VILSECK, Germany — The Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness 2024 exercise, known as DEFENDER 24, kicked off with the start of Saber Strike 24 on April 9, 2024.
Saber Strike 24 is the first in a series of exercises under the United States Army Europe and Africa DEFENDER 24 umbrella. The exercises are designed to deter adversaries, transform operational mission command, build readiness and strengthen the NATO alliance. Saber Strike 24 involves approximately 3,000 U.S. service members and 2,000 allied and partner participants from European nations including Croatia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Saber Strike 24 began with a long-distance tactical road march led by a 2nd Cavalry Regiment convoy leaving from Vilseck on April 9, 2024, to training areas in Bemowo Piskie, Poland. After reaching the training areas, the multinational forces will conduct ground and aerial target live-fires, fire support coordination exercises and other multilateral training which will integrate advanced weapons systems. U.S., ally and partner forces involved in Saber Strike 24 will utilize live ordinance during live fire, combined live fire and artillery portions of the exercise.
“The purpose of Saber Strike is to project combat power into the Baltic region,” said U.S. Army Maj. Brian Hausle, an operations officer for the 2nd Cav. Regt. “And the way that we’ll do that this year is by moving the entire regiment from Vilseck, Germany, to Bewomo Piskie, Poland, and then project that squadron task force north to Pabrade, Lithuania.”
U.S. units involved include V Corps, based in Poland and Fort Knox, Kentucky; the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, based in Vilseck; the 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Georgia; the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery, based in Ansbach, Germany; and the 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, also based in Ansbach.
DEFENDER 24 is the culmination of 75 years of U.S. military commitment to collective security in eastern Europe. Saber Strike 24, along with the other exercises of DEFENDER 24, will showcase the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy a large, combat-credible force of troops and equipment, and — alongside its allies and partners — respond to potential crises. An integral part of the exercise includes the drawing of Army Prepositioned Stock 2, strategically placed equipment caches which are a critical component of the Department of Defense’s strategic mobility triad.
Saber Strike has occurred annually in eastern Europe since 2010, where it has seen U.S. military assets working to enhance interoperability with allies and regional partners.
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