Marine Raiders recently completed a series of pre-deployment training exercises in Tennessee in the spring of 2021. The RAVEN exercises are used by Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) to train and evaluate Marine Special Operations Companies (MSOC) and Marine Special Operations Teams (MSOT). The exercises present the Marine Raider units the opportunity to prove their proficiency in a large number of skill sets that may be employed during future deployments.

The Exercise RAVEN training is conducted every spring and fall at various locations throughout the United States. Usually they are conducted in the Kentucky-Tennessee or the Gulf Coast regions. Typically the spring and fall events each have 3 cycles, for a total of six RAVEN exercises a year. Each cycle is about ten days long – putting one Marine Special Operations Company and its Marine Special Operations Teams through the training. There are times that a battalion-sized unit plays in the exercise – once in the spring and once in the fall. These battalion-sized units usually are a MARSOC battalion or Army Special Forces battalion. These battalions are in the role of a higher headquarters with command and control (C2) of the MSOC and some additional notional SOF units and many times are undergoing predeployment training as well. When a SOF battalion is not physically present for the exercise then a notional higher headquarters is stood up for C2 of the MSOC. From time to time other SOF units will also participate in the exercise – such as a Special Forces operational detachment.

In addition to the MSOC and MSOTs, the exercises have supporting and enabling units and individuals participating. Marines from various units of the Fleet Marine Force participate in the training. For one of the exercises conducted this spring Marines with Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion were in a supporting role. The Reconnaissance Marines provided persistent near real-time ground reconnaissance and battlespace shaping capability utilizing various insertion and extraction techniques to include military freefall parachuting. 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment also supported the RAVEN exercise – some playing the role of partner-nation forces.

Photo: U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment (3/2), 2d Marine Division, and Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), board a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook as a part of Exercise Raven 2-21 in Nashville, Tenn., May 21, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick King)

In one training cycle this past spring U.S. Army Special Forces provided a contingent that acted as peer-to-peer competition. The SF element was gathering intelligence on the Marine Raiders and attempting to disrupt the MSOC’s operations. The Special Forces unit employed surveillance, counter surveillance, and electronic warfare tactics as well as other special forces operational tactics and techniques.

The RAVEN exercise has a number of vignettes that cover a broad range of operations – to include interoperability with partner nation forces, interagency coordination, and joint operations. The scenario of the exercise places the Marine Raiders on a long deployment in a notional country, working with a partner nation force. The MSOC and MSOTs are presented with a number of situations that require intelligence gathering, information operations, training host-nations forces, direct action, raids, reconnaissance, and interagency coordination. The fully-enabled MSOTs are able to exercise almost all of their special operations capabilities during the exercise. Some of the enablers working with the MSOC and MSOTs include intelligence specialists, canine teams, and explosive ordnance technicians. The exercise is supported by other military units to include aviation assets, drones, and more.

The RAVEN exercise was started in 2012 and has become increasingly complex over the past several years. The exercise is typically the last in a series of training evolutions in a six-month long training cycle that a Marine Raider company will execute to prepare for an overseas deployment. The exercise is supported by other Marine Corps units as well as a robust Exercise Control Group and mentor-evaluators.

Photo: U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment (3/2), 2d Marine Division, provide security during Exercise Raven 2-21 in Nashville, Tenn., May 22, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick King)

Before assignment to a Raider unit Marines must successfully complete the MARSOC assessment and selection course. They then attend a 7-month long Individual Training Course (ITC) with 4 phases: basic skills, small unit tactics, close quarter battle, and irregular warfare. The ITC culminates with “Operation Derna Bridge” which requires the students to use all the skills mastered throughout the course. A video produced for MARSOC (2012, 4 mins) provides a brief introduction to the training and mission of the operators of the Marine Raider units.

After graduating from ITC the Marines are designated Critical Skills Operators or Special Operations Officers. They are capable of executing complex, distributed operations in uncertain environments. The Marine Raider companies are enabled by support Marines who attend advanced training and schools that prepare them to serve as Special Operations Capability Specialists or SOCS.

MARSOC recently celebrated its 15th anniversary in February 2021. At that time the Marine Corps combined several specialized units to establish MARSOC. The establishment of MARSOC is discussed in a video by the Global SOF Foundation.

Exercise RAVEN is a key training event that tests the Marine Special Operations Company and Marine Special Operations Teams in their level of proficiency to accomplish their mission. The exercise has evolved over the past few years in light of the shift in focus of the U.S. military from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations to ‘great power competition’. The exercise prepares units that are deploying in support of Theater Special Operations Commands and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Forces across the globe.

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Top Photo: U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Jeffrey Profitt Jr., a rifleman, and Lance Cpl. Ethan Sheffey, a mortarman, both with 3rd Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment (3/2), 2d Marine Division, patrol through technical terrain during Exercise Raven in Nashville, Tenn., May 29, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick King)

References: Some of the information in this article came from “Full Spectrum: Marine Raiders Certified for Deployment Through RAVEN Exercise”, by Cpl. Brennan Priest, Marine Forces Command, 23 June 2021. Additional information acquired through DoD media outlets and other open source media platforms.

Video: Watch Full Spectrum: Marine Raiders Certified for Deployment Through RAVEN Exercise. Video produced by MARSOC, June 28, 2021, 3 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CZ0kx0vngk

Story by Andre Trinidad, 943rd Rescue Group.

Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 943rd Rescue Group successfully completed training scenarios that incorporated highly mobile, temporary facilities in remote, austere locations while still performing combat search and rescue operations from 30 April through 3 May.

Exercise Northern Assessment was hosted by the Arizona Army National Guard Base at Camp Navajo, near Flagstaff, Ariz.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul, Chief of Safety, 943rd Rescue Group, is the project coordinator for the exercise and he said, “the purpose of this exercise was to test and prove our combat search and rescue capabilities under the Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) and Agile Combat Employment (ACE) models.”

Agile Combat Employment demands Airmen develop a broader set of skills so smaller teams can accomplish the mission from remote, austere, and temporary operating bases.

A team of less than 120 military personnel were able to setup and establish a Forward Operating Base (FOB) and a Forward Operating Site (FOS) to provide on-call Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) and Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) operations within the first day of arrival and provide support for military air operations in an Area of Responsibility (AOR) covering thousands of square miles.

The exercise kicked off on Friday by performing a pallet drop from an HC-130J Combat King II, where Airmen from the 943rd Rescue Group quickly set up and established a FOS. The rest of the team set up and established the FOB at another location.

Staff Sergeant Andre, Aircraft Structural Maintenance, 943rd Maintenance Squadron said “at Davis-Monthan I perform my job and wait until something is broken but here we were augmented to support Security Forces and litter carry to support our medical personnel. When there was a maintenance issue we had to figure out how to get the parts we needed and what we needed to fill in the gaps for continued mission success.”

Under the new way of thinking in ACE, military professionals obtained new roles in order to work as a team and accomplish the mission.

Technical Sergeant John, Squad Leader, 720th Security Forces Squadron served with the Marines before coming to the Air Force and deployed to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I think the augmentees worked well and I believe that we could do this real world,” said Sgt. John. “For most of our deployments, we go to a base and everything is already established. Capt. Elizabeth, camp commander, 943rd Operations Support Flight, did a good job of checking in with us and making sure we had everything we needed, including getting meals.”

Lieutenant Colonel John, Flight Surgeon, 943rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, is a traditional reservist whose civilian job is an Emergency Room physician and he has deployed many times.

“It’s a bare bones facility but we’re acting beyond just basic and paramedic care. We are executing mid-level support you would find in an Emergency Room,” said Colonel John. “I think this is living proof that the 943rd Rescue Group is able to perform this task in a real-world environment.”

Exercise Northern Assessment was not confined to ground operations. One of the flying medical training scenarios was performed by the 943rd Aerospace Medicine Squadrons own Critical Care Air Transport Team (pronounced C-CATT). The CCATT is essentially an Intensive Care Unit aboard an aircraft.

Maj. Venus, Critical Care Air Transport Team registered nurse, 943rd AMDS, said, “I thought it was a great, realistic exercise. For us being in that tactical environment we pushed forward in a new mission set.” During the exercise the CCAT Team flew aboard an HC-130J Combat King II, from the 79th Rescue Squadron.

“We flew in alert status the whole time and it just added to our patient load. We had to start thinking about resources, and how we were going to manage all those patients until we could get back,” said Venus. “And then we flew much longer times with no options for re-supply so it exceeded our normal job requirement capacity. It helped us know what we needed to plus up from or minus from so that we have more room for what we need.”

The 305th Rescue Squadron flew search and rescue missions during the exercise. An HH-60 flown by exercise instructors would drop off volunteer personal with simulated wounds in remote areas of Northern Arizona. An alert notice would then be given to the exercise players and they would launch their HH-60’s with full flight crew and Pararescue personnel, to search for the missing persons using last known coordinates.

The exercise encompassed support from active duty, guard and reserve members from the following entities: 12th Air Force, 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 79th Rescue Squadron, 655th AMXS, 919th Special Operations Communication Squadron, and the Arizona Army National Guard.

The 943rd Rescue Group organizes, trains and equips mission ready citizen airmen to perform personnel recovery operations worldwide and is assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Their parent wing is the 920th Rescue Wing assigned to Patrick Space Force Base, Florida.

Exercise Northern Assessment was safely conducted using current CDC protocols and all service members were fully vaccinated.

Photo: A pararescue jumper, equipped with night vision goggles, scans the Iraqi terrain for mortar fire and stray bullets while engaged in a combat search and rescue rehearsal mission outside of Balad Air Base, Feb 23. Their mission is to bring back downed Airmen anywhere in the area of operations. They are assigned to the 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.)

Story: This story by Andre Trinidad of the 943rd Rescue Group Public Affairs office was originally published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on May 17, 2021. DVIDS publishes media content that is in the public domain.

A video shows an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship participating in Exercise Balikatan 21 in the Philippines. The crew from the 73rd Special Operations Squadron out of Hurlburt Field, Florida conduct an aerial refueling and then proceed to fire their onboard 105mm cannon. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) from the Philippine 710th Special Operations Wing and from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, took part in the live fire training event. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the U.S. and the Philippines and comes from a Tagalog phrase meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder”.

AC-130J Ghostrider: Balikatan 21
April 24, 2021, 5 minutes, B-Roll
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/792569/ac-130j-ghostrider-balikatan-21

By Pat Carty.

UK Special Forces have just completed their latest and longest Chameleon Special Force exercise when Chameleon 1-21 came to an end on March 19, 2021.

Run bi-annually, Exercise Chameleon provides the opportunity for Special Force units from the UK Army, Navy and Air Force, to train together on the land, in the sea and in the air, during both day and night sorties, which entail numerous scenarios from simple to complex.

For the first time in several years, and due to the Covid-19 restrictions, I was not afforded my usual privilege of being able to attend and view the exercise. However, by using various social media sources, I hope my report will also indicate how an unfriendly force could assemble pertinent information and procedures about a potential enemy, during peacetime.

Running 23 February through to 19 March, Chameleon saw the ground assets assemble at both RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, and also some 230 miles further north at Leuchars airbase in Scotland; once home to the RAF, but now the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

On the morning of StartEx, two C-130 Hercules (call sign Omen) arrived at Leuchars, followed later in the morning by two CH-47 Chinooks (Lifter), which landed first at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire. These air assets became the main workhorse for the whole exercise and were flown by aircrews attached to 47 Squadron RAF Special Forces Flight, at Brize Norton, and 7 Squadron RAF, Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing, based at Odiham.

During the afternoon, Omen 1 was dispatched on a one hundred and eighty-minute return flight to Bournemouth in Dorset, where it collected members of the Special Boat Service, based at nearby Poole. Then, transported them back to Leuchars.

The last Leuchars movement of the day, which followed some air-to-air refueling practice by Omen 1 and 2 from an RAF Voyager (Tartan), was the arrival of a Shadow R1 (Snake) aircraft from 14 Squadron RAF Waddington. These very secretive aircraft were initially used for just electronic intelligence (ELINT) sorties, and manned by a mixture of military and some very special “civilian” aircrew. They were also used in parallel with the Sentinel R1, which was equipped with state-of-the-art mission systems to support Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. However, since the retirement of the Sentinel R1 last month, the Shadow now performs both missions, therefore improving a commander’s awareness of what is happening both on the ground and in the air, and as I witnessed during Chameleon, by supporting SF ground assets. Listen to an audio of “Snake” talking with a ground element.

Chart: North Sea Para / RIB Drop Assets. Click here for larger view of image.

Day two of the exercise started early, and consisted of SF troops making Para drops into the North Sea, from “Lifter 1”. They were then collected by two Royal Marine Commando Assault Squadron Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), which took them to the Diver Support vessels “MTS Terramare” and “SD Northern River”. I should add it was the first time for many years that the very special SF Support ship “SD Victoria” was absent from a Chameleon exercise.

The afternoon saw Omen making High Altitude High Opening (HAHO) Para drops over the airfield. The evening commenced with Snake making numerous orbits near the first assault target IP, of which there was a number during the month-long exercise.

Chart: Omen low-level route and heights. Click here for larger view of image.

The remainder of Chameleon followed a similar format, with the Omen 1 and 2 being used for standard day and night static line jumps, tandem jumps HAHO jumps and even dispatching RIBS along with the jumpers into the nearby North Sea. They also took advantage of treating their SF PAX in the rear to some very long and low-level flights around the UK, letting them experience what is far from a comfortable ride. Incidentally, Whilst Omen was away, an RAF C-17 (Comet) took the opportunity of using one of the DZ to make what I believe was the first Para drop by British SF troops from an RAF C-17. (See top photo)

Chart: First RAF C-17 Para Drop. Click here for larger view of image.

The Chinooks were also kept busy, by assisting with HAHO and standard jumps both over land and sea. What was conspicuous by its absence, was the usual MoD hired private Short SC-7 Skyvan. In almost all previous Chameleon exercises, it has been used for currency jump sorties.

In addition to the Leuchars airfield, Leeming airfield, Sculthorpe and Stanford training areas; both located in the East of England, the Arbroath Royal Marine barracks airstrip and the Barry Buddon ranges were also used as DZs. The later involved in one particular drop, whereby HAHO troops landed on the wrong DZ! That and another incident during a covert insertion mission later in the exercise, whereby a Shadow R1 door lock had problems, resulting in the crew declaring an In-Flight Emergency and diverting to nearby Mildenhall, were the only two exercise incidents I was aware of.

Incidentally, during the covert insertion sorties, troops were also supported by Chinook and Shadow aircraft, and when fire support was needed, by Army Air Corps AH-64 Apache helicopters (Viper).

One very special insertion was into the training ground of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group, Royal Marines. It is located adjacent to the Royal Navy nuclear submarine base at Faslane and is a very popular target for Special Force training. I recall it being used sometime back when I was embedded with Danish SF on an exercise. I should add however that I was not permitted to watch the final assault. The reason given to me by the Exercise Director was that a lot of pride would be lost by the Marine Commandos, should the Danish succeed. Therefore the outcome would not be a pretty sight for me to see!

In addition to the covert insertion sorties, Chameleon also encompassed several “Combat SAR” training missions, whereby SF troops deployed “Behind enemy lines” to recover simulated downed aircrew.

During Chameleon 1-21, exercise planners issued restricted air space warnings (NOTAM) for a total of 31 areas. These covered fifty-five British counties during daytime and fifty-one counties during the night. In addition, many of the areas were for 24 hours. I personally feel this upset many commercial and civilian pilots, who had wanted to transit the areas in question, but could not, despite knowing the areas were not active.

Towards EndEx, senior SF Commanders along with some VIP’s flew from London and Credenhill; home to the British Special Air Service, to meet troops and take a close look at the exercise facilities and planning. Following the briefing, all that was left was for the SF troops to pack up their equipment, and head base. Some of them were lucky enough to ride Omen for their flight back to Cardiff – the nearest airport to the SAS base at Hereford and the Special Forces Support Group base at St Athan.

Chart: Omen / Snake insertion profiles. Click here for larger view image.

I have said in the past to numerous SF exercise planners and commanders, that I find SF exercise Chameleon very predictive. But, Chameleon 1-21 was different to any other Chameleon I have ever attended. However, whilst I may have missed the return flight to Bournemouth transporting the SBS, whilst sat in the comfort of my home many miles from the exercise, I was still able to covertly observe something in the order of two hundred and twenty-six airborne sorties. I achieved this by using PlanePlotter from COAA. A more advance aircraft tracker than your usual free FlightAware and other ADS-B trackers. It uses both Mode A and C to track aircraft, and in doing so I was also able to observe all Para drops and troop insertion sorties. Plus when and where the Secretive “Snake” aircraft were downloading ELINT and ISTAR data for troops and planning cells, miles from the action. I was also able to monitor extensive exercise comms, by using free online audio-streaming programs.

As for meeting the actual troops involved in Chameleon. For the first time in several years, I failed to do so due to Covid-19 restrictions. But would still like to thank all those elite SF troops from the Parachute Regiment Pathfinders, Royal Marine Commandoes, Special Services Support Group, Special Boat Service and Special Air Service, plus those from other countries on TD duty to the UK, for what they do, especially at this current time, when you take into account the various Covid-19 regulations.

Let us hope that later in the year when Chameleon 2-21 commences, Covid-19 will not be as severe, and the exercise can go ahead without such stringent restrictions.

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Author: Pat Carty is a NATO accredited journalist who covers military news, events, operations, and exercises; including special operations forces. He is a contributor to SOF News as well as several other military defense publications.

Top Photo: C-130, call sign Omen 2, departing Leuchars during Exercise Chameleon 1-21 in March 2021. Photo Jack Green.

By Brandon Esau, AFSOC, Mar 4, 2021.

Each year, Air Force Special Operations Command takes on the all-important role as host for U.S. Special Operations Command’s exercise Emerald Warrior, a joint exercise which brings together U.S. special operations and conventional forces and those of its international partners and allies to prepare for current and future challenges.

In years past, the exercise focused on counter violent extremist organization efforts through enhanced teamwork, but EW 21.1 moved toward less direct action. This year, Emerald Warrior exposed operators to concepts they may not encounter in daily training to increase readiness, effectiveness and make them more dynamic.

“This year, we’ve expanded outside of our normal focal area to an all-domain construct, whether it be the increased use of space, cyber, intelligence, public affairs and information operations,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Kevin Koenig, commander of Emerald Warrior. “Our goal is to be prepared in all domains to deter adversaries now and avoid future conflicts. We’re also testing new elements within the command while still maintaining our partner nation and joint training.”

As with each iteration, Emerald Warrior is aligned with the National Defense Strategy of competing against near-peer adversaries and addressing the great power competition, but increased interconnectivity and information becoming a part of multiple domains, EW 21.1’s focus shifted to shaping environments through different avenues.

One avenue was that of the cyberspace realm where, according to U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Louis Schuler, cyber liaison officer with Emerald Warrior, competitors are continuing to build up capabilities in this domain so the U.S., its allies and partners must meet the challenge.

“The cyber domain is getting bigger and bigger because of the prevalence of technology expansion amongst our competitors,” Schuler said. “Our greatest strength is our ability to establish connectivity between different domains, so we must utilize our advantages so we can exploit the vulnerabilities of our adversaries and protect our operators.”

Alongside cyber proficiency, U.S. Space Force Guardians had an increased role in which they’re able to test new constructs that will support SOF even more.

“Our main focus was to provide situational awareness to the command and our operators on what’s going on around the world, kind of a peek around the curtain,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Kevin Aneshansley, Chief of Space Weapons and Tactics with AFSOC. “Essentially, we looked at new ways we can integrate the high ground more efficiently with our human capital. Without space advantages, we would be doing ourselves a disservice when it comes to the great power competition.”

Aneshansley stated that a paradigm shift has occurred in this year’s version of Emerald Warrior in which satellite communications and GPS were more heavily involved, and space electronic warfare is being used to make the force more efficient, more integrated at tactical levels, and our warfighter even more effective.

In addition to introducing new capabilities in air, space and cyberspace, the exercise had continued to be a forum of collaboration between the U.S. and forces from Lithuania and France.

“AFSOC Airmen have the ability to flex and adapt to any problem set,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher Ibsen, commander of Special Operations Air Component. “During this exercise, we’ve been able to demonstrate our use of soft powers, with less kinetic operations, to execute the mission while still supporting our foreign partners and allies.”

Ibsen said a significant part of the multi-national cooperation during Emerald Warrior this year was the increased spotlight put on the combat air advisor mission of the 492nd Special Operations Wing.

“Our operators have been able to make use of the CAA’s mission set and abilities to communicate objectives with our Lithuanian and French counterparts,” Ibsen said. “This has allowed for them to gain knowledge of tools outside their normal environment which will enhance the skillset they already possess.”

Emerald Warrior in 2021 brought about the latest in air, space and cyberspace methods in the age of the great power competition, and though the kinetic aspects of the exercise still existed, exercise architects believe the soft powers that AFSOC possess, and will possess, will help the command remain relevant into the future.

“In AFSOC, we’re focused on investing in our human capital and testing new concepts to arm our warfighters with the tools to secure the advantage,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Martin, Director of Operations for AFSOC. “The training our forces received during Emerald Warrior is a testament to the commitment we have to the AFSOC we will need.”

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Photo: A U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operator assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing works to provide air traffic control to aircraft landing and taking off during Emerald Warrior 21.1, Feb. 21, 2021, at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Story: This story by Senior Airman Brandon Esau of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) was originally published by DVIDS on March 4, 2021 – entitled “AFSOC’s Next-Gen Emerald Warrior”. The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service provides stories, photos, and videos that are in the public domain.

Story by Sgt. Monique ONeill, SOCEUR.

CRETE, Greece – Naval special operations forces from the Greek Underwater Demolition Team (DYK), Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), and U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) joined forces to conduct a maritime exercise in Souda Bay, Greece, January 11-29.

The tri-lateral Special Operations Forces (SOF) exercise, which was designed to better enable global operations, included Over the Beach (OTB), Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), and Small Boat Interdiction (SBI).

“These exercises help keep us sharp, prepared, and consistent. We are able to communicate and integrate fluidly when we train together on a regular basis,” said the U.S. Naval SWCC team leader.

The United States, Greece, NATO allies and partners, continuously train together in the European theater operations to build trust, improve levels of cooperation and combined capabilities. The integration of the Republic of Cyprus is a demonstration of NATO’s commitment to increasing interoperability with regional partners in an effort to promote collective defense and stability.

“The inclusion of Cypriot forces created an opportunity to expand capabilities and relationships with partner nations in the neighboring area. We are all strong nations individually, but we can grow stronger by working collectively, in the context of joint military training activities,” said Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Greek Minister of National Defense. “It’s imperative to understand that we can always learn and grow stronger by cross-training together with our partners and allies.”

Although Cyprus has been divided since 1974, the country has a unified military and training objectives.

“We know the importance of joint exercises like this and hope to work closely with partners in the future in order to promote peace and stability in our region,” said Charalambos Petrides, Minister of Defense of Cyprus.

To enhance the VBSS training experience for the SOF participants, the Hellenic Navy added a frigate, HS Kanaris, from their fleet to the exercise.

“This training was very useful for our ship and our crew. We are very proud to have the Special Forces from all three countries on board,” said Lieutenant Commander George Lykousas, member of the Hellenic Navy.

Throughout the entirety of the exercise, the SOF components used Combatant craft-assaults (CCAs) assigned to Special Operations Command Africa.

“The collective efforts enabling global operations increase interoperability in a maritime environment, alongside our NATO allies and partners, helping increase security and stability in the region,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Tabor. “We appreciate having this opportunity to build upon already strong relationships while also improving cooperation between Special Operations Command Africa and Special Operations Command Europe.”

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Photo By Sgt. Monique ONeill , SOCEUR, January 2021.

This article is a repost of “Greece, Cyprus and the U.S. join forces for naval SOF exercise in the Mediterranean Sea”, by Sgt. Monique ONeill, U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, January 29, 2021. View original article here. Articles posted by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) are in the public domain. View additional photos of the training by Sgt. ONeill posted on DVIDS.

An additional story on the same exercise was posted by The National Herald (Greece), Feb 2, 2021. Has some good photos.

Trident Juncture 18 is a big exercise that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is conducting in Norway. It involves over 50,000 personnel from many countries and numerous ships, aircraft, and ground vehicles. The participating nations include NATO members, NATO allies, and partner countries. It is one of NATO’s biggest exercises in recent years. Trident Juncture 18 is designed to deter potential adversaries (that would be Russia) from mounting an attack on Norway or countries in the Baltic Sea region.

The exercise is taking place during the months of October and November. Over 30 countries are taking part including a sizable contingent from the United States. It is estimated that thousands of vehicles will take part as well as over 250 aircraft and over 60 ships. This is one of the largest exercises ever held in the country. It will involve units from the tactical level to the top of the chain of command.

The exercise involves the movement of a lot of participants and units. The live training takes place from October 25th to November 7th and is followed by a command post exercise held the last few weeks of November. The country of Norway offers a lot of training opportunities over land, air, and sea. The weather will be a challenge due to the northern location of Norway.

The inclusion of Sweden and Finland in the exercise is important to ensure interoperability in the event of a crisis or conflict in the Baltic Sea region. The north of Europe is of significant strategic value. Control of the North Cape’s airfields and sea lanes will ensure the Russian maritime assets are bottled up. And there is the oil . . . think Occupied.

The area of operations for the exercise is primarily Norway with some activities taking place on Iceland. Air operations will take place in the greater region to include Finland and Sweden while naval activity will be in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. The scenario is about the defense of Norway – making it an Article 5 type exercise, a response to the violation of sovereignty of a NATO nation.

Participating Units

The exercise will test the rapid deployment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force. [3] The force numbers about 5,000 (or more), is representative of nine NATO nations, and is sometimes referred to as the “Spearhead Force’. The task force will be tested in responding to an attack on NATO’s northern flank.  It is also the NATO Response Force 19 certification exercise for HQ Joint Forces Command Naples and its designated component commands.

Photo: A Marine CV-22 operates off the coast of Iceland during exercise Trident Juncture 2018 on October 17, 2018.

U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are playing a big part in the exercise – to include spending some time in Iceland where they conducted a training air assault. [1] An air assault was conducted in Icelandic terrain (Oct 17th) utilizing CH-53E Sea Stallions from the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) onto Keflavik Air Base. The Marines will conduct an amphibious operation in Norway later in the exercise. The Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment are in the role as the Battalion Landing Team (BLT).

Marines from other NATO nations are also participating. Dutch Marines are debarking from ships by way of Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels onto shore. The Dutch Marines are also infiltrating by way of Cougar helicopters as well. One of the larger Dutch ships in the exercise is the HNLMS Johyan de Witt. The Dutch Marines are employing BVS Viking ATVs and Fast Riding Interceptor Special Craft (FRISC) in the exercise.

A US Navy aircraft carrier has entered the Arctic Circle – an unusual event to say the least. Of course, wherever a carrier goes, lots of other ships follow – as part of the carrier strike group. In total, there will be over 14,000 US service members participating.

Canadian forces in the exercise number about 2,000. Personnel and equipment from the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force will operate together with other exercise participants. Two Canadian frigates and two Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels will take part. More than ten aircraft will be present. A large contingent from the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG) will act as a multinational brigade.

The Italian Multinational Brigade – consisting of the countries of Italy, Albania, Montenegro, Spain, and Slovenia – is participating in the exercise. [2] Elements of the Finnish Army will join up with a Swedish brigade. There is also some ground activity taking place in Sweden and Finland associated with the exercise as well.

Over 250 aircraft from 16 different nations will take part in the exercise. This includes aircraft from the non-NATO countries of Sweden and Finland. Both land-based and sea-based aircraft will take part.

Experiments

There will be over 20 exercise experiments conducted during Trident Juncture 18. The exercise provides an environment for existing and new technologies to be tested, refined, and further developed. One of the is the use of a deployable dining facility. This experiment will demonstrate the feasibility of employing a specialized team of logisticians for the set up and operation of a Deployable Mess.

Photo: HSwMs Nykoping (Sweden) and HDMS Esbern snare (Denmark) in TJ18.

Fight for Norway – Future Conflict

A conflict in Norway involving Russia would very likely see a lot of action on the North Cape. The sea lanes above the cape will be contested as well as the ground lines of communication from the Kola peninsular to the airfields in north Norway. Are you interested in a fictional account of how a future conflict in northern Norway would start . . . and finish? Read Angry Trident, a short story by August Cole published by the Atlantic Council on September 23, 2018.

Northern Coasts 2018 and SOF

There has not been much mention of special operations forces but NATO SOF – to include US land, sea, and air SOF assets – have participated in previous Trident Juncture exercises in past years. Another exercise running in the same time frame as TJ18 is Northern Coasts 2018. This is a German Navy exercise which is being led by the Finnish Navy this year. The dates of Northern Coasts 18 are 25 October to 8 November 2018. It involves about 4,000 people and scores of surface vessels and aircraft. Over 13 countries will participate – including the United States. There will be a maritime SOF element to NC18. The exercise in Finland will provide an opportunity to enhance high intensity war-fighting skills in a multi-national environment and improve maritime capabilities to operate from the sea to the shore.

Exercise Transparency and Messaging

Trident Juncture 2018 (TJ18) is a very transparent exercise. NATO has been extremely careful in stressing the ‘defensive’ nature of the military operation. NATO has not identified Russia as the aggressor in the scenario. Russian observers have been invited to view the exercise and there has been a lot of media briefs about the exercise to the general public. The ground operations will take place about 1,000 klics from the Norway-Russian border and air operations will be at least 500 klics away from the border area.

NATO has stressed that it is a defensive alliance but the exercise will demonstrate that the treaty organization has a credible capability that can deter potential adversaries. This is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s largest exercise in decades.

NATO is sending a message.

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Footnotes:

[1] Watch a video of the 24th MEU conduct cold weather training in Iceland as part of NATO’s exercise Trident Juncture 2018. (NATO Channel DVIDS, Oct 22, 2018, 2 mins, B-Roll).

[2] Watch a video where members of the Italian Multinational Brigade are interviewed about their impressions of the exercise. (Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Oct 20, 2018, 3 mins).

[3] The NATO Response Force (NRF) has as one of its components the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). It is made up of land, air, maritime, and special operations forces components. It provides collective defence and a rapid military response to an emerging crisis. The VJTF is the Spearhead Force within the NRF.

Videos:

Trident Juncture 18 Press Conference, NATO JFC Naples. June 11, 2018.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3GVgw_a3-k

Meet NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), NATO, September 4, 2018, 1 min.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9MqvtRCvHI

]]> 8836 https://sof.news/special-forces/saber-junction-18/ Fri, 28 Sep 2018 17:21:02 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=8470 Members of the 20th Special Forces Group recently took part in Saber Junction 18 – an exercise held at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany. The 20th SFGA personnel trained with members of the 1st Territorial Unit Dainava [...]]]>

Members of the 20th Special Forces Group recently took part in Saber Junction 18 – an exercise held at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany. The 20th SFGA personnel trained with members of the 1st Territorial Unit Dainava of the Lithuania National Defense Volunteer Force (NDVF) during the month of September 2018. The NDVF is also known as Krasto Apsaugos Savanoriu Pajegos or KASP.

The Saber Junction 18 exercise assesses the readiness of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (based in Italy) to execute land operations with Allied and partner nations. In the exercise scenario the Green Berets of 20th SFGA worked alongside their KASP partners conducting irregular warfare in enemy occupied territory.

Photo caption: Saber Junction 18 – KASP and 20th SFGA await 173rd Paratroopers infiltration into an enemy-held area by airborne operation. Photo 1st Lt Benjamin Haulenbeek; SOCEUR, September 19, 2018.

The mission of the KASP and 20th SFGA was to degrade the enemy’s ability to fight and to support the entry of the 173rd into the area of operations. A 20th SFGA team sergeant said:

“Our primary mission is to support the 173rd joint force entry. Integral to that is taking out air defense systems so they could safely project their forces through a mass tactical airborne operation and air assaults. With the KASP we were able to conduct recon and identify and destroy those high payoff targets.” [1]

The KASP is part of the Lithuanian Land force – a modern active reserve of volunteers responsible for territorial defense. There are almost 5,000 volunteers and about 500 professional soldiers in the KASP. The NDVF 1st Territorial Unit Dainava military district is in the South-Southwest part of Lithuania and it borders Byelorussia and Russia’s Federation Kaliningrad district. In 2007 elements of the unit was focused on special operations and began working with NATO SOF units. [2]

The Saber Junction 18 exercise provided the KASP with the opportunity to work with US special operations forces. In the event of a Russian invasion the KASP would likely conduct guerrilla warfare and other irregular warfare operations in conjunction with NATO special operations forces. KASP has already had some limited encounters with the former Soviet Union. After Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 Moscow tried to re-assert control of the Lithuania capital. The newly formed NDVS stood in opposition to Moscow’s objectives.

The Saber Junction 18 exercise had over 5,500 participants from 20 allied and partner nations. The training took place at the Hohenfels and Grafenwohr training areas in Germany.

The annexation of Crimea and the Russian involvement in the fighting in eastern Ukraine has put the Baltic states on edge. They are now working very closely with NATO and other nations to beef up their defense to deter Russian aggression. Should the Russians decide to invade the Baltic states they would very likely succeed after a brief period of fighting. However, the prospect of a long-term insurgency with NATO support could be a deterring factor.

An event similar to the Russia aggression witnessed in Ukraine or Crimea taking place in Lithuania is unlikely. The Russian ethnic composition of Lithuania is much smaller than that of Latvia and Estonia. However, Lithuania lies between the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad and the territory of Belarus and Russia could decide they want a secure land corridor between the two locations.

Special Operations Command – Europe has been actively engaged in training exercises with nations of the Baltic Sea region to include Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Norway. SOCEUR trains with these NATO and partner nations in Europe and in those countries as well. The SOF command has as one of its core missions the conduct of unconventional warfare in the Baltic states.

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Footnotes:

[1] See “Lithuanian KASP and US SOF train irregular warfare at Saber Junction 18”, SOCEUR DVIDS, September 27, 2018.

[2] NDVF 1st Territorial Unit Dainava Military District, Lithuanian Armed Forces.

References:

Saber Junction 18, 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, September 21, 2018.
Watch a 2-minute long video explaining the exercise.
www.dvidshub.net/video/628042/saber-junction-18-news-story

Lithuania and NATO
https://shape.nato.int/lithuania

Top Photo: Saber Junction 18 – KASP and 20th SFGA personnel conduct mission planning. Photo by 1st Lt Benjamin Haulenbeek; SOCEUR, Sep 19, 2018.

]]> 8470 https://sof.news/afghanistan/anasoc-land-navigation-course/ Sat, 15 Sep 2018 05:00:55 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=8150 CAMP Commando, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) Commandos, with General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU) policemen spent two weeks in August 2018 learning Close Air Attack techniques as part of the 6-week ANASOC Land Navigation [...]]]>

CAMP Commando, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) Commandos, with General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU) policemen spent two weeks in August 2018 learning Close Air Attack techniques as part of the 6-week ANASOC Land Navigation Course at the Afghan National Army Special Operations School of Excellence (SOE), near Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) has embarked on an aggressive program to double the size of the Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF). The ASSF is made up of elite special operations forces from the Afghan National Army of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU) of the Ministry of Interior (MoI). The ASSF has, over the past several years, conducted 70% of the offensive operations against insurgents across the country. Advised and assisted by NATO and US special operations forces and ‘enabled’ with air support, MEDEVAC, fires, ISR, and SOF advisors at the tactical level the ASSF has been the most combat effective ground units of the ANDSF. They are supported by the Special Mission Wing (SMW) of the Afghan Air Force.

In addition to doubling the size of the Afghan Special Security Forces the MoD and MoI have, assisted by Resolute Support, increased the number of specialty courses that the elite SOF combatants attend. For instance, the Afghan Commandos undergo a 14-week long Afghan Commando qualification course. Upon completion, many of the graduates are sent to one of the ten Special Operations Kandaks (SOK). However, some are sent to advanced specialty training – attending courses in weapons repair, Afghan Tactical Air Coordinator (ATAC), medical, and mortar training.

The Land Navigation course begins with two weeks of map reading and land navigation training, followed by a week of honing radio and GPS skills. The land navigation training finishes off with two weeks of Close Air Attack training.

“These are critical skills that can be immediately applied on the battlefield by Afghanistan’s elite forces like the General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU) and ANASOC Commandos,” said Bill, a former U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control-Party (TAC-P) specialist and current ANASOC School of Excellence mentor.

During the Close Air Attack training the students learn plotting techniques using a Call For Fires simulator. There are three rotary wing aircraft used by the Afghan Air Force (AAF) for Close Air Attack. These are the Mi-35 HIND D, Mi-17 Transport, and the MD-530D Cayuse Warrior. The Mi-35 and MD-530 are used for armed reconnaissance, escort, and CAA. Some of the Afghan Mi-17s have been outfitted with guns and rockets; but it is primarily a transport helicopter. There are only a few Mi-35s that fly (if any at all). The Mi-17s are being phased out (eventually) and replaced by the U.S.-made UH-60 Black Hawk. The MD-530F is a smaller U.S.-made observation helicopter that is armed as well.

 “These procedural and communications skills are critical when dealing with actual aircraft during missions requiring supporting aerial fires to Special Operations Forces,” said Sgt. 1st Class Shafiulla, an ANASOC School of Excellence land navigation instructor.

The Call For Fires phase and simulator practice is important in order to provide supporting aerial fires for on-ground Special Operations Forces. The week-long phase is followed by the air space procedures where Commandos learn to deconflict aerial platform movement, casualty evacuation request, and supply drop plotting. Courses like the ANASOC Land Navigation Course will continue to improve the effectiveness of the Afghan Special Security Forces in the fight against the insurgents.

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Photos: Photos are of Afghan Commandos plotting coordinates during Close Air Attack (CCA) training as part of the ANASOC Land Navigation Course. All photos by U.S. Army Master Sergeant Felix A. Figueroa, NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan (NSOCC-A) Public Affairs, August 1, 2018.

]]> 8150 https://sof.news/nato/nato-news-update-20180801/ Wed, 01 Aug 2018 05:00:09 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=7223 There are a lot of topics in this NATO news update – Russia reinforces western border, Exercise Sea Breeze 2018, Helsinki summit, UK defense review, Russia social media, Black Sea military competition, defense of the Baltic States, Russian hybrid warfare, [...]]]>

There are a lot of topics in this NATO news update – Russia reinforces western border, Exercise Sea Breeze 2018, Helsinki summit, UK defense review, Russia social media, Black Sea military competition, defense of the Baltic States, Russian hybrid warfare, the admin part of moving troops and equipment in response to a crisis, new Russian airborne tank, and more.

The dust has settled over the tumultuous Brussels Summit and follow-on Helsinki conference (Putin and Trump). So now it is back to business as usual for the western defense alliance. Supposedly the member nations are working through plans to meet the 2024 target of 2% of GNP towards their defense budget. Iraq will see a renewed effort for training assistance (Canada playing a major role). Afghanistan is still a major effort for NATO as well – financial support of the ANDSF and troop commitments will continue until 2024. North and West Africa with its constant instability has the attention of Italy, France, and others. The migration issue – movement of people from MENA – is a major problem that still needs to be addressed. And, of course, the big Russian bear to the east has prompted some organizational changes as well as a number of exercises for Eastern Europe and Northern Europe – hopefully Poland, the Baltic States, and others are feeling the love.

Russia

Russia continues to dominate the news about NATO. Although NATO is actively involved in the migration from the Middle East and North Africa, defeating ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan – it is Russia that seems to provide the most content for the SOF NATO News Update.

Russian Troop Buildup. The North Atlantic Treat Organization has forward deployed troops and aircraft to buttress the defense of the Baltic States as well as Poland and other eastern European countries. Russia has not let this gone unanswered and its military has sent thousands of new units and weapons to its western border in response (or is it the other way around?). (Newsweek, July 24, 2018).

Hybrid Warfare – Works Both Ways. There are many news accounts and reports about the use of hybrid warfare by the Russians (Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and Baltic States come to mind). However, little is reported about how the Russians would plan to defend itself or control territory it occupies if threatened with adversaries that employ hybrid warfare. But the Russians have given it some thought. Read “Russia to Use Irregular Forces Against ‘Hybrid Threats’: The Case of Kaliningrad”, Eurasia Daily Monitor – The Jamestown Foundation, July 24, 2018.

New Russian Airborne Tank. A new tank that is air drop capable called the Sprut SDM 1 is now coming on-line that will give Russian paratroopers an anti-tank capability. Evidently the crew can be inside the SDM 1 when in is under canopy. Hmmmm! Read more in “Russia Testing New Tank That Lands From the Sky”, National Interest, July 25, 2018.

NATO’s Relationship with Russia. So what is the ‘official’ word how how NATO and its potential enemy get along? NATO says it wants a constructive relationship with Russia but – it’s complicated. Read “Relations with Russia”, NATO, July 26, 2018.

More on the Helsinki Summit

A NATO news update would not be complete without a mention of President Trump! The fallout from the disastrous Helsinki meeting (on many levels) between President Trump and President Putin is continuing – although the U.S. news cycle is quickly moving on to other topics. The concrete results of the ‘agreements’ from the meeting have yet to materialize. One thing is for certain – Trump’s attacks on NATO the previous week has likely damaged (to what degree is unknown) the alliance. The verbal assault may possibly encourage Russia to take a more belligerent stance with its bordering nations – Latvia, Ukraine, Estonia, etc.

Chaos Theory. Matthew Blood, an independent political and security analyst, provides his perspective in “Chaos Theory: Confusing Diplomatic Means and Ends in Helsinki”, Small Wars Journal, July 20, 2018.

More on the Brussels Summit

Moving Troops & Equipment – Not so Easy. While the media focused on the circus act of the leader of one of the more prominent member nations of NATO during a recent meeting of the western defense alliance – the Brussels Summit – a lot of constructive work was done behind the scenes. Recent NATO exercises revealed that moving troops and equipment across borders is more difficult than thought – from an administrative standpoint. Learn about the efforts that NATO is now involved in to mitigate the challenges presented by legal and administration rules and regulations posed by different countries in “Exploring the allied decisions on military mobility in Europe”, Defense News, July 27, 2018.

NATO Exercises

Exercise BREEZE 18. The Bulgarian Navy hosted several other nations for an exercise that trained participants in various fields of maritime warfare. Ships from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Germany took part in a high variety of tasks to include seamanship drills, countering maritime threats, and communication drills. See “NATO Ships Trained at Exercise BREEZE”, NATO Media Centre, July 23, 2018.

Sea Breeze 2018. The U.S. recently participated in a multi-national maritime exercise held in Ukraine. The exercise (land and sea) involved land, air, and sea units in the Black Sea region and was held in July 2018. The Russians took exception – describing the training as tension-provoking and potentially destabilizing. Read “Russia threatens ‘negative consequences’ over Marine exercise with Ukraine in the Black Sea”, Marine Corps Times, July 20, 2018.

USAF in Poland. Read about how US airmen and soldiers were deployed to Krzensiny Air Base to test their ability to rapidly set up facilities. (U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Poland, July 2018).

Commentary

UK Defence Review. Malcom Chalmers, the Deputy Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), writes about the review of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) currently underway in the UK. (RUSI, July 20, 2018).

NATO Still Matters. Dalibor Rohac, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), provides his perspective on the Brussels Summit, Helsinki conference, and President Trump in “Counterpoint: Does NATO Still Matter? Yes!”, AEI Inside Sources, July 23, 2018.

Defending the Baltic Nations. According a 2016 RAND Corporation report the Russian military could overrun the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in 60 hours. In fact, during a September 2017 military exercise called Zapad – the scenario of using hybrid and conventional warfare to overrun a Baltic nation was rehearsed. A NATO news update would not be complete without one or two articles about the Baltic region! Read more in “Baltic Peace Through NATO Strength”, Real Clear Defense, July 26, 2018.

Black Sea – Politics and Military Competition. With the demise of the Cold War U.S. interest in the Black Sea region diminished significantly. That is – until Russian aggression in recent years in Crimea, Georgia, and Ukraine sparked the interest of the United States once again. Read more in “Black Sea’s Back, Alright? A New Special Series”, War on the Rocks, July 26, 2018.

Turkey – a NATO Ally? There are a number of issues that provide sources of tension in the relationship between the United States and Turkey. These include the growth of authoritarianism under Erdogan, drift to Russia by Turkey, U.S. support of the Kurds, and Turkish secret support of jihadist groups in Syria. However the U.S. needs to use “. . . an incremental and interest-based approach focused on clear areas of strategic convergence in order to protect its long-term alliance with a post-Erdogan Turkey”. Hmmmm. Or a least that is what a writer for the Institute for the Study of War seems to think. Read “Navigating the U.S. – Turkey Relationship Beyond the Quagmire”, ISW, July 25, 2018.

Understanding NATO. Stephen Walt tells us about five misunderstood facts about the Western defense alliance in “NATO Isn’t What You Think It Is”, Foreign Policy, July 26, 2018.

Reports

Russian Social Media. A recent study examines Russian-language content on social media and how Russia uses propaganda to threaten the countries of Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania, and Belarus. The Russians are attempting to drive a wedge between the ethnic populations of the target countries and also to discredit the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In addition, it aims to sow confusion and mistrust among the Western nations and erode their democratic institutions. Read the 149-page report in Russian Social Media Influence: Understanding Russian Propaganda in Eastern Europe, RAND Corporation, 2018.
www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2237.html

Russian Strategy. Dr. John R. Deni et al provide a 56 page report entitled Current Russia Military Affairs: Assessing and Countering Russian Strategy, Operational Planning, and Modernization, Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) U.S. Army War College, July 2018.
https://ssi.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1385

More Russian Strategy. Alexander Moens and Cornel Turdeanu have penned a 25 page report entitled Fear and Dread: Russia’s Strategy to Dismantle North Atlantic and European Security Cooperation, Macdonald Laurier Institute, July 2018.
www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/nato-respond-russia-new-mli-report/

Videos

Rapid Deployment. In the event of an international crisis involving a NATO member the alliance has to be able to respond rapidly with the movement of troops, equipment, air, and naval forces. In order to be able to do this NATO conducts a wide range of exercises across Europe each year. Learn more in How NATO Rapidly Deploys Troops, NATO, July 10, 2018, 1-min.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=19EkFPdjpiI

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Photo: German frogmen training. Photo by Bundeswehr, August 4, 2017.

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