RUKLA, Lithuania - The Brigade-size Field Training Exercise IRON WOLF began with the deployment of the entire eFP Battlegroup in Lithuania to the Lithuanian Armed Forces military training area Pabrade, 150 km from their garrison town of Rukla.

On Nov. 6, 2018 at 09.00h, 10 convoys with approximately 350 vehicles – 32 of them on tracks – moved on two different roads towards Pabrade. The largest single movement of military vehicles Lithuania has seen for years. The last vehicles arrived in Pabrade on Nov. 7 at 06.00h.

About 1,400 soldiers from 6 nations were on the move with all their equipment. The first objective of the exercise was therefore achieved; proving that the battlegroup is capable of deploying all their assets to a designated area somewhere away from their garrison within less than 24 hours.

eFP Battlegroup Lithuania joins their partners participating in the exercise, including the Lithuanian Great Duchess Birute Uhlan Battalion of the Iron Wolf Brigade. eFP Battlegroups from Estonia, Latvia and Poland as well as units from other countries are participating. In total 14 nations with about 3,500 soldiers are taking part.

Exercise "Iron Wolf" is an international exercise designed to evaluate the readiness of each NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Lithuania rotation as well as one of the brigade's Lithuanian battalions to plan and conduct military operations. The exercise concludes on Nov. 19.