On Monday, a new exercise Amber Desire 22 is being held near Suprasl (Podlaskie Voivodeship) as part of North Atlantic Alliance operations. Soldiers of the North-East Multinational Division, the 15th Giżycko Mechanised Brigade, the eFP Battalion Battle Group and the 1st Podlasie Territorial Defence Brigade are taking part in the exercise.

The current exercise is involving 300 soldiers and 40 units of equipment. The exercise is a test of the ability to efficiently move sub-units over a considerable distance and conduct defensive actions. It also includes the harmonisation of international sub-units, increasing their interoperability. Military equipment demonstrations are also planned.

The forces involved in the exercise include 15th Giżycka Mechanised Brigade (1st and 2nd mechanised battalions, tank battalion, anti-aircraft squadron, sapper battalion, logistics battalion and command battalion), eFP Battalion Battle Group (British reconnaissance company, US and Romanian SZ soldiers), 11th Artillery Regiment and 25th Air Cavalry Brigade. The activities of the exercising forces are covered from the air by W-3 Sokół attack helicopters.

The 15th Giżycko Mechanised Brigade, which is taking part in the Amber Desiere 22 exercise, urges that information about the place and time of the passage of military columns should not be made public, and that signs and registration numbers of Polish Army vehicles should not be given out.

Poland is participating in NATO’s eFP (enhanced Forward Presence) initiative. Its main force consists of four NATO multinational battalion battle groups deployed in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Each group was formed by a framework state: United States, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.

“The operation of the eFP in Poland is an excellent example of good, allied cooperation and especially of Poland and the US partnership”, emphasises the Ministry of National Defence.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński