V Corps and NATO forces build readiness during Saber Strike

By Spc. Javen OwensApril 12, 2022

Latvian Armed Forces host media day
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter assigned to 1-3rd Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, flies by a tank from the Spanish Army during a media day display at Camp Adazi training area, Latvia, March 11, 2022. The Latvian Armed Forces hosted a media day to display the power and interoperability of NATO forces in Latvia participating in the exercise, Saber Strike 22. V Corps is providing command and control over Saber Strike. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) VIEW ORIGINAL
Saber Strike 22, Day 7
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew Van Wagenen, Deputy Commanding General, V Corps, observes a map during Saber Strike 22 at Military Training Area Lest, Slovakia, March 11, 2022. Saber Strike 22 is a multinational exercise from Feb. 18 through March 18, 2022, which includes participation from 13 NATO allied and partnered nations. The exercise is designed to show NATO's collective capabilities to operate under austere conditions and demonstrate that we are stronger together. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Leonard Beckett) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Leonard Beckett) VIEW ORIGINAL

POLAND — As America’s forward deployed corps in Europe, V Corps led the theater-wide military exercise, Saber Strike 22, which encompassed a variety of joint multi-national training throughout Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Saber Strike is a biennial exercise between NATO and allied partners which has been held since 2010. Large scale exercises like Saber Strike demonstrate the strategic readiness of the U.S. military through integration into multiple NATO ally and partner exercises in the region. Saber Strike includes approximately 13,000 multinational participants from 13 nations such as the Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States.

“Saber Strike was really the first multi-national exercise led by V Corps since becoming fully operationally capable and it was designed to test our ability to provide operational and tactical oversight of U.S. troops and exercise command and control of the formations during the training,” said Maj. Gen. Jeffery Broadwater, deputy commanding general, V Corps and the exercise director. “Exercises like Saber Strike build readiness, enhance interoperability and strengthen relationships by providing a joint, multinational environment to prepare allies and partners to train as we fight.”

Saber Strike 22 X4
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment conduct room clearing procedures during Saber Strike 22 at Military Training Area Lest, Slovakia, March 8, 2022. Saber Saber Strike 22 is a multinational exercise from Feb. 28 through March 18, 2022, which includes participation from 13 NATO allied and partner nations. The exercise is designed to show NATO's collective capabilities to operate under austere conditions and demonstrate that we are stronger together. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jose H. Rodriguez) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Jose Rodriguez Guzman) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Soldiers execute multinational training during Saber Strike 22
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to the 2d Cavalry Regiment, takes part in multinational training during Saber Strike 22 at Camp Adazi, Latvia, March 7, 2022. Saber Strike is designed to enhance interoperability with our NATO allies and strengthen regional relationships that we have developed. Saber Strike allows NATO allies to connect personally, professionally, technically, and tactically to create synergistic effects and a more proficient multi-national combat force. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) VIEW ORIGINAL
Latvian soldiers execute multinational training during Saber Strike 22
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Two Latvian Armed Forces soldiers take part in multinational training during Saber Strike 22 at Camp Adazi, Latvia, March 7, 2022. Saber Strike is designed to enhance interoperability with our NATO allies and strengthen regional relationships that we have developed. Saber Strike allows NATO allies to connect personally, professionally, technically, and tactically to create synergistic effects and a more proficient multi-national combat force. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) VIEW ORIGINAL

Training with partner nations in Europe provides unique opportunities to hone skills and retain the ability to shoot, move and communicate as a combined arms team with allied forces. This large scale two-month exercise showcased different events including a tactical road march through the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia; multiple live-fire and force-on-force exercises; rail operations from Germany to Lithuania; as well as establishment of air, ground and sea lines of communication through Denmark and Sweden.

“The real value of an exercise like Saber Strike is that it demonstrates alliance readiness, interoperability and capability. It shows that the U.S. can rapidly deploy combat-credible forces to Poland, the Baltics, and Central Europe to support our allies during contingencies,” said Broadwater. “Saber Strike is a strong reminder of our commitment to defend and secure our Eastern European allies while also serving as a deterrent to our adversaries.”

No nation can confront today’s challenges alone. Fostering relationships with allies and partners increases interoperability and ensures the readiness, agility and strength of our combined forces.

U.S. Army’s new M-SHORAD hits the mark during Exercise Saber Strike live fire in Estonia
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Estonian and U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command, pose with the U.S. Army’s new Maneuver Short Range Air Defense Stryker under both the Estonian and U.S. flags after a successful live fire training event on the Gulf of Finland during Exercise Saber Strike 22 on March 10, 2022. The exercise runs through March with approximately 13,000 participants from 13 countries and has been held every 2 years since 2010. The training event is scheduled during winter to demonstrate the ability to operate in austere conditions. During Saber Strike, the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is conducted a series of air & missile defense drills with NATO Allies Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia as well as partners Finland and Sweden. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Robert Fellingham) (Photo Credit: Maj. Robert Fellingham) VIEW ORIGINAL
NATO air defenders train together in Poland for exercise Saber Strike
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A prototype Manuever Short Range Air Defense Stryker assigned to 5-4 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, tracks an Mi-24 Hind during Exercise Saber Strike 22 at BPTA, Poland on February 25, 2022. The 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, part of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, is the first unit in the U.S. Army to field, test and receive four M-SHORAD weapons system. 5-4 ADA will receive an additional 32 systems later in FY22-FY23. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Robert Fellingham) (Photo Credit: Maj. Robert Fellingham) VIEW ORIGINAL
2CR marches over 900 miles to Latvia
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A line of vehicles belonging to the 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, prepare to stop after crossing the Latvian border during a tactical road march from Germany that spanned more than 900 miles, as part of Saber Strike 22, Feb. 26, 2022. The march incorporated more than 150 vehicles and 700 personnel, demonstrating interoperability between the United States, Latvia, and our NATO Allies and partners. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort) VIEW ORIGINAL

Training exercises like Saber Strike demonstrate that NATO allies and partners are stronger together and are designed to ensure U.S. and allied forces are trained, able to operate together, and ready to respond to outside threats in a multi-domain environment.

V Corps’ presence and commitment to the defense of allies on NATO’s Eastern flank will enable greater use of dynamic force employment in the European Theater, providing strategic predictability for our allies and partners while introducing greater operational unpredictability to our adversaries.

“Saber Strike demonstrated our ability to conduct operations in winter and rough terrain conditions while allowing us to build interoperability with multi-national partners to reinforce the alliance,” said Broadwater. “It allowed us to get multiple repetitions on our equipment and test our processes and procedures in a controlled environment so that we will be that much better if we have to do it for real. This exercise just further proved that our alliance is strong. I am really proud of the entire V Corps team and all of the units that participated in Saber Strike.”