The NATO Battle Group in Cincu will be fully operational toward the end of this year, Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Land Forces, Major General Iulian Berdila stated on Tuesday, according to Agerpres.

„We are on the verge of achieving the operational capacity of the battle group. (…) Toward the end of the year, we reach the initial operational capacity and, afterwards, we’ll see the development according to the leader nation for the next year,” Berdila stated after the ceremony held in the Carol Park, in Bucharest, which marked the Romanian Army Day.

He talked about the deterrence and defence role of this Battle Group and also about the outlooks of this group becoming a battalion.

„We are starting with the battalion level and the assumption of the brigade level should take place at the start of the full operational capacity toward the end of this year, the next year and the integration in the large posture of the Alliance in the South East area of the Black Sea region, a strengthened posture and presence for deterrence and defence,” he showed.

Moreover, the Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Land Forces mentioned the training role of the troops deployed to Romania.

„For me, the presence of other servicemen from the land forces, including the the 101st Airborne Division, is an element of opportunity to train and to perfect this degree of interoperability that we have all assumed,” Berdila said.

His French counterpart Pierre Schill talked about „a deep commitment” regarding the Battle Group. He said that in the coming days, the number of servicemen will increase because an armed battalion is to be deployed, leading to a number of 800 soldiers.

Agerpres