Over 200 U.S. soldiers and approximately 650 German airmen will be participating in a German-led tactical live fire exercise with live Patriot and Stinger missiles at the NATO Missile Firing Installation in Chania, Greece from Oct. 31-Nov. 09.

The exercise, referred to as Artemis Strike by U.S. participants, will provide realistic training within a combined construct, exercise the rigors associated with force projection and educate operators on their air missile defense systems. Additionally, it will require the 10th AAMDC to deploy, operate and fire live missiles within a tactical scenario, under Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe operational readiness evaluation criteria.

The German Surface to Air Missile Wing 1 will lead the live fire exercise. The 5-7 ADA out of Baumholder will deploy over 150 Soldiers, two Patriot battery minimum engagement packages and two Avenger systems. In order to ensure the most effective and realistic training, the participants will draw live ammunition and conduct the exercise in accordance with arms control measures fulfilling our commitments to our partners and our allies. Other participating U.S. units include 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd AAMDC will be deploying out of Fort Bragg, SC; 21st Theater Sustainment Command also out of Kaiserslautern; 7th Army Training Command out of Grafenwoehr; 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) out of Vicenza, Italy; 2nd Cavalry Regiment out of Vilseck; 16th Sustainment Brigade out of Baumholder; and 30th Medical Brigade out of Sembach.

The 10th AAMDC serves as U.S. Army Europe's executive agent for all theater air and missile defense operations and air missile defense force management. The command helps to strengthen strategic ties while building partnership capacity for U.S. Army Europe, the U.S. European Command and NATO, and integrating with joint and multinational partners in all aspects of air and missile defense for missions -- such as Patriots to Poland, the European Air Defense Task Force, and NATO air missile defense operations in Turkey.

Media interested in covering Artemis Strike 2017 can contact 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Public Affairs Capt. Robert Durr at 0631-3406-2034 or robert.n.durr@mail.mil.