From October 10 to 22 staff and evaluation field tactical exercise Strong Shield 2011 will be organised at the Pabradės Training Area (Švenčionių Distr.) by the staff of the Motorised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf. The event will involve over one thousand of troops of the Lithuanian Land, Air and Special Operations Forces, Logistic Command, Military Police and Military Medicine Service.
The key aim of the exercise is to train and evaluate combat readiness of the Land Force's Element of the Lithuanian Armed Forces' Domestic Support Forces (DSF LFE) to pursue domestic support tasks, defensive and offensive operations within the borders of the Republic of Lithuania.
The exercise will be conducted by Commander of MIB Iron Wolf Col Valdemaras Rupšys and the Evaluation Team of Strong Shield 2011 will be manned by staff officers of the Lithuanian Land Force's Command.
The training will proceed at the Pabradės Training Area in three phases. Following the exercise scenario participants will conduct simulated tasks in line with real-life situation on the ground in military operations, render emergency handling assistance to state institutions, plan and conduct other sorts of operations.
The first stage of DSF LFE exercise is force integration training due from October 10 to 16, then - evaluation field tactical exercise from October 17 to 20, and the third phase will focus on live firing from October 21 to 22.
The focal point of Strong Shield 2011 will be training and evaluation of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Motorised Infantry Battalion-based DSF LFE and its staff.
This is going to be a second event in the series hosted by the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The first Strong Shield was organised in Lithuania in June 2010 in the Gaižiūnų and Pabradės Training Areas.
Strong Shield 2011 is combined with the exercise of the Land Force's reconnaissance units Autumn Thunder and field tactical exercise of communications units of MIB Iron Wolf. A part of reconnaissance and communication tasks is integrated into Strong Shield 2011.
Lithuanian Domestic Support Forces (LITHDSP) were established in 2009. Troops of the Grand Duchess Birutė Motorised Infantry Battalion and other assigned units conduct duty in LITHDSP since the beginning of 2010. In January 2012 the tour of duty will be transferred on the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion and four companies of the Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Force, supporting units from Juozas Vitkus Engineering Battalion, Dr Jonas Basanavičius' Military Medical Service and Duke Vaidotas Forward Support Logistic Battalion. LITHDSP in this composition will be on duty till 2014.
LITHDSP are authorized to respond to violations against the sovereignty of the Republic of Lithuania, enforce state border defence in case of necessity, conduct protection of vital state and municipal objects and defence from terrorist or mass violent attacks, render assistance to state institutions in case of emergencies. LITHDSP was activated for a first time in March 2010 to assist inhabitants of the coastal region during the period of spring tide.
More information about the exercise at: PIO for MIB Iron Wolf Capt Ainaras Jonaitis. Cell phone 0037061435693; e-mail ainaras.jonaitis@mil.lt
Pictures from MoND archive: (by G. Maksimovicz) - moments from Strong Shield 2010.
