Annually NATO conducts a number of its response force (NRF) exercises. The force is made up of air, sea, land and special operation components and are able to deploy on short notice. It comprises three elements: command and control (C&C), immediate response force (IRF) containing roughly 13.000 troops from the NATO countries and a Response Forces Pool (RFP) which supplements the IRF when needed. Members commit air, sea, land or special forces to the IRF on a rotational basis. The assigned air forces with C&C capabilities have to be able to conduct 200 missions per day as well as being able to provide air defense. NRF assigned forces are on a continuous readiness state which enables them to move in five to thirty days from the moment they are called to active duty. The NRF is divided into a national preparation period which can take up to six months followed by a training and certification period which also takes six months which is followed by the actual rotation period. When the NRF is deployed the rotation cycle can be extended. Till December 31st, 2011 the rotation cycle is a six month period, from 2012 it will be a 12 month cycle.

Before NRF forces enter their rotation cycle an exercise will be held to validate all objectives are met. For the air forces a live flying exercise will be held. Exercise Brilliant Arrow 2011 (BAW 2011) was organized by the German air force from 12-22 September. Due to the ongoing NATO Operation Unified Protector a number of participating countries had to withdraw their participation to BAW 11. In total 1.300 servicemen took part in the exercise with 650 persons operating from six German air force bases, 150 persons from NATO bases outside Germany. The Belgium air force chose to operate from its home bases Kleine-Brogel and Florennes assigning two F-16s per base for the exercise. Also the USAFE assigned KC-135 operated out of home base RAF Mildenhall, UK. The other persons assigned to BAW 11 where support staff and observers which were send by Poland. Besides providing a large air force component (see participating unit table below) the German air force provided the Air Operations Command with the aim to receive operational readiness certification because it's scheduled to act as the Joint Air Forces Headquarters for 2012.

The scenario which has been adapted to the available German air space was build around two countries Tytan and Kamon. Tytan being the Northern part of Germany with a part of its territory (compared to a peninsula) extending to the South (Hannover area). Kamon, after building up diplomatic pressure, decided to invade the Tori Pocket province of Tytan. The main aim being to solve the issue of the disputed region before the Interim Multinational Force (IMFOR) had reached the fully operational capacity of its land forces.

NATO activated its NRF (IMFOR) and air forces deployed to Tytan to take up a pure defensive role countering the threats and attacks from the Southern neighbor. As the hostilities continued IMFOR had no other choice then to increase their efforts and the missions shifted from defensive to more offensive actions which escalated to total offensive actions including deep strikes.

To provide realistic training for the aircrews four training area's were created, one being at sea and the other three over land including a range complex. The Wadden- and North sea were used for dissimilar air combat training, the Munster range complex was used for close air support missions which included EW and SAM threats. During these sorties also forward air controllers joined the exercise so a mutual training benefit was reached. The Northeast and the North- and Southwest areas were used for defensive counter air, offensive counter air, AF attack and slow movers. Planned were 15 combined air operations which included slow mover protection and attacks or defense of high valued targets.

BAW 2011 scenario map