Dragon-15: The Largest Exercise of The Polish Army Begins. “Verifying Relocation And Mobilization Capabilities”

11th “Lubuska” Armoured Cavalry Division is the main unit which takes part in the Dragon-15 exercise, including the elements of the 34th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, using the Leopard 2A5 tanks, and of the 17th “Wielkopolska” Mechanized Brigade. The latter element is equipped with the Rosomak APCs. The “Black Division” units are supported by the airborne elements (including the 25th Air Cavalry Brigade), bomb disposal units, reconnaissance units, special forces, elements of the air force, communications units, UAV operators, elements dealing with logistics, air defence units or by a mobilized territorial defence battalion.

The Polish Army is being additionally supported by a Multinational Combat Group, formed by the German, British, Canadian and American forces. That combat group is equipped, among other equipment, with the Challenger 2 and Leopard 2A6 Main Battle Tanks (from the 21st Armoured Brigade) and with the Marder 1 and Warrior IFVs. Scope of involvement on the part of the allied forces (ca. 900 soldiers in total) is related to the NATO activities connected with provision of support for the Mid-Eastern European states, in line with the commitments adopted during the Newport summit.

Dragon exercise is going to make it possible to perfect and verify the operational procedures related to: a defensive operations, including proper preparation of the logistics by the logistics element of the 11th “Lubuska” Armoured Cavalry Division; mobilization of the reserve forces; or deployment of the relevant units (including the allies) in the area of operations.

For the first time in history, a Division-level Logistics Element has been formed within the structures of the 11th “Lubuska” Armoured Cavalry Division. The element involves mostly the reservists. The reserve troops received the calls for duty from the Military Replenishment Councils, and later they have gone through a training course, carried out by the instructors of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade.

The Dragon exercise is scheduled to last until 23rd October. The operation is going to involve 7 thousand soldiers, along with more than 700 examples of the heavy equipment. For the first time ever, since the process of professionalization of the Polish Army has been completed, a territorial defence battalion gathering the reserve troops has been formed, it also is involved in the exercise.

READ MORE: Polish Territorial Defence Forces Take Part In An Exercise With The Allies.