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NATO Allies train in Poland for exercise Saber Strike

By Spc. Olivia GumMarch 5, 2022

NATO air defenders train together in Poland for exercise Saber Strike
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Capt. Kevin Krupp, assigned to 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, receives an award from Polish Col. Sławomir Kojło, assigned to 3rd Air Defense Rocket Brigade, for exercise Saber Strike 22 at BPTA, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. The exercise runs through March with approximately 13,000 participants from 13 countries and has been held every 2 years since 2010. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Clinton Thompson) VIEW ORIGINAL
NATO air defenders train together in Poland for exercise Saber Strike
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Capt. Kevin Krupp, assigned to 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, receives an award from Polish Col. Sławomir Kojło, assigned to 3rd Air Defense Rocket Brigade, for exercise Saber Strike 22 at BPTA, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. 5-4 ADA, a subordinate unit under the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, is one part of a large and capable network of allied and partner Integrated Air and Missile Defense forces. Exercise Saber Strike is a bi-annual U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise in Eastern Europe. Saber Strike demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa can deploy combat-credible European-based units to Poland, the Baltics, and Central Europe. Saber Strike provides training in a winter environment and increases air defense-interoperability within the Baltic Region, while increasing the host-nations’ ability to integrate U.S. capabilities and reinforces the Alliance. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Clinton Thompson) VIEW ORIGINAL

BEMOWO PISKIE TRAINING AREA, Poland — The United States and Polish militaries held a closing ceremony for the Polish phase of exercise Saber Strike on Feb. 26.

Including approximately 13,000 participants from 13 nations, exercise Saber Strike is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise in Eastern Europe held bi-annually since 2010. Saber Strike demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa can deploy combat-credible European-based units to Poland, the Baltics and Central Europe. Saber Strike provides training in a winter environment and increases air defense-interoperability within the Baltic Region, while increasing the host-nations’ ability to integrate U.S. capabilities and reinforces the alliance.

“During Saber Strike we’re conducting air and missile defense training with our NATO Allies,” said U.S. Army Col. Patrick Thompson, 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade commander. “This training helps build inoperability among our NATO Allies and partners.”

NATO air defenders train together in Poland for exercise Saber Strike
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Polish soldiers assigned to 3rd Air Defense Rocket Brigade, and U.S. Soldiers assigned to 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, hold closing ceremonies for the Poland phase of exercise Saber Strike 22 at BPTA, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. Exercise Saber Strike is a bi-annual U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise in Eastern Europe. Saber Strike demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa can deploy combat-credible European-based units to Poland, the Baltics, and Central Europe. Saber Strike provides training in a winter environment and increases air defense-interoperability within the Baltic Region, while increasing the host-nations’ ability to integrate U.S. capabilities and reinforces the Alliance. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Clinton Thompson) VIEW ORIGINAL
NATO air defenders train together in Poland for exercise Saber Strike
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Polish soldiers assigned to 3rd Air Defense Rocket Brigade, and U.S. Soldiers assigned to 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, hold closing ceremonies for the Poland phase of exercise Saber Strike 22 at BPTA, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. Exercise Saber Strike is a bi-annual U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise in Eastern Europe. Saber Strike demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa can deploy combat-credible European-based units to Poland, the Baltics, and Central Europe. Saber Strike provides training in a winter environment and increases air defense-interoperability within the Baltic Region, while increasing the host-nations’ ability to integrate U.S. capabilities and reinforces the Alliance. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Clinton Thompson) VIEW ORIGINAL

U.S. presence in Europe and the relationships built throughout the past 70 years provide the U.S. strategic access critical to meet NATO commitments. Saber Strike is designed to ensure that U.S. forces and participating allied forces are trained, able to operate together and are ready to respond to any threat from any direction.

Saber Strike 22 was also the exercise debut of four prototype Maneuver Short Range Air Defense platforms. The M-SHORAD defends maneuvering forces against unmanned aircraft systems, rotary-wing, and residual fixed-wing threats.

“The unit is conducting combined arms training strategy tied with their new equipment training to ensure the system is fielded as fast as it can to get it out to the force,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Brady, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command commanding general.

The 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, a part of 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, is the first unit in the U.S. Army to field, test and receive the M-SHORAD weapons system.

“We’ve been testing the capabilities of the M-SHORAD and U.S. link capabilities to be able to transmit data from our systems and sharing that to the Polish Army,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Brandon Anthony, a vehicle commander assigned to 5-4 ADA.

“We’re sending data links back and forth with the Polish so we can get air pictures and be able to track aircrafts in the sky,” said Jack Potter, a gunner for 5-4 ADA.

On March 10, 5-4 ADA is scheduled to conduct a live fire exercise demonstration on the Baltic Sea coast of Estonia.

Training events like Saber Strike 22 are planned well in advance and are not connected to any current or ongoing operations.

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