Sky Soldiers Train for Modern Conflict in Europe's Premier Crucible Event

More than 2,300 paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with more than 2,100 allied and partner forces from 10 nations are participating in Exercise Saber Junction 26 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

Overseen by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, the rotation is designed to validate warfighting readiness, strengthen NATO interoperability and prepare forces for large-scale combat operations across the European theater. 

Exercise Saber Junction 26 tests the brigade’s ability to rapidly deploy, conduct joint forcible entry, execute offensive and defensive operations, and regenerate combat power in a contested environment. The exercise incorporates lessons learned from ongoing conflicts, including electronic warfare, unmanned aerial systems, dispersed maneuver and contested communications.  

Southern European Task Force, Africa serves as the division-level higher command for the rotation, integrating U.S. and allied formations, issuing division orders, maintaining the common operating picture, and rehearsing mission command essential for operations across Europe and Africa. 

“Saber Junction is where our soldiers and our allies prove they are ready for the demands of modern war,” said Army Maj. Gen. Matthew W. Brown, Southern European Task Force, Africa commander. “This rotation is a crucible event — designed to expose gaps, accelerate learning and ensure that formations are trained and lethal. The 173rd continues to demonstrate that disciplined application of the fundamentals, ground-up innovation and persistence remain the hallmarks of a combat-credible force. The brigade is ready — and the lessons we gather here help our Army scale innovation at pace and strengthen NATO’s collective readiness.”

The exercise also highlights modernization efforts within the 173rd Airborne Brigade, including the work of the bayonet innovation team, the brigade’s internal innovation cell comprised of paratroopers, engineers, warrant officers and technical specialists. The team designs, builds and fields low-cost, high-impact technologies such as first-person view drones, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, ground robots and artificial intelligence-enabled tools. It operates a facility that can produce drones in-house and integrates lessons from Ukraine, Joint Multinational Readiness Center rotations and multinational exercises to help the brigade adapt rapidly and strengthen NATO interoperability.

“Our standards are nonnegotiable: disciplined, lethal and relentless. Saber Junction is where we put those expectations to the test,” said Army Col. Mark E. Bush, 173rd Airborne Brigade commander. “This exercise validates our ability to deploy at the time of need, fight and succeed regardless of the mission environment or enemy capability and posture the brigade for future operations. Through the character, competence and commitment of our Sky Soldiers, we will deliver overwhelming firepower, maneuver aggressively and accomplish the mission alongside our allies.” 

Exercise Saber Junction 26 includes participants from Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States. The exercise strengthens multinational interoperability and accelerates combined decision making across the European theater.