The Idaho National Guard expanded its partnership with German Joint Terminal Attack Controllers during a multinational close air support exercise at Saylor Creek Range this month, bringing together more German and U.S. forces and a broader range of Idaho units than in previous years. The exercise integrated eight German units with Idaho National Guard and U.S. Air Force elements for close air support and joint fires training across multiple training areas.
“We incorporated eight different units from Germany, focusing on close air support training while integrating joint fires from multiple divisions and multiple training areas in Germany,” said Lt. Col. Andreas Marx, a JTAC instructorwith Germany’s Joint Terminal Attack Controller Competence Center.
Representing the U.S. military were elements of the Idaho National Guard’s 190th Fighter Squadron, the 116th (CAV) Mobile Brigade Combat Team, the 148th Field Artillery Regiment and the 1st of the 183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, along with F-15E Strike Eagles from Mountain Home Air Force Base’s 366th Fighter Wing. The combination of aircraft, helicopters, artillery and maneuver forces available in Idaho provides German JTACs with training opportunities that are difficult to replicate in Germany.
“The reason we’re doing it here is the fact that we have the ability to train with the A-10s from Gowen and the F-15s from Mountain Home, utilize helicopters and all the rest in one place at the same time, which is something we can’t do in Germany in such an easy manner,” said Marx.
The availability of expansive training areas and unrestricted airspace in Idaho also provides an environment where U.S. and German forces can integrate capabilities across a large battlespace.
The opportunity to train alongside a NATO ally also strengthens the relationships and interoperability that underpin the Idaho National Guard’s longstanding partnership with Germany.
“Training with our German partners strengthens our ability to operate together as a joint and multinational force,” said Maj. Gen. Tim Donnellan, adjutant general of Idaho. “Exercises like this allow us to bring together the capabilities of the Idaho National Guard, our active-duty partners and our NATO allies in a realistic training environment, building the readiness and relationships we need for future operations. Idaho’s outstanding airspace, world-class training facilities and highly capable units give us an exceptional environment to conduct this kind of complex training, while providing our partners the opportunity to train in conditions and at a scale that strengthens our collective readiness.”
For Marx, the value of the exercise extends beyond the training itself. He sees opportunities for the partnership to grow through additional exchanges between Idaho and German units, allowing service members from both nations to learn how their counterparts plan and execute combat operations.
“I foresee German units being very interested in coming back here and building up the partnership that we have right now and integrating more,” said Marx.
He also hopes more Idaho units will have opportunities to train in Germany, where they can experience German approaches to air-to-ground integration, ground combat, mobile operations and artillery.
“I would say that for every unit in Idaho and every capability, we can find a partner in Germany and facilitate exchanges to train together or integrate in exercises,” Marx said.
The exercise demonstrates the continued value of the Idaho National Guard’s longstanding partnership with Germany and provides both nations an opportunity to strengthen interoperability and develop relationships that can translate directly to future joint operations.