Joint NATO-Romania exercises
US Army forces taking part in the Southern Shield exercise carried in Romania.
Eugen Nasta, 04.12.2024, 14:00
Military of the US Army’s 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Romania have carried an exercise meant to strengthen the and antimissile integrated capabilities through the rapid deployment of the SHORAD systems. SHORAD have been specially conceived to counter the low-altitude threats and in a bid to secure NATO’s air space.
Southern Shield 24 has been coordinated by US Army Command in Europe, jointly with the Romanian military structures. According to the US Embassy in Bucharest, the exercise ties in with NATO’s extended objectives, in a bid to promote and provide cohesion among the allied forces, at once ensuring stability and safety of NATO member states.
Captain Kurt Blumeyer is the commander of the 1st Battalion’s Alpha Company as part of the 57th regiment. Captain Blumeyer thinks the participation, in Romania, in such n exercise is a message proving the US allies’ determination for the defense of NATO space.
Captain Blumeyer said “We’re in north-eastern Romania for a routine exercise with our Romanian partners as well as with other US army structures, first of all to prove our rapid reaction force, with an anti-aircraft battery, so we can demonstrate this capability to swiftly reach anywhere along the eastern flank and provide feasible anti-aircraft forces in combat.
Another thing that we do is to assure our allies we are determined to defend their air space, both the Romanians and the other allies taking part in the exercise, together with the rest of NATO alliance. And everybody understands that. “ US Army captain Kurt Blumeyer went on to say.
Matthew Eickmeyer is a sergeant first class in the US Army. He is a platoon sergeant in are the 1st Battalion’s Alpha battery of the same regiment. At present he is posted in Romania, at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in the south-east. Jointly with his platoon, sergeant Eickmeyer participates in the Southern Shield exercise for a couple of days.
Here is what sergeant Eickmeyer said, quote, “We participate in an exercise testing my platoon’s capacity to act as a rapid reaction task force in the case of a threat. This is only a swift and brief exercise testing the abilities of our platoon. I am very proud of my soldiers; from the very moment they wake up when the day begins until the moment they lay their heads on the pillow at the end of the day. I am proud of everything they have achieved, proud of everything they accomplish day by day.
Ever since this unit has been activated, a year ago, I was very enthused because of everything they have done and how much they have grown and how much they have achieved throughout the year. The eventual aim of this endeavor is to secure the Romanian partners and show them we defend each and every centimeter of NATO territory, not only on the ground, but also in the air. ”
Also taking part in the Southern Shield exercise carried in Romania was the commander of the 52nd Anti-Aircraft defense Brigade stationed in Sembach, Germany. Colonel Hailey Bairu stated that everything that has been established though partnerships or joint understandings needs to be tested through such exercises. “Our leaders have spoken about how important our allies are, in the defense of Europe and what we do here, in Romania, is the implementation of this alliance.
A partnership works only when we have proven our interoperability capacity as well as our ability to communicate, personally, tactically, but also at systemic level. Therefore, what we do here, in Romania, is to exert our ability to integrate with our Romanian allies.
We are here on the eastern flank deploying an anti-aircraft and anti-missile system to make sure we can connect with them when the time comes and when it is needed to defend Europe’s each square centimeter, just as our leaders have said”, colonel Bairu stated.
