After several weeks of preparations, soldiers of the new rotation from the Netherlands assigned to the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group held their first training event in the territory of Lithuania. According to them, terrain and weather conditions differ from those in the Netherlands or Germany where they are used to be training. Forests are thick, roads are narrow and boggy, and weather is changeable, all of which is a challenge to soldiers while completing tasks.
The Dutch exercise began with platoon level training and ended with integration of combat and support units. Infantry personnel, engineers, fire support team, and medics coordinated their actions to fulfil the commander's orders and attain training objectives. Engineers were constructing obstacles to "hostile forces", fire support team made itself useful supporting infantry training to capture a fortified territory. Military medics took care of and evacuated "injured soldiers".
The Netherlands have been deploying soldiers in Lithuania since 2017 as part of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group. The main part of the soldiers are from the 43rd Mechanised Brigade based in northern Netherlands.
Also, Dutch soldiers are serving in the NATO Force Integration Unit in Vilnius and Dutch air capabilities are conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.
The NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group deplyed in Rukla from the beginning of 2017 is led and majorly manned by Germany.
The NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group maintains its high readiness and interoperability level through constant training and preparation for collective defence.
Aside from Germany and the Netherlands, personnel and weapons to the NATO eFP Battle Group are also contributed by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Norway, Iceland, the French contingent is finishing its rotation in late August, and Luxembourg will soon deploy its servicemembers again. In total, the strength of the multinational unit is roughly 1,200.
The international unit is integrated into the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and continually trains in collective defence training events and exercises.
Deployment of NATO enhanced Forward Presence in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland was a decision of NATO leaders taken in July 2016. The forces are primarily a response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, build-up of military potential and demonstration of military power in the region.
Photo credits: The Netherlands Armed Forces
