autoevolution 20 May 2021, 11:38 UTC ·
by 5 photos
The British 1 Mercian Battlegroup and a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) led by the Royal Air Force joined forces recently, for Operation Cabrit. The Battlegroup is integrated with the 1st Estonian Brigade, as part of the NATO mission in the region. TACP is part of the C Battery 3 Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) and is based at Tampa Camp, in Estonia.
For Operation Cabrit, TACP organized a Fire Support Team that includes Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs, also known as Forward Air Controllers), and signallers (the ones who are responsible for radio communication), in order to provide air support for the Battlegroup.
A brawl broke out Saturday night involving several British soldiers and local residents and required the attendance of military police personnel, regional daily Virumaa Teataja reports.
Tauno Lempu, Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) patrol chief in nearby Rakvere, told the daily (link in Estonian) that the alarm center was notified at around 8 p..m that a fight had broken out in a Tapa eatery, involving both British soldiers and some local men, while military police (Sõjaväepolitsei) were already on the scene and had the situation under control – which included the use of handcuffs on one local resident – by the time the PPA patrol arrived.
A US-led large-scale military exercise in Estonia ended Friday after close to two weeks maneuvers which included a para jump involving hundreds of American and British airborne troops and the live-firing of several multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). The exercise also dovetails into Estonian forces annual Exercise Spring Storm, which starts Monday.
Maj. Gen. Indrek Sirel, commander of the exercise, dubbed Swift Response, and itself a component of the pan-European exercise DEFENDER-Europe 21, said: The stage of Swift Response in Estonia is coming to an end, but the exercise Defender Europe, led by the United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF), is only starting in numerous other states. This exercise with our allies was a good warm-up for Kevadtorm, which is about to begin very soon.
Belgian minister, army chief to visit troops stationed in Lithuania
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Belgian troops in Lithuania. / Shutterstock
Belgium’s defence minister and the chief of the country’s military will arrive in Lithuania on Wednesday to visit Belgian troops stationed in the country.
Some 200 Belgian troops are currently deployed as part of the German-led NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence battalion in Rukla, central Lithuania. They were among the first to deploy as part of the EFP battalion.
In Rukla, Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder and Chief of Defence Admiral Michel Hofman will meet with Lithuania’s Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas and Lithuania’s Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys