NATO exercise Ramstein Dust kicks off

After successful deployment of all material at the exercise compound at Campia Turzii Air Base and two other locations in Romania, the team will build-up and operate their deployable control facilities.

According to NATO, throughout the deployment, the Deployable Air Control Centre, Recognized Air Picture Production Centre, Sensor Fusion Post (DARS) and the Ground Air Ground (GAG) equipment will exercise in an operational environment to further improve knowledge and identify key areas for improvement.

“The compound will be made up of four operations shelters, link support shelters and other command post and combat service support elements. From 2 September on the DARS will be connected to several Romanian Air Defence and Air Traffic Control radars, this is a crucial element in testing the interoperability of the different types of equipment used. 

Additionally, to increase the radio and tactical data link coverage of the DARS, two sets of GAG communications modules and dedicated personnel will be placed at strategic locations in Romania.”

The DACCC is NATO’s deployable air surveillance and control capability, responsible for the control of air missions including surface-to-air missiles and air traffic management. To be compliant with Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) requirements, the DACCC will exercise core functional capabilities and combat readiness.

Whilst reporting real-world to CAOC Torrejon (Spain), for exercise purposes the DARS will be integrated into the NATO/Romanian Air Defence System in order to locally augment and then enhance the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence posture, according to the Alliance.