Saber Strike is an annual international exercise held since 2010 by the United States Army Europe (USAREUR) focused on the Baltic States. The exercise spans multiple locations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and involves approximately 2,000 troops from 14 countries.
The exercise trains participants on command and control as well as interoperability with regional partners and consists of a brigade-level command post exercise and computer assisted exercise, as well as company-level field and situational training exercises. It also features the integration of United States close air support (CAS) with partner nation ground forces and the demonstration of United States Expeditionary Medical Support (EMEDS) capability.
This theater security cooperation exercise provides commanders and their staffs practical experience in organizing, controlling and supporting coalition operations and allows the United States, NATO and participating nations to demonstrate their own roles in contributing regional and global stability by strengthening international military partnerships, enhancing multinational interoperability and preparing participants for worldwide contingency operations.
2011-2020
2011
Saber Strike 2011 was the first of what would be an ongoing cooperative training effort between the four nations bonded by the War in Afghanistan, intended to increase the combat readiness of forces preparing to deploy in support of the ISAF. The exercise included a command post, a field training and situational training exercise aimed at training the participating countries to operate more effectively together. The tasks trained in this exercise were specifically designed to prepare the troops for operations in Afghanistan and included improvised explosive device defeat training, convoy and patrol operations, and cordon and search operations.
Saber Strike was a multinational exercise taking place at the Ādaži Training Area in Latvia, which involved units from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, the United States 56th Stryker Brigade, the United States 172nd Infantry Brigade and the United States 16th Sustainment Brigade. The exercise was not only a training opportunity, but also a sign of importance of the relationships among the participating nations. The United States Army and the Baltic States conducted an opening ceremony for Saber Strike 2011 at the Ādaži Training Area on October 18.
2012
Saber Strike 2012 involved approximately 2,000 troops from 8 countries. This was a second Saber Strike exercise program (scheduled from June 10–22), and was part of a cooperative training effort primarily focused on the three nations of the Baltic States. This exercise prepared participants to operate successfully in a joint, multinational, integrated environment with host-nation support from civil and governmental agencies.
Saber Strike would consists of situational training exercises and a field training exercise taking place at the Ādaži Training Area. A command post exercise would be conducted at various sites in Estonia, including one near Tapa. In addition to the United States Army Europe, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, other participants were included: Canada, Finland, France and the United Kingdom.
Units from United States Army Europe included the United States 21st Theater Sustainment Command, the United States 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the United States Pennsylvania Army National Guard are participating with a company of Strykers which were flown into Latvia. The United States Michigan Air National Guard was participating with American KC-135 and A-10 aircraft who were providing close air support. A company of the United States 4th Marine Division was also there, with a joint terminal air controller (JTAC) team from the United States Washington Air National Guard.
2013
Saber Strike 2013 was for the third time conducted at various training areas in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The exercise was scheduled from June 3–14, participating nations and units included approximately 2,000 troops from 14 countries. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast (Germany, Poland and Denmark), and the United States. Norway and Sweden send observers.