Krab Howitzers and Ukrainian Artillery: Dynamic Front in Torun (VIDEO)
Dynamic Front 21 exercise taking place in Germany, Poland, and Turkey is aimed at establishing joint ability to lay down artillery fires among the NATO member states and partner nations, within the framework of the interoperability principles. In Poland the training is taking place at the Artillery and Armament Training Centre in Toruń - currently hosting Polish, Danish, US, and Ukrainian artillery units.
Dynamic Front-21 is the fifth edition of the international artillery exercise. It is focused on corps level command training in the European theatre, and on promoting interoperability within the framework of operations undertaken with the use of ASCA (Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities). The goal of the initiative is to facilitate the cooperation of fire control systems such as Topaz (PL), ADLER (GER), or AFATDS (US), so that command solutions operated by different allied nations can work together in an automated manner. This year’s Dynamic Front exercise focuses on synchronization and deconflicting of artillery shelling, from the corps level to the level of a single battery.
As we were informed by Col. Marek Pawlak, spokesman for the General Command of the Armed Forces, the 2021 edition of the exercise has been divided into two parts. The first was launched on 6th May and is scheduled to last until 21st May - it takes place in Grafenwoehr and in Torun, whereas the Torun range is connected to the Corps level command in Germany. The second part is scheduled to take place in September this year, based on a tactical scenario set in Turkey - Polati.
The operations within the framework of the training programme involve representatives of Denmark, France, Germany, the UK, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, the United States of America, and Ukraine - with the latter nation being currently involved in training at the range in Toruń. The “Dynamic Front exercise is very important, when it comes to interoperability - cooperation of the allies, as the event is an artillery exercise. As shown by the experiences of the recent conflicts in the east, the artillery plays a key role, when it comes to fighting,” stated the head of the Polish Ministry of Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak.
The Ukrainians have sent a battery of four 152 mm 2A36 Giatsint-B howitzers to Poland, hailing from the 26th Artillery Brigade. The training also involves US and Polish and Danish artillerymen. The host nation is represented by the 155 mm Krab sph platforms, hailing from the 5th “Lubuski” Artillery Regiment. Danish artillery, meanwhile, is represented by a battery of 120 mm M/10 mortars.
This year, the involvement of NATO partner nation - Ukraine - is fairly interesting. The Ukrainian involvement is a unique opportunity both to boost the interoperability levels, but also to exchange the experience. The latter matter may be especially invaluable since the Ukrainian forces have been involved in the Donbas conflict for a few years now.