Noble Arrow 2014 at BA116 Luxeuil-St. Saveur from Peter Boschert

by Peter Boschert · Published October 29, 2014

JL49
The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a force, consisting of Air- Ground- and Sea-forces, which reacts immediately when NATO is requiring them. The aim is to have a force which can react fast of an upcoming crises, either for a united defense or support other crises reaction forces.

Noble Arrow 2014 was conducted between 13th to 29th October 2014. Around 1000 soldiers from 13 countries participated (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Sweden, Turkey and Switzerland. The training area was in the center and the southwest of France. These two areas were often used for military exercises. Roughly 100 flights per day were planned, using around 50 planes of France (Rafale B/C; Mirage 2000-5F; Alpha Jet E; Super Etendart M; transporters CN.235; C.160R; C-130H and C-135FR plus helicopters EC.725R-2 Caracal; AS.355 Fennec and SA.330B Puma), Great Britain (Sentry AEW.1), USAFE (F-16CM), Turkey (F-16C), Greece (Mirage 2000-5EG) and Germany (A.310MRTT and C.160D Transall).

The aim of the exercise was:

• PLAN, TASK & CONDUCT AIR OPERATIONS

• INTEROPERABILITY CAPABILITIY

• NATO OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

• JOINT NETWORKS DEPLOYMENT

• LOGISTIC SUPPORT

Greece deployed its 4 Mirage 2000-5EG from Tanagra to BA116 Luxeuil-St. Saveur. Supporting the deployment were 37 technicians and 11 pilots. They flew together with the Mirage 2000-5F from the based GC 01.002. Two missions were flown, usually without refueling as the Greece Mirages flew with three fueltanks. The Greece Mirage 2000-5EG are similar to the based Mirage 2000-5F, however, the Greece Mirages are newer and have less flying hours. In 2000, Greece ordered 15 new build Mirage 2000-5EB/BG (10 single-seat and five dual-seat aircraft), a further 10 Mirage 2000EG were modernized to the -5EG standard. The last new Mirages were delivered in 2007.

A big thank you to Paris for the great support, it is always great working with you together. Also a big thank you to the PAO at Luxeuil, which took the time to make this report happen.