29.05.2025 – The signals units side by side with our allies and partners. We continue at the same pace with the other activities of the “IR 25” exercise.
28.05.2025 – The training activities at the Krivolak military training ground continue with unabated intensity. As part of the international exercise “IR 25”, today the participants had training on entering and exiting a helicopter as well as accommodation in it. Additionally, signals for guiding helicopters and determining the area for unloading personnel were practiced.
27.05.2025 – IR 25’s training activities at the Krivolak military training range are ongoing. Today, the participants carried out a patrol base occupation, prior to carrying out a planned attack and convoy movement.
Occupation of a patrol base – 27.05.2025
26.05.2025 – Today, the international exercise “Immediate Response 25” began at the Krivolak army training ground with maneuver training and preparation for the transport of personnel by participants in the exercise with an MI-8/17 helicopter from the Air Force Wing.
Ceremonial opening of the international exercise “Immediate Response 25” – 26.05.2025
Sitel TV report on the exercise “Quick Response 25” – 26.05.2025
Concert in the Francophonie Park – 25.05.2025
The third joint concert of the military orchestras from the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia and from Vermont – USA, was held in the Francophonie Park in Skopje on May 24 at 12:00.
25.05.2025 – Participants of the international exercise “Immediate Response 25”, which officially begins today and will last until June 9, have arrived at the Krivolak military training ground.
Units from seven NATO and two partner armies arrived with their formation equipment and weapons, including Leopard tanks, AH-64 APACHE and Black Hawk attack and transport helicopters, JLTV and HMMWV armored vehicles, and mortars. IR-25 is a multinational exercise with ground combat operations and live fire, which improves readiness, interoperability, and deterrence capabilities among NATO allies and partners.
Concert of the military orchestras in the “Magnolia” park in Bitola – 24.05.2025
MEDIA PACK
About the exercise
“IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 25”
“IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 25”
as part of the exercise
“DEFENDER 25”
“Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness”
initial information about the exercise
2025
Exercise Specifications:
NAME: “IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 25”
FORMAT: Command Post/Field Exercise with Live Fire.
ORGANIZER: U.S. European Command/U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command (USEUCOM/USAREUR-AF); Army of the Republic of North Macedonia – Operations Command
DATE: May 26 – June 9, 2025
AREA: Krivolak Air Base – Republic of North Macedonia
PARTICIPANTS: Armies of 7 NATO countries and 2 partner countries with approximately 2,200 participants (Republic of North Macedonia, United States (Vermont National Guard), Albania, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, United Kingdom, and NATO partner countries Austria and Kosovo.
- Contingent of participants from the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia: 950 members of the Army (Light Infantry Battalion Group, Airborne Wing, Logistics Base);
Contingent of participants from the US Army: 710 participants;
Contingent of participants from the Army of Albania: 30 participants;
Contingent of participants from the Army of Greece: 50 participants;
Contingent of participants from the Army of Italy: 30 participants;
Contingent of participants from the Army of Montenegro: 185 participants;
Contingent of participants from the Army of the United Kingdom: 2 participants;
Contingent of participants from the Army of Austria: 70 participants;
Contingent of participants from Kosovo: 150 participants.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EXERCISE:
- The name of the exercise “DEFENDER 25”, unlike previous editions of DEFENDER, is now an acronym, which stands for “Dynamic Engagement of Forces in Europe for Deterrence and Enhanced NATO Readiness”, which will be held from May 11 to June 24, 2025.
- “DEFENDER 25” is the largest exercise of the US Army in Europe, scheduled by the US European Command, and implemented by the US Army for Europe and Africa. A total of about 25,000 members from allied and partner countries will participate in the exercise, of which 13,000 members from 29 countries will participate, and 18 of them will be hosting countries.
- This year, the sixth edition of “DEFENDER 25”, focuses on strategic deployment of forces, the use of pre-positioned military equipment and subsequent exercises that demonstrate lethality and interoperability with allies and partners.
- The exercise will be implemented in three phases, namely through the exercises Swift Response, Immediate Response and Saber Guardian.
- The exercise “Immediate Response 25” is part of the largest NATO exercise this year on European soil as part of the exercise “Defender Europe 25” led by the US Army, which is being carried out on the territory of NATO members from southern Europe and in which NATO Armies from Europe also participate: Montenegro, Albania, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom and a unit from Austria and Kosovo as part of the joint exercise program of USEUCOM-AF.
- The exercise Immediate Response 25 will be implemented in the period from 26.05. to 09.06., which will be attended by approximately 12,000 members, including 4,000 members of the United States and 8,000 members of allied and partner forces from 19 countries, organized by 8 host countries: Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Slovakia. The exercise demonstrates.
- This is a large-scale exercise, an event involving more than 2,230 military members from 7 NATO member states and two partner countries, and this year will be the largest exercise carried out in the Republic of North Macedonia.
- The scenario of the exercise “Immediate Response 25” is to demonstrate security capabilities and strengthen cyber defense, through the implementation of multinational live fire, cyber exercise, river crossing, and ABH defense exercises.
Benefits of performing the exercise
- Strengthening the command and staff skills of the personnel;
- Improving capabilities through joint training and harmonizing their tactics, techniques and procedures with Alliance standards;
- An opportunity to confirm the readiness, mobility and coordination of the declared light infantry battalion group;
- Confirmation of the capabilities of our army capacities to conduct large-scale exercises;
- Increased strategic position within NATO through the participation and reception of international forces;
- Stronger military relations with neighboring countries; and
- Strengthening civil-military cooperation.
EXERCISE GOALS:
- Synchronization of combined armed forces and confirmation of tactics, techniques and procedures with other participating countries of the NATO Alliance for the implementation of coordinated conventional and joint operations in urban environments in all weather conditions;
- Improving the level of interoperability of declared formations and training with partner countries;
- Promotion of the Krivolak training range as a training capacity;
- Confirmation of national/partner RSOI (Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration) procedures;
- Realization of effectiveness in command in the implementation of the military decision-making process (MDOP), through the use of analog and digital processes;
- Building readiness and mutual operational synchronism between NATO and partner armies, across a wide range of almost simultaneous operations, which are carried out in multiple zones.
ELEMENTS OF THE EXERCISE:
- Planning and execution of joint armed operations in urban environments.
- Organizational structure with integration of partner units to ensure functionality of the command and control system (CCS) for planning and execution of combined combat operations and combat operations in urban environments.
- Implementation of operations for expedited deployment.
- Coordination of tactics, techniques and procedures for combined armed action.
- Confirmation of the planning of the communication-information system and procedures for information exchange.
- Confirmation of intelligence procedures, in order to conduct combined combat operations.
- Improvement of the role for logistical sustainability.
THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE EXERCISE LENGTHS MORE THAN 18 MONTHS:
31.07-04.08.2023 – Workshop for the development of the exercise objectives (Wiesbaden, FR Germany).
11-15.09.2023 – Conference for the development of the exercise concept (virtual)
08.-12.04.2024 – Initial Planning Conference (virtual).
22-26.07.2024 – Main Planning Conference (Tirana, Republic of Albania) and
09.-13.12.2024 – Final Planning Conference (Thessaloniki, Republic of Greece).
TYPE OF AIRCRAFT AND EQUIPMENT:
The units will use their own formation equipment and armament, and the most significant assets will be:
Armored vehicles from the JLTV and “HMMWV” series,
4 Leopard tanks from the Republic of Greece
2 combat helicopters “AH-64 APACHE”
3 transport medical helicopters “HH-60” (Black hawk)
transport helicopter “Mi 8/17”
120 mm mortars,
Engineering vehicle “Husky”
Websites:
https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Armija.Republika.Severna.Makedonija
https://www.facebook.com/DefenceMKD/
https://www.facebook.com/USArmyEURAF
Public Affairs Office of the GS
Contact phone: 02/3282-459
Phone/fax: 02/3282-461
Spokesperson of the General Staff:
Colonel Darko Sterjovski
Contact phone: 072/208-253
E-mail: [email protected]
Information and Communications Sector/ Ministry of Defense
Dusko Avramovski
Contact phone: 02/3282-487 и 076/298-061
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact the Exercise Public Relations Center:
Lieutenant Colonel Chaslav Stojmanovski
Contact phone: 071/296-369
E-mail: [email protected]