Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Travel to the United States on a temporary basis For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the U.S The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S that you will not find anywhere else in the world Find the closest American Space in Poland where you can connect with the U.S some with offices in the Embassy and some throughout the country Battle Group Poland soldiers from the United States United Kingdom and Romania arrived to Orzysz in late March but they have already became a part of the Polish local community the Battle Group participated in a flag raising ceremony set up a static display at the annual Garrison Family Picnic and took part in the 3,000 meter “Fun Run” race soldiers participated in more Flag Day celebrations with a static display Soldiers from the battle group took advantage of the patriotic atmosphere to reenlist in front of their Stryker On Constitution Day Battle Group Poland soldiers participated in a memorial ceremony and attended a mass at the local church in Orzysz alongside the 15th Mechanized Brigade Polish soldiers and residents Afterwards the Battle Group set up a static display in Orzysz Local resident Grzegorz Szwarc was excited to meet the soldiers stating that Poland feels a lot safer with the Battle Group being here It’s a good thing we have now formed an army from different nations.” a unique formation of more than 1,000 American is serving with the Polish 15th Mechanized Brigade in support of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence a multinational contribution to demonstrate the Alliance’s readiness and resolve to deter and defend Eastern Europe By | 12 May, 2017 | Topics: Military Cooperation, News We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience Polish-American relations have a key impact on NATO's security system The deployed to Poland Armored Brigade Combat Group subunits and supporting elements the installation of a missile defense system in Redzikowo equipment and ammunition depots under construction in Powidz or the establishment of the US Army V Corps Forward Command in Poznan are just some examples of the durability of transatlantic alliance ties successive Alliance summits have been implementing decisions that are strengthened by bilateral (primarily American) efforts that are key to reinforcing NATO's defense and deterrence capabilities One of these is the American initiative to strengthen the region - the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) which has resulted in the deployment of an Armored Brigade Combat Group to Poland and other countries on NATO's eastern flank This 3,500-strong formation is supported by the Combat Aviation Brigade and logistics and support subunits as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve According to the declarations and decisions the strengthening of the US military presence in Poland but also to reconnaissance and command systems or the ability to receive additional forces they prove the close Polish-American alliance and partnership Our defense relations with the United States have never been as strong as they are today signed an agreement to increase the permanent presence of American troops in Poland The agreement was signed in the presence of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda The Poland-United States Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is the crowning achievement of Polish-American negotiations on increasing the number of US troops in Poland The agreement defines three main areas of efforts to improve the security of Poland and NATO's eastern flank the functioning of the US Armed Forces in Poland and infrastructural and logistical support for the presence of US troops on Polish territory The fundamental objective of the EDCA is to create conditions for the development of defense capabilities military training and the settlement of a long-term US presence Another element strengthening bilateral defense cooperation was the landmark decision announced by President of the United States Joe Biden during the NATO summit in Madrid which established a permanent US military presence in Poland a total of about 10,000 troops of the US armed forces are stationed in Poland primarily as part of a rotational presence Land Forces V Corps Forward Command (Poznań) V Corps Forward Headquarters is one of the US military installations in Poland located in Camp Kościuszko in Poznań as part of the US Army permanent presence The primary task of this unit is to coordinate the activities and supervise U.S and cooperation and synchronization of U.S forces with the troops of other NATO countries The command plays a key role in the integration of US troops deployed in Poland synchronizing their cooperation with the Polish Armed Forces This represents a real increase in interoperability between Polish and US troops The command's presence in Poznan strengthens the ability of the U.S and Polish armed forces and other Allies to work together in order to respond efficiently and swiftly to any hostile action against Poland and other Allies in the region The Polish Armed Forces are working closely with this US command in Poland Extensive cooperation is being carried out within the command structure with the Multinational Division Northeast in Elblag Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak took part in a ceremony of transforming the Area Support Group Poland (ASG-P) into the U.S Army Garrison Poland will be the eighth permanent garrison of the U.S Armed Forces in Europe and the first permanent garrison of U.S The unit is being established thanks to a U.S Presidential Decision issued in 2022 and will be responsible for infrastructure support for U.S The garrison will also be in charge of directing and managing the US military's forward outposts in Poland is part of the American forces that arrived in Poland in 2017.  The Americans were redeployed to Europe as part of an initiative to strengthen the region the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) implemented under Operation Atlantic Resolve and their stay is continuous and rotational although deployed mainly in western Poland exercise and train all across Poland and operate throughout the region in the other countries of NATO's eastern flank as well US Army 1st Infantry Division has moved its staff battalion to Camp Boles in Bolesławiec from which it commands most of the US forces in Poland and other NATO eastern flank countries as part of operation Atlantic Resolve as response to Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine Long-Term Equipment Storage and Maintenance Complex (Powidz) the Long-Term Equipment Storage and Maintenance Complex is the largest singular infrastructure project to be financed by the US and NATO in the last 30 years It is able to host thousands of pieces of military equipment and vehicles armored recovery vehicles and self-propelled bridging vehicles The Complex allows for swift and efficient reception of allied forces shortening the full deployment timeline from a month and a half (for US-based equipment) to just a few days was dispatched to Europe in the first half of 2017 to support Operation Atlantic Resolve and other trainings and missions One of the CAB task forces is stationed in Poland Combat Aviation Brigade units deployed on a rotational basis to Europe conduct medical transport exercises and provide support for exercises and air operations during major multinational exercises in Europe conducted jointly with Allied and partner countries US Armed Forces Combat Service Support Element in Powidz The Combat Service Support Element is composed first and foremost of the Combat Sustainment Support Battallion (CSSB) The CSSB was moved to Poland and other countries on the eastern flank of NATO in order to enhance the logistical support capabilities of actions undertaken as part of operation Atlantic Resolve The unit supports the actions operational forces in many ways postal service and military police security operations Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Powidz) The Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB) is a logistical unit The CSSB was moved to Poland and other countries on NATO's eastern flank to strengthen the logistical support capabilities of operations conducted as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve The unit supports the activities of operational troops in a wide range of services including ammunition transport as well as in securing operations by military police The official opening of the US Aegis Ashore missile defence base in Redzikowo occurred in November 2024 The Redzikowo installation comprises the AN/SPY-1 radar Mk 41 VLS launcher and SM-3 (Standard Missile-3) anti-ballistic missiles It forms part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) system representing the US contribution to NATO's integrated air and missile defence system.  Cooperation in the field of ballistic missile defence (BMD) represents a pivotal aspect of the Polish-American strategic partnership a US BMD installation was inaugurated at the Redzikowo military complex Construction of the base commenced on 13 May 2016 It will serve to safeguard Poland and a significant portion of the North Atlantic Alliance's European territory against ballistic missile assault The Redzikowo installation constitutes a component of the United States' BMD architecture in Europe formally designated the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) elements of the system have been deployed in Turkey and Romania where a base has been established for US ships participating in this mission The EPAA represents the US contribution to the broader Allied effort As an important instrument of deterrence and defence this system serves to reinforce Allied solidarity and enhance NATO's collective defence capabilities The deployment of the Redzikowo base confers tangible strategic and defence benefits upon the Republic of Poland it offers a NATO-unique capability for defence against medium- and intermediate-range missiles a defensive capability that few countries possess due to its high cost and time-consuming nature it provides an important element of the US and allied military presence in Poland important decisions were made for the security of Poland and the entire region The most important of these was the effective strengthening of the North Atlantic Alliance's eastern flank NATO has deployed one of four eFP (enhanced Forward Presence) battle groups in the vicinity of Orzysz the framework country of the group is the United States The American contingent in the eFP is more than 800 soldiers The contingent forms the core of the "Polish" eFP multinational battalion combat group.  The group is completed of soldiers from the UK The eFP group cooperates with the 15th Mechanized Brigade from Giżycko similar to those of the other eFP battalion battle groups are coordinated by the Multinational Division North-East in Elblag Polish-American cooperation in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine The growing Russian threat in Ukraine has been the subject of inter-ministerial consultations and bilateral discussions as part of the policy of deterrence and defense of NATO's eastern flank the US side deployed the 82nd Airborne Division to Poland in the beginning of February 2022 which strengthened the capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces in southeastern Poland multi-layered air defense of critical infrastructure used in support of our neighbor was provided with US assistance Poland is an active member of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group organized by the United States Secretary of Defense The aim of the UDCG is to coordinate and synchronize the activities of countries supporting Ukraine Essential measures in the area are discussed at regular meetings which make it possible to respond to the needs articulated by the Ukrainian side on an ongoing basis Współpraca polsko-amerykańska w obliczu agresji rosyjskiej w Ukrainie The growing threat posed by Russia to Ukraine has been the subject inter-ministerial consultations and bilateral discussions the US has deployed the 82nd Airborne Division and an additional Armored Brigade Combat Team to Poland as part of the deterrence and defence policy of NATO’s eastern flank As part of the material support of Ukraine Poland has created POLLOGHUB: a logistical hub in Rzeszów It collects and ships global military assistance to Ukraine It is estimated that over 80% of military donations to the Ukrainian partner has crossed Polish territory 14 November 2022: “We are successively modernising the Polish Armed Forces’ equipment One of the most significant steps in this process is the replacement of worn-out armoured combat vehicles The new machines must be of the highest quality and fully interoperable with our Allies’ equipment it is no coincidence that next to the tested Borsuk (Badger) armoured combat vehicle is displayed alongside the American Bradley We intend to be as interoperable with our NATO partners as possible,” said Mariusz Błaszczak Minister of National Defence at a meeting with soldiers at the training ground in Orzysz the head of the Ministry of National Defence observed the field tests of the new Polish Borsuk armoured personal carrier “I am glad these vehicles are being tried at the training ground in Orzysz the Polish Armed Forces’ soldiers are presently testing this equipment They will be used by our soldiers as a trial run Time is of the essence when it comes to replacing worn-out equipment with modern one We always turn first to the domestic defence industry sector when seeking new equipment for Polish Armed Forces after the successful tests’ completion we will sign a framework agreement with the Polish Armaments Group and Huta Stalowa Wola for the production of the Borsuk,” the Deputy Prime Minister said currently tested by the 15th Mechanised Brigade It is a modern tracked vehicle adapted to the needs of mechanised infantry units The vehicle is capable of transporting up to six soldiers to the battlefield Borsuk APC has the ability to overcome water obstacles and to operate in various terrain and climatic conditions It covers soldiers from small arms fire and anti-tank grenade launchers as well as protects them from mine explosions and improvised explosive devices Its maximum speed on paved roads is 65 km/h and it can swim at a maximum speed of up to 8 km/h “The needs of the Polish Armed Forces are significant and go well beyond 1,000 units That is why it will be one of the most considerable contracts concluded with the Polish defence industry I wish all the best for everyone who tests the Borsuk APC and express my thanks I am more than satisfied to know that the vehicles are tested right here in north-eastern Poland they will strengthen the 16th Mechanised Division with the very first batch coming to 15th Mechanised Brigade,” the head of the Ministry of National Defence noted During his stay at the training ground in Orzysz the Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that as part of the equipment’s modernisation process ‘Borsuk’ are to be the primary equipment of the 15th Mechanised Brigade next to the ordered from South Korea K2 tanks “This is the format that is adapted to the geographical conditions in which the troops of the 16th Division have to operate,” stressed Deputy Prime Minister M The head of the Ministry of National Defence also reminded that next year the 18th Mechanised Division will receive modern Abrams tanks “We take these steps carefully and with due deliberation We are also financially prepared for the dynamic strengthening of the Polish Armed Forces Next year’s defence budget is expected to be 3% of GDP and we will obtain additional funding from the Armed Forces Support Fund supplied by the National Economics Bank,” he underlined Borsuk APC is built on a universal modular tracked platform and equipped with the ZSSW-30 remotely controlled turret system The system is to be used in the new Rosomaks (Wolverine) as well The turrets are equipped with a 30mm cannon and anti-tank-guided missiles The consortium led by Huta Stalowa Wola S.A The consortium comprises of Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych OBRUM Sp Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej and Politechnika Warszawska Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Vimeo This site uses only essential cookies required for core website functions We do not employ any tracking or analytics cookies and we comply with UK data protection laws Updates with links to posts made over the previous 7 days are normally mailed around 6pm UK time each Sunday Your email address will NOT be shared with third parties This work, Multinational Battle Group Celebrates BPTA Day, by SGT Brett Thompson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Domènec Ruiz Devesa is a member of the European Parliament Offering a convincing blueprint for the kind of sweeping transformation NATO will have to go through to address the return of great power competition the alliance’s freshly agreed new Strategic Concept is the product of inevitable compromise the document adopted at last week’s Madrid Summit also stands out for its comprehensiveness and balance — as well as its ambition Against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine, NATO’s original task of collective defense is now — unsurprisingly — front and center once more, with the alliance planning to step up its high-readiness forces from 40,000 to over 300,000 by 2023 transatlantic leaders also smartly avoided a mere back-to-basics approach reinterpreting the other two core tasks introduced by the 2010 Strategic Concept — crisis management and cooperative security — in order to meet the changed realities of today’s contested international environment As a result, cooperative security, which in the previous strategic document had been closely linked to a “reset” in the relationship with Moscow, is now geared toward leveraging NATO partnerships to counter Russia as “the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security,” in addition to China the Strategic Concept now spells out how NATO can contribute to dealing with an increasingly assertive and militarily capable China — a subject that made it into the alliance’s internal discussions just a few years ago — as Beijing’s military and technological advances will require staying vigilant But while the adoption of a solid and forward-looking Strategic Concept should put recurrent debates about NATO’s fading rationale to rest, however — after all, French President Macron had diagnosed it with near “brain death” in 2019 — more is still needed to reinfuse a sense of purpose in the transatlantic relationship after many recent convulsions it’s high time transatlantic leaders also adopt a political text — a different New Atlantic Charter committing Europe and the United States to a set of goals well beyond military and security policy and one that goes much farther than the Anglo-American agreement signed between U.S President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last year A broader manifesto along these lines could dispel concerns about a militaristic drift in the wake of the war and help restore trust in Western principles and values — “democracy individual liberty and the rule of law” — as crystalized in the North Atlantic Treaty The point is surely not to have a piece of paper filled with lofty concepts. Rather, like the historic 1941 Atlantic Charter this document should pragmatically articulate a common agenda the U.S despite their diminished international influence it should identify issues that enjoy broad transatlantic and bipartisan support thus shielding future cooperation from the disruptive impact that electoral cycles will continue to have on the relationship The 1941 text was also adopted at a time of war And as the ongoing war in Ukraine has highlighted this new charter should prepare transatlantic societies for the eventuality that the contestation of Western leadership and norms may lead to a large-scale international conflict the new charter should update the “four freedoms,” while also expanding the list which has recently come under attack from authoritarians the charter should also advance the new paradigm of “transatlantic resilience,” spelling out principles that the U.S and Europe would jointly embrace to preserve cohesive societies and functional governance Among these principles enjoying broad-based support on either side of the Atlantic would be “fairness” as a corrective to free markets and free trade as well as the notion of “inclusive and sustainable growth” as a response to deepening inequality the growing threat of climate change and the increased risk of pandemic-like events When it comes to the functioning of institutions “accountability,” “responsiveness” and “transparency” — together with a renewed emphasis on “integrity” and the fight against “disinformation” — would also go a long way toward addressing the widespread mistrust feeding the rise of populist parties on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years Articulating a transatlantic agenda capable of attracting bipartisan support is it is also an imperative task in view of a likely Republican victory in the upcoming U.S and the probability of future cases of political discrepancy in the years to come this new charter could be innovatively drawn up by transatlantic policymakers with the European Parliament playing a proactive role Because while political polarization will undoubtedly remain a challenge both in the U.S a wide consensus among legislative bodies across the Atlantic still existed on key issues — such as the need to safeguard NATO And it is precisely this kind of broad political convergence that such a charter could translate into a renewed vision for the transatlantic partnership Current circumstances are forcing the EU to “grow up” when it comes to its own security and defense Foreign Affairs has been the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and global affairs The magazine has featured contributions from many leading international affairs experts MAZARR is Senior Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation Emma Ashford, Joshua Shifrinson, Stephen Wertheim, and Michael J. Mazarr Michael J. Mazarr The war in Ukraine has sparked a puzzling development in U.S At the same time as U.S.-European cooperation has surged and commentators have begun pressing the United States to prepare to radically scale back its commitment to Europe The basic idea is not new: restraint-oriented realists such as Emma Ashford and Stephen Walt have long called for the United States to rethink its security posture in Europe Now, however, they have been joined by an influential band of China hawks, led by former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, who argue that the United States must curb its European commitments against China—and Washington must focus all its resources on that confrontation The specific wishes of these realists and hawks are often vague, combining ill-defined cuts to U.S. forces in Europe with demands for Europe to step up its own security, although without necessarily calling on Washington to ditch NATO outright. But if the United States is to reduce its obligations to NATO, to go all-in on the China threat it will have to slash its forces in Europe and at least raise the possibility of pulling away from the alliance by empowering allies to take the lead in Europe and liberating U.S Washington can significantly bolster its Indo-Pacific posture But a closer look at the dynamics in play shows how self-defeating such a shift would be in practice Instead of strengthening Washington’s hand in Asia the result could be to badly weaken the United States in its growing competition with China the tradeoff between Europe and the Indo-Pacific is not nearly as great as some skeptics suggest The military needs of the two regions are quite different because of its vast distances and maritime orientation air and sea assets (though land forces have essential roles); Europe calls for more muscular land power Both theaters do place demands on common capabilities but the Defense Department is now buying more the United States should not be judging the tradeoff against some mythical ability to fight two massive but whether it can sustain a credible peacetime posture in both theaters of which the United States’ European commitments represent only a small fraction Advocates of disengagement from Europe often ignore an uncomfortable fact The only way to save significantly on European commitments would be for the United States to take the most extreme and risky step of leaving NATO—a step few if any of the Europe critics recommend be necessary: no other measure would lead to big reductions the United States were to seek merely to reduce its presence in Europe but stay in NATO it would still need to maintain sufficient forces and capabilities to fulfill its NATO obligations However much the United States may wish to prioritize one region over the other backing off from Europe will empower Russia even as it feeds Beijing’s narratives about U.S The proposal to move troops from Europe to reinforce the Indo-Pacific misreads the requirements for deterrence. China is most likely to attack Taiwan if it becomes desperate believing it will lose any hope of unification if it fails to act Beijing is unlikely to be deterred by modest additional capabilities shifted from Europe such a redeployment could easily spark Chinese escalation by signaling the beginning of a more determined phase of U.S disengagement from Europe to reinforce its military presence in the Indo-Pacific could well induce war rather than deter it announcing a Comprehensive Cyber Defense Policy and building a Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in Estonia develop common plans and norms for cyberdefense and engage in shared training and exercises The general belief has been—and rightly remains—that European governments will be eager to steer clear of a U.S.-China conflict This desire was made plain by French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement in early April that Europe should not get “caught up in crises that are not ours.” But a massive strike on U.S forces or on the United States itself may leave European leaders with little choice but to help in some way America’s European allies have edged closer to open support for U.S NATO has also been deepening its institutional partnerships with Australia and South Korea in recognition of the Chinese threat Not all of these deployments are surprising France has long had a presence in the Indo-Pacific and still has over 7,000 troops there The United Kingdom also has historic ties to the region in the trilateral security pact AUKUS has bound it directly to Indo-Pacific security Formal NATO strategy documents have been increasingly explicit in identifying China as a threat Such assistance could relieve the United States of other responsibilities and send powerful signals about a unified response to any further aggression Close coordination with Europe is also critical to the United States’ efforts to oppose China’s campaign to dominate the norms, rules, and institutions of the international system European support on many emerging issues—from climate and cyber threats to artificial intelligence—will be essential to ensure that these norms are not set in ways that undermine shared interests True some level of cooperation would continue were the United States to leave the alliance and political blowback that would erupt if Washington were perceived to be cutting Europe loose would make disenchanted European governments more determined to carve out a course independent of U.S Washington could hardly expect Indo-Pacific governments to place their trust in a nation that had breached its commitments to its staunchest allies Beijing would doubt whether a United States that had deserted Europe would really make good on its pledge to defend Taiwan the United States’ European commitments would demolish much of this accumulated legitimacy It would validate the grim picture that China and Russia now paint of a United States that is pitilessly self-interested and transactional and would severely undermine the United States’ painstaking attempts to build a reputation as that rare great power that offers something to the world other than naked ambition The country’s chief competitive advantage in the contest with China is its dominant global network of friends and allies Now is the time to strengthen those coveted ties—in Europe and elsewhere Subscribe to Foreign Affairs to get unlimited access Already a subscriber? Sign In Max Bergmann and Sophia Besch Stephen M. Walt Zainab Usman Timothy Naftali Stacie E. Goddard A. Wess Mitchell Ivo H. Daalder and James M. Lindsay Tong Zhao Zongyuan Zoe Liu Anne Neuberger Liana Fix and Michael Kimmage * Note that when you provide your email address, the Foreign Affairs Privacy Policy and Terms of Use will apply to your newsletter subscription Published by The Council on Foreign Relations Privacy Policy Terms of Use From the publishers of  Foreign Affairs This website uses cookies to improve your experience You can opt-out of certain cookies using the cookie management page * Note that when you provide your email address, the Foreign Affairs Privacy Policy and Terms of Use will apply to your newsletter subscription This work, Battle Group Poland receives warm welcome in Wroclaw, Poland, by SFC Patricia Deal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright some fear that the Baltic states could be next Russia will hold one of its biggest military exercises since the Cold War Tens of thousands of military personnel are expected to participate in the Zapad 17 drill set to take place over seven days in Belarus the 64-mile border between Poland and Lithuania This is the only border the Baltic states share with the rest of NATO After Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 some fear that the three countries (Lithuania Taking the Suwalki Gap would cut them off from their European NATO allies The region’s historic ethnic tensions The militarized environment created by the deployment of Russian land troops and the Russian Baltic Fleet in Kaliningrad is a strong deterrent to any attempt NATO might undertake to kick out Russia from the Baltic states and the Suwalki Gap I spent two weeks in the Suwalki Gap to get an early look at NATO’s response to the Russian deployment which some analysts believe is there to stay Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel The Ukrainian Army has been sending young soldiers into combat without body armor or even helmets at times Enter the ‘ants’—pro-Ukraine Ukrainian volunteers who walk army surplus goods over the Polish border a Parisian newspaper first reported on Ilya Ivanov’s attempts to inseminate women with chimpanzee sperm The Institute he founded is still active in the forgotten land of Abkhazia The town of Barentsburg located high in the Arctic feels every bit like a Soviet town stuck in time but Western officials told The Journal that the level of technology used indicates state-sponsored operations The incidents began in January at Estonia's Tapa military base when Estonian soldiers noticed their contacts were disappearing from their phones and music that they had never downloaded would start playing Estonian troops on the base now have to follow a "no smartphones" policy and are forced to remove their SIM cards adding that they can only use the internet in certain secure areas It's gotten so bad that their superiors order them to jump into lakes during operations to make sure they're following the policy and some soldiers are even wrapping their phones in condoms The victims of the phone hackings have largely been the 4,000 NATO troops currently stationed in Poland and other Baltic states Perhaps the most notable victim was the commander of a NATO base in Poland, US Army Lt who told The Journal that someone with a Russian IP address reported personal iPhone lost and was trying to get through its password protection "It had a little Apple map, and in the center of the map was Moscow," L’Heureux said 'Somebody is trying to access your iPhone.'" He said he was also being physically tracked through the phone L’Heureux also said some of his soldiers have had their Facebook profiles hacked Supposed Russian agents have even been known to walk up to US troops in public areas in Latvia and Poland and start mentioning details about the soldiers' personal lives have said these hacks are not much of a security risk — as NATO troops are trained to thwart such attacks — and are more harassing anything "The kind of attacks are often complex and sophisticated therefore it's not always possible to determine all factors in an unequivocal way." This kind of psychological warfare has also been ongoing in Ukraine's Donbas for years between government forces and Russian-backed separatists According to a December 2016 report Russian hackers had been planting malware into a Ukrainian artillery Android app for the previous two years to track and target its units US intelligence experts later traced the malware back to Fancy Bear a Russian hacking group believed to have been behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee in 2016 and which has ties to Russia's military intelligence agency one journalist and the Ukrainian troops with whom she was embedded all received a text message at the same time they’ll find your bodies when the snow melts.” "Leave and you will live," or "Nobody needs your kids to become orphans." Bradley infantry fighting vehicles of the Battle Group Poland General of Polish Army (Retired) Waldemar Skrzypczak M1A1 Abrams MBT of the Battle Group Poland in Orzysz US soldiers attend welcoming ceremony for US-led NATO troops near Orzysz The Kremlin doubled down on warning that any deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine would represent a significant and dangerous escalation of tensions between Russia and the military alliance When asked to comment on a petition posted on the Ukrainian presidential website Tuesday calling for NATO troops from the US Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that such a move posed a “huge danger.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters French troops will be targeted by the Russian army if they are deployed on Ukrainian soil Russia used more than 50 missiles and 20 drones to attack Ukraine’s infrastructure overnight Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday with the country’s energy network suffering a “massive blow.” said on Telegram that Russia had attacked three of its thermal power plants causing “another extremely difficult night for the Ukrainian energy industry.” the head of Kyiv regional military administration said on Telegram that Russian forces had attacked the capital with one-way attack drones and cruise missiles “No hits to residential or critical infrastructure objects were recorded,” he said although falling debris (as a result of intercepted drones and missiles) injured several people and some residential buildings One of the villages [in the Kyiv region] is partially without electricity Energy workers are already working quickly to restore power,” he said Russia’s defense ministry said its central and western grouping of troops had occupied Novokalynove in Donetsk The ministry did not provide evidence for its claims although Russian forces have been making incremental advances in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks It was widely reported that Russian forces had been looking to try to capture the strategically-valuable town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk before the May 9 Victory Day military parade in Moscow or “liberations” as Russia calls them Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War think tank noted Tuesday that “Russian forces continued assaults near Chasiv Yar on May 7 but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.” Three male teenagers were injured while playing soccer adding that two of them were in a serious condition and had been taken to hospital A young girl as well as three adults were also injured “Ukrzaliznytsia is under the enemy’s sights again the terrorist country attacked the civilian railway infrastructure in Kherson the tracks at the city station were damaged,” the railway network said on Telegram Railway officials limited the movement of a train on the Kyiv-Kherson route but said 99 passengers on the affected train were safe The rest of Ukrzaliznytsia’s trains continue to run according to schedule Russian officials continue to claim that their armed forces are not targeting civilian infrastructure “More than 50 rockets and more than 20 “shaheds” [drones] were used to hit infrastructure in the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions,” Zelensky said on Telegram Ukraine’s Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk also posted on the social media platform that Russian forces had “launched a combined strike with missiles of various types and attack UAVs the enemy used 76 means of air attack – 55 missiles and 21 attack drones.” “The whole world should clearly understand who is who,” Zelensky said “The whole world has no right to give Nazism another chance,” he said noting that the latest attack took place on the international Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation commemorating those who died in World War II Why Silknet's eSIM could be your top choice in Georgia  Since its introduction Britain has announced it will extend the deployment of 100 personnel in Poland and the Sky Sabre system will remain there until the end of the year The air defence system is protecting Nato's eastern flank amid Russian aggression in Ukraine securing routes such as the Jasionka Airport and roads that support the passage of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine Defence Secretary Grant Shapps made the announcement on a visit to the Orzysz military range in Poland – where Exercise Dragon 24 is taking place – to meet his counterpart The Polish minister expressed his nation's gratitude to Britain for its support and to Mr Shapps for his commitment to Poland's security UK Defence Minister extends Sky Sabre Deployment in Poland, affirming strong alliance ????@grantshapps visited Poland to meet with his Polish counterpart, @KosiniakKamysz. During their meeting at the Orzysz military range, where the Dragon-24 exercises were being conducted,… pic.twitter.com/oBcBR6TCep Grant Shapps said: "The UK will always step up to defend our Nato allies when needed "That's why today we're extending the deployment of 100 British soldiers and our Sky Sabre air defence system to keep Poland safe from growing threats and aggressive forces." The Sky Sabre air defence system can hit a tennis ball travelling at several times the speed of sound with its missiles which are capable of travelling at 2,300 miles an hour with the British Army saying the system is indicative of its modernisation plans The system can control the flight of 24 missiles at once and is capable of intercepting laser-guided smart bombs and aircraft Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe to: Americans have decided to significantly increase the strength of their forces in Poland What have been the benefits of the US Army’s presence in Poland in the recent years “My name is John Kolasheski and I’m an American soldier proud of his service in Europe,” emphasized the commander of the US Army’s 1st Infantry Division at the beginning of August 2020 while accepting his promotion to the rank of lieutenant general at the Kościuszko Mound in Cracow His grandfather lived in the village of Chmielów and emigrated to the USA at the beginning of the 20th century to look for work and better life Gen Kolasheski will soon return to the country of his ancestors for longer He will take command of the newly reactivated US Army V Corps whose forward headquarters will be established in Poznań The dislocation is only one of the effects of the agreement between Poland and the USA – the agreement that will take the cooperation between the two countries to a whole new level there have already been a few breakthrough moments concerning the presence of the American forces in Poland The arrival of the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) detachments three years ago was the most important one to date By virtue of the decisions taken at the NATO Summit in Warsaw almost 3,500 US soldiers with 87 Abrams tanks 18 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and other equipment came to bases located in Żagań The redeployment was an element of Operation Atlantic Resolve aimed at augmenting NATO’s presence on the so-called eastern flank as a response to Russia’s increasingly aggressive behavior at that moment I did feel we were beginning an entirely new chapter,” admits MajGen Dariusz Parylak Commander of the 11th Lubuska Armored Cavalry Division in Żagań who in 2017 was still the Commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade we weren’t supposed to meet at a proving ground or at a patrol where we carry out tasks given to us and later everyone goes their own way This time the Allies were coming to stay for good to be included to some degree in our army’s training cycle That had never happened in Poland before,” he adds It took long months for the garrison in Żagań to prepare for the arrival of the US Army soldiers “Adaptation work was carried out not only in the barracks but also at the neighboring training area where we built a completely new camp site almost from scratch our US Army guests were to rotate every nine months or so We needed to find out what units would be coming to us and learn something about them so we had liaison groups constantly travelling between Poland and the USA,” recalls LtCol Paweł Cupa head of the department that deals with civil-military cooperation at the Żagań Division Despite all the hard work and preparations Parylak – “I invite American officers to my office we hand out orders to the commanders of our platoons let’s get to work,« and they start to train together The first thing to do is to get to know one another we decided to start with tuning together soldiers representing particular types of arms logistics officers with logistics officers they will be able to communicate due to the specific character of their professions – a bit like surgeons who will always find common ground.” Soon American tanks executed tasks together with Polish infantry and anti-aircraft troops were supported by US detachments with mortars “We were assigned to cooperate with an American armored cavalry battalion We used every possible opportunity to train,” recalls Gen Parylak the successive ABCT rotations were always on the move Staying in Poland provided the US Army soldiers with quick access to the whole eastern flank It is easy to see how much they actually travelled around by looking at the calculations prepared by the commander of the second rotation Col Patrick Michaelis of the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood his soldiers took part in 20 international exercises – in Poland They even went to Georgia to participate in Exercise Noble Partner during all these undertakings American tanks fired almost 7,500 projectiles The soldiers themselves used their hand arms 1,8 million times “The biggest challenge for us was Exercise Combined Resolve XIII It was organized at the beginning of the year at the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany The staff we formed took command of several brigades Our soldiers were present at all levels of the training including battalion tasks in the field,” recalls Gen Parylak adding that: “We had been working for many years to get to where we are now.” Shortly after the ABCT’s first rotation came to Żagań other US Army soldiers arrived in eastern Poland They were assigned to one of NATO’s four enhanced Forward Presence battalion-sized battle groups formed by virtue of the decisions taken at the NATO Summit in Warsaw Three groups have been deployed in the Baltic states it consisted also of British and Romanian troops The unit assigned to cooperate with the Allies was the 15th Mechanized Brigade from Giżycko recalls: “We were dealing with a totally new structure so there were no guidelines for the cooperation We had to work out all the solutions on our own and we literally had to modify almost every aspect of our activity In order for the cooperation with the Allies to be most effective a Battalion Task Force Group was created within the 15th Brigade are the 1st and the 2nd Mechanized Battalion and even a company of Leopard tanks of the 1st Armored Brigade American soldiers come to Orzysz from Germany or directly from the USA Almost every rotation brings something new to the table Stryker armored vehicles with Mobile Gun Systems (MGS) or machine guns which were later replaced by a new version with a turret system and a 30-mm semi-automatic cannon Americans also brought Abrams tanks and Bradley vehicles to Mazury Regular Army troops are not the only soldiers to serve in Battle Group Poland the US Army National Guard detachments were also deployed “The main goal of our cooperation is to build interoperability and such frequent rotations don’t make this task easy we practically have to synchronize our detachments from scratch,” admits LtCol Wojciech Kurzawa Commander of the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 15th Mechanized Brigade His words are confirmed by LtCol Adam Krysiak the current Commander of the Battalion Task Force Group he immediately adds that the cooperation with the Allies has many benefits “Americans are very experienced when it comes to CCA and CAS procedures which are generally about support from the air We gladly take advantage of this knowledge,” he emphasizes He also adds that the soldiers paid a lot of attention to synchronizing communication and now we have more capabilities than before.” the soldiers have not only been exercising on the proving ground The new type of rapid response exercise is called “Bull Run” by the soldiers The drill begins with an alert to the troops who then leave the units and relocate to the pre-determined positions in the Rospuda Valley region “The objective is to check how fast soldiers are able to react in an emergency it is a great opportunity to verify routes or the load-bearing capacity of roads and bridges,” explained LtCol Krysiak Sometimes soldiers spend several days in the field and one edition of the exercise was organized in winter The Battle Group rotation that is currently stationing in Mazury is already the seventh one This rotation is supervised by the soldiers of the US Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment and that’s why our cooperation runs very smoothly,” ensures BrigGen Bogdan Rycerski American rotations started coming to Poland much earlier we welcomed 10 soldiers of the American Aviation Detachment They were to assist in the preparations to upcoming visits of fighters and carrier aircraft Americans representing both types of aviation came to Poland alternately but our contacts started much earlier,” admits one of the pilots of the 3rd Transport Aviation Wing Americans helped us to redeploy the C-130 Hercules – the first aircraft of this type in Poland Thanks to their recommendations and help we were able to participate in large we took part in Exercise Red Flag in the USA and then we flew twice to Africa to take part in Exercise Flint Lock,” he adds we decided they won’t stay in the barracks or on the training area all the time They will want to go out in their free time a taxi driver and entrepreneur from Świętoszów I drove them around in my taxi quite a lot where they would rent cars and take trips to other places So I thought: why not set up a rent-a-car business here?,” he recalls and unfortunately we took quite a hit due to the pandemic I hope everything goes back to normal soon because I am not the only one who invested here opened a bowling alley and a kebab bar,” says Lech “Bar or restaurant owners have certainly gained a lot since the Americans came to town we are still counting on more,” says Agnieszka Zychla Americans invited local entrepreneurs to a meeting regarding supplies for their soldiers they would buy cleaning agents or groceries outside Poland but now they are ready to purchase them here business owners must learn about the American ordering system They have a long way to go and a lot of things to take care of but still the level of interest in the cooperation was very high Over 120 representatives of mainly local businesses came to the meeting Even if only some of them manage to sign contracts that will still be something,” says Zychla There is more: “We also hope to get some financing from the state budget It would be great if the presence of American troops became a bargaining chip in obtaining funds for similar investments This is certainly a serious opportunity for our town and the whole region,” she concludes The officials from eastern Poland also see a chance for a civilization leap “The decision to deploy Battle Group Poland in Orzysz surely turned out to be a real incentive to our town,” admits Zbigniew Włodkowski “The presence of NATO soldiers draws a lot of attention of the national and foreign media which in turn helps to promote Orzysz with the slogan we have been popularizing for the last five years: »Orzysz – the Military Capital of Poland«,” he emphasizes Foreign troops are deployed in the town all year round so they really contribute to the situation of local businesses there are new big investments in military and road infrastructure,” enumerates Mayor Włodkowski The unemployment rate in the commune has been reduced to only 4% the US Army has been consequently increasing the number of American soldiers in Poland such as Mirosławiec (detachment with Reaper UAVs) where the US Division Headquarters (Forward) was established in October 2019 Poland is about to make a real leap forward On the strength of two agreements signed by Polish and US Presidents another thousand US soldiers will be withdrawn from Germany and redeployed to Poland their presence in our country will change from rotational to permanent The forward headquarters of the V Corps will begin its operation in Poznań with a personnel of 200 soldiers who will arrive in Poland in the first half of 2021 The Corps is to be the main participant of Exercise Defender Europe planned for next year The exercise will be held in the Black Sea region during Defender Europe 2021 Americans want to test rapid redeployment of their forces from the USA to Europe Poland will have to make extensive investments in military infrastructure “Issues connected with preparing the facilities and the grounds in places where the US forces will be stationed are our main priority,” ensures the Operational Center of the Minister of National Defense responding to the questions asked by Polska Zbrojna “Investment tasks included in the agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation [...] are now in the phase of making arrangements with the American side,” says the letter The most extensive work will be undertaken at the seat of the mentioned the V Corps Headquarters and the Combat Training Center in Drawsko Pomorskie The modernization of the training area in Drawsko Pomorskie is spread over several years and is to cost several hundred million zlotys One of the newly installed technologies will be the electronic warfare system Soldiers and vehicles will be equipped with sensors The former will inform the shot fired by the adversary hit the target and the latter that the adversary has been hit the detachments will be able to fight virtual battles in real conditions “The Armament Inspectorate is making preparations to purchase an appropriate system and we are recruiting staff Our soldiers regularly take part in trainings,” explains Col Marek Gmurski Commander of the Land Forces Training Center Drawsko the staff of the center also went to Hohenfels to observe how the local training area had been prepared for exercises which is currently being created in Drawsko is to be available for training to all NATO armies The warehouse will be capable of holding the equipment of an armored brigade Americans have similar storage facilities in Western Europe Soldiers redeployed from the USA used the equipment stored at the training area The Polish and American contract also set Powidz as the base of the Combat Aviation Brigade and a special forces facility A similar facility is to be created in Lubliniec while Łask will be the seat of a squadron of remotely operated aircraft Żagań and Świętoszów will still house the ABCT and the Wrocław-Strachowice airport was designated as the seat of the USAF loading and unloading airbase the local District Infrastructure Board announced a tender for preparing pre-project documentation almost a hundred various facilities will undergo modernization within an area of 105 ha The costs Poland will incur in connection with the American forces stationing in Poland are estimated at around 500 million zlotys that Americans will not create a state within a state The soldiers will always be governed by the Polish law except for instances of negligence in executing their professional duties “Americans have recently decided to withdraw some of their forces from Germany to reduce their military presence in Europe This may certainly be a reason for concern relocating elements of the V Corps Headquarters to Poland is a clear sign that the USA is still ready to protect its Allies in the event of a threat and it is implementing security measures in case of a potential clash with Russia,” emphasizes Wojciech Lorenz of the Polish Institute of International Affairs the US Army is focusing on quick redeployment of forces to the regions of potential conflict and it is likely to intensively practice and train this capability in the upcoming years The command structures created by the Americans in Poland enable them to organize frequent maneuvers on a brigade or division level which also creates big opportunities for our own army it’s easier to build interoperability,” explains the expert Gen Dariusz Parylak of the 11th Armored Cavalry Division raises a similar issue: “I hope that the enhanced American presence will enable us to take the training to a higher level If the subsequent rotations don’t change every several months we should be able to introduce new elements to the training I am very curious what this change will bring,” he says Local governments also have their expectations “A thousand new soldiers are to come to Poland Even if only half of them is stationed in Żagań it can mean a big change for us: investments in infrastructure and another chance for our inhabitants to make a profit since in the new plans our region is still the main location of the US Army troops in Poland,” summarizes Agnieszka Zychla The American-Polish partnership has never been as strong as it is now and in August 2020 the two countries signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) one of the most important agreements in the history of our relations and it will determine defense-related cooperation between the two countries in the upcoming decades EDCA is similar to the agreements signed by the USA with other countries It grants the American armed forces necessary rights to access particular military facilities in Poland and carry out activities for common defense as the in kind contribution made by Poland based on the agreement will directly benefit national economy The Forward Division Headquarters of the US Army V Corps is starting its operation in Poznań Its tasks will include operational planning and command over the rotational presence of US forces in Europe It will also provide additional possibilities to support Allies and partners in the region The American public opinion regards Poland as the backbone of defense in Central Europe Strong and safe Poland means strong and safe USA and NATO I am proud to have the opportunity to work together with Poland for the benefit of strengthening our defense cooperation Georgette Mosbacher is the United States Ambassador to Poland - Command of the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) in Żagań and the ABCT components in Skwierzyna - The Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) in Powidz The detachment stationing in Poland is a task force equipped with Apache and Black Hawk helicopters; - The Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB) in Powidz - The US Division Headquarters (Forward) in Poznań; Training rotations are equipped with mainly the F-16 and the C-130 aircraft; - MQ-9 Reaper UAVs component in Mirosławiec; - Anti-missile defense base in Redzikowo (under construction); - The eFP Battle Group Poland in Bemowo Piskie near Orzysz where the majority of soldiers are US troops the group includes troops from Great Britain On the strength of the recently signed agreements on the enhanced presence of the US forces in Poland there will be new institutions connected with the US Army created in Poland: - US Army V Corps Headquarters (Forward) in Poznań; - Combat Training Center in Drawsko Pomorskie; - USAF loading and unloading airbase in Wrocław-Strachowice; - Remotely operated aircraft base in Łask; Poland has been developing military cooperation with the USA for years now Joint defense-related activities started in the early 1990s support of the US 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force) during the formation of the Polish GROM and from 1994 joint exercises within the Partnership for Peace program The cooperation was intensified when in 1994 Poland joined NATO Polish and American soldiers have for years taken part together in various exercises Poland joined the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and later NATO’s ISAF mission in this country we sent our soldiers to Iraq with the American mission Iraqi Freedom Another important step was the American-Polish agreement concluded on August 20 on locating in Poland elements of the US missile defense system anti-ballistic interceptor missiles of the Patriot system The initial concept of the then American President which assumed locating in Poland a long-range missile base that was primarily intended to defend the American territory against ballistic missile attacks from the Middle East changed during the presidency of Barack Obama It was agreed then that the European element of the shield would use shorter-range SM-3 missiles According to the contract signed with the USA a missile defense base in Redzikowo started to be built in May 2016 The cooperation is also being tightened during joint trainings of Polish and American airmen made possible by the agreement signed in 2011 on the basis of which a small ground Aviation Detachment is stationing at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask It organizes rotational trainings of US detachments with the F-16 fighters and C-130 Hercules carriers in Poland after the Russian aggression on Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea the USA increased its support for Poland and the Baltic States The American administration proposed strengthening the region in the form of the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) part of which is Operation Atlantic Resolve ensuring permanent rotational presence of the US forces in Eastern-Central Europe detachments of the Armored Brigade Combat Team came to Poland at the beginning of 2017 The formation is supported by the US Army Combat Aviation Brigade in Powidz and logistic support detachments in Powidz a part of the Atlantic Resolve command was moved from Germany to Poznań it was turned into the Forward Division Command for the US Army the USA is also a framework nation for one of NATO’s eFP (enhanced Forward Presence) Battle Groups the USA has been an important supplier of equipment and armament for Poland within the framework of bilateral military cooperation we signed an agreement on the procurement of 48 American F-16 multi-role fighters the last of the five C-130E Hercules aircraft transferred to Poland as non-reimbursable military aid arrived at the 33rd Transport Aviation Base in Powidz and in 2014 we purchased JASSM long-range precision-guided missiles an agreement to procure anti-aircraft and anti-missile Patriot sets was signed as part of the Wisła medium-range air defense program The first phase of the program provides for procuring two batteries of the Patriot system together with advanced technologies which will be transferred to Poland on the basis of the negotiated offset agreement The delivery of the batteries is to be completed by the end of 2022 the Polish Minister of National Defense signed a contract to purchase 32 F-35A multi-role 5th generation fighters We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. 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You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Minister for Europe Leo Docherty is in Poland to demonstrate the UK’s continued support for the security of Europe’s Eastern Flank today (31 January) – where he will meet British troops stationed with NATO Troops and personnel from NATO Allies serve train and exercise together in 8 battlegroups in the east of the Alliance the UK contributes to the battlegroup led by the United States working together with fellow Allies Croatia and Romania The Minister will visit the squadron stationed in the Bemowo Piskie base in Orzysz including 150 British troops who are working with Polish Armed Forces to exchange best practice strengthen ties and defend Polish airspace Poland is on the front line of the European effort to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion From our steadfast alliance during the World Wars to our close partnership in NATO – we are historic friends Meeting UK troops stationed here underlines our work to defend the security of Europe’s Eastern Flank The presence of these battlegroups forms part of the biggest reinforcement of NATO’s collective defence in a generation illustrating that 75 years after the Alliance’s formation it is ready to face the challenges of the next 75 the Minister will meet Deputy Foreign Minister Marek Prawda where they will discuss shared defence commitments co-operation on illegal migration and border security as well as welcoming Poland’s recent endorsement of the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine launched at the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius the UK and Poland have both committed significant military and humanitarian support for Ukraine Poland is also hosting around 1 million Ukrainians – more than any other country British Embassy Warsaw and Minister Leo Docherty’s social media Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details The British Army’s Light Dragoons have arrived in Poland as part the UK commitment to NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe taking the total deployment in the region to nearly 1,000 Supporting the US led battle group in Poland 150 UK personnel have travelled from their base in Catterick Garrison to arrive this week in Orzysz Poland in Jackal and Coyote light reconnaissance vehicles The regiment will be based in Poland for at least six months when they will be replaced by another unit to carry on our enduring commitment to the region Meanwhile the arrival of the remaining UK personnel into Estonia this week forming part of a nearly 800-strong British-led battle group means nearly 1000 troops are providing deterrence in Eastern Europe have travelled to Estonia to work under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Wilson The commitments in the Baltic region will be augmented by the deployment of RAF Typhoon aircraft to Romania later this year to carry out a NATO Air Policing mission in the Black Sea Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: The UK is stepping up its support for NATO’s collective defence through our deployments across the alliance British personnel are playing a leading role in NATO: delivering deterrence and defence in Estonia and Poland and air policing in Romania underlines our commitment to the security of Europe bade farewell to Estonia-bound personnel at RAF Brize Norton The men and women of 5 Rifles have travelled to Estonia as a part of the biggest reinforcement of NATO’s collective defence in a generation standing by our allies and working closely with forces from across the Alliance The final UK vehicles also departed Marchwood carrying nearly 200 vehicles including Warriors and Panthers vehicles Last week also saw two trains carrying French vehicles arrive in Tapa Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.