The European Air Group’s (EAG) VOLCANEX FP C2 CPX series is a well-established exercise series within the EAG Force Protection (FP) community. Through the excise’s overarching aim, to train junior FP officers and NCOs in functions in a multinational Air FP Command Post on the basis of internationally agreed EAG and NATO documents, especially the EAG’s FP C2 Handbook. The exercise provides an opportunity to enhance standardization and interoperability, through provision of a real learning opportunity and helps confidence building between nations in a combined setting.
This year’s exercise was hosted by the Centre for Simulation of the Belgian Competence Centre for Land Operations at Camp Roi Albert, in Marche-en-Famenne. Through a very successful cooperation between this unit, personnel from the Belgian Air Force, the EAG and RAF FP Centre staff, as professional experts in the field of command and control, the operational and tactical challenges of the exercise could be increased and the overall scenario further tailored to current crisis developments the greater NATO Alliance faces.
All member nations of the European Air Group took part, with the second week’s team comprised of UK, Swedish and Dutch participants.
Sqn Ldr Hemingfield, an RAF FP officer, said:
“I really enjoyed the opportunity to train and exercise with our NATO allies. Working alongside our Swedish and Dutch colleagues allowed each nation to learn from one another, whilst enhancing our interoperability through developed understanding of combined tactics, techniques and procedures”.
Général de Brigade Aérienne Xavier Foissey, the newly appointed Deputy Director of the EAG, said:
“The long running VOLCANEX series of exercises allow the EAG to test doctrine in a multi-national environment to help improve interoperability and understanding between EAG and partner nations. It is also an opportunity for young officers and FP specialists to get to know each other and to learn how to work together to protect an air base – Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the recent deployment of air forces on Europe’s eastern flank is a reminder that we must prepare our airmen and airwomen for a collective defence of Europe.”
