NATO Secretary General with the President of Finland 🇫🇮 Alexander Stubb,08 OCT 2024 - YouTube

Finland is to establish a new Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup to reinforce the Eastern Flank and Sweden will establish a regional headquarters.

NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia 🇲🇰 Dimitar Kovacevski 21 NOV 2023

Deterrence and Defence:NATO's New Plan for the Eastern Flank

According to NATO,the Alliance has increased its military presence in the Eastern Flank as a direct result of Russia's behaviour,which reflects a pattern of aggressive actions against its neighbours and the wider transatlantic community.Russia is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.* Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,Allies reinforced the existing Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroups.It was decided to form four more Battlegroups in Bulgaria,Hungary,Romania and Slovakia.This has brought the total number of multinational Battlegroups to eight,and has effectively doubled the number of troops on the ground and extended NATO's forward presence along the Alliance's Eastern Flank,from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south.* At the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid,the Allies decided to scale up the multinational Battlegroups from Battalion (US Army 100-1,000 troops under a Lieutenant Colonel) up to a Brigade (US Army 2,000-5,000 Soldiers under a Brigadier General or Colonel) where and when required.This scaling up of rapidly available forces would take place during a crisis and is being practised in drills.* Besides this capability,Allies have sent additional ships,planes and troops to NATO territory in Eastern Europe,further reinforcing the Alliance's Forward Defence and Deterrence Forces.The Battlegroups are not identical;their sizes and compositions are tailored to specific geographical sectors and threats.Forces from contributing nations rotate in and out of the Battlegroups at any given time.They may be deployed to Battlegroups or stationed in their home countries with the ability to deploy rapidly if needed.* All eight Battlegroups are integrated into NATO's command structure to ensure necessary readiness and responsiveness.The rapid reinforcement strategy ensures that Forward Defence and Deterrence Forces will be reinforced by NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF),the broader NATO Response Force (NRF),Allies' additional high-readiness forces and NATO's heavier follow on forces as needed.* Also at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid,Allies agreed a new NATO Force Model that represents a broader expansion of our higher-readiness forces potentially available to NATO when and where required.The NATO Force Model is still being developed for implementation later in 2023.Further measures to boost NATO's ability to reinforce include developing more pre-positioned equipment and weapon stockpiles;more forward-deployed cacpabilities,including air and missile defence systems;strengthened Command and Control;and upgraded regional defence plans,with specific forces pre-assigned in the defence of specific Allies.The pre-assigned forces will work with in-place forces-both national home defence and Allied forward presence forces-and become familiar with local terrain,facilities and pre-positioned stock so that they can reinforce the Allies even faster.* At the 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit,Allies approved a new generation of regional defence plans,which will significantly improve coherence of NATO's collective defence planning with Allies' national defence planning of their forces,posture,capabilities and Command and Control.The Alliance will continue to ensure that its posture remains credible,coherent and resilient,able to act immediately in response to any aggression.

NATO Land Forces:eFP Battle Group Poland

On 14 December 2022,NATO gave a media tour of enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Poland on the Alliance's Eastern Flank.The Battle Group,a combined arms unit that is based with the Polish Armed Forces' 15th Mechanised Brigade,consists of the US Army's 3rd Battalion,8th Cavalry Regiment,3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team,1st Cavalry Division (3-1 ABCT);Romanian Sky Guardians (air defence);the Croatian Archer Battery (artillery);and the British Army's The Royal Lancers,Prince of Wales Troop (reconnaissance).Battle Group Poland provides combat-credible forces to V Corps,America's forward deployed corps in Europe.* Said Major Ed Yost,US Army,executive officer of eFP Battle Group Poland: We have in our arsenal the Romanian air defence capabilities with the air defence batteries;the UK as our reconnaissance element,out in front controlling our indirect fires or artillery that we have from both the US artillery company and the Croatian artillery company,which give us a lot of credibility,a lot of lethality.* According to British Army Major Freddie Taylor-Dickinson,commander of Royal Lancers,Prince of Wales Troop: The Jackals provide a reconnaissance capability,and they work well with the U.S. Combined Arms Battalion,and we are trained to work favourably with all of our NATO Partners.As reconnaissance Soldiers,we're trained to operate by day,night,in all weather,so it is a challenging environment,but it's one that we are prepared and trained for.* The eFP Battle Group Poland is the proverbial tip of the spear,ready at a moment's notice to engage an adversary and defend an Allied nation's sovereignty.It is a synchronised fighting force that creates a defensive wall to protect the European theatre,deterring any aggression against the Eastern Flank of NATO.* Lt.Col.Sean M. Castilla,US Army,is commander,eFP Battle Group Poland.The Battle Group recently completed live-fire Exercise Bull Run.

New US Military Deployments to Europe Bolster NATO'S Force Posture

In light of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine,including several war crimes,NATO called for a robust response from NATO Allies.The Pentagon has answered the call by bringing US troop strength in Europe first up to 100,000.Now it will commit even more forces to the mission of deterring Russian aggression in Europe.The exact number of troops hasn't been released yet,but the list of new deployments is substantial.These include the following: in Poland,the U.S. Army is establishing a permanent Headquarters Command Post for U.S. Army V Corps,an Army Garrison Headquarters,and a Field Support Battalion.This will facilitate Command and Control of U.S. Forces in the Eastern Flank of NATO; in Romania,a new Brigade Combat Team of 3,000 Infantry and 2,000 Support Troops will be rotationally deployed; in the Baltic Sea Region,there will be increased rotational deployments of armoured,air defence,and Special Operations Forces; in Rota,Spain,the number of homeported Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers is being increased from four to six; in the UK,two new F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Squadrons are being forward deployed; in Germany,there will be new forward deployments of an Air-Defence Artillery Brigade Headquarters;a Short Range Air-Defence Battalion,a Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Headquarters;and an Engineer Brigade Headquarters; in Italy,there will be a new forward deployed Short Range Air-Defence Battalion.* Additionally,NATO announced it is transforming the NATO Response Force by increasing ready forces from 40,000 to over 300,000 troops on alert for short notice deployment from their home countries.As well,the Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroups are being scaled up from Battalion size (300-1,000 troops) up to Brigade size (3,000-5,000 troops).New eFP Battlegroups are to be located in Hungary,Slovakia,Romania and Bulgaria,joining the current Battlegroups in Latvia,Lithuania,Estonia and Poland.*

NATO Secretary General message to 🇧🇬 Bulgarian Parliament, 29 MAR 2022 - Note:A US Army Stryker Company will be part of the new Battle Group Bulgaria

As NATO Foreign Ministers Meet,Battle Group Develops Tactical Skills Nearby

The NATO Foreign Ministerial is underway in Riga,Latvia .The foreign ministers will discuss current challenges to the security of NATO and the Euro-atlantic Area caused by the activity of Russian forces at the border with Ukraine,and the migrant crisis at the Polish-Belarus border,the Polish Foreign Ministry said.They will also discuss preparations for the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid,and consult with the foreign ministers of NATO Partners Georgia and Ukraine. With regard to the Russian buildup,on 26 November the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs,Karen Donfried,briefed reporters by phone,saying: As you can appreciate,all options are on the table and there's a toolkit that contains a whole range of options.It's now for NATO to decide what are the next moves that NATO wants to take...we will talk about our assessment of what's happening on Russia's border with Ukraine and we will begin the conversation of what are the options on the table,and what it is that NATO would like to do together.* NATO Seceretary General Jens Stoltenberg added that: If Russia uses force against Ukraine,that will have costs,that would have consequences...This military buildup is unprovoked and unexplained.It raises tensions and it risks miscalculations...this is a miltary buildup by a country that has invaded Ukraine before.* Latvia's Foreign Minister Artis Pabrik called for a US military deployment on Monday before the Foreign Ministerial began: We need additional international assistance.We would like to have a permanent United States presence in our country.And sea and air defence means basically going down to such systems as Patriot (missiles)...We have revsionism at this moment going on in Russia (the desire to reconstitute the Soviet Union having been expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin)...from that perspective,we cannot be late here.* Meanwhile,NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Latvia,led by Canada,was practising the defence of the Latvian capital,Riga,in a snowy Latvian forest at the Adazi Training Ground,simulating the disruption of an enemy advance from north of Riga.Exercise Winter Shield 2021 runs from 22 November to 4 December,developing the cooperation and cohesion needed to protect the Baltic Sea Region.A mechanised brigade of Latvia's Home Guard;Lithuanian Armed Forces;and US Army Europe troops are participating in the drills with the eFP Battle Group,which consists of Soldiers from Albania;Canada;Czech Republic;Italy;Iceland;Montenegro;Poland;Slovakia;Slovenia;and Spain.

Bull Run 12:NATO Land Forces Drill on Eastern Flank

NATO'S enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Poland went on alert to deal with a simulated crisis in Exercise Bull Run 12 from 19-23 June 2020. Soldiers from the five Battle Group Poland nations participated:
Croatia, Poland, Romania, the UK and the US.The warfighting drills took place on the Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland.The aim was to test the readiness and interoperability of the Battle Group and the Polish 15th Mechanised Infantry Brigade.*
Representing the US was the 3rd Squadron,2nd Cavalry Regiment.Iron Troop was the ready troop and had 12 hours to move through the Alert Marshall Deploy Sequence and occupy their battle positions in the Sowaki Gap.*
The main parts of the exercise were a wet gap crossing and a combined arms drill.The water obstacle was defeated on BL6-67 bridges under cover of F-16 fighter aircraft and W-3 Sokol helicopters.The CAD was rehearsed with a terrain model on the ground.
The US troops deployed their Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles.*
Croatia won the military competition held before the exercise.*

US Army Europe:NATO Forward​ Battle Group Trained and Tested

Despite wrangling with the COVID-19 threat, troops of NATO'S enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group-Poland were trained and tested for the US Army Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB),and the first ever awarding of the US Army Europe Expert Soldier Badge (ESB),from 23 March to 3  April 2020 at Bemowo Piskie, Poland.A full range of COVID-19 protocols were implemented to protect the Soldiers, including routine medical screening; closing off high traffic areas; emplacement of hand-washing stations;and social distancing.Consequently, the mission was completed with all in good health.*
The event taught and refined the basic skills Infantrymen and Soldiers learn at the lowest level.Said SGT Josue Arceo,infantry team leader with Iron Troop,3rd Squadron,2nd Cavalry Regiment:
Some Soldiers may take the skills we teach for granted, but when it comes time to use it, being an expert at the fundamentals will benefit these Soldiers and their teammates.*
Besides the 2nd Cav, Soldiers from the 5th Croatian Contingent; British Army Royal Scots Dragoon Guards; and Romanian Army 2nd Mountain Troop Brigade participated in the programme.Skills tested included a 12-mile ruck march; filling out a tactical combat casualty card; treating a simulated casualty;land navigation; operating an M4 carbine; and operating an M320 grenade launcher.*
Officers are expected to qualify for the EIB in order to be an effective leader of their military men and women.The programme builds expertise;improves cohesion across the multinational Battle Group; and instills confidence that the Alliance is prepared to work together to accomplish any mission,NATO said.It motivated BG-P to continue to enhance their readiness while simultaneously protecting their health through COVID-19 mitigation measures.*
What was it like? PVT Sara Grubic,a satellite communicator of the 5th Croatian Contingent, taking pride in her qualifying for the USAEUR ESB, noted that:
We received a lot of information in a very short period of time, and we spent entire days in all weather conditions.*
The eFP initiative deploys 4 battalion-sized Battle Groups to Estonia,Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.They demonstrate the Alliance's determination and ability to act as one in response to any aggression against the members,NATO explains.*
In total,29 Soldiers earned the EIB and 14 the ESB.Two Croatians and one British Soldier were among those awarded the ESB.*

Russia Probes British Defences by Sea and Air - Belgian fighter jets among responders

The Russian military has been probing the UK's area of national interest in recent weeks,raising NATO concern as fighting between the Ukrainian Army and Russian-backed rebels intensified in Eastern Ukraine.On 8 January 2018,the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster intercepted and escorted two Russian warships,the Stereguschin-class frigates Soobrazitelny and Boiky,plus their support ships Paradoks and Kola,out of the English Channel.
Commander Simon Kelly,commanding officer of the Westminster,explained:
The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK,and it is very important that HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link.*
Presumably,the Russian warships have by now returned to their Baltic homeport.*
In the Baltic State of Estonia,Britain has deployed its Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) artillery,which is long range and precision-guided by GPS,along with 800 troops as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence strategy.*
On 15 January,the RAF launched Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland,on a quick reaction alert as two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers approached the UK.The Russian Defence Ministry said their bombers were escorted by Belgian F-16s as well as British Typhoons at different stages of their mission.*
According to the UK Ministry of Defence:
The RAF worked closely with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed through a variety of international airspace,before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea.Subsequently,our fighters escorted the Russian Blackjacks North,out of the UK's area of interest.At no time did the bombers enter UK sovereign airspace.*
For his part,British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
The threats this country faces are intensifying and we will not hesitate in defending our skies from acts of aggression.Our excellent RAF tracked the Russian aircraft every step of the way,and they continue to police UK and international airspace every hour of every day,to help keep the British people safe.*
RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies,the MOD added.

Thousands of NATO Troops Assembled for Saber Strike 17 - preparing for Baltic warfighting

NATO Exercise Saber Strike 17 is currently underway in the Baltic States and Poland.The longtime drills emphasise cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region by NATO Allies and partners.The key objective of this year's exercise is training and exercising the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence,or eFP,Battle Groups with the aim of promoting interoperability and improving joint operational capability in a variety of missions,US Army Europe said.The drills are being held in multiple locations throughout Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania and Poland from 28 May to 24 June.*
Key evolutions of SS 17 include:
1.Convoy by Battle Group Poland from Orzysz,Poland to Southern Lithuania;
2.Maritime prepositioned offload of pre-staged supplies and equipment in Latvia;
3.Marine amphibious assault in Latvia;
4.Combined arms live fire exercises in Poland and Lithuania;
5.Air assault by UK Royal Marines at the Polish/Lithuanian border;and
6.River crossing there as well.*
Participating nations include:Belgium;Canada;Croatia;Denmark;Estonia;Finalnd;France;Germany;Italy;Latvia;Lithuania;Luxembourg;the Netherlands;Norway;Poland;Portugal;Romania;Slovakia;the UK;and the US.At least 11,000 military men and women were deployed.*
At one point in SS 17,US and Polish Soldiers and UK Royal Marines trained as a platoon for two days,rehearsing movements before being flown to a nearby location the day before an evacuation evolution.They then put their battle plan into action as they overcame the defensive forces,demonstrating skill and speed,the Pentagon noted.The drills test the capability of multiple nations to act together against a threat.
The ground assault was then transitioned into a comprehensive medevac training evolution with mock casualties.*
US Army Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Meidema pointed out that a common foundation of knowledge is necessary to communicate,build combat power,assemble swiftly and with agility bring combat forces against the enemy,or to reassure Allies.