The Swift Response 22 military exercise took place in May along the eastern flank of NATO, highlighting the ability of the US and its Allies to conduct near-simultaneous airborne operations from the Arctic Circle to the Balkans. Igor Bozinovski focuses on the role played by North Macedonia
Little more than two years after becoming NATO's 30th member, North Macedonia became one of the host nations for Swift Response 22 (SR22) – the largest international military exercise held in the tiny Balkan state since it became independent in September 1991.
The exercise centered on the nation’s Krivolak military base, which is used by US forces to simulate the conditions they faced in Afghanistan, and featured the first deployment of foreign jets to the tiny state.
SR22 was organized by the US Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) – an Army Service Component Command/Theater Army responsible for directing US Army operations throughout the US European Command (EUCOM) and US Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility.
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