34,000 soldiers and 600 units of equipment will operate on land, sea, air and cyberspace. All thanks to the beginning of the “Iron Defender” exercises. Although the scenarios are not public, the military reveals that it intends to check, among others, the integration of late implemented equipment. What else do we know about the biggest exercises of the Polish army this year?
Abrams tanks, photograph 1 WBP
The “Iron Defender” is the most crucial and largest exercises of the Polish Army this year. In total, more than 30,000 soldiers of all types of armed forces and NATO allies will participate. The strongest forces to act will be the 18th Mechanized Division, which will play a key role. For a reason – it was this tactical union that received the highest amount of weapons in fresh years. It is so essential to verify that it has been effectively implemented and integrated with another equipment.
‘Iron gate’
During the Iron Gate, due to the fact that specified codenames have tasks that will be carried out by military from the 18th Division, they will leave the tanks, among others. Abrams, cannonhaubice K9, Chunmoo launchers, Mortar Cancer Or Rosomak transporters. Their actions will support aviation – if possible, they will be F-16 fighters (due to the disaster that took place in Radom, now training flights of these machines have been stopped) and American-built helicopters Apache. According to erstwhile announcements, they will first interact with the Abrams.
The military from the 18th Mechanized Division will practice primarily at the camp in Orzysz. Equipment transport has already begun. Part of the weaponry will arrive from units under 18 DZ by rail transport, but most will be seen on public roads. Tactical action will begin in a fewer days. The most crucial of them will be testing the combined fire management system at division level, the alleged JAGIC (The Joint Air-Ground Integration Center). In addition, infrastructure will besides be tested, which is created under the National Fear and Defence Programme “The Tartar East”. “The Iron Gate will besides test solutions for the communication strategy and various types of command stations,” he says. Gen. Dyw. Arkadiusz Szkutnik, Commander of the 18th Division. – At the gathering with the media [this is planned for September 17th – ed.] we will present, among others, a mobile command post and alleged distributed, located underground and filled with modern technologies, which is successfully utilized on the front in Ukraine – adds the general.
"Fire Storm"
This does not mean, of course, that there will be little on another ground. During the Iron Defender, 30 smaller exercises will take place. 1 of them at the fresh Oak camp. There, the first violin will be played by subdivisions of territorial defence troops. Soldiers of this kind of armed force, together with military troops from the 18th Division and air-department units, will conduct the exercises “Fire Storm”. Their task will be to squad up so as to effectively carry out defensive actions and hold enemy maneuvers. Then there will besides be training to control fire.
Not just on land
Although the military does not uncover detailed scenarios of exercises, it is known that these will be based, among another things, on experiences of war in Ukraine. The military besides intends to test platforms and solutions that are not yet implemented in the army. Importantly, these actions are to be carried out not only on land but besides in the air, at sea and in cyberspace. Many will take place, among others, in the Central Air Force Police in Ustka, where the military intends to carry out, for example, a deep fire strike.
The “Iron Defender” exercises will proceed until the end of September.
