NATO rapid reaction force trains in Poland

“Birdman” is the name that maneuver planners have given the opponent in the Bothnian enemy camp. He must be retrieved from a wooden house in the middle of the military training grounds in the forest. Stationed in the nearby village of “Alpha” are his followers, armed militiamen, who have begun to destabilize the region in southwestern Poland.

The scene is recognizable as it is loosely based on the situation in eastern Ukraine, except this time, a NATO member has been threatened by “little green men”. After all, the planners want to make the situation as lifelike as possible. On command, masked Czech and Dutch Special Forces fast-rope out of US helicopters, throw smoke grenades, storm the wooden house and drag “Birdman” out. Scenes like this are reminiscent of films like “Black Hawk Down” or TV series, such as “Homeland”.

Light armored vehicles belonging to Dutch-Czech support units approach, followed by waves of combat helicopters. German and Norwegian jets roar by and we’re in the middle of a war film.

The flyover was intended to intimidate and disorient the opponent, as the live battle commentator states – at any rate, the noise is impressive. Marder tanks at the edge of the forest advance with battalion 371, while on the adjacent field, a German-Norwegian unit explodes a mine field. At the same time, Norwegian pioneers set up a mobile bridge so Polish tanks can drive over an anti-tank trench. German “Panthers” on the other side meanwhile shoot armor-piercing grenades at enemy terrain.

A commander’s voice heard over army radio communications instructs “Tiger” to move in a southeast direction. “Do you copy?” he asks as a precaution. “Here Tiger, whatever you say, over,” replies a voice in English with a Polish accent. The tanks roll across the field.

Dutch and Czech forces rappelled from US helicopters

Credit to DW