Stable and reliable – that was the first result of the German-Netherlands Corps (1 GE/NL Corps) regarding HEROS-2/1 release 2. Within the framework of the five day exercise called “Peace Rider 2” from July 5-9, 2004 in Münster, the commanding control information system was used operationally for the first time. Only at the end of May did ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH hand over the system that it supported to the Corps in a festive ceremony.

“From the perspective of deploying a management information system, one can only guess that HEROS will be used immediately,” said a manager of the exercises to ESG. It is necessary to be secure in the use of the system in order to make it even more efficient. Therefore, many HEROS workstations are to be installed in the Corps’ headquarters as soon as possible so that the soldiers can use the system for their daily office work.

The “Peace Rider 2” exercise was part of the preparation of the Corps for its work within the framework of the NATO Response Forces (NRF). Starting in January 2005, the German-Netherlands Corps is to be deployed as a “rapid deployment troop” in crisis zones in the entire world for half a year. The objective of the Corps is to use HEROS in the NRF examination at the end of 2004. In this test, the Corps must prove to NATO that all requirements of the planned type of deployment are fulfilled.

Until then, HEROS must still continue to be adapted to the particular needs of the multinational corps. The exercises “Heroic Sword” and “Allied Warrior” will follow “Peace Rider 2” in October and November. Afterwards, the entire corps staff with all the units that they are in charge of must be equipped for the use of HEROS. HEROS, the mobile information system, was developed under the leadership of ESG. It supports the management levels of the corps, division and brigade of the army.