Destined Glory
DESTINED GLORY is one of the largest NATO exercises conducted in the Southern Region each year. Showing a wide range of the alliance's capabilities, it also provides a forum for observation and, therefore, better understanding of NATO's power in the region. The exercise gives the military contingents of the participating nations the opportunity to work together to achieve a common military goal.
Destined Glory 97 (DG 97) was scheduled to take place in the western Mediterranean, the Gulf of Cadiz, and southern Spain, from 7 to 20 April. The exercise was to involve forces from France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Commander, Allied Forces Southern Europe (CINCSOUTH), Admiral T. Joseph Lopez, U.S. Navy , was notified that several nations had withdrawn or would reduce their participation in the NATO amphibious exercise "Destined Glory 97" in order to meet national operational commitments. After a thorough review, CINCSOUTH determined on 02 April 1997 that it was no longer possible to meet the desired exercise objectives and cancelled exercise "Destined Glory 97".
Exercise Destined Glory 98 (DG 98) took place in the Western Mediterranean, the gulf of Cadiz and southern Spain from 05 to 22 May 98. This major amphibious training exercise was conducted in May 1998 in NATO's southern region, involving forces from nine NATO nations. It was a multi-force exercise involving maritime, air and amphibious forces from France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
As NATO was engaged in a wide spectrum of stability oriented activities, ranging from dialogue to joint training with allies and partners, live exercises like Destined Glory 98 allow AFSOUTH to maintain the readiness to respond to crises. DG 98 was designed to improve the southern region's capability to carry out combined, joint operations of an amphibious nature, thus improving the inter-operability of the Combined Amphibious Force Mediterranean (CAFMED). In this exercise the commander of the amphibious task force was the Admiral of the Spanish amphibious group, and the commander of the landing force will be the General of the Spanish marine brigade "Tercio de Armada".
The nine nations, which contributed to the exercise with a total of 34 ships, 15 fixed wing aircrafts, 39 helicopters and approximately 2800 troops, worked together to accomplish many military objectives, including practising force generation, deployment, re-deployment, integrated communications, and amphibious, land, sea and air activity. They were also testing their theatre command and control systems and electronic warfare.
Destined Glory 98 was one of the primary NATO exercises conducted in the southern region in 1998, showing a wide range of NATO's capabilities and providing a forum for observation and therefore better understanding of NATO's power in the southern region. DG 98 was under the direction of the Commander of the Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (STRIKFORSOUTH), Vice Admiral Charles S. Abbot.
Exercise Destined Glory 2000 (DG 00) took place in Greece and Turkey, and in the Aaegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas. Although a routine expectation for NATO exercises, this was the first of this sheer magnitude. This major maritime, air and amphibious training exercise involved forces from seven NATO nations was conducted in NATO's southern region from 9 to 25 October 2000. Forces from Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America came together to exercise air, land, and maritime assets. These nations contribute a total of 70 ships, 100 fixed wing aircraft, 70 helicopters and an overall force of approximately 21.000 sailors, airmen, marines and soldiers, including a force on the ground of less than 3,500 .
DG 00 was designed to improve the southern region's capability to carry out combined, joint operations focusing on carrier, air, maritime and amphibious operations. As NATO is engaged in a wide spectrum of stability-oriented activities, ranging from dialogue to joint training with allies and partners, live exercises like DG 00 allow AFSOUTH to maintain the readiness to respond to crises. The forces worked together to accomplish many military objectives, including practicing force generation, deployment, integration training, redeployment, integrated communications, and amphibious, land, sea and air activity. They were also testing their theatre command and control systems and electronic warfare. During the two phases of the exercise, the forces were organised into three multinational amphibious task forces and two carrier battle groups, supported by sizeable maritime and air assets, allowing the troop contributing nations ample opportunities for cross-training.
A new "bench mark" for airspace command and control was set with Destined Glory. Rotary and fixed wing aircraft sorties were flown in the exercise utilizing a single consolidated Air Tasking Order (ATO) and Airspace Control Order (ACO). This exercise included the deployment of an AIRSOUTH battle staff to be forward located with CAOC 6 in Eskisheir, Turkey. Recently activated, these centers streamline and improve command and control of NATO air assets throughout the Southern Region.
It was the first time STRIKFORSOUTH had co-ordinated an exercise this large, roughly three times larger than previous exercises. It was the first time STRIKFORSOUTH had two carrier battle groups and three multinational amphibious task forces under its command. It was the first time STRIKFORSOUTH practiced deep strikes, showing the ability to extend its military reach far inland, even from the sea.
Exercise director Robbins and Commander STRIKFORSOUTH, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Gregory Johnson, also confronted the challenges of some participants withdrawing from the exercise. The UN Resolution on Ethiopia and Eritrea - UNMEE - resulted in the withdrawal of the Dutch vessel HMNLS Rotterdam. National disagreements between Greece and Turkey concerning airspace management eventually resulted in Greece withdrawing its military participation from the last series of the exercise.
NATO'S annual maritime, air and amphibious exercise DESTINED GLORY 2001 (DG 01) took place from 5 to 23 October 2001 in Southern Spain and the Western Mediterranean. More than 7,000 sailors, marines, soldiers and airmen, over 35 ships and 40 aircraft from NATO high-readiness forces participated from ten NATO nations: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. These forces will trained together as a 'Joint Reaction Force', able to conduct a full spectrum of defence operations such as Peace Support and Crisis Response. The French forces are joining the exercise as part of the normal training relations that have been established with its allies.
Live exercises like DG 01 provide opportunities to maintain NATO troops readiness to respond immediately to any crisis. DG 01 is designed to improve NATO's inter-operability of amphibious, land, sea and air activities. DG 01 was scheduled by Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH), the regional NATO Headquarters responsible for the Mediterranean area, and was under the direction of Vice Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, Commander Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (COMSTRIKFORSOUTH).
Destined Glory '02
The NATO exercise DESTINED GLORY 02 will form the centrepiece of the deployment off the coasts of Italy and Greece. The aim of DESTINED GLORY 02 is to train a joint capable force in the full spectrum of operational tasks, with the UK/NL Amphibious Task Group at its core.
Destined Glory runs from Oct. 5 - Oct. 15 and includes Naval, air and land forces totaling 61 ships, 100 aircraft and more than 8,000 personnel from 12 nations. It is NATO's largest Mediterranean amphibious exercise.
The land forces will train in both Monte Romano near Rome and Capo Teulada, Sardinia, whilst the maritime forces will exercise first in the Tyrrhenian Sea and then in the Ionian Sea. Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America are providing high-readiness forces to exercise as a "Regional Reaction Force" able to conduct Peace Support and Crisis Response Operations. France participates in the exercise as part of its normal training relations with its allies. DG02 will be the biggest amphibious exercise in NATO's Southern Region in 2002, assembling three Aircraft Carrier Battle Groups, and a two-Brigade amphibious landing force. DG02 will also mark the first time a French officer commands an amphibious brigade within a NATO exercise.
From Spanish landing ship Castilla's bridge on the day of the exercise's kickoff, French, British and Spanish warships were spread out through Naples Bay, including the aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal and Spanish Principe de Asturias. The ships were in port for a pre-sail brief then headed back into the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas at the end of the weekend.
The warships are operating in a number of different battle groups. One multinational amphibious task force is sailing to a landing site at Capo Teulada in southern Sardinia and another near Monte Romano north of Rome. Once ashore, the forces will conduct live fire exercises at nearby ranges.
The UK Task group commander is Commodore Jamie Miller ADC, who will embark on the Fleet Flagship, HMS Ark Royal, and during the Ex DESTINED GLORY phase, HNLMS Rotterdam.
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