In May and through June the 45th German Armoured Brigade Litauen (Panzerbrigade 45) will be running its first Freedom Shield 26-I training exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area (Švenčionys region) marking a new Brigade readiness milestone. From now on, the Brigade will demonstrate its readiness for action in Lithuania twice a year in support of deterrence and security in the Eastern Flank.
“Exercise Freedom Shield 26-I demonstrates that we, the infantry, are masters of our craft, and that servicemen and servicewomen of Panzerbrigade 45 Litauen will deliver on their task to fight for freedom readily,” underlined Commander Panzerbrigade 45 Litauen Brigadier General Christoph Huber.
The exercise revolves around training the 203rd Armoured Battalion from Augustdorf reinforced by the 122nd Armoured Infantry Battalion from Oberviechtach. The training will be joined by the NATO Multinational Battle Group Lithuania, servicemembers with other units of the Bundeswehr and the Lithuanian Land Force. The Exercise will build and refine the skills the Training Audience needs for its designated tasks.
Approx. 2900 military personnel with approx. 800 tactical vehicles from eight NATO Allies will assemble in Pabradė to train in realistic conditions utilising all elements of a modern battle – drones, mortars, artillery, attack helicopters, battle tanks, and armoured infantry fighting vehicles.
Freedom Shield 2026-I is conducted in several stages of training: force movement, tactical, and live firing. Both of the German Battalions, bound to be fully moved to Lithuania next year, have brought their organic Leopard main battle tanks and Puma armoured infantry fighting vehicles to the Baltic states. Combat simulations of the exercise will done using the AGDUS system. Then, the training will focus on tactical actions where the Joint Force will form reinforced battalion-sized units to conduct live-fire training.
Photo credits: German Armoured Brigade 45
