The garrison and the airfield of the Petro Franko tactical aviation brigade in Starokostiantyniv, Khmelnytsky region, are hosting the Rapid Trident 2017 command-and-staff exercise of Ukraine and the United States, which began on Sept. 11, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Sept. 12.
Officers of the Franko tactical aviation brigade and a Californian airbase exchanged ideas on further training, and their commanders approved cooperation plans at a briefing.
“Col. Mykola Kovalenko notified the guests from overseas of security precautions to be in place during their stay at the garrison and the brigade airfield, while Maj. Todd Morgan thanked him for the hospitality,” the General Staff reported.
The opening ceremony of the Rapid Trident 2017 exercise took place on Sept. 11 at the base of the International Peacekeeping and Security Center of the Ukrainian Armed Force’s Hetman Sahaidachny Ground Forces Academy in Starychy, Yavoriv district of the Lviv region.
This year’s drill involves about 2,500 servicemen from 15 countries, among them Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Italy, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey.
Rapid Trident 2017 will be taking place throughout the International Peacekeeping and Security Center’s range for two weeks. Soldiers will improve their knowledge and skills through joint tactical operations, including patrols, convoys and demining of improvised explosive devices.
A team of U.S. servicemen arrived in the Starokostiantyniv airfield of the Petro Franko tactical aviation brigade on Sept. 8. They will give a number of theoretical and practical classes, for instance, sharing the experience of medical evacuation and airdropping of cargo and troops.
