April 14, two-day international staff exercise „Red Knight" organised by the Danish Division in Lithuania (Rukla, Jonava Distr.) ended. The event provided opportunity for staff personnel of the Motorised Infantry Brigade (MIB) „Iron Wolf" to enhance their skills of planning and implementing international defence operations in a superior military unit.
MIB „Iron Wolf" took part in the training led by representatives of the Danish Division's staff, also providing personnel for the superior headquarters of the training, in composition a unit assigned to the Danish Division for the event.
In the discussion following the exercise Commander of the Danish Division Maj. Gen. Agnus Rokos stressed that contrary to staff training events organised by the Danish Advisory and Training Staff for Lithuanian troops, the exercise organised by the Danish Division is tailored to improve the ability of MIB „Iron Wolf" to plan and implement a wide scope of operations in composition of a division and coordinate actions with all the elements of the Danish Division. Meanwhile, the character of training provided by the Danish Advisory and Training Staff is oriented at enhancement of operations planning skills of MIB „Iron Wolf" staff personnel and interaction between divisions of the staff.
MIB „Iron Wolf" of the Lithuanian Armed Forces was affiliated to the Danish Division by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2006 by Chiefs of Defence of Denmark and Lithuania. The affiliation entails joint work of officers of both countries in international staffs, and joint training events and exercises directed at interoperability of Lithuania's and Denmark's military units, i.e. their ability of acting jointly in a wide spectrum of international operations. The Brigade's affiliation to the Danish Division created a possibility for Lithuanian troops to train in a division corps level exercise which is a greater scale than before.
Cooperation between MIB „Iron Wolf" and the Danish Division is especially live in implementing the LITBRIG project. It is the third joint defence project of Denmark and Lithuania. LITART and LITBAT have been completed successfully. Completion of LITART project involved training personnel of General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion, and hand-over of equipment and ammunition. Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion, subdivision of MIB „Iron Wolf", trained as LITBAT project is a unit fully complying with NATO standards. The Lithuanian contingent formed on the basis of the Battalion performs duty in the present rotation of NATO Response Force (NRF-14) in composition of the Baltic Battalion. The Baltic Battalion is deployed with the NRF-14 land component in command of the Danish Division.
The present structure of MIB „Iron Wolf" includes staff and six battalions: two mechanised (of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas and of King Mindaugas) and two motorised (of the Grand Duchess Birutė and of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis) infantry battalions, General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion and the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vaidotas Forward Support Logistic Battalion. Staff and staff support, surveillance divisions are deployed in Rukla, Jonava Region, and the battalions are located in Alytus, Rukla, Panevėžys and Tauragė.
PR Officer of MIB „Iron Wolf" Capt. Rytis Ermalis, cell phone 00370 657 87 095
Pictures of MIB „Iron Wolf"
