Unusual blue battledresses and patches saying OPFOR are often seen in military exercises. Civilians frequently ask what country they represent upon spotting them for the first time.
While they actually represent an ad hoc company of the Lithuanian Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion, Lithuanian Land Force, formed for imitation of opposing forces in military exercises.
Lieutenant Ignas Jackūnas is a member of this company currently playing hostile forces, or OPFOR, at Exercise Saber Strike 2014 at the Gaižiūnų Training Range.
The officer serving as platoon leader at the company underlines his excitement about the opportunity to participate in the multinational Exercise Saber Strike 2014. According to him, playing enemy in this exercise is a significant challenge for the Uhlan Battalion.
2LT I. Jackūnas has told about the task the platoon he is leading was completing on Saturday. The soldiers were tasked with assaulting and capturing an appointed building, and defending it afterwards. Later they got into contact with the soldiers of the Lithuanian Garand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion and suffered significant "damage" in an over an hour long and intense battle. Nearly two thirds of the company were lost but they were fighting with every last ounce of strength, according to 2LT I. Jackūnas.
"It seemed that the fighting would never come to a conclusion until the head of the observer/controller group of Saber Strike 2014 Major Ričardas Dumbliauskas showed up," 2LT I. Jackūnas recalled. "He directed to seize fire and called together the commanders of the opposing sides."
The experienced observer/controller explained that the so-called climax point of the battle was reached: it occurs when both sides are fighting well but even when they run out of ammunition and suffer significant casualties, none has taken vantage of the other.
MAJ R. Dumbliauskas advised the commanders of both sides to regroup and try to launch one more attack. The commanders of both sides smiled at each other with ardour and split. Both resolved to come out a winner...
According to OPFOR commander 2LT I. Jackūnas, the enemy was not more numerous but wise tactical positioning on the terrain gave him advantage. "I would not call it a bad day for there are no easy days for infantrymen. Our tactics was fine and I am satisfied with the performance of the troops of the Uhlan Battalion and the Danish Division deployed with us," the OPFOR commander said.
When asked whether the role of hostile forces is not tiring 2LT I. Jackūnas said that no boredom is possible in the year when an exercise chased an exercise. Earlier this year his company has taken part in the training of the Algirdas Battalion and Exercise Black Arrow 2014 of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf. Exercise Saber Strike 204 exceeds both of the former not only in scope but also in complexity.
"Nevertheless, we are lucky because participation in an exercise of such extent gives us experience and we are doing our best to avail ourselves of this opportunity while defying difficulties," the officer stressed.
By Vilius Džiavečka
Photo credits - CPT Paulius Babilas (1,7), PV2 Vilius Džiavečka (2,4,6) and Alfredas Pliadis (3,5)
