On June 26 - July 3 soldiers of Lithuania and the United Kingdom assigned to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) trained joint actions at the Lithuanian Armed Forces training area in Kairiai (Klaipėda region). The exercise at Kairiai was the final phase of the Baltic Protector deployment of the JEF Maritime Task Group which began back in late May in the Baltic Sea.
The training event involved approximately 70 soldiers of the United Kingdom and over 100 soldiers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Motorised Infantry Brigade Griffin and the 3rd Territorial Unit of the Žemaičių Military District of the National Defence Volunteer Force.
"Building clearing, destruction of fire emplacements and conduct of ambushes were the main tasks we trained at this exercise. We focussed significantly not only on the quality of task completion but also on cultivating the competence of the soldiers in the positions of command," Exercise Conductor Captain Simonas Jurgelevičius said about the main highlight of cooperation with the British colleagues.
Lithuanian and UK troops began joint actions after the JEF nighttime amphibious landing operation on the beach of Nemirseta on June 28.
"Lithuanian soldiers have experience and enthusiasm. We came here to share experience - show different possibilities and methods that we are using. There is always a reciprocal connection - we are learning together with the Lithuanian soldiers the best ways to train, the best principles to act upon in order to shape the skills and abilities that we need. Many of the British soldiers are first time in Lithuania and we sincerely hope that we will all meet again more than once," 1st Lieutenant Jack Scott, headquarters group of 3 Commando Brigade said.
Exercise Baltic Protector, the first deployment of the JEF Maritime Task Group of such scope, running from 24 May to 8 July involves approx. 3 thousand soldiers and 17 warships from all the nine UK-led JEF nations - United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The deployment demonstrating the units' ability to ensure security in the region is commanded from aboard Royal Navy ship HMS Albion.
At the deployment the JEF showcased not only the ability to act alone but also to support other international organisations - it cooperated with NATO allies in the annual U.S.-led Exercise BALTOPS during the second phase of Baltic Protector. Soldiers were completing tasks in the Baltic Sea near the shores of Germany and Sweden.
The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force was established at the NATO Summit in 2014 and became operational after one year. The force reached Full Operational Capability in June 2018 with the signature of the Comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding in London and announcement of the capability reached. Today the high-readiness rapid response force comprising 10 thousand troops can be activated to respond to emergencies in Europe and beyond any time necessary.
The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania gave a mandate for the Lithuanian Armed Forces to take part in military operations as part of the NATO Response Force, European Union Battle Groups and the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, therefore, once there is a political decision, there is also the legal basis to deploy our soldiers at short notice and ensure crisis management.
One Lithuanian officer has been serving in the JEF operational headquarters in Northwood, United Kingdom, since early 2016.Lithuania is contributing a company sized unit to the JEF which is assigned to the Combat Group of the Danish Armed Forces and a military medic assigned to the UK field hospital. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania mandated participation of up to 190 Lithuanian soldiers and civilians in JEF activities this year.
Photo credits: Laura Jokšaitė
POC: Maj Alfonsas Bičkus Chief of CIMIC Section, Motorised Infantry Brigade Griffin, +370 686 900 15, alfonsas.bickus@mil.lt
