On October 14-25 the Lithuanian Land Force Staff is preparing for international Exercise Defender 2020 at a national Exercise Staffex 2019 at the Gen Adolfas Ramanaskas Warfare Training Centre of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in Nemenčinė. The Land Force Mission Command Element (MCE) is rehearsing planning and conduct of a division-level operation according to internal procedures, the exercise involves Land Force Staff soldiers forming the core of the Mission Command Element and officers and NCOs from assigned units.
On the first week of Staffex 2019 staff officers of the 28th Infantry Division of the Pennsylvania Amy National Guard were sharing experience with the MCE personnel at lessons and workshops, while the MCE planning centre carried out planning of a division-level operation, other MCEs drafted standard operational procedures and trained their application. On the second week of the exercise the planned operation will be conducted using battlefield management systems, unit control procedures are further honed, and parallel planning is carried out.
"This exercise is one of the first steps in developing a Lithuanian Land Force Mission Command Element capable of providing command to a division-level operation. Our nearest objective is to put together a structure, define functions and set standard procedures. We are working in accordance with the military NATO doctrines but we have to adjust them to the environment, requirements and capabilities of Lithuania," Chief of Staff of the Lithuanian Land Force Colonel Žilvinas Gaubys says.
On September 13 of this year the Lithuanian Land Force signed cooperation agreements with the 28th Infantry Division and its subordinate units of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard defining the aspiration of to develop a division-level command and control element in Lithuania.
Information by the Lithuania Land Force
Photo credits: Pte 1st Class Michail Lysenko
