News

Multinational Exercise Defender 23 kicks off this month in Europe

by C. Todd Lopez
Department of Defense News
April 21, 2023
U.S. Army ambulance vehicles assigned to the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, prepare to head out for an ambulance exchange point training as a part of joint multinational medic training during Defender 22 at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, May 26, 2022. Defender Europe 22 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe; it demonstrates the ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters in support of NATO. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Tara Fajardo Arteaga)

Nearly 9,000 American troops are expected to participate in the Defender 23 exercise which kicks off April 22, the deputy Pentagon press secretary said today.

“This annual, nearly two-month long exercise is focused on the strategic deployment of U.S.-based forces, employment of Army pre-positioned stocks and interoperability with European allies and partners,” said Sabrina Singh, during a briefing today at the Pentagon.

The Defender 23 exercise is led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa and has been planned since 2021. The exercise is designed to demonstrate the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy combat-credible troops and equipment to assure allies, deter those who would threaten the peace of Europe and defend the continent from aggression. The exercise also demonstrates the commitment of European nations to increase the scale, capability and interoperability of their own militaries.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Chaney, the command sergeant major of 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, observes a Defender Europe 22 multinational dry fire exercise from his M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle while a Polish Mil Mi-24 “Hind” attack helicopter flies overhead at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, May 16, 2022. Defender Europe 22 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises taking place in Eastern Europe. The exercise demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters in support of NATO. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Tobias Cukale)

“Approximately 9,000 U.S. troops and about 17,000 troops from 26 allied and partner nations will participate and portions of the exercise will stretch across 10 different European countries,” Singh said.

Singh said equipment to support the exercise began arriving this week in Spain. About 7,000 pieces of equipment were shipped to the European theater from the U.S., she said. Additionally, about 13,000 pieces of equipment, drawn from pre-positioned stock, will be used during Defender 23.

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