Frisian Flag

In the past Leeuwarden AB organized national exercises using the Air defense and Ground Based Air Defense units (GBAD) nationwide. After a mission the results were debriefed with all participants. In 1992 this resulted in exercise DIATIT, the first three letters coming from the word DIANA, which is the nickname of the 323TACTESS the organizing unit, the last three letters coming from Tactical Integrated Training. Integrated meaning that Navy, Army and Air Force are combined in a major exercise. As of 1993 until 1996 an AWACS was added to the scenario, which resulted in exercise DIAWACS. The exercises main objective being the protection of the AWACS. The involvement of an AWACS was postponed in 1997 and 1998 due to other commitments of the AWACS aircraft. The exercise was renamed again to DIATIT for these two years. Interest was shown from abroad, from other NATO members, who wanted to participate in this exercise (DIATIT). The set goals were met in exercise DIATIT, which means that similar exercises held abroad like Red Flag in the United Sates and Maple Flag in Canada could be compared with this exercise. The big difference being that the costs are significantly lower! This finally resulted in renaming the exercise again, this time into Frisian Flag. In this context that the word Frisian comes from the Province Friesland in which Leeuwarden AB is situated and Flag for the comparison with similar exercises held in Canada and the United Sates of America.