Field Combined Joint EU Battle Group Certification Exercise

  Bora 11 was the result of more than 18 months of joint preparation. In fact, this activity is the number 4 of a series of 4 exercises of the European Rapid Operational Force, after Fiesole 10, Mercurius 11 and Toscana 11, which had been included in the EUROFOR European Union Battle Group 2011-2 preparation phase. The exercise took place from 2 to 26 of May 2011 at Pian di Spille (Tarquinia/Civitavecchia/Italy) military field, and involved 501 military of the four EUROFOR countries, France (72), Italy (308), Spain (52) and Portugal (69). To perform the tasks drawn from a training scenario based on the typical European Union Battle Group missions, EUROFOR deployed more than 200 vehicles, 120 field tents, 210 computers, 230 telephones, 60 UPS, 50 cargo containers, 30 SIACCON computers, 10 power generators, 9 satellite decoders, 6 communications shelters, 6 computer servers, 3 video teleconference equipments, 2 Command Post display systems, and approximately 5.000m of optical fibre & UTP cables. After 24 exercise days the Force Headquarters dealt with 120 field incidents based on real life lessons identified, served around 16.000 fresh meals, and provided approximately 7.000 individual showers. This number of assets was the highest ever deployed in the history of this European force based in Florence, since the exercises EOLO 1998 in France, and EOLO 2000 in Spain. After the completion of the multinational evaluation team report based on the standard & criteria established by the European Union, the certification letter will be issued and the EUROFOR European Union Battle Group 2011-2 will enter into the stand-by phase until 31^st of December 2011, as the very first multinational Battle Group available for European Union military missions, such as peacekeeping and support to Humanitarian operations, under the article 43° of the Lisbon Treaty (2009). EUROFOR European Union Battle Group 2011-2 deployed at Pian di Spille (Italy), 24^th of May 2011

The Field Exercise Toscana 2011 Distinguished Visitors Day (11th of April 2011) has been attended by many local and regional authorities. Among the authorities were the Prefetto di Firenze, Presidente della Corte d'Apello, the Military Commander of the Toscana Region Lt Gen Bertoloni, and Mr Fedeli the Vice Presidente of the Regione Toscana. This massive presence shows the strong support of the Italian authorities to the European Union Battle Group preparation. This Exercise aimed to prepare the Field Exercise Bora 2011, which will be the European Union Battle Group 2011-2 Certification Exercise.