NATO Evaluators watch Serbian forces conduct training. (Courtesy Photo)

BELGRADE - A two-week exercise with NATO evaluators and Serbian forces concluded on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at the Borovac training field in southern Serbia.

The aim of the exercise was to take stock of Serbian forces level of readiness and interoperability within multinational missions and operations, in accordance with NATO standards. 

More than 60 evaluators from different NATO commands, including Allied Joint Force Command Naples , Land Command Izmir, and Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum, as well as from Allied and partner countries including Serbia, Canada, France, Germany, Montenegro, Norway, Romania, United States, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Ireland, evaluated the levels of readiness and interoperability of more than 250 members of the Serbian Armed Forces. These included a general support engineering company, a light infantry company, a military police platoon, and a Chemical, Biological, Radiological platoon. 

French Army Lieutenant Colonel Benoit Estour and Lieutenant Colonel Yves-Marie Denat, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, led the evaluation teams, during the first and second week, respectively. "The Serbian units were well organised, prepared and demonstrated their mission, while displaying unit motivation and utmost professionalism," said Estour. 

The evaluation process was conducted through the use of a NATO programme called NATO's Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback. This programme is open to all NATO partners included in the following partnership frameworks: the Partnership for Peace, the Mediterranean Dialogue, and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.

NATO's Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback programme is designed to improve the ability of forces from NATO partners to operate together. It has been used in Serbia since 2011. It has contributed to the further development of Serbian forces and has provided a framework through which Serbian forces have increased their ability to meet the Alliance's military standards, so as to be able to participate in peacekeeping missions around the globe under the UN and the EU AEGIS.