in Estonia (NFIU-EST), as well as the Greek and Portuguese Mechanized Brigades, both affiliated to the NRDC-ESP, will participate in the exercise.

Exercise Valiant Lynx 18 represents the main commitment of the Spanish Army to NATO in 2018.