exercise area AJTS logo AAJTS‐simulator Aero L‐39 inside the AB
used during the Ramstein Rover 2013 exercise, which also took place at Náměšť. This particular simulator
with its 5 m wide cupola looks very much like a mini IMAX cinema. In it the trainees are completely inte‐
grated in a virtual battlefield scenario. The weather conditions during the exercise were far from being per‐
fect, still most of the planned operations could be executed. According to Colonel Svoboda the amount of
night missions were reduced to a minimum. Still the number of missions showed the huge intensity of the
exercise. On some days more than 30 mission scenarios were organized and conducted, the Forward Air
Controller had to deal with some 140 real and up to 40 simulated targets. This means a daily rate of up to 50
missions for the pilots and their aircraft where they accumulated some 60 flying hours per day! It was not
only the air component who were quite busy but also the ground forces, for instance on September 11th a
military convoy came under (simulated) attack. The FAC in charge requested artillery support, which was
done by the magnificent Czech 152mm DANA self‐propelled howitzer, which was located only 7 kms away
from the battlefield. Just a few minutes after the artillery fire support the Aero L‐159s dropped their ord‐
nance and what was left of the “enemy” was later on finished by Boeing AH‐64 APACHE – well done!
There is no operation without proper maintenance and ground support. As in the real world there were
plenty of things to do for everybody involved, like the airport fire fighters, who, beside their regular job, had
their own part in the exercises.
On September 10th, the Force commander of AIRCOM at Ramsteim AB, General Frank Gorenc, took part in
the exercise together with the Chief of Staff of the Czech Army, General Petr Pavel and the Czech Air Force
Commander Brigadier General Libor Stefanek. Together with Colonel Svoboda they held a press conference
in the afternoon, where Brig. Gen. Stefanek praised the capabilities of the FAC´s and especially the good
teamwork of all participants. According to Brig. Gen. Stefanek. “The main goal must always be the perfect
team coordination between the air and the ground components, this is why the exercise attaches so much
importance in the training” When Gen. Gorenc was asked if it will be difficult for the USAF in the near future
after the retirement of the Fairchild A‐10 THUNDERBOLT II he said: “We Americans love our A‐10, yes, the A‐
10 provided us as well as our allies over the years with a remarkable performance, still also this system has
its date of expiry. Meanwhile we have developed and tested more