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NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan,O7 FEB 2024

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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.*

U.S. Army Europe and Africa:Stryker Troop to Hungary;Commander Visits Romania

On 18 February 2022,US Army Europe announced in a press release that it is deploying a Stryker troop to Hungary.Reportedly 150-200 Soldiers will deploy for drills with the very accomplished Hungarian Defence Forces.The drills are rooted in the Letter of Arrangement concerning combined training with the Hungarian Ministry of Defence signed in 2019 and reaffirmed in 2021.They will help ensure our readiness and interoperabilty as NATO Allies,U.S. Army Europe and Africa said.* The Stryker troop is part of US Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment,which is a mounted infantry unit based in Germany.It specialises in deployment on short order and quick movement once deployed.The forward presence by 2nd Cav builds interoperability,trust and our shared commitment to NATO with Allied Soldiers.* On 16 February,the Commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa,General Christopher G. Cavoli,visited US and Romanian Soldiers at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase,Romania.About 1,000 US Soldiers from 2nd Cav are deployed there with their Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles at the invitation of Romania to serve as part of our enhanced vigilance activities to strengthen our readiness and preserve miltary equilibrium from a force posture perspective.The Romanian Soldiers are led by Major General Iulian Berdila,Chief Romania Land Forces,whom General Cavoli greeted at the air base.* Both deployments come at a time of unprecedented tension in recent times.It is caused by Russia's belligerence toward its neighbour Ukraine by deploying up to 190,000 troops along Ukraine's borders.* The Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicle comes in several versions.It is built by General Dynamics Land Systems and is based on a design for the Canadian Armed Forces,the LAV III light armoured vehicle.* General Dynamics (GD)