“The first national force deployed in Romania was equipped under exceptional circumstances,” Nunes da Fonseca said, noting that “it is planned to bring down a mechanized sniper company within the scope of the “ad hoc forward presence” at the end of 2022,” but the conflict in Ukraine “means Anticipate the expectations of this sub-unit.
He added that despite the short time in which “all phases were planned and the essential tasks underlying them carried out”, the force “was able to implement a demanding but focused readiness plan.”
And the general was speaking in the 14th Infantry Regiment in Viseu where the ceremony was held for awarding the national standard to this force, which includes 221 soldiers, 201 of them from the sniper company (reinforced with anti-aircraft). defense unit, information group and support unit) and 20 special operations team.
After, in recent years, 14 forces of troops that intervened in theaters of operations in East Timor, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and were ready in RI, now there is an “urgent need to deploy NATO forces to the eastern flank of Europe,” he considered.
Jose Nunes da Fonseca noted that in Romania “the Portuguese army has been, since 2017, involved in the Allied efforts of presence and deterrence” and that “the creation of a multinational brigade geared towards training and integrating units from several Allied nations has strengthened collective resolve and aroused confidence in an area of interest.” critical to the security and defense of the Euro-Atlantic space.”
He stressed that “at the same time, NATO witnessed the reassertion of its cohesion and the affirmation of its message of solidarity, characteristics that are indispensable today in the face of the ongoing and worsening conflict for nearly a month and a half.”
The Army Chief of Staff said that “the strategic projection is planned, and is already being implemented, and there is only one month left between the hiring decision and the start of the moves.”
Speaking to the military heading to Romania, the general said the army had “never compromised efforts” to provide them with “as rigorous and thorough preparation as possible”.
According to José Nunes da Fonseca, the military has “always sought the best solutions to achieve all the essential objectives, with an emphasis on dropping troops and materials”, and equipping them “with the best means available to the army”.
“We consider you ready to accomplish another mission in the service of the supreme national interest. In this case, a mission that is broadly justified and necessary to strengthen security and solidarity on the eastern side of NATO space,” he emphasized.
