A look at the Defence news 6 – 12 September
German and Dutch air defence personnel are preparing for possible deployment as part of the NATO rapid response force.
Therefor they are taking part in Exercise Cerberus Knife in the provinces of Limburg and North Brabant. In 2023, the units will be on stand-by for the ‘spearhead force’, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).
Monument to New Zealand WWII pilot unveiled
A memorial stone with a plaque situated close to the old IJssel bridge near Zutphen was unveiled last week. The stone and plaque are dedicated to a Second World War fighter pilot from New Zealand. William “Bill” Gibbs Abbott’s Mustang III was shot down near this spot on 9 September 1944. William Abbott was killed in the crash.
Logistics NATO HQ attains full operational capability
Joint Support and Enabling Command (JSEC) has reached full operational capability (FOC) status. This NATO HQ for logistics is now deployable worldwide for any mission. At the FOC ceremony, Vice Chief of Defence Boudewijn Boots presented the premiere of the JSEC March, which was composed by Sergeant De Boer of the Netherlands armed forces. The composition was then performed by the Johan Willem Friso Royal Military Band.
US award for Reaper squadron
306 Squadron (MQ-9 Reaper) has received an American award for its contributions to missions against the ISIS terrorist organisation and for missions in Afghanistan. The unit analysed images gathered by its unmanned aerial vehicles at its home base in Leeuwarden for the benefit of the coalition in Qatar.
Military dental personnel in Kosovo for Afghan evacuees
The Defence organisation has deployed a mobile dental facility to Kosovo. The Netherlands is thus contributing to care given to Afghan evacuees currently in Kosovo. In addition, at the request of NATO 225 Dutch military personnel are on stand-by in the Netherlands to contribute to further care and the construction of a reception point in Kosovo for the evacuees.