Patriot troops return from Lithuania with a stronger mentality

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Operational Thinking Assisting NATO member states

News | July 19, 2024 | 10:31

The Dutch held out for two weeks patriotLithuania’s unity is in the spotlight. Soldiers of the National Defense Ground Air Defense Command take over Siauliai Air base Participate in exercises Baltic connection 2024. Among other things, the goal is to have the system work optimally with colleagues in Lithuania, as well as in Spain and Portugal, who protect the airspace with fighter jets.

Patriot system. — The Dutch Patriots stayed in Lithuania for two weeks.

Although not with patriot After being fired, they were a particularly welcome sight for the Lithuanians. The Baltic states themselves also have NASAM systems, but they are mainly suitable for medium-range air defense. patriot can travel greater distances. Thus, together these systems provide a layered air defense.

There were several goals for this exercise. One of them was to quickly deploy to Lithuania with a minimum of personnel and equipment. Everything went smoothly. Once arrived, it was all about interoperability and command and control. A week was allotted to ensure all systems worked together optimally. Then there was enough time to complete various scenarios. This also included Spanish F-18s and Portuguese F-16s. Baltic Air PolicingThe task has been deployed.

Soldiers unloaded their equipment. — Rapid deployment is one of the goals.

Operational Thinking

“We have optimized our War Mindset can work,” said the detachment commander Patriot Task Force Major Kevin. “This was also important for our own preparation. We were able to experience the character and behavior of the Lithuanians. Mindset Yes. That affects us, too. Given the location, the threat is more obvious here than in the Netherlands. We saw on a roadside sign that Kaliningrad is only 150 kilometers away. Belarus is not far either.”

The commander noted that the Lithuanians are very hospitable. “They are open to everything. If you need something, they will take care of it immediately.” Language was not a barrier, and the Lithuanian military leaders present spoke English very well. “This ensured that the cooperation went very smoothly in all aspects. We have achieved all our goals.”

The military is building the Patriot system. — There were collaborations with the Lithuanians, Spanish and Portuguese.

Assisting NATO member states

Because of the Russian threat, it is very important for NATO to maintain its collective air defense order. The Netherlands is a member Integrated Air and Missile Defense– Alliance relations. It is agreed that the member states will assist each other. This is why it is important to integrate with the allies’ systems.

Whether to continue the exercise in the future will be further studied. This assessment is also part of the preparation process. In any case, all parties look back with satisfaction. Major Kevin: “We have been the focus of attention here for two weeks. The locals stood on the roadside and saluted. Their gratitude was beyond words. All in all, it was a unique experience.”

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