Exercise Noble Partner 16 got underway yesterday between the U.S., U.K., and Georgian militaries at Georgia’s Vaziani Training Area, Pentagon Press Operations Director Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters today.

Davis said the exercise will continue through May 26, and involves 650 U.S. troops, 500 Georgian service members, and another 150 troops from the United Kingdom.

The focus of Exercise Noble Partner 16 is twofold: to enhance Georgia’s self-defense capabilities, and provide a critical opportunity to train the light infantry company Georgia has contributed to the NATO Response Force, he said.

Enhances Capability, Rapid Response

“This [NATO force] provides a rapid military response force to deploy quickly wherever needed,” Davis said, “and in addition to its operations role, it uses opportunities like Exercise Noble Partner to increase cooperation, education and training for all participants.”

The U.S. component also incorporates a full range of equipment that includes Abrams battle tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, M-119 light towed howitzers and several wheeled-support vehicles, he said.

Alongside U.S. forces, Georgian forces will operate its T-72 main battle tanks, BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles and several wheeled-support vehicles, Davis said.

Noble Partner Begins with Basic Training Tactics

Soldiers assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment gathered the morning of May 13 to train on medical evacuations, cordon tactics and room clearing as part of Exercise Noble Partner.

Exercise Noble Partner 16 is a Georgian and U.S. military training exercise taking place at Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, May 11 to 26, 2016. This exercise is a critical part of Georgia’s training for its contribution of a light infantry company to the NATO Response Force (NRF) and enhances Georgian territorial self-defense capability.

The training was the first of Noble Partner 16 as the previous day had been designated to building personal relationships between the U.S., United Kingdom and Georgian soldiers before the two-week training events began.

Room clearing training, also formally called basic quarters marksmanship, was lead by soldiers assigned to the U.K.’s 3d Rifles. The instructors spent approximately an hour going over various tactics for how to enter and clear a room depending a few of the many different situations soldiers may face in real combat. A team of U.K. soldiers demonstrated how their country optimally works together to enter, clear and control a room and offered ways both count interchange tactics.

Soldiers assigned to Company A additionally learned about Georgian medical evacuations procedures, specifically how to move and load casualties into a Georgian helicopter as well as the technical specs of the aircraft.

A Georgian pilot first demonstrated how to effectively and quickly load a casualty onto the aircraft, which is able to hold five total stretchers when modified. After, the 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers took turn demonstrating the training.

Wrapping up the morning, cordon perimeter procedures were also a training task. This included checking surrounding areas for threats while dismounting transportation, especially within five and 25 meters.

Not only are the training events at Noble Partner a way to build battlefield interoperability between the forces from the U.S., U.K. and Georgian armies, they are an essential part of the Georgian’s NATO Response Force recertification process.

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