Exercise STEPPE EAGLE 18 – 1 RIFLES In South Carolina

British, Kazakh and US National Guard troops have just concluded a multinational stability operations training exercise in South Carolina.

 

Exercise STEPPE EAGLE is a premier multinational exercise focusing on stability operations. This is an annual, multi-national exercise conducted between US Army Central, Kazakhstan’s KAZBAT
Peacekeeping Battalion, and the United Kingdom Armed Forces.

 

US Army participants were comprised of members from the Arizona National Guard, Kazakhstan’s State Partnership Programme counterpart and the South Carolina National Guard. Foreign participants included Tajikistan Peacekeeping Forces, Turkish Land Forces, and observers from Uzbekistan plus a UK contingent from 1st Battalion, The Rifles.

 

Military-to-military exercises, such as Exercise STEPPE EAGLE, are critical for developing tactical proficiency in multi-national stability operations, support to peacekeeping operations, and support to long-term regional stability.

 

Exercise STEPPE EAGLE promotes cooperation among the allies and partners, builds functional capacity, and enhances readiness through realistic, modern-day interactive scenarios. The exercise brings Coalition forces together to build better understanding, improve some mission command interoperability, enhance small unit force readiness, and demonstrate the nation’s commitment to regional stability.

 

STEPPE EAGLE is an opportunity for USARCENT to host the intra-theatre activities with allies and partners to support the role of the ARNG State Partnership Programme. The exercise promotes common cultural and operational understanding, as well as the exchange of ideas and best practices.

 

 

The Exercise STEPPE EAGLE series will continue to:

• Play a key role in enhancing the partnership between the USARCENT and partner nations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
• Improve each nation’s ability to plan and operate in a Coalition-type environment through simulated scenarios that prepares land forces ability to execute future coordinated, partnered military response to conventional and unconventional threats in the event of a crisis.
• Assist units preparing to deploy in support of U.N. Peace Keeping/ Peace Security Operations.
• Expand and build upon itself with feedback from Soldiers from each country.

USARCENT-executed exercises serve to improve US and partner interoperability by facilitating over 250 exercise participants the opportunity to engage and build relationships at the staff-level, across the tactical environment. Exercise STEPPE EAGLE incorporates a broad range of multi-service and multi-component participants and actively supports the US Army National Guard’s State Partnership Programme.

Source: US Army