Belgium to Hold September Drills in Run-Up to NATO Rapid Response

Belgian armed forces will hold the Active Trip 2015 exercise as a preparation for the NATO Response Force in 2016, according to the Belgian Ministry of Defense.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Belgian armed forces will hold exercises in September in preparation for participation in the NATO Response Force (NRF), the Belgian Ministry of Defense announced.

The ministry said that over 1,500 land, air and medical components, including C130 transport aircraft and F-16 fighter jets, will take part in the September 7-11 Active Trip 2015 drills.

"For the soldiers, the Active Trip 2015 exercise is a preparation for their participation in the NATO Response Force in 2016," the Belgian Defense Ministry said.

The ministry statement added that training exercises will take place in the southwestern provinces of Namur and Luxembourg, both part of Belgium’s Walloon Region.

The NRF is a high-readiness and technologically advanced unit comprising land, air, maritime forces. NATO agreed to establish its Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF, or "Spearhead") of 5,000 troops at its 2014 summit in Wales.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg later expanded the VJTF troop level to 30,000.

An event schedule published earlier this month on the NATO website says Belgium's Active Trip drills are not linked to NATO.

The Belgian ministry said Belgium will provide its 2nd commando battalion, comprising 600 people, to VJTF next year.