U.S. SOF recently participated in Exercise Iron Sword 2016 in Eastern Europe. The event was a two-week multinational field training exercise held in Lithuania. Conventional, airborne, and SOF units from the United States, Canada, Estonia, Germany, UK, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Lithuania participated. The countries of Sweden and Ukaine sent observers. The first week was focused on company level events while the second week encompassed a large scale force on force exercise.
Over 4,000 Soldiers from 11 NATO countries took part. One intent was to improve the level of partnership capacity of the multinational forces involved in the exercise. One U.S. conventional unit the 173rd Infantry Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy – had sub-units taking part in the exercise.
Read More:
Exercise Iron Sword 2016: Military Information Support Operations (MISO), SOCEUR, December 9, 2016
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbu4X61FpcM
Photo Essay of Iron Sword 2016, Defense.gov, November 29, 2016. www.defense.gov/Media/Photo-Essays/Essay-View/CollectionId/15955/source/GovDelivery
“Exercise Iron Sword comes to a close”, Army.mil, Dec 5, 2016.
“NATO Allies wrap up exercise Iron Sword 2016 in Lithuania”, NATO, December 2, 2016.
“From Wintry Lithuania, NATO sends Russia a signal of resolve”, Reuters, December 2, 2016.
“Canadian soldiers complete NATO Exercise IRON SWORD”, Canadian Forces, December 2, 2016.
