Exercise Bayonet Shield 2017: United States, NATO Allies Train Together to Present Credible Deterrent to Aggression

Fall 2018 by MAJ Craig J. Nelson, CPT John T. Williams and CPT Mackenzie Sims Units across the U.S. Army train for combined-arms operations alongside their North Atlantic Treaty Organiza tion (NATO) allies to be ready for a po tential complex, high-intensity conflict on short notice. This demonstrated readiness that results from the training helps present a credible deterrent against aggression in Eastern and Cen tral Europe. With that in mind, U.S. forces, along with combined air and land forces from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, conduct ed Exercise Bayonet Shield Sept. 1-Oct. 7, 2017, at multiple locations across the Baltic region. About 600 Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regi ment (Airborne), 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) (Airborne), partic ipated in the U.S.-led exercise. Bayonet Shield 2017 was a force-pos turing deployment exercise conducted with NATO allies in support of Opera tion Atlantic Resolve. It consisted of a series of troop-level live-fire training events and exercises with allied de fense forces to increase unit proficien cy and preparedness to respond to any threat or crisis. For the Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, who executed livefire objective training (OBJ-T) with NATO allies, the training conducted during Bayonet Shield sought to meet the demands of the OBJ-T progression while forward-deployed in Estonia, Lat via and Lithuania. These Soldiers learned that proficiency, preparedness and ultimately deterrence to aggres sion requires months of detailed coop erative planning alongside host-nation and multinational allies. Overview of training The exercise culminated with a troop-level, multinational, mounted com bined-arms live-fire exercise (CALFEX). The 1-91 Cav Soldiers conducted the CALFEX Oct. 2-3, 2017, within the Adazi Training Area in Latvia. The par ticipants included a motorized-cavalry troop from 1-91 Cav, a platoon of Span ish sappers from the XI Spanish Engi neer Battalion and a platoon of PT-91 tanks from the Polish 9th Armored Cav alry Brigade (ACB). Batteries of M777s from the 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, and the 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA) – as well as a platoon of AH-64 helicop ters from 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Reg iment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade – provided direct support of each troop. U.S. Army Soldiers with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), send rounds downrange during a combined-arms live-fire exercise (CALFEX) at Adazi Training Area in Latvia Oct. 2, 2017. The CALFEX showcased the abilities of American, Spanish, Canadian and Polish allies to work cohesively as a part of Exer cise Bayonet Shield, a region-wide exercise in the Baltics. The goal of the exercise was to enhance operational agility during realistic training scenarios between the United States and its NATO allies and partners, including the various en hanced-forward-presence battlegroups. (U.S. Army photo by PFC Nicholas Vidro, 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Fall 2018 Training objectives The exercise assessed two troop-level mission-essential tasks (MET) in a livefire environment: “conduct zone re connaissance” and “conduct a screen.” The troop CALFEX evaluated each troop’s ability to execute rapid and forceful zone reconnaissance while it engaged and destroyed enemy recon naissance elements with direct fire, in direct fire and attack aviation through out the entire depth of the enemy’s disruption zone. Upon identifying the enemy’s battle zone, each troop established a screen to observe an enemy obstacle belt, which consisted of a 2-meter-by-2-me ter tank ditch and triple-strand concer tina wire. The troops passed Spanish sappers forward to breach the enemy’s counter-mobility obstacles by using ex plosives. Following the breach, the squadron conducted a forward passage of the Polish 9th ACB’s main battle tanks through its lines. This allowed the Polish tanks to engage and destroy lead elements of the enemy’s advance guard. Planning/friction points The squadron’s planners learned that attempts to coordinate for land and al lied participation in the Baltics using telephones or email wasn’t enough to confirm training venues or events with reasonable certainty. Instead, in-per son coordination during a predeploy ment site survey (PDSS) proved to be more effective, giving resource re quests the necessary visibility and im mediacy to build a dependable calen dar. Each troop sent a representative on the PDSS to facilitate shared under standing and enable parallel planning. As a result, the personal relationships formed during the PDSS provided a foundation to mitigate friction points that emerged later. Following the PDSS, the squadron also formed a working group to maximize the value of the pre-exercise planning. The working group produced a detailed execution checklist thanks to represen tatives who participated from every warfighting function within the squad ron. Prior to the PDSS departure, the squad ron staff coordinated with host-nation militaries and submitted a detailed summary to host-nation land manag ers at each range-control complex. This summary described the objectives 1-91 Cav hoped to achieve during the PDSS. Early coordination between 1-91 Cav and host-nation representatives al lowed range-control personnel to syn chronize access to key sites and facili ties. This was particularly helpful dur ing range planning. It allowed 1-91 Cav planners to build range plans based on key local terrain, grid coordinates and line-of-sight azimuths. The ability to in fluence decision-makers at range-con trol facilities across the Baltics – as well as ensure they understood 1-91 Cav’s intention to confirm the suitability and availability of the intended training venues – proved critical to host-nation coordination. The 1-91 Cav planners communicated consistently with host-nation and NATO allies throughout the prepara tion and execution of the exercise. Multinational allies were deliberately included in the development of the training plan to ensure they received as much value from the exercise as U.S. forces. This cooperation continued Figure 1. Mounted CALFEX task organization.

Fall 2018 throughout execution. The multina tional allies helped finalize the range builds, emplace obstacles, execute combined-arms rehearsals and devel op after-action reviews. The Spanish and Polish participants each used the same platoon from with in their organizations for all CALFEX it erations. This was problematic because soldiers from the affected platoons grew fatigued by the midpoint of our CALFEX progression; during two night iterations, they sat out to sleep or eat. If given the opportunity to repeat the exercise, 1-91 Cav representatives rec ommend against any plan that relies on one platoon or troop to execute all iterations of a squadron CALFEX. Rath er, it would have been better if 1-91 Cav’s troops and platoons had aligned with counterpart formations from Pol ish and Spanish allies early in the de ployment to forge personal relation ships and familiarity before the CAL

FEX.

The variety of systems available during Bayonet Shield allowed U.S. and NATO commanders to gain experience and expertise in the employment of attack aviation. Troop commanders learned the value of this potent asset as a ma neuver element during the exercise, giving the AH-64 Apaches the com mander’s intent, task and purpose for every phase of the operation. Beyond using the Apaches solely as a fires as set to destroy targets on the ground, troop commanders also employed the helicopters to observe, adjust and em ploy indirect fire. Training progression To prepare 1-91 Cav Soldiers for the culminating CALFEX, the unit executed a deliberate training progression dur ing the months leading up to Exercise Bayonet Shield. The training progres sion began at the individual level with marksmanship instruction and weap ons qualification. Following qualifica tion, the squadron executed mounted crew gunnery and team, section and platoon live-fire exercises. Throughout the process, 1-91 Cav conducted eval uations using the most recent OBJ-T and evaluation outlines to ensure clear training guidance and objective exter nal evaluation. Between major live-fire events, 1-91 Cav facilitated maneuver training for the troops at every opportunity, taking maximum advantage of the training space available in the Baltics. In addi tion to executing mounted and dis mounted maneuver training during hours of limited visibility, each troop trained with rotary-wing assets in preparation for the squadron-level MET, “conduct an air assault.” Deviation packets/ symphony of fires The number of available assets, a di verse array of targets and complexity of situations presented to the troops during the CALFEX offered realism at all levels of training. The realistic train ing was a direct result of deviation packets submitted through 7th Army Training Command, which adjusted baseline safety restrictions and al lowed paratroopers to execute live-fire maneuver training that resembled combat. Moreover, a deliberate live-fire plan ensured safety danger zones and other restrictions enabled realistic training, such as employing full-range training rounds on the objectives, rather than offset from the objectives. The commander placed special empha sis on echeloning fires throughout the training, employing all organic weap ons systems and aerial sensors, such as organic unmanned aerial vehicles (such as Ravens) and AH-64 Apache at tack helicopters. The symphony of de struction included artillery assets, mor tars, close-air support, direct-fire weapons systems and allied tank sup port. Troop commanders, platoon leaders, troop fire-support officers and forward observers had to consider their choic es to synchronize weapons and their effects appropriately. They executed this CALFEX while geographically dis persed, outside of visual contact and with all three platoons simultaneously engaged. Conclusion Months of detailed, cooperative plan ning alongside host-nation and Figure 2. Three Polish Army PT-91 main battle tanks advance toward a linkup with cavalry scouts of Troop B, 1-91 Cav, during a multinational CALFEX held on the Adazi Training Area, Latvia, in October 2017. (U.S. Army photo by LTC John Hall, 173rd IBCT (Airborne) Public Affairs)

Fall 2018 multinational allies allowed the squad ron to improve its ability to accomplish MET training while maintaining a U.S. strategic presence in the Baltics. The 1-91 Cav presented the troop team with a highly realistic, complex CALFEX scenario that tested nearly every indi vidual and collective MET throughout the five-week exercise. The paratroop ers learned the importance of fighting to a position of advantage from which a troop can answer its assigned prior ity intelligence requirements and de stroy enemy reconnaissance assets to win the counter-recon fight. During Exercise Bayonet Shield, 1-91 Cav demonstrated its ability to execute an OBJ-T progression that enhanced the deterrent against aggression while forward deployed within the U.S. Army Europe Theater. MAJ Craig Nelson is S-3 for 173rd IBCT (Airborne), Vicenza, Italy. His previous assignments include S-3, 1-91 Cav, Grafenwoehr, Germany; commander, Company D, 1st Ranger Battalion, Sa vannah, GA; troop commander, 3rd Bat talion, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Rose Bar racks, Germany; platoon leader, Com pany C, 1st Ranger Battalion; and pla toon leader, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, NY. MAJ Nelson’s military schools include Rang er School and Jumpmaster School. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree from the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY, and a master’s degree in military art and science from Command and General Staff College. CPT Jack Williams is the assistant op erations officer, 1-91 Cav, Tower Bar racks, Grafenwoehr. Previous assign ments include tank-company executive officer, Company D, 1st Battalion, 63rd Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Bri gade Combat Team (ABCT), 1st Infantry Division; and tank-platoon leader, Company D, 1-63 AR, 2nd ABCT, 1st In fantry Division. CPT Williams’ military schools include Ranger School, Cavalry Leader’s Course, Airborne Course, Ma neuver Captain’s Career Course, Armor Basic Officer Leadership Course and Air-Assault School. CPT Williams hold a bachelor’s of science degree in systems engineering from USMA. CPT Mac Sims is the information-oper ations officer, 1-91 Cav, Tower Bar racks, Grafenwoehr. His previous as signments include airborne-reconnais sance-platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Troop B, 1-91 Cavalry; and tactical in telligence officer, 1-91 Cav. CPT Sims’ military schools include the Armor Ba sic Officer Leader’s Course, Army Re connaissance Course and Airborne School. CPT Sims holds a bachelor’s of arts degree in criminal justice from Figure 3. U.S. Army Soldiers with 1-91 Cav deliver mortar rounds during a livefire exercise at Tapa Training Area, Estonia, Sept. 13, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by PFC Nicholas Vidro, 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) Figure 4. A cavalry scout assigned to 1-91 Cav mans his .50-caliber machine gun during a blank-fire iteration of joint, multinational CALFEXs at Adazi Train ing Area, Latvia, in October 2017. (U.S. Army photo by LTC John Hall, 173rd IBCT (Airborne) Public Affairs)

Fall 2018 Michigan State University. He also studied Arabic at The Hebrew Univer sity, located on Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel. CPT Sims has deployed for exer cises to Norway, Israel and Latvia. Acronym Quick-Scan ABCT – armored brigade combat team ACB – armored cavalry brigade BTG – brigade tactical group CALFEX – combined-arms live-fire exercise DO – decisive operation DoA – direction of advance FoM – freedom of maneuver HHC – headquarters and headquarters company IBCT – infantry brigade combat team MET – mission-essential task NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization OBJ-T – objective training PDSS – predeployment site survey RCHA – Royal Canadian Horse Artillery TAI – targeted area of interest USMA – U.S. Military Academy Figure 6, below. Paratroopers as signed to Bulldog Troop, 1-91 Cav, and Slovenian chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialists rush to board a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during training conducted in preparation for joint, multinational CALFEXs at Adazi Training Area, Latvia, in October

2017. (U.S. Army photo by SGT Tony Brown, 1-91 Cavalry (Airborne) Public Affairs) Figure 5, left. Paratroopers assigned to Anvil Troop, 1-91 Cav, and Spanish sappers of the XI Engineer Battalion conduct a combined-arms rehearsal in preparation for joint, multination al CALFEXs at Adazi Training Area, Latvia, in October 2017. (U.S. Army photo by LTC John Hall, 173rd IBCT (Airborne) Public Affairs)

Fall 2018 Figure 7, left. Engineers assigned to the XI Engineer Battalion of the Spanish army execute a breach dur ing joint, multinational CALFEXs at Adazi Training Area, Latvia, in Octo ber 2017. Figure 8, below A paratrooper as signed to Bulldog Troop, 1-91 Cav, scans the horizon in search of poten tial threats during training conduct ed in preparation for joint, multina tional CALFEXs at Adazi Training Area, Latvia, in October 2017.