DARS deployment concludes with full re-integration

The DARS team having returned from exercise RAMSTEIN DUST I 16 after redeployment to their home barracks at Poggio-Renatico in Northern Italy. Photo by James Johnson, DACCC

23 JUN 2016

On 22 June 2016, the NATO DARS* has returned to its parent unit, the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC), at Poggio Renatico in Northern Italy after almost a month on the road.With the final redeployment and re-establishment of the DARS, exercise RAMSTEIN DUST I-16 has formally concluded.  The deployment exercise saw the DARS setting up operations at Cerklje ob Krki Air Base, Slovenia, to provide command and control for Exercise ADRIATIC STRIKE 16, Slovenia’s premier international Close Air Support exercise.

During the deployment, the DARS controlled over 90 close air support missions involving aircraft and Forward Air Controllers from 17 NATO nations and Partnership for Peace members  With this performance the DACCC continued to lay the foundation for it being a vital and effective element in future VJTF operations.

“This exercise tested our ability to deploy approximately 100 people operating 20 vehicles and a lot of cargo outside of Italy,” said Wing Commander Barry Potts, the DARS’ Chief of Operations for the exercise.  “The ability of the DARS to successfully integrate with other agencies, in addition to being the critical command and control node of ADRIATIC STRIKE, was essential to success of the operations phase of the exercise.  The safe redeployment and re-establishment of our unit was the perfect finish for a job well-done.”

* Deployable Air Control Centre, Recognised Air Picture Production Centre, Sensor Fusion Post

Source: NATO

By

L. J. De Rothschild                                                                             

      Senior Editor