The exercise is based upon a fictions scenario. Within this scenario, elements of the NATO Response Force (NRF), acting under a mandate by the United Nations Security Council, will be deployed to a theatre of operations.
The NRF was created to provide the Alliance with an effective tool to face the new security threats of the 21st century. It is a rapidly deployable, multinational and joint force with modern equipment able to carry out the full range of Alliance missions whenever and wherever needed, as tasked by the North Atlantic Council.
Almost 900 participants
About 800-900 exercise participants from Germany, Finland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey and the United States as well as NATO’s airborne early warning component will participate. Units will deploy to the exercise area in northern Sweden on 5 and 6 June 2009 to bed-down and conduct familiarization flights in preparation of the exercise. From 8 to 16 June 2009 the exercise will unfold with two to three flying windows each day, the latest flying will occur from 22.00 hrs to midnight. Redeployment of units will then take place on 17 and 18 June 2009.
The Loyal Arrow 09 (law 09) exercise scenario will allow CC-Air HQ Ramstein, the NATO Response Force 13/14 JFAC HQ, to establish and maintain command and control of assigned forces and to exercise internal Standing Operating Procedures and information management processes. The participating units will exercise deployment, reception and redeployment procedures into and out of a Deployment Operating Base (DOB).
LAW 09 is held with the kind permission and full cooperation of the Swedish government. Sweden and Finland participate in the exercise as member countries of the Partnership for Peace programme in order to familiarize with NATO and NRF procedures and missions.