Between 22 November and 4 December, Allies with the Latvian Mechanized Infantry Brigade, NATO’s enhanced Ahead Presence (eFP) Battlegroup Latvia and the U.S. 1 st Infantry Division performed train Winter Defend. This annual army train served to improve Allied fight capabilities and interoperability, and reveal NATO’s ironclad dedication to the Baltic Sea area. Held in ?daži, train Winter Defend offered prepared and postured, combat-credible forces via multinational coaching and safety cooperation actions.

Czech fight engineers with NATO’s eFP Battlegroup Latvia erect a bridge to facilitate a moist hole crossing throughout train Winter Defend at Camp ?daži (Picture by SGT Guillaume Landreville/NATO)

“This train in an excellent alternative for us to actually reveal the interoperability we have now; to have the ability to take Latvians, Individuals, Czechs, Spanish and plenty of others that every one work collectively. The flexibility to quickly surge combat-ready forces into and throughout the theater is crucial to have the ability to mission forces at a second’s discover to assist the Alliance,” the Canadian Military Lieutenant Colonel John Benson, Commander NATO eFP Battlegroup Latvia, acknowledged.

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NATO Allies Enhance Interoperability During Exercise Winter Shield in Latvia
Troopers with the U.S. third Bn, 66th Armored Regt, 1st Armored Bde Fight Group, 1st Infantry Div, fireplace a 25mm tracer spherical from an M2A3 Bradley Preventing Automobile throughout an built-in night time live-fire train for Winter Defend in ?daži (Picture by CPL Max Elliott/NATO)

Winter Defend highlighted capabilities of the joint forces. Troopers needed to stay versatile as they have been built-in into completely different coaching workouts, together with demolition, infantry, armored automobiles, mortar assist, bridge laying and sign assist. Via exact and coordinated planning, allied nations carried out collectively like a well-oiled machine with out hesitation. Latvia offered an excellent coaching surroundings and allowed for troopers from international locations with a hotter local weather to step out of their consolation zones and get extra expertise in snowy, colder circumstances.

NATO Allies Enhance Interoperability During Exercise Winter Shield in Latvia
Troopers with the Latvian Mechanized Infantry Bde throughout train Winter Defend at Camp ?daži (Picture by SGT ?riks Kukutis/NATO)

Winter Defend 2021 concluded with a closing ceremony, the place Latvian Land Forces Mechanized Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Sandris Gaugers delivered awards and acknowledged excellent Troopers for his or her performances throughout Winter Defend 2021. Latvia offered an excellent coaching surroundings and allowed for troopers from international locations with a hotter local weather to step out of their consolation zones and get extra expertise in snowy, colder circumstances. The train started Nov. 22, 2021 and concluded on Dec. 5, 2021.

NATO Allies Enhance Interoperability During Exercise Winter Shield in Latvia
Troopers with the U.S. 1st Bde Engineer Bn, 1st Armored Bde Fight Group, 1st Infantry Div and Spanish service members with NATO’s eFP Battlegroup Latvia stroll to the demolition web site throughout a tree demolition coaching train for Winter Defend in ?daži (Picture by SPC. Michael Baumberger/NATO)