The exercise “GORDIAN KNOT 2022” of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Greece (NRDC-GR) Headquarters took place from Monday 07 to Friday 18 November 2022. During the exercise, the corps undertook the role of Multi Corps – Land Component (MC – LCC).

According to an announcement by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), the purpose of the exercise, which was conducted with the participation of 525 Officers from 15 NATO member-states, was to train the NRDC-GR Headquarters as MC – LCC in the planning and conduct of a Major Joint Operation+ (MJO+) of the Alliance, in accordance with Article 5 of the founding treaty concerning collective defence.

On this basis, NRDC-GR practised its capability to simultaneously command and coordinate up to five subordinate Corps HQs from the Main Command Post, in the conduct of their operations and in five operational areas of their competence (Land, Sea, Air, Space, Cyberspace).

It is noted that NRDC-GR was the first NATO Force Structure (NFS) Headquarters to be trained and certified in the MC LCC role last year, and has since continued to develop its capabilities through numerous trainings and other activities, in order to be able to successfully carry out any mission assigned to it.

On Thursday, November 17, the Distinguished Visitors Day (DV Day) took place in the area of ​​Assiros, which was attended by the Deputy Minister responsible for Macedonia-Thrace affairs, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, the Deputy Chief of the HNDGS, Vice-Admiral Ioannis Drimousis, as a representative of the HNDGS, General Constantinos Floros, the Commander the 3rd Army Corps/NRDC-GR, Lieutenant General Sotirios Kostakoglou, the Commander of EUROCORPS (COMEC), Lieutenant General Peter Devogelaere, the Commander of MULTINATIONAL CORPS SOUTH-EAST (HQ MNC-SE), Major General Dragoş-Dumitru Iacob, the Deputy Commander of the RAPID REACTION CORPS FRANCE (RRC-FR), Major General Georg Klein, as well as Honorary Commanders of the 3rd Army Corps/NRDC-GR, Consuls and Defence Attaches of the participating NATO member-states. The said officials had the opportunity to learn about the operation and mission of a fully developed NATO Force Structure Headquarters, capable of successfully conducting joint operations of collective defence, which are the most complex and demanding.

The exercise contributed to increasing interoperability and synergy between the personnel of NATO member-states, promoting the level of operational readiness, combat capability and cooperation in an allied context.

Also read: HNDGS | Completion of Multinational Exercise “POGGIO DART 22”