(KAIRIAI, LITHUANIA) - Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, trained with Lithuanian and German forces, firing artillery at targets in the Baltic Sea, during Exercise Flaming Thunder, August 2, 2016, at Kairiai, Lithuania.
"I think it is important that we train with our NATO allies because we are never going to fight in a time of war by ourselves," said Col. Phil Brooks, commander 1st ABCT, 3ID "So we are always going to fight as a team and exercise Flaming Thunder provides an opportunity for us to train as a team here in Lithuania; and become more interoperable as well as assure our NATO allies that we are here for them if there is a problem, and to detour any kind of aggression here throughout Eastern Europe."
To celebrate the NATO nations' commitment to each other, U.S. forces fired rounds from M109 Paladins flanked by both Lithuanian and German Panzerhaubitze 2000s to kick off the exercise.
Lithuania Forces purchased their Panzerhaubitze 2000s from Germany this year. Part of the exercise is being used to certify Lithuanian forces on their new artillery systems.
"This is part of the first training mission of Lithuanian Armed Forces on the Panzerhaubitze 2000," said German Lt. Gen. Carsten Jacobson. "We are training the crews, and we have completed the technical training. This is their first live firing in their own responsibility on their soil. We are going to continue to train them on the technical use of the weapon. It is all part of the overall support that we are giving to the Baltic States, and the eastern partners in NATO."
Flaming Thunder is a two-week long multinational fire coordination exercise and combined arms live fire to enhance interoperability among NATO fire support units, and to train and conduct joint fire support with the integration of maneuver elements, close air support and close combat attack.
The Soldiers from 1st Bn., 41st FA Rgmt., involved in the exercise, are training with their Baltic allies in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. lead effort being conducted in Eastern Europe to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region.
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