On September 25-28 Commander of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" Col Valdemaras Rupšys, Commander of the Artillery Battalion and officers of the Operational Planning and Reconnaissance Sections of the Command Headquarters attend the training event "Errant Knight" organised in the area of Oxford, the United Kingdom. The exercise is tailored to train the brigades assigned to the division to complete offensive operations at the level of a higher international unit. Apart from Lithuanian troops the training also involves staff military personnel of Denmark, Latvia and Estonia.
"Errant Knight" is the second phase in the combat training cycle of the brigades assigned to the division. Two week ago a map exercise was held in Denmark for the completion of offensive operations while the ongoing exercise employs real reconnaissance - troops conduct area reconnaissance and evaluation.
"The reconnaissance is used for the analysis of the responsibility area of the Danish Division with a focus on crossing water obstacles because the Oxford Canal and the River Ouse cut across the fictitious operation area in Oxford. Such obstacles must be taken into consideration as they affect the mobility and maneuver abilities of units, crucial in offensive operations," commented Lithuanian training audience on the characteristic features of the exercise. The action plan drafted in the first phase of the exercise will be improved on the basis of the analysis of the action in the operation area.
After the conclusion of the exercise the command of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" will participate in the successive phase of collective combat training together with the Danish Division - staff training "Red Knight" will be held in November in Estonia where the Danish Division Staff will evaluate the brigade staff's operational planning capabilities in conducting offensive operations.
The Mechanised Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" was affiliated to the Danish Division in 2006 on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Lithuanian and Danish Chiefs of Defence to ensure the ability of Lithuanian and Danish military units to operate jointly in a spectrum of multinational operations. The affiliation foresees joint work of the officers of both countries in international staffs, joint training and exercises.
Denmark is a partner nation within the headquarters of the UK-led Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). The affiliation of Lithuanian's "Iron Wolf" to the Danish Division provides an opportunity for the Lithuanian troops to train in higher level, i.e. corps and division-level, exercises than before.
Acting PR Officer of the MIB "Iron Wolf" Command Capt Rimvydas Švedas,
Phone 00370 614 35 693, email rimvydas.svedas@mil.lt
Photo from the Brigade's archive: "Errant Knight 2012", March 26-29, UK.
