The most important exercise under the enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) mission, Silver Arrow, starts

• Latvia’s Battle Group, where the Spanish units are located, is the main audience for this exercise.

The Battle Group deployed in Latvia started the Silver Arrow exercise today at the manoeuvring ground of the Ādaži military base. This is the main exercise that will be carried out during the deployment of the eFP mission, and its purpose is to certify that all the units of the Battle Group have achieved the planned training objectives and are fully integrated into the Latvian Mechanized Brigade, the large unit where the Battle Group is fitted in.

Until mid-September, this brigade’s units will carry out different operations, both offensive and defensive, within the framework of the “NAMEJS” exercise, which is carried out throughout the territory of Latvia and where the entire Latvian land army participates.

The Spanish units that are integrated into the Battle Group are made up of a mechanized infantry tactical subgroup (S/GTMZ) and an engineering unit (UING), which will bring their strong combat and combat support capabilities in all operations that develop this multinational unit. The S/GTMZ has mechanized assets, mainly the Pizarro infantry fighting vehicle, and armoured assets, such as the LEOPARDO battle tank, as well as other support weapons, such as mortars or SPIKE anti-tank missiles. The UING has a section of sappers and a unit of earth-moving equipment, which will support the mobility, counter-mobility and protection of the combat units.

In addition, military personnel from the Army, supported for the first time by several officers from the Engineering Academy of the Training & Indoctrination Command, will be part of the exercise’s control and observation team (OCT), which will evaluate the units of the Latvian brigade during the planning and execution of the operations.

 The NATO Battle Group, within the eFP mission carried out in Latvia, ensures a credible and effective deterrence against any threat to our Baltic ally, while ensuring its availability to act in the defence of Latvia if necessary, showing the countries in the group’s firm commitment to the Alliance as well as its multinational nature.