Latvijā ierodas NATO paplašinātās klātbūtnes kaujas grupas Kanādas karavīri

On Friday, 9 June, Maj Gen Leonīds Kalniņš , Chief of the Defence of Latvia, Lt Gen Frederick Benjamin Hodges, US Army Europe Commanding General, H.E. Nancy Bikoff Pettit, Ambassador of the United States to Latvia, and other foreign and Latvian dignitaries will attend the international distinguished visitors day of Saber Strike 2017 international military exercise g at Ādaži military base.

During the visitors day, held in scope of the military training, distinguished guests will observe tactical training, which combines a wide variety of combat support capabilities, including Polish and US tank combat shooting, indirect fire support involving mortars and artillery systems, such as US HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) that had never been employed in Latvia before. Tactical operation rolled out by Italian Motorised Company will be supported by US and Latvian combat engineers, whereas air support will come from US Air Force.

Field training exercise of Saber Strike 2017 will take place between 3rd and 15th of June at Ādaži training area, Latvia. Other training elements will take place between 9th and 14 th of June at various locations outside the Ādaži training area, including Amata, Mālpils, Ogre, Ropaži, Salaspils and Stopiņi regions. This part of the training involves movement of battalion-size units in armoured vehicles and different field manoeuvres, which are approved by the private owners of training areas.

This year allied land and air forces will be under Latvian command during the training. More than 2 000 soldiers and airmen from Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, Poland, Slovakia and US will participate in the exercise.

The aim of the training is to boost joint interoperability of participating countries, test the readiness and combat capabilities, freedom of movement throughout the region and ability to assemble rapid-reaction forces and deploy them on short notice.

Saber Strike is US Army Europe-led annual International Military Training, which began in 2010.