Heidesturm Shock brings US, German armies together for bridging operation

By U.S. Army Europe Public AffairsJune 8, 2015

Heidesturm Shock brings US, German armies together for bridging operation
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles as well as various trucks and vehicles of Delta Company "Dark Knights", 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd U.S. Infantry Divis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Heidesturm Shock brings US, German armies together for bridging operation
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles as well as various trucks and vehicles of Delta Company "Dark Knights", 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd U.S. Infantry Divis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Heidesturm Shock brings US, German armies together for bridging operation
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles as well as various trucks and vehicles of Delta Company "Dark Knights", 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd U.S. Infantry Divis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

STORKAU, Germany -- The U.S. Army conducted combined assault river crossing operations with the Bundeswehr's, or German army's, M3 amphibious bridging vehicles on the Elbe River, during Exercise Heidesturm Shock, near here, June 6.

Exercise Heidestrum Shock is a part of Army Europe's larger Freedom Shock program, designed to train, validate and sustain readiness.

The vehicles involved with the bridging operation included M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles as well as various trucks and vehicles from Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd U.S. Infantry Division. Elements from the 3rd Inf. Div., based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, are the Army's current regionally aligned force for Europe.

The exercise began with an unannounced deployment readiness exercise, which can include telephonic phone alerts and musters in order to enable commanders to train, mobilize and deploy their units at a moment's notice anywhere in the European are of operation in support of the Army Europe commanding general's Strong Europe construct.

This training also improves unit interoperability and ensures NATO forces can work together quickly with little or no notice.

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