Other events in Baltic States

On April 27 through 28, brigade staff-level exercises were conducted in Rukla and Alytus by the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf and the US Army's 1-3 Infantry Brigade of the rotating US forces in Lithuania, Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence reported BC.

According to Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Major General Almantas Leika, the benefit of such exercises for both sides is that they involve units with different experience which analyse and plan complex operations together.

"Our soldiers receive an opportunity to hone their planning procedures, while Lithuania's allies are able to familiarise with a new operational environment," he said.

The training event focused on operations of various spectra, tactical decision-making, interoperability and coordination of actions between the staffs of the two brigades.

The most recent US shift in Lithuania is formed by troops of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, US Army. It brought along roughly 20 military vehicles, including 5 M1A2 Abrams battle tanks.

The US military are deployed on a persistent rotating basis in the Baltic States and Poland since spring 2014 as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The operation led by US European Command is aimed at demonstrating the US commitments and interaction with NATO allies through ensuring security in the region.

Other units of NATO allied nations taking part in national and international exercises together with units of the Lithuanian Land Force are a German company and a Portuguese reconnaissance company (both deployed since April).

The Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf is conducting combined training with military contingents deployed in Lithuania by NATO allied nations and constantly taking part in tactical training events of different levels in Lithuania and abroad. Personnel of the MIB Iron Wolf is also constantly training for national defence and peacetime tasks in Lithuania, completing assignments in various international operations, and are conducting standbys for the NATO Response Force and the European Union Battle Groups on a rotating basis.