Services, units and personnel of the Lithuanian Armed Forces maintain combat readiness to be able to deliver on the chief mission: armed defence of the state. That applies to elements of command as well. Homeland defence command staff and C2 element certification exercise Thunder Storm 2022 wrapped on December 9. The exercise had run at the General Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre and across headquarters of all armed services. The exercise trained planning and execution of armed defence of the state in response to different scenarios threatening national security and sovereignty.
“Training is necessary for everyone across all ranks and positions. This exercise targets the strategic-operational level audience to test and assess readiness and coordination of and in between headquarters and C2 elements. I invited the training audience to have thorough discussions, ask questions, and simulate situations challenge the planning team and gain best results. The success of this exercise means the foundation of success of all exercises next years,” said Chief of Defence Lt Gen Valdemaras Rupšys.
The exercise was attended and decisions taken by Chief of Defence of Lithuanian, homeland defence headquarters staff, commanders of the armed services and individual units, supporting elements and representatives of other state institutions. This year members of the Forward Command Element of the German Division trained in the exercise for the first time as an integral part of the Land Force Headquarters.
The exercise demonstrate readiness of the force to ensure completion of the assigned and original tasks, the ability of the Lithuanian Armed Forces to incorporate lessons learnt in the previous Thunder Storm iterations into current procedures and to ensure interoperability with other national institutions and agencies critical for national defence.
The strategic-operating level Exercise Thunder Storm trains planning and hones organization of homeland defence through independent action of the armed forces or in concert with deploying allies forces. One of the main peacetime tasks of the Lithuanian Armed Forces is to maintain combat readiness and preparedness to ensure armed defence of the state.
Photo credit: Sgt Mantautas Patašius.
