Poland has kicked off its joint multinational exercise with heavy US Army participation in order to test readiness and interoperability using 31,000 soldiers from 24 countries, 100 aircraft, 12 vessels and 3,000 vehicles.

The US Army’s role in the biggest Polish national exercise called Anakonda will include a multinational air assault and airborne operations as well as bridging operations and live fire, command post, field training, cyber and electronic warfare exercises led by the 4th Infantry Division Headquarters.

Among some of the key activities, the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division will conduct an airborne operation into the Torun training area to secure terrain east of the Vistula river and the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command will conduct electronic warfare exercises in the Utzka training area in support of air defense artillery brigade maneuvers that will include live fire exercises.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Monday during the opening ceremony that the single purpose for the Army in Anakonda is to demonstrate that the US Army is “shoulder to shoulder” with Poland, its army and NATO “to ensure that all countries of NATO remain free and independent.”

He added the forces participating in the exercise are doing so to “ensure mutual defense and deter aggression and in particular we need to work on our collective skills of interoperability and readiness.”

Read More- Army Times

Image courtesy of US Army