OVER 2.000 SPANISH NATO TROOPS HEADING TO MAJORCA

Staff reporter NATO headquarters in Spain will mount operation “Hirex 03” on Majorca between 13 and 31 October this year. The aim is to test and improve joint command deployment procedure for “remote locations”. NATO offices in Bétera in Valencia, stated that “Hirex 03” will be “the first large scale exercise” since the Headquarters received NATO's approval. It will also entail the first deployment “by sea and air using all military means”. The manoeuvres will serve to highlight any needs that the Unit might have “in a hypothetical far-off location”. Once in Majorca, computer simulation will illustrate the development of a joint command deployment operation. “Attention will focus on tactical strategy”, during which the Command will “direct” in simulated form, a ground force unit made up of troops from several different countries. The communiqué explained that in order To avoid the physical deployment of such a vast amount of manpower and to minimize the costly movement of military machinery, computerised “response cells” have been created.