An Cosantóir

EU Battlegroup | 21 portant role in the overall setup. How- ever, we have to ensure that, despite all the national contributions and diversity, it is still a functioning military HQ. An Cos: In your opinion, what will 2 ISTAR Company bring to the battlegroup? Brig Gen Leidenberger: An integrated intelligence, surveillance and target- acquisition capability is one of the key elements that lead us into the future. Given the complexity of the environ- ments into which today's forces must be prepared to deploy, commanders are desperately in need of intelligence and knowledge, because it is only on a fundamental understanding of the situation, and of the actors, that you can base your operations. As such, the ISTAR company that is set up by Ireland is key to the success of the battlegroup because it provides me with all the sensors, all the eyes and the ears, I require to understand the situation. So, from that perspective, it is something that is new and promising, and really provides an added value. An Cos: How does the certification process apply to this battlegroup? Brig Gen Leidenberger: Basically, certi- fication is a national responsibility. The various elements of the battlegroup, such as the ISTAR company, are certified by their national authorities. Normally, we expect their authorities to observe and rate their performance during a field-training exercise and to certify them on the basis of that performance. The multinational Force and Battle- group HQs will participate in a big exercise in Germany, where they will be assessed by my boss, Lt Gen Bentler. Af- ter the respective national certification I have to report to the Political Security Committee in Brussels that Battlegroup 2012 is deployable. An Cos: Will you have observers at the national certification exercises? Brig Gen Leidenberger: As the des- ignated force commander I receive invitations to all these exercises. So far I have received invitations for the Irish and Austrian exercises and of course I will see the German exercises as well. I expect to receive invitations to the other contributing countries as well. However, there is no requirement for observers from contributing nations at any of the other nations' exercises. In my opinion, there is a minimum trust necessary among the contributing na- tions that they will each do their busi- ness appropriately. Experience shows this to be the case. An Cos: How confident are you that the battlegroup will be fit-for-purpose when it goes on standby on July 1st? Brig Gen Leidenberger: I think…no, I know that we will be ready. I am happy with my own HQ, which is in principle the building block for the higher echelons; I know that Germany is contributing battle- proven troops just returned from Afghanistan, and who will redeploy to Afghanistan, as the infantry nucleus of the battlegroup; and I know from what I have seen and heard here in Ireland that 2 ISTAR Company, with many highly experienced personnel in its ranks, will be a key enabler, particularly in the way we move information. www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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