ExerciseWatch: Deutsche Panzergrenadiere üben in Georgien

Die Bundeswehr übt derzeit in Georgien – einem Land, das zwar nicht zur NATO gehört, aber über das Partnership for Peace-Programm (PfP) eng mit der Allianz verbunden ist und vor allem auf den Rückhalt des transatlantischen Bündnisses gegen Russland setzt. Das Panzergrenadierbataillon 391 aus Bad Salzungen beteiligt sich an der Übung Noble Partner 2018, geführt von Georgien und der US-Armee, auch im Hinblick auf einen bevorstehenden Einsatz in Litauen bei der eFP-Battlegroup der NATO.

Ein Teil der Übung war am Wochenende die Unterstützung georgischer Spezialkräfte, wie die U.S. Army berichtete (auch wenn da fälschlich von einem eFP-Einsatz in Lettland die Rede ist):

Germany joined 12 other nations to participate in Noble Partner 18, an exercise designed to improve participating nations’ ability to conduct multinational mission command and control, integration, execution, and synchronization.
„This is very important because we get knowledge about the training development plans of other nations and [this] is a very good experience to work with multinational and in foreign terrain,“ said Capt. Mathias Sturmer, company commander with the 391st MIB.
More than 100 German Soldiers participated in the exercise. The mechanized infantryman infiltrated the training site with 13 Marder infantry fighting vehicles. They then dismounted and used small unit tactics to secure a landing zone while the tank crews established support-by-fire positions around the perimeter.
U.S. Army Bradley fighting vehicles were also present in the training area and provided support to the German forces.
„Working with the American comrades, I noticed very little difference,“ said Staff Sgt. Thomas Zeitz, tank commander with the 391st MIB. „The way they attack is very similar to us. We attacked a building from a flank and asked an American team to give suppressing fire, and they knew what we wanted because they had the same idea.“
This exercise is part of the 391st MIB’s preparation to participate in an upcoming Enhanced Forward Presence rotation in Latvia.
„It gives me pride to be here, and it’s also fun,“ said Zeitz.

(Das Video dazu hier.)

Bereits in den Tagen zuvor hatten die deutschen Panzergrenadiere zusammen mit US-Soldaten und georgischen Kräften einen Air Assault mit Blackhawk-Hubschraubern simuliert:

To demonstrate the seamless partnership between their countries, Soldiers from 2nd Cavalry Regiment and German Bundeswehr 39th Panzergrenadierbataillon exited two Georgia Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to simulate air assault operations on an notional objective.

(Das Video dazu hier.)

Nachtrag 7. August: Das Deutsche Heer hat zwar noch keinen Bericht zu dieser Übung, aber ein Interview mit der deutschen Botschafterin in Georgien auf seiner Webseite. (Vorsorglich auch hier als pdf-Datei: Interview: Besuch der deutschen Botschafterin im Feldlager Vaziani)

Nachtrag 9. August: Berichte und Bilder auf der Webseite des Deutschen Heeres:

Startschuss für Noble Partner: 3.090 Soldaten üben in Georgien

Noble Partner 2018: Panzergrenadiere im Angriff

(Fotos von oben: U.S. Army and German Soldiers advance online during an objective assault training mission at the Vaziani Training Area, Georgia on Aug. 1, 2018 – U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. R.J. Lannom Jr.; German army infantrymen with the 391st Mechanized Infantry Battalion take cover to lay suppressive fire at Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, Aug. 5, 2018- U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kris Bonet; A German army Marder infantry fighting vehicle with the 391st Mechanized Infantry Battalion lays suppressive fire at Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, Aug. 5, 2018- U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kris Bonet; U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment exit a Georgia Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during air assault mission practice with German Bundeswehr 39th Panzergrenadierbataillon soldiers during Noble Partner at Vaziani Air Strip, Georgia, July 30, 2018- U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Robert Jordan, 382nd Public Affairs Detachment, 1ABCT, 1CD)