November 13, the Special Operations Forces of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and NATO Allies trained at am international exercise in Vilnius: Lithuanian and German special forces personnel trained responding to potential conventional and hybrid threats in Vilnius City and suburbs and ensuring security of critical infrastructure, in this case, Vilnius Third Thermal Power Plant (TE-3).
“The Lithuanian Armed Forces maintain constant vigilance hand in hand with the Allies ready for no-notice response against any activity of hostile states. Today in Vilnius City, the Lithuanian and German Special Operations Forces personnel are training to respond to conventional and hybrid threats and ensure protection of critical infrastructure in an uncertain situation,” said Chief of Defence of Lithuania General Valdemaras Rupšys when the active phase of the training was completed.
The exercise scenario involved storming the adversary positioned in a critical infrastructure site. Special Operations Forces teams infiltrated the site by helidrop and land. The mission force comprised snipers, K9 unit, Special Operations Forces personnel, Airbus H145 helicopters of the German Air Force.
“As a national strategic infrastructure manager, our company is constantly focused on the security and risk assessment of these energy security sites. It is particularly relevant in the current tense geopolitical situation. We have been intensifying collaboration with different military structures of Lithuania. The Special Operations Forces exercise in the TE-3 territory under our oversight today is an example of that. Just like the previous exercises of different military services held at Ignitis Gamyba sites, this training helps us constantly improve the security and safety systems and share expertise with specialists so that the Lithuanian Armed Forces and capabilities of other services would be maximally effective with their arsenal in their defence in case of emergency. This kind of cooperation undoubtedly contributes to the top level security of sites in our responsibility. Today I would like to thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces leadership and professionals for their good-natured and efficient collaboration,” says Ignitis Gamyba CEO Rimgaudas Kalvaitis.
Joint training aims at better interaction, best practices exchange and operational capability enhancement for responding to modern security challenges. The Special Operations Forces cooperation record speaks of commitment to mutual security objectives, mutual training opportunities and unceasing improvement of own operational capability.
Photo credit: SSgt Arnas Čemerka, Sgt Spc 1st Class Tomas Kavaliauskas.
