As website of the 32 Air Base of Polish Air Force reports, Raróg 2013 exercise ended two days ago.
The large scale exercise of the Polish Air Force’s 2nd Tactical Aviation Wing was named after a Saker Falcon.
The main purpose for conducting Raróg was to certify that the Polish Air Force can be a part of NATO and EU response forces. The exercise was a part of FORCEVAL procedure (evaluating whether the forces are liable to be relocated to a different operational theater than their homebase). It was conducted in the period between Jun. 3 and 7.
Throughout the week the skill of coordinating actions on the level of the Air Force and other armed forces that perform different duties on every day basis was the main focus. The aim was to simulate a conflict with a highest possible fidelity.
The core part of exercise included aviation combat sorties, such as Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground; DCA/Defensive Counter Air, or even CAS/Close Air Support. Another field of improvement was training of the TAOR (Tactical Area of Responsibility) procedures. What is more, IT systems were tested for security as well as combat readiness of the aircraft in a given situation.
Finally the ICCS (Individual Common Core Skills) were the last subject of testing.
Photo Credit: Adam ROIK/DOSZ COMBAT CAMERA
The exercise took place in Tactical Area of Operations in the 32. Air Base and in the airspace over the Nadarzyce Range. It was directed by Polish Air Force commander, Brig. Gen. Włodzimierz Usarek and saw the participation of the Polish MiG-29s, Su-22s and CASA C-295, along with the F-16s from 31. Air Base.
The drills were most probably a response to the Russian/Ukrainian activity beyond the Poland’s eastern border. Earlier this year, Steadfast Jazz-13 was another exercise takin place over the Polish territory.
Jacek Siminski for TheAviationist
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