Armed Forces
75 Stryker APCs in Mid-Eastern Europe
US Armed Forces are to start rotational exercises in Poland and other Baltic States, involving, in total, 75 wheeled Stryker APCs, which are being used under jurisdiction of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, which is stationed in Germany.
The exercise, which is to be organized within the territories of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, will involve company-sized elements, which will be selected from the Vilseck stationed 2nd Cavalrly Brigade. These elements will be armed with the Stryker wheeled APCs. According to the official press release issued by the Pentagon, the exercise involving the Strykers should last until the end of March.
Last year, the US have decided to deploy rotational units to Poland and Baltic states, due to the Russian activity in Ukraine. Elements of, inter alia, 173rd Airborne and 1st Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, which on a daily basis is stationed in the US, have been present in Mid-Eastern Europe.
Department of Defence states that further rotations will involve the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division – US Army unit which is permanently stationed in USA, and planned to be involved in Europe in 2015. In his interview for The Hill, commander of the US Army Europe, General Ben Hodges, stressed the fact that this year’s European rotation will involve “almost the entire” brigade.
The above probably means that the individual elements of the Unit will be temporarily stationed in Europe throughout the upcoming year. Earlier it has been stated that equipment for a full brigade-sized combat team is to be transported to Europe, including Abrams main battle tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.