Soldiers of Lithuania and the United States are taking part in a combined training in Rukla, Gaižiūnai Training Range. On October 23 six Lithuanian- U.S. platoons (in total, roughly 100 personnel) underwent anti-ambush drills, trained destroying bunkers, and completing infantry combat tasks in buildings with support the U.S. Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Stryker armoured personnel carrier, and M113 armoured vehicles of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
"Such combined U.S.-Lithuanian training is bilaterally rewarding. We are sharing experience, familiarising with our combat assets, namely, transferring our experience of using the Bradley and Stryker heavy vehicles to our allies in this exercise," captain Michael Sims, commander of Charlie Troop, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.
The latest shift of the rotating U.S. contingent brought 8 Stryker armoured personnel carriers, 8 Bradley fighting infantry vehicles, 4 Humvee tactical all-terrain vehicles, M88 heavy recovery armoured vehicle, 2 fuelers, and other tactical personnel carriers, and recovery vehicles.
"The U.S. contingent maintaining a rotating presence in Lithuania is deployed from different divisions which gives us an opportunity of constant learning from each other as well as of training with a more diverse weaponry and tactical vehicles on the battlefield, Captain Egidijus Čiulada, the commander of the IInd Mechanised Company of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
The current 160-strong U.S shift is staying at the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf in Rukla. It is conducting combined training and exercises with units of the Lithuanian Land Force and is expected to stay in Lithuania till the next rotation in end of the year.
The rotating U.S. contingents deployed in the Baltic States and Poland as part of U.S.-led Operation Atlantic Resolve demonstrate allied commitments to collective defence.
