Twelve 1000 soldiers and hundreds of units of military equipment: from K2 tanks through Borsuki and Haubice K9, to drones, helicopters and transport aircraft, take part in exercises under the code name "Bursztyn Defender '26". This is simply a key training task of the Polish Army, which combines actions of various types of armed forces in a common defence scenario.
Exercises are conducted in respective regions of Poland and include simultaneous, coordinated actions of many military components. These include respective separate training episodes, including the Fire Storm ‘26’ and the Wildlife ‘26’, which form part of a wider project.
According to the General Command of Armed Forces Types, the main exercise during the "Bursztin Defender '26" is 16th Mechanized Divisionsupported by 25th Air Cavalry Brigade, Air Force units, Land Army Air Force and Engineer-Saper Army.
Special troops besides take part in the exercises, Command of the Cyberspace defence Army, territorial defence troops, medical troops and separate elements of the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate. A full of nearly 12,000 soldiers will participate in each exercise.
Cooperation training
The aim of the “Bursztyn Defender” is to check the readiness of the Polish Army to carry out operations in conditions of multi-domain threat. In practice, this means investigating the interaction of, among others, land troops, territorial defence, air forces and support structures and state administration. The script includes the integration of command systems, the exchange of information between individuals and the consequence to various types of threats – both military and crisis.
Soldiers carry out activities involving, for example, fire tasks, consequence to GPS interference, attacks on critical infrastructure, border provocations or pollution, as well as the movement of troops and equipment on public roads to check the ability of fast deployment of forces in crisis conditions.
– In the planning of the exercise [MS1.1], it was crucial that their script should not replicate without reflection the exercises of erstwhile years. Challenges faced by trainees must be adapted to the conclusions drawn from the analysis of contemporary armed conflicts, says Brig-Gen. Rafał Miernik, Head of the Board of Training – P7 General Staff of the Polish Army.
“The Amber Defender” is besides a experimental ground for us. In field conditions we will test the technological solutions that are proposed by manufacture – added Gen. Miernik. It stresses that thanks to recommendations from the training management and individual commanders, fresh technologies will be able to be implemented more efficiently into the armed forces. DGRSZ states that peculiar emphasis will be placed on investigating modern drone systems and implementing anti-drone procedures.
Major exercises 16D
One of the episodes of “The Amber Defender” is "Fighting Wilderness '26", the largest exercise of this year 16 DZ. They are held in parallel at the Polgon Training Centre of Land Forces in Orzysz and in the north-eastern Poland. They are attended by about 6.5 1000 Amber Division soldiers.
The script assumes the interaction of divisions with air forces, aeromobile troops and WOT. Soldiers practice among others: the usage of unmanned systems and anti-drone actions, the conduct of fire at large distances, mobility and endurance in hard terrain, as well as cooperation in a wide defence operation.
– K2 tanks, Borsuki tanks, cannon-haubice K9 will be shot at the Orzysz camp – mentioned Major Karol Frankowski, press spokesperson of 16 DZ. Fire tasks are besides planned for crews of 25 BKPov helicopters, which, like 1st Army Air Force will support the Amber Division from the air.
The key minute during the “Wild Wild” will be the relocation of military vehicles, both wheeled and caterpillar, on a large scale. Badgers, K9 and K2 (with peculiar covers to defend the surface) will have a distance of about 130 km on public roads from Orisha to the ground close Nidzica. On Lake Kępno, soldiers will besides practice overcoming the water barrier. Badgers will make a direct crossing, and K2 tanks will usage Pontoon Bridges.
WOT in the field
Another of the key elements of the “Bursztyn Defender” is the “Bursztyn Storm’26” exercises carried out by territorial defence troops. Up to 5,000 soldiers from respective brigades deployed in northern and central Poland participate in the maneuvers.
Territorials carry out tasks related to: border protection and critical infrastructure, construction of engineering dams, cooperation with the police during search, support for rescue and energy services. The activities are carried out in various training centres and operational areas (Orzysz, Wędrzyn, Ustka, Toruń) and are aimed at checking emergency and defence consequence capacity.
"Fire Storm '26" and "Fighting chaotic boar '26" are only selected elements of a larger whole. "Bursztine Defender ‘26’ includes a number of coordinated exercises that together form a coherent state defence preparedness investigating system. The Federation of exercises is to test not only the combat capabilities of individual units, but above all their interaction in complex and dynamic operating environments.
The main exercises under the "Bursztyn Defender" will proceed until the end of June.
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