On June 7-17 the international exercise Iron Wolf 2024-1 is training over 3700 Lithuanian and Allied military personnel to execute joint defensive operations with over 500 military vehicles – tanks, IFVs, logistical support vehicles, aircraft.
Over a thousand members of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group personnel and eFP equipment were moved from the temporary assembly area in Kazlų Rūda to the area of operations in the Gaižiūnai Training Area this week for the exercise. The Allies joined King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion on the defensive. Besides the routine infantry operations the exercise features niche areas, such as defence against a drone swarm attack, digitalization and automation of command post battlefield control, improvement of headquarters-unit communication, antitank loitering ammunition introduction. Other areas of focus are cooperation with civilian institutions: Jonava region commandant’s office was activated, civilian and casualty medical evacuation was rehearsed.
Exercise Iron Wolf annually stands out as one of the biggest military exercises in Lithuania in terms of the amounts of military personnel and equipment actually deployed to train. Its constant training audience is the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group Lithuania and a subordinate battalion of the Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf. The exercise is aimed to improve readiness of the Brigade and its units and to maintain the ability of Lithuanian and Allied units to execute joint operations.
Photo credit: SSgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė.
