The deployment of Spanish soldiers of the Regulars and BRILAT near Russian territory

@DefAviation ES 4·21·2024 · 19:58 0

On April 9, exercise Defender 24 began, the largest annual maneuvers organized annually by the US Army in Europe.

The distinctive garments of the regulars of the Spanish Army explained by two soldiers
The colors of the berets of the different units of the Spanish Army

Defender 24 has the participation of 17,000 US military personnel and 23,000 military personnel from other NATO allied and partner countries: Germany, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia , Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom, Romania and Sweden.

The first phase of this exercise is called Saber Strike 24 and 3,000 US soldiers and 2,000 soldiers from allied countries participate, specifically from Germany, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, and the Netherlands. , Poland, the United Kingdom and Romania. This exercise is taking place at the Bemowo Piskie maneuvering range, in northwest Poland, just 67 km from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The US Army points out that these exercises "are designed to deter adversaries, transform operational mission command, build readiness and strengthen the NATO alliance."

The Spanish Army has participated in the Saber Strike 24 exercise with two light infantry units: the Regular Forces, specifically the Ceuta Regular Group nº54 (GREC 54 ), and the Brigade "Galicia" VII (BRILAT), specifically the Protected Infantry Battalion "San Quintín" of the Infantry Regiment "Principe" No. 3, based in Siero, Asturias, and the Field Artillery Group VII (GACA VII), based in Pontevedra.

The Spanish Ministry of Defense, the Spanish Army, the 1st Pomorska Logistics Brigade of the Polish Army and the multimedia portal DVIDShub.net of the US Armed Forces have published some images of this deployment of soldiers Spaniards in Poland. You can see them in this entry.

A GREC 54 soldier with the characteristic red tarbuch of the Regulars guiding a Uro VAMTAC ST-5 tactical vehicle upon arrival by boat in Poland.

Several columns of BRILAT vehicles, both Uro VAMTAC ST-5 and Santana Aníbal and others, in their deployment in Poland for this exercise.

A row of GREC 54 trucks, models Iveco-Pegaso 7226 and Iveco-Pegaso M.250, in Poland.

A Polish soldier from the 1st Pomorska Logistics Brigade supplying fuel to Santana Aníbal jeeps from the GACA VII of the BRILAT.

Another image of the resupply of Spanish BRILAT vehicles by the Polish Army. The 1st Pomorska Logistics Brigade was created in 2004, is based in Bydgoszcz and is made up of 9 battalions: 3 logistics, 4 maintenance, 1 recovery and 1 storage.

A Spanish soldier from GREC 54 next to a Hispanic soldier from the 69th Armored Regiment of the US Army at the Bemowo Piskie training ground. The American soldier holds a backpack flag of the Regular Forces of the Spanish Army.

VAMTAC S-3 and ST-5 vehicles of GREC 54 in Bemowo Piskie. On the left we see Dardo infantry fighting vehicles of the Italian Army and on the right Lynx KF41 armored vehicles of the German Army. In the background are American M1A2 Abrams battle tanks.

Spanish soldiers from GREC 54 on a VAMTAC S-3, carrying out maintenance on a 12.7 mm Browning M-2 heavy machine gun in Bemowo Piskie.

Spanish soldiers of GREC 54 on a VAMTAC armed with a 7.62 mm Rheinmetall MG-3 machine gun. The Spanish soldier on the left wears a patch from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the US Army, probably a gift from a soldier in that unit. In this type of exercises, soldiers from different countries usually exchange patches as a souvenir.

A Spanish precision shooter aiming his Accuracy AW308 rifle at Bemowo Piskie.

A row of VATMAC ST-5 and S-3 vehicles of GREC 54 in Bemowo Piskie. The first three vehicles are armed with 7.62 mm Rheinmetall MG-3 machine guns. The fourth carries a 5.56mm Heckler & Koch MG-4E machine gun, and the next two carry 12.7mm Browning M-2 heavy machine guns.

A family photo with soldiers from Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, the United States and Italy. In the first row we see two Spanish officers: one with the gray BRILAT beret and the other with the red tarbuch of the Regular Forces.