The newly arrived Deployable Joint Task Force Headquarters for NATO’s Joint Command Lisbon on Thursday was coordinating with Pakistani officials the forces’ deployment options. The NATO forces will total more than 1,000 troops and engineers, according to an alliance statement and will be deployed to the country’s earthquake-affected areas. The alliance is already operating air bridges from Europe and Turkey that are transporting supplies to the region from Ramstein AB, Germany, and Incirlik AB, Turkey.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.