Owing to its strategic position in the Mediterranean sea, and its significant operational capability, Solenzara air force base has shown since many years a growing capacity to meet the professional requirements. In the framework of the exercise Noble Ardent 08 carried out in October 2008 and Steadfast Joiner in November 2008, Solenzara  AFB welcomes JFACC deployable command structures and Deployed Joint Task Forces (DJTF) to the planning and conduct of air campaigns. This deployment needs a significant logistical and human support since over 700 French and foreign military people have been deployed to man the structures.

Solenzara air force base has hosted such exercises since 2005. Hence, since last July, over 220 military personnel including operational infrastructure unit from Metz, CIS units, air commando paratroopers, among others, have deployed on Solenzara air base. Those units are in charge of setting up, secure and protect both infrastructures and information systems dedicated to Noble Ardent support. Thus, in the framework of this live exercise the relevance of the coordination between the various assets involved and coming from all over the French and foreign countries; unlike Steadfast Joiner, which is a Command Post Exercise.
Those major exercises focus on the air force capability to deploy its assets to overseas theatres of operations in a joint and combined environment.

The Noble Ardent exercise objective is to validate the capability of France to play the part of  a framework nation dedicated to NRF12, whereas Steadfast Joiner will show NATO capability to deploy on an airbase a command allied structure for a high intensity air campaign. 

Colonel Gilles VILLENAVE
Commandant de la Base aérienne 126
“Capitaine PREZIOSI”

The “TORY POCKET” area, enclave located on TYTAN territory was attacked by KAMON, leading to the deployment of the NATO response forces. Lieutenant-general Gilles Desclaux, the Commander of the NATO Air Component Command arrived at Solenzara air force base to assume the role of COM JFACC. He put the emphasis on the role of  NATO forces: “First of all, our role is to bring back peace and to restore security in the area. Then, we must protect and help the refugees and displaced people.

The scenario of the Noble Ardent exercise has begun. Air forces from France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and from the US gathered together to combine their forces and equipment. The aim of this manoeuvre is to check the interoperability of the different assets dedicated to the NRF 12.

Copyright: NMIC and Air Base 126 Solenzara

Before gathering together at a “ice breaker party”, participants had to perform the “in processing” procedures.
Lieutenant-general Desclaux took advantage of this gathering to underline the significant number of means which had been displayed, particularly in the field of information and communication.

Copyright: NMIC and Air Base 126 Solenzara