On May 11 and 12 Maj Gen Jonas Vytautas Žukas observed the most extensive military exercise planned in Estonia for 2012 "Spring Storm 2012" (Est. Kevadtorm 2012) which is on from May 3 to 19 in the north-east of Estonia.
During the visit Maj Gen J. V. Žukas met with Land Force Commanders of the Baltic States so he had an opportunity to share information on relevant matters in the Lithuanian Land Force and discuss cooperation underway. Land Force Commander of Estonia Col Indrek Sirel presented the aims, tasks and completion of the exercise "Spring Storm 2012", the command staff and reconnaissance battalion of the exercise.
Sprig Storm of 2012 is the tenth event in the series in Estonia. It involves approximately 4 thousand members of professional military service, reserve conscripts and volunteers. The majority of them are from the North-East Defence District of Estonia. Apart from Estonians the exercise for the first time involves a reconnaissance platoon from the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the Lithuanian Land Force and intelligence personnel from the Latvian Land Force. Lithuanian and Latvian scouts along with their Estonian counterparts play hostile forces in the exercise.
The aim of the exercise "Spring Storm 2012" is to train the ability of Land units at a military district level, conduct mobilization and give and opportunity for commanding officers and staff to practice to lead units of different size in conducting wartime operations. The event has three phases: raising readiness level (mobilization), cooperative training and battle task training. Phase one began on May 3, from May 9 troops were trained collectively to conduct defence, assault and halt actions. From May 12 the training audience will conduct a range of wartime tasks under observation following an established scenario. Lithuanian unit left for Estonia on May 10 and will participate in the exercise till the closing day, May 19.
The Baltic land forces develop really close cooperation. This year, on March 2, a Military Cooperation Plan for 2012-2014 was signed to strengthen cooperation of forces and thus attain better coordination and coherence. Before this cooperation was developed on the basis of separate plans and through participation in a range of trilateral and multilateral projects.
The exercise "Spring Storm 2012" is a great example of efficiently employed military resources while completing active trilateral military cooperation through tailoring national military training for foreign participation and saving expenses of a separate international exercise. The mentioned cooperation plan foresees the same planning by Lithuanian and Latvian Land Forces too.
Article by Capt Mindaugas Neimontas, PR Officer of the Lithuanian Land Force, cell phone 00370 640 45 380
Photos by V. Džiavečka and R. Volmar.
