Commander NATO CIS Group (NCISG),  Major General Walter Huhn,  thanks participating unit commanders at the closing ceremony of Exercise Steadfast Cobalt in Kaunas,  Lithuania,  May 2017 - NATO photo by SSgt Dan Bardsley GBRA 

KAUNAS, Lithuania – Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 17 wrapped up on Thursday, Jun. 1, 2017 in Kaunas, Lithuania with a Distinguished Visitors Day attended by over 150 visitors from the NATO Force Structure and participating nations.

Exercise Steadfast Cobalt provided the NATO CIS Group (NCISG) and participants with the opportunity to test and develop all elements of its command and control structure in support of the Enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF). By using a series of exercise scenarios and planned activities both military communication entities and civilian agencies worked through a challenging programme that increased in complexity. 

Each test phase event was then assessed and where applicable adjusted for the next phase ensuring a high tempo of training value.

"Our exercise aims and ambitious testing programme have challenged every level of my command, tested interoperability and intentionally stretched our technical abilities. We have to ensure we can fully support eNRF operations," said the Commander of NCISG Major General Walter Huhn. "I know we have all benefitted from this exercise where our procedures and our extensive capabilities have gone from strength to strength," he added.

"The feedback I have already received from my visitors today and the exercise participants has been excellent. It is clear to me that the considerable efforts of all my personnel, in close co-operation with the Lithuanian authorities and partner nations have been tremendously successful. We achieved a great deal together and are stronger for it. Again I would like to thank the Lithuanian Government for their assistance," concluded Major General Huhn.

With the close of Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 17, NCISG and other participating units will now undergo preparation for Exercise Trident Javelin 17. Exercise Trident Javelin 17 is a command and control exercise which is scheduled to be held in Norway in November.