International exercise „Strong Lion" ended on October 15. In the exercise held in Gen Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre (Nemenčinė) staff personnel of the Motorised Infantry Brigade „Iron Wolf" improved their skills of planning defence operations and underwent evaluation.
MIB „Iron Wolf" stuck to a scenario of conducting defence tasks jointly with the allied forces in Lithuania's territory. Lithuanian brigade acted as part of a fictitious multilateral Baltic Division.
The exercise „Strong Lion" was organized and conducted by the Lithuanian Land Force Staff and Danish Advisory and Training Staff ( DATS).
Evaluators of the exercise assessed abilities of MIB „Iron Wolf" to plan and conduct defence operations positively. „This type of military exercise is beneficial because the entire participating personnel are professionals capable of sharing their experience. However, there are always weaker points that need to be improved ", said DATS representative Maj Lane Larsen. „The present event was especially significant to the Lithuanian Land Force Staff as a unit gradually taking over responsibility from DATS for combat training of the Brigade".
The majority of training personnel coming from the Motorised Infantry Brigade „Iron Wolf", King Mindaugas Mechanised Infantry Battalion, Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Motorised Infantry Battalion, Gen. Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion, Duke Vaidotas Forward Support Logistic Battalion, and National Defence Volunteer Force Darius and Girėnas Military District 2nd Territorial Unit and Žemaičių Military District 3 rd Military Unit also deployed to the exercise troops as representatives of staffs of lower-level units.
In the exercise held via the Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation System (JCATS) simulated situations of defence operations and set forth efficiency of defence plan for evaluation.
„Strong Lion" took place in several stages. In the first phase held in March (in Rukla) MIB „Iron Wolf" Staff drafted a defence plan in the responsibility area within Lithuania's territory and operational defence order.
In the following stage in May operation reconnaissance of operation area was conducted and primary plan amended on the basis of reconnaissance data.
Representatives of the Danish Defence Forces take part actively in combat training of MIB „Iron Wolf". The Brigade was affiliated to the Danish Division by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2006 by Chiefs of Defence of Denmark and Lithuania to ensure interoperability of Lithuanian and Danish military units and their capability to cooperate in the full spectrum of multinational operations. The affiliation entails joint work of officers of both countries in international staffs, and joint training events and exercises.
In its turn Denmark has addopted partnership with the Great Britain-led NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) opening great opportunities for the Lithuanian MIB „Iron Wolf" to take part in training events and exercises of the elite Corps as an affiliate of the Danish Division.
„Strong Lion" PR Officer 1st Lt Skomantas Povilionis, cell phone 0037065755700
Alfredas Pliadis (MoND).
