SPMARFOR obtains NATO’s certification as SP Maritime Component Command during exercise ‘Trident Jupiter’.

Last November 14, exercise ‘Trident Jupiter 19’, the second phase of the SPMARFOR General Staff Certification, successfully ended up as ‘Mission Capable’ for its next activation as a Maritime Component Command (MCC) of NATO’s Response Force (NRF) during the year 2020.

More than 150 people from 10 NATO nations, were part of a General Staff operating from the sea in conjunction with other NATO Commands.

‘Trident Jupiter 19’ belongs to a category of exercises called Computer-Assisted Command Post Exercise (CAX/CPX). It has brought together Commands from NATO’s Response Force Components (NRF) and other nations in order to promote interoperability between the different forces and improve the capabilities for joint combat in a realistic scenario.

The design and control of the exercise was conducted from NATO’s Joint Warfare Center (JWC) located in Stavanger (Norway), from where events and incidents designed to provide a realistic scenario were inserted to allow for the accomplishment of the training objectives.

In the course of several intense days, the capabilities of the SPMARFOR Headquarters were tested to permit the HQ to operate as a Maritime Component Command (MCC) in accordance with NATO’s procedures and the planning and execution of maritime and power projection operations in a multi-threat environment. The SP HQ was then fully certified.

Due to its deployable nature, the SPMARFOR Headquarters has as its command ship (Afloat Command Platform) the amphibious assault ship ‘Castilla’, which provides the necessary elements to carry out the described operations.