NATO Land Forces:Exercise Avenger Triad 24 Begins in Europe

Per U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAEURAF),the command post exercise Avenger Triad 24 begins with forces from the U.S. Army and 10 participating NATO Allies:Estonia,France,Germany,Great Britain,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Netherlands,Poland and Spain.It runs from 9-10 SEPT 2024 in multiple locations across Europe.The drills will incorporate lessons learned by implementing new operational concepts.doctrines and procedures learned from previous exercises to increase readiness;enahnce interoperability between the U.S. Army and Allies;and inform regional planning.Said COL Michael A. Wasserman,USAEURAF spokesperson:Avenger Triad capitalises on lessons learned during STEADFAST DEFENDER 24,the largest NATO Exercise in Europe in decades,and DEFENDER 24,the largest U.S. Army exercise in decades,to strengthen interoperability and build confidence.*As part of the exercise,USAEURAF will command U.S. and multinational forces,including one U.S. (V Corps) and five NATO Corps headquarters,in a constructed,computer-controlled environment.Major participants include:USAEURAF;U.S. Army 21st Theater Sustainment Command;U.S. Army V Corps;U.S. Army 56th Artillery Command;U.S. Army 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force;U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division;NATO Allied Joint Forces Command Brunssum;NATO Multi-National Corps North-East;NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps;1st German-Netherlands Corps;and 2nd Polish Army Corps.The drills aim to experimant and assess Army's continuous transformation,including the theatre strike effects group;theatre information advantage element;long-range fires battalion and armoured division.As threats evolve world-wide,so must the tactics and standards of our forces.Computer-assisted exercises like Avenger Triad are a perfect venue for testing new cutting-edge technology,concepts and formations in a simulated environment.*The role of U.S. Army V Corps,based at Fort Knox,Kentucky and forward-deployed to Camp Kosciusko,Poland,is to provide training;increase readiness;and retain operational control of assigned and allocated units in Europe.V Corps works with Allies and Partners to enhance collective readiness and deter potential adversaries,the Corps said.*The primary mission of the new forward-deployed headquarters in Poland will be to conduct operational planning,mission command and oversight of the rotational forces in Europe.It will also provide additional support to Allies and Partners in the region and help improve interoperability.The motto of V Corps is "It will be done."*As the senior tactical headquarters in the contact layer,i.e.,the Eastern Flank,the role of V Corps is to deter adversaries in a crisis,and,should conflict occur,fight and win multi-domain and large scale combat operations.*Victory Soldiers will maintain a high state of physical,mental,spiritual,personal and professional readiness.Through our humility,respect,teamwork and strong leadership,we will build long lasting relationships critical to the success of our mission,V Corps said.

NATO Upgrades Deterrence and Defence,Develops Strategies to Deal With Contingencies - plus Finland's Key Role in NATO Land Forces

According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:Allies have agreed the most comprehensive defence plans since the Cold War to deter and defend against global threats,including Russia.Our military planners are translating these plans into concrete requirements,identifying the forces needed to defend us.Allies are offering forces to NATO's command at a scale not seen in decades.Today we have 500,000 troops at high readiness across all domains-significantly more than was set out at the 2022 Madrid Summit.NATO has also doubled the number of battle groups in the Eastern Flank.Allies are also taking on larger,more demanding exercises to test our capabilities.The many threats we face demand significant capability requirements from Allies in areas such as weapons and ammunition;air and missile defence;logisitics;and long-range weapons. Over the next five years,NATO Allies across Europe and Canada plan to acquire thousands of air defence and artillery systems;850 modern aircraft,including fifth generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighters;and also many other high-end capabilties.We have also invested in more innovation,including one millon in the NATO Innovation Fund...We also discussed the ongoing adaptation of our nuclear capabilities.We are a nuclear Alliance committed to being responsible and transparent,but clear in our resolve to preserve peace;prevent coercion;and deter aggression...Many Allies have already expelled a large number of Russian intelligence operatives.This is considered necessary to counter the hostile actions that Russia is accountable for.And there's a pattern here,an intensified campaign by Russia to conduct hostile actions:sabotage;arson;cyber attacks against NATO Allies.There have been several arrests across the Alliance:in the UK,Poland,Germany and in the Baltic countries-all people who have been accused of working with the Russian intelligence services to conduct sabotage against infrastructure and other facilities in our countries.Restriction of the movement of Russian intelligence officers has already been imposed,but we are welcoming further such actions by Allies.The South is of course important to NATO.NATO has the ability to pivot in any direction that is needed.And that is why I have asked for and established a group of experts that presented their report on how NATO can utilise the opportunities in our Southern neighbourhood;and also address some of the challenges we face there,at least in Africa.This report is part of something we are addressing at NATO,and I am sure it will lead to decisions,conclusions by Allies to further strengthen our approach to the challenges that we see in our Southern neighbourhood.NATO has a presence-we have a training mission in Iraq.We have Partnerships with Mauritania;with Iraq;with Tunisia and others;but of course we can do more.I think it's important to remember,when we are investing in new military capabilities,that it's also relevant to the South.*Moreover,according to the Reuters news agency,Finland will host a new land command unit of the NATO Alliance,Finnish Defence Minister Anti Hakkanen told reporters in Brussels on 13 June 2024.Said Hakkanen:I'm pleased to state today that all NATO member states have given their political consent to Finland's key goals in its NATO integration.Finland will host a NATO command and there will be land force presence in Finland.*According to Hakkanen,the NATO land command will be tasked with directing land warfare operations in Northern Europe and Scandanavia.He declined to specify the location of the command or how many NATO troops could be posted to Finland,as planning was still ongoing.*Under NATO's new command structure,all Nordic countries are under Joint Forces Command,Norfolk,Virginia,which are in charge of North Atlantic defence.*Said Hakkanen:With these decisions,the security of Finland and,at the same time,the security of Northern Europe is strengthened,and they significantly benefit the security of the entire Alliance.*

U.S. Army, NATO. T-72 tanks during joint military exercises in Bulgaria.

U.S. Army, NATO. Powerful M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks in Poland.

U.S. Army Soldiers of Alpha Company,2nd Battalion,69th Armored Regiment,2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team,3rd Infantry Division practised engaging with the enemy.Thus they prepared themselves for deployment forward,if necessary.The enlisted Soldiers were inspired by the confidence of their leaders.A U.S. Army Company typically has 60 to 200 Soldiers under the command of a Captain,but can have more than 200 troops.

NATO Land Forces:Combined Resolve 19 Tests Warfighting Acumen

U.S. Army Europe and Africa is leading the recurring exercise Combined Resolve 19 at the Joint Multi-National Readiness Center near Hohenfels,Bavaria,Germany.The purpose of the drills is to prepare a US Brigade Combat Team in support of NATO Deterrence and Defence initiatives,while also developing NATO Allies and key Partners' interoperability and readiness across specified warfighting functions.In the course of the exercise,the Army's 1st Brigade Combat Team,101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) out of Fort Campbell,Kentucky will execute muti-domain operations during combat training drills as the primary audience for the instruction.Said Col.Trevor Voelkel,1st Brigade Combat Team commander:No matter where the U.S. Army finds itself,whether here in Europe or beyond-we,along with our Allies and Partners-need to be ready to respond when our nations call.And this exercise,which will hone our warfighting abilities,will ensure we are ready.*The drills will facilitate implementation of Operation Atlantic Resolve,not only in the context of Russia's first invasion of Ukraine in 2014,but of its further brutal aggression in 2022 as well.Besides 1st BCT,other Army units participating include:10th Mountain Division;10th Air and Missile Defense Command;41st Fires Brigade;3rd Combat Aviation Brigade;and Army Reserve Units permanently stationed in Germany conducting their annual training,the Army noted.*More than 4200 military personnel from 14 nations will take part in the exercise,including:Bosnia and Herzegovina,Finland,Georgia,Greece,Italy,Lithuania,Moldova,North Macedonia,Romania,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden,the UK and the US.The drills run from 10 October 2023 to 11 November.7th Army Training Command is providing training areas and logisitical support for the exercise that ensures operational readiness.*CR19 will evaluate and assess 1st BCT's ability to conduct combat operations in a complex,multi-domain battlespace.It will bolster readiness and test responsiveness and reinforcement capability.*The Joint Multi-National Readiness Center provides world-class operational Forces (1st Battalion,4th Infantry Regiment) to showcase opposing Forces in the drills.This is critical so the troops will be ready to fight what's coming next.There will be a live,thinking enemy to challenge the Brigade,enabling them to master large-scale ground combat operations.The 1-4 will not so much simulate as replicate enemy Forces.By working through CR19,1st BCT will be enabled to respond more effectively to regional crises,while meeting their own security needs.They will be tested and certified to be combat-credible warriors,ready to accomplish objectives for a strong Europe beside the Allies and Partners they will fight alongside if necessary.Having been totally immersed in an operational environment with no pauses,they will make significant progress toward Deterrence and Defence.