ASTANA – The second phase of the Steppe Eagle 2015 peacekeeping exercises was completed June 25 at Iliskiy training area near Almaty, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Defence press service.
Photo credit: azh.kz
A feature of the second phase of the Steppe Eagle 2015 exercises was the preparation of the headquarters of peacekeeping units in the form of command and staff training. Soldiers and officers of KAZBRIG, KAZBAT 1 and KAZBAT 2 during the first week were trained on the simulators of the military decision-making process. Command-staff computer-simulation training took place by using the JCATS software programme. The programme manages the process on the computer, including planning, management and the application of units without the expense of motor sources and ammunition and the carrying out of the planned operation.
The second stage of annual peacekeeping exercises involved representatives from seven countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkey. Soldiers from Afghanistan, Nepal and Turkey took part in the exercises for the first time.
During the peacekeeping operations, the practical skills of KAZBRIG and KAZBAT staffs were tested as well as the skills to manage and control units in the planning civil-military interaction, demobilisation, disarmament and the reconciliation of warring parties. Furthermore, interoperability between Kazakhstan peacekeeping brigades with the soldiers of the participating countries has developed due to the Partnership for Peace programme.
This year marked the 13th time the exercise was held. The first exercise took place in 2003 as a trilateral drill involving troops from Kazakhstan, the U.K. and the U.S. and the expanded exercises have been held annually since. More than 1,500 people as well as military observers from foreign states, experts from various NATO headquarters and military-diplomatic corps accredited in Kazakhstan participated in the exercises.
The annual Steppe Eagle exercise series is designed to prepare the Kazakh armed forces to join international peacekeeping exercises led by NATO or the United Nations.
The Kazakh Ministry of Defence press release highlighted further that international participants noted the high level of training of Kazakh peacekeepers and the coherence in joint military operations with foreign forces.
“Last year, the Kazakh delegation visited NepalArmy Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre (BPOTC), where representatives of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan became familiar with the history of the centre, its goals and objectives, training programmes, as well as took part in a meeting with Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General of Nepal Pradeep Bikram Rana and Chief of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations Brigadier General Jan Piyar Thapa. I think that in the future the military cooperation between our countries will develop,” said the representative of the Armed Forces of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Lieutenant Colonel Shah Navildra.
