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Lithuanian, U.S. mortarmen complete night mortar live fire

By Alexandra SheaJanuary 25, 2021

Lithuanian and U.S. mortarmen fire mortars at night Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. The combined training event offered Lithuanian Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion hands-on experience with 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment’s mortar weapon platform, increasing battlefield lethality. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea)
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lithuanian and U.S. mortarmen fire mortars at night Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. The combined training event offered Lithuanian Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion hands-on experience with 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment’s mortar weapon platform, increasing battlefield lethality. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alexandra Shea) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mortarmen, assigned to Lithuanian Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion, fire U.S. illumination mortar rounds Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment mortarmen integrated the 23rd Battalion into a night fire mission in support of a section-level gunnery. The multi-national training event allowed the NATO allied force to get hands-on experience with the U.S. mortar platform and increase battlefield lethality. (Photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea)
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Mortarmen, assigned to Lithuanian Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion, fire U.S. illumination mortar rounds Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment mortarmen integrated the 23rd Battalion into a night fire mission in support of a section-level gunnery. The multi-national training event allowed the NATO allied force to get hands-on experience with the U.S. mortar platform and increase battlefield lethality. (Photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alexandra Shea) VIEW ORIGINAL
Lithuanian mortarmen assigned to Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion get an in-depth introduction to 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment’s mortar weapon platform Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. The Lithuanian mortarmen were able to complete a night mortar fire mission to help support a section-level gunnery with illumination mortar rounds. The training established professional relationships between the mortarmen and their U.S. counterparts and increases battlefield lethality. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea)
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lithuanian mortarmen assigned to Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion get an in-depth introduction to 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment’s mortar weapon platform Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. The Lithuanian mortarmen were able to complete a night mortar fire mission to help support a section-level gunnery with illumination mortar rounds. The training established professional relationships between the mortarmen and their U.S. counterparts and increases battlefield lethality. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alexandra Shea) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael Elliot, right, Charlie “Cobra” Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment fire support officer, explains the capabilities of the Bradley Fire Support Vehicle to a Lithuanian platoon commander assigned to Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion during a combined mortar training mission Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea)
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael Elliot, right, Charlie “Cobra” Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment fire support officer, explains the capabilities of the Bradley Fire Support Vehicle to a Lithuanian platoon commander assigned to Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion during a combined mortar training mission Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alexandra Shea) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alexandra Shea) VIEW ORIGINAL
A Lithuanian mortar platoon commander assigned to Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion, gets a hands-on, up close look at a 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment Bradley Fire Support Vehicle Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. The in-depth combined training took place before the Lithuanian mortarmen joined U.S. mortarmen in a combined night mortar live-fire exercise in support of a section-level gunnery.
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Lithuanian mortar platoon commander assigned to Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion, gets a hands-on, up close look at a 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment Bradley Fire Support Vehicle Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. The in-depth combined training took place before the Lithuanian mortarmen joined U.S. mortarmen in a combined night mortar live-fire exercise in support of a section-level gunnery. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alexandra Shea) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mortarmen assigned to Lithuanian Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion, meet with 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment mortarmen Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania, in preparation of conducting a night mortar fire mission. The combined training increases weapon platform capabilities and battlefield lethality in the event a foreign aggressor threatens Lithuanian land.
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Mortarmen assigned to Lithuanian Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion, meet with 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment mortarmen Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania, in preparation of conducting a night mortar fire mission. The combined training increases weapon platform capabilities and battlefield lethality in the event a foreign aggressor threatens Lithuanian land. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Alexandra Shea) VIEW ORIGINAL

PABRADE, Lithuania – Lithuanian mortarmen from Griffin Brigade’s 23rd Battalion took an opportunity to integrate and conduct night mortar fire missions with 2nd Battalion, 8th (U.S.) Cavalry Regiment mortar teams to help support a section-level crew gunnery Jan. 23, 2021, at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania.

“It was great having them out here,” said U.S. Army Capt. Spenser Swafford, battalion support officer and event co-coordinator. “I could tell they really enjoyed themselves which made our mortarmen happy to train with them.”

Roughly a month ago, 2-8 Cav. Reg. mortar teams traveled to Kazlu Ruda, where the Lithuanian 23rd Battalion is based, to observe mortar training by their counterparts and to demonstrate the capabilities the U.S. Q-50 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar System brings to the battlefield by tracking the origin of incoming fire.

“Once we learned 23rd Battalion wanted to come out here [to the Pabrade Training Area], we were excited,” Swafford said. "We worked with our Lithuanian liaison officer to coordinate the multi-national event.”

Lithuanian Lt. Emily Mazeikaite, signal platoon commander for Griffin Brigade’s 24th Battalion, coordinated the transportation and details of the event with Griffin Brigade.

“It was very easy to coordinate the event because I knew the platoon commander,” Mazeikaite said. “For some of the guys, this was the first shot they were able to do. It was interesting for them. They will remember this shooting for a long time because it was the first time they shot [U.S. mortars].”

Though mortar systems used by U.S. and Lithuanian forces are basically the same, there are small differences between the systems.

“For us, there is no lanyard to pull to fire the system,” Swafford said. “We just drop the round and it fires. We also have a computerized system that calculates all the fire direction control.”

“We don’t have much [variety] of weapon systems or practice,” Mazeikaite said. “We are able to learn a lot from you.”

As combined multinational training events continue, Lithuanian allied forces are imbedded with U.S. teams to ensure they gain the skills to operate and fight as one should foreign aggressors threaten Lithuanian land.

The combined training also creates an environment for professional relationships to be made and maintained and dispels any personal fears between the forces.

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