The "Immediate Response 15" exercise is aimed at promoting regional stability, strengthening partnership and enhancing interoperability. It will be held in Slovenia on September 16-22, involving 1,800 soldiers.
"When we look at the cooperation between the Croatian and Slovenian armed forces, we see many similarities, we have quite modern armed systems. The armies of Slovenia and Croatia cooperate and exchange experiences on a daily basis and the cooperation is exemplary, of course," said Slovenian Brigadier General Milan Zurman.
The commander of the Croatian Land Army, Lieutenant General Mate Ostovic, said "Immediate Response 15" was held once in seven years and that this was the fifth such exercise. He said about 900 soldiers were taking part in it in Croatia, of whom 650 in combat roles, including 300 Croatian soldiers in all, he said.
The purpose of the exercise is interoperability in an international environment, he said, adding that although each country had its own national procedures, when they operated internationally, they must be united and people must understand each other so as to prevent errors and casualties.
Ostojic said this exercise showed the firm alliance between the Croatian and US armies, their firm alliance with the armies of all NATO countries as well as those of Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia.