Ramping up: US Army Europe building forces and capability

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1 Ramping up: US Army Europe building forces and capability [Content preview Subscribe to Jane s Defence Weekly for full article] Since early last year US Army Europe has added significant rotational force structure and increased reserve component deployments to plug critical capability gaps, thereby reversing deep reductions that have been under way for more than two decades. Now more powerful and better balanced, this year USAREUR has shifted aggressively from 'assurance' to 'deterrence' in response to Russian threats along NATO s long eastern frontier. Jim Dorschner examines the developments Emblematic of the challenges he faced after taking over as commanding general of US Army Europe (USAREUR) in November 2014, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges told Jane's in April 2016, "Aviation is what keeps me up at night. There is just not enough of it." While looking forward to the arrival of the first rotational heavy armoured brigade combat team (BCT) from the United States in January, Lt Gen Hodges also highlighted the need for more fire support assets, air defence, engineers, specialised logistics, and a more robust command-and-control (C2) element at a level between his essentially administrative USAREUR headquarters and subordinate brigades and supporting units. Soldiers of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado, fire a M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer while conducting live-fire training during Exercise 'Combined Resolve IX' at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on 21 August. Exercise 'Combined Resolve IX' is designed to train the army s forces allocated to the US European Command. (US Army/Private First Class Zachery Perkins) Page 1 of 10

2 Taking stock in the second half of the year, USAREUR has significantly transformed around a core of three complete manoeuvre brigades and two combat aviation brigades (CABs). The 173rd Airborne BCT and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker) are permanently based at Vicenza, Italy, and Vilseck, Germany, respectively. These are now augmented by single heavy armoured BCTs deploying with a full complement of equipment from the United States for successive nine-month rotations, beginning with the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Colorado, in January. A heavy BCT comprises about 4,200 soldiers, about 250 tracked AFVs including M1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs), M2/M3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and M109A6 Paladin 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs), as well as more than 1,750 wheeled vehicles. After a demanding nine-month deployment during which elements trained alongside allied forces from across Europe including the Baltic states, Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania, the 3rd Armoured BCT, 4th Infantry Division, closed out its final major event in Europe during the 'Combined Resolve IX' live-fire exercise on August at the Grafenwöhr Training Area in Germany. The training objective of the exercise was to synchronise combined arms capabilities in a defensive scenario against a conventional adversary. Battle Group Poland elements from Bravo Battery, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, and the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade conduct sling load training with M777A2 howitzers and a CH-47F helicopter during 'Saber Strike' at Bemowo Piskie Training Area near Orzysz, Poland, on 7 June. (US Army/Specialist Stefan English) Highlights included an air assault by Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, employing UH-60 Black Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters and CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from the 10th CAB. M1 Abrams MBTs and mechanised infantry worked with combat engineers, close air support (CAS), unmanned aerial surveillance, and fire support, including an artillery raid by the BCT s 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, employing 'shoot and scoot' tactics with M109A6 SPHs. Page 2 of 10

3 Combined Resolve IX was the fourth brigade-level combined arms live-fire exercise (CALFEX) for the 3rd Armoured BCT during its nine-month Operation Atlantic Resolve rotation to Europe, including two iterations as part of a multinational task force during Combined Resolve VIII at the nearby Hohenfels training area in Germany and Exercise Getica Saber at Cincu, Romania. According to the S-3 brigade operations officer, Major Michael Harrison, the brigade is very well trained. When we go back to Fort Carson, Colorado, our level of readiness will be extremely high. The 2nd Armoured BCT, 1st Infantry Division, began deploying to Europe from Fort Riley, Kansas, in September to replace the 3rd Armoured BCT, 4th Infantry Division, for a follow-on nine-month rotation. Meanwhile, army aviation in theatre has doubled since last year. The first brigade-sized rotational aviation unit to support Atlantic Resolve, the 10th CAB from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, officially joined USAREUR on 9 March at Illesheim Army Airfield (AAF) in Germany, reinforcing the permanently assigned 12th CAB at Ansbach AAF. In his remarks at Illesheim, Lt Gen Hodges emphasised, "The fact that the United States Army is spending the amount of money required to bring an entire aviation brigade back to Europe, with all of its equipment, at the highest level of readiness, and do this for nine months, then bring another one in behind it; that shows commitment, that demonstrates will, and that gives us the capability to provide deterrence. With two attack helicopter battalions, a general support battalion, and an assault helicopter battalion, which is augmented by the 1-501st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Armoured Division, from Fort Bliss, Texas, the 10th CAB will continue to support operations in Europe until the end of the year with AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, CH-47 Chinooks, and UH-60 Black Hawks, after which it will be replaced by another US-based CAB. Altogether the 10th CAB brought more than 2,000 soldiers, 700 individual pieces of equipment, and 85 aircraft to Europe. Operational tempo [Continued in full version ] With the additional forces this year USAREUR was able to maintain an extremely vigorous exercise schedule in support of the Atlantic Resolve deterrence effort. Major exercises this year have included: Saber Junction : 25 April 19 May in Germany Combined Resolve series VIII and IX: April and August in Germany Saber Strike : 28 May 24 June in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland Saber Guardian : July in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania Noble Partner : 30 July 12 August in Georgia Rapid Trident : 8 23 September in Ukraine Saber Guardian in July was a USAREUR-led multinational exercise with 18 separate events that spanned Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania and involved more than 25,000 personnel from 22 allied and partner nations. The emphasis was on building readiness and improving interoperability while executing a full range of military missions in the Black Sea region. A notable aspect of the exercise was the massing of the 3rd Armoured BCT in the southeast from multiple locations across Europe and the movement of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker) from Vilseck, Germany, to the exercise area. Page 3 of 10

4 In one event Task Force War Eagle, comprised of German, Romanian, Slovak, and 2nd Cavalry Regiment elements, conducted a contested night river crossing over the Olt River in Valcea, Romania, on 17 July. According to Lieutenant Colonel Adam Lackey, commander of 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, "Once Objective Cobra was secured we brought about 800 soldiers and about 220 vehicles on the far side of the Olt River." This included Stryker armoured vehicles, with Lt Col Lackey adding, "The river crossing was a huge confidence booster for the task force. I would hope [it boosted confidence] for the entire Alliance because it demonstrated a very complex operation with multiple units coming together for the first time to accomplish something very significant. It's exactly what we would have to do if we were called to defend Eastern Europe." US Army Stryker armoured vehicles from G troop, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, attached to Battle Group Poland, prepare to fire their 40 mm MK19 automatic grenade launcher near the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Poland during 'Saber Strike' on 8 June. (US Army/Charles Rosemond) Saber Strike was another complex multinational exercise that took place progressively in Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania in May and June with the intent to train newly formed NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Groups (EFPBGs) in each country. Key training events included a road march by the US Army-led Battle Group Poland from Orysz, Poland, to the strategically significant Suwalki Gap area in southern Lithuania; a maritime prepositioned offload of supplies and equipment in Latvia; a US Marine Corps amphibious assault in Latvia; and CALFEXs in Lithuania and Poland. In addition to 2nd Cavalry elements leading Battle Group Poland, US Army involvement included a large mixed aviation task force from the 10th CAB and several National Guard units deployed from the United States. Page 4 of 10

5 US Army elements combined with British, Estonian, Finnish, and French soldiers conducting a tactical demonstration during 'Saber Strike' in Tapa, Estonia, on 10 June. (US Army/Specialist Matthew J DeVirgilio) A highlight of Saber Strike was the 9 June CALFEX on the Adazi range in Latvia, observed by Jane s, which culminated in a large-scale combined arms attack on a defended objective. Alpha Battery, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, from the Colorado Army National Guard initiated the action with a precision barrage by M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) working to a fire plan in conjunction with a US Marine Corps (USMC) Reserve battery firing M mm howitzers. For demonstration purposes the US Air Force added a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, a B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber, and several F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters, which were followed by Apache attack helicopters from the 10th CAB. Page 5 of 10

6 An M142 HIMARS from A Battery, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery Regiment, Colorado Army National Guard, launches rockets in support of a combined arms live-fire demonstration at Adazi Military Base, Latvia, on 9 June as part of 'Saber Strike': a US Army Europe-led multinational training exercise in the Baltic region. (US Army/Sergeant Shiloh Capers) Marine engineers and infantry advanced to neutralise initial objectives, followed by Polish PT-91 MBTs and USMC M1 Abrams MBTs, joined by marine and Italian light armoured vehicles. Italian mechanised infantry cleared the objective area before the force manoeuvred south to establish a blocking position. US Army Specialist Rylan Voss with A Battery, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, prepares a canister of live rockets for an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during 'Saber Strike' at the Adazi range in Latvia on 7 June. (US Army/Specialist Brandon Best) [Continued in full version ] Battlegroups In terms of active deterrence, USAREUR is not operating in a vacuum but in concert with NATO allies and partners under the rubric of collective defence. A major development was the swift fielding and certification of four EFPBGs in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland since the decision was taken at NATO's 2016 Warsaw Summit to enhance the alliance s military presence in Eastern Europe. The final EFPBG, the Canadian-led Latvia Battlegroup based at Camp Ādaži, completed its certification exercise at the end of August. Page 6 of 10

7 Elements of Marine Forces Reserve Combat Logistics Battalion 25 conduct medical evacuation training with a US Army HH-60M helicopter from Charlie Company, 3-10 Aviation Battalion, at the Adazi range in Latvia on 8 June during Exercise 'Saber Strike'. (US Marine Corps/Lance Corporal Ricardo Davila) Approximately 4,500 troops serve in the four multinational battle groups, with numbers expected to rise in 2018 as additional contingents join the formations: Canada leads Battle Group Latvia, with contributions from Albania, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, and Spain Germany leads Battle Group Lithuania, with contributions from Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway The United Kingdom leads Battle Group Estonia, with contributions from France The United States leads Battle Group Poland, with contributions from Romania and the United Kingdom US Army-led Battle Group Poland, with more than 900 US soldiers, about 150 British personnel, and some 120 Romanians, is built around 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; a Romanian artillery battery and MPs; and a UK reconnaissance squadron. It falls under the Polish Army's 15th Mechanized Brigade, located in Orzysz. Facing Russia [Continued in full version ] After 16 years of primarily counter-insurgency combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the US Army is in the process of re-learning the complex combined arms skills required for a high-intensity European scenario that includes hybrid war tactics developed by Russia in Ukraine. A major Page 7 of 10

8 strategic focus for USAREUR and NATO planners is the Suwalki Gap: an 80 km length of the Polish-Lithuanian border with the Russian Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad on one end and Russian ally Belarus on the other, which serves as a vital land corridor between Poland and the Baltic states. In any escalating regional crisis, NATO is determined to control this gap, which Russia similarly considers vital to the defence of Kaliningrad, as well as presenting a potential opportunity to split NATO forces and territory. Given the evident tensions in the Baltic region, in southeast Europe, and Russia s continuing involvement in combat operations in Ukraine, Lt Gen Hodges has introduced or re-introduced USAREUR to the Cold War concept of being ready to fight tonight. In the 2nd Cavalry this has produced a robust Regimental Ready Task Force programme that places one home-station squadron on a 96-hour alert posture, with one troop in the squadron ready to deploy anywhere in Europe within 48 hours. The 173rd Airborne BCT has long maintained a similar theatre alert force, while other assets, including aviation, are also designated for rapid reaction as required. Next steps [Continued in full version ] The US Department of Defense s (DoD s) fiscal year 2018 (FY 2018) budget request, released in June, includes nearly USD4.8 billion for the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI): an Obama administration programme to enhance deterrence and improve the readiness of forces in Europe, which pays for the ongoing build-up of USAREUR. Following Russian aggression in Ukraine in 2014, the United States first authorised ERI at USD985 million in 2015, followed by USD789 million in 2016, and then USD3.4 billion in While seemingly healthy amounts, a DoD inspector general s report issued this year raised serious concerns over a lack of certainty because ERI is funded annually, rather than being rolled into the department s five-year budget cycle. This uncertainty complicates long-term planning and increases anxiety throughout US European Command (EUCOM) and among NATO allies. The potential for fluctuations in ERI spending in coming years risks derailing long-scheduled rotational force deployments of critical land forces from the United States, including armoured BCTs, CABs, and National Guard units, as well as curtailing readiness initiatives such as major exercises and threatening critical infrastructure development. According to the DoD a primary focus of ERI is increased presence, including a more robust US military rotational presence throughout the theatre that is capable of deterring and, if required, responding to any regional threats". Exercises and training are slated to get USD218 million in 2018, with infrastructure improvements gaining USD338 million, while building partnership capacity is funded at USD267 million. [Continued in full version ] On the ground predictable ERI funding means continuing efforts to address USAREUR capability shortfalls beyond BCTs and CABs. In terms of fire support Lt Gen Hodges told the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in June, "A fires brigade will start showing up in Europe in the next couple of years with two MLRS [Multiple Launch Rocket System] battalions and a SHORAD [shortrange air defence] battalion is coming." While details remain to be determined in consultation with Washington and NATO allies, on 5 September USAREUR spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Craig Childs confirmed to Jane s that, Page 8 of 10

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