The NATO Multinational Battle Group exercise “Paladin Strike” has started in the military area of Adazi (Latvia) with the participation of the Spanish troops deployed in the “enhanced Forward Presence” mission and under the national operational command of the Operations Command.
This exercise enables the multinational unit to be trained in the combined use of all the assets and materials available. Moreover, the planning, coordination and management of its execution from the command post of the Battle Group is fundamental.
Apart from the difficulty of integrating the different combat assets, the greatest challenge in the exercise “Paladin Strike” to be faced is expected to be the transmission of orders and information in a changing environment in order to guarantee that it is safe and timely.
As part of the exercise, the Battle Group will conduct an “assault” and a “protection” position in Latvia that has been occupied by a potential adversary. After successfully achieving its expulsion, a defence position must be established in order to avoid any attempt of incursion or counterattack aimed at regaining the Latvian territory.
The Spanish Engineer unit is integrated in this Battle Group and has capability of obstacle removal, construction of firing positions, obstacle fortification and laying out, and the mechanised Tactical Subgroup, with its Pizarro vehicles and Leopard combat tanks. Together with the Spanish troops, military personnel from Canada, Poland, Italy, North Macedonia, Albania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czech Republic take part in this international unit.
A novelty in this exercise is the participation of a unit of the US Army. As a Tactical Group, it consists of Infantry and Parachute Sapper units deployed in Poland, as well as an artillery battery located at the Adazi Military Base. During the exercise “Paladin Strike”, this US unit will serve as an opposing force to the multinational Battle Group.