The US Commitment to Our Region Is Particularly Strong
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SEPTEMBER, 2018. NO 4 (4). NEWS LITHUANIAN ARMED FORCES UPGRADERBS 70 SHORT- RANGE AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM, PROCURE NEW MISSILES NEW ROTATION OF THE DUTCH SOLDIERS BEGAN THEIR TRAINING IN LITHUANIA NATO'S PRESENCE A. Dominique credits: Olivia and OrtizPhoto G. Pineiro eFP BG COM RENÉ BRAUN: IT IS MORE LIKE HOME THAN Chief of Defence Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas: LIKE BEING ON A MISSION The US commitment to our region is particularly strong CHIEF OF DEFENCE OF LITHUANIA GENERAL LIEUTENANT JONAS VYTAUTAS ŽUKAS CONCLUDED HIS WEEK-LONG TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES (US) BY A VISIT IN WASHINGTON ON AUGUST 14-16. ractically the most important part Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. J. F. Dunford, Com- of the visit took place on August 15. mandant of the United States Marine Corps It began with a Full Honour Arrival Gen. Robert B. Neller, and Chief of the Na- PCeremony held for the Lithuanian Chief of tional Guard Bureau Gen. Joseph Lauren SPECIAL Defence at Whiple Field Park. Host of the Lengyel. Generals discussed security situa- ceremony Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of tion in the Baltic Sea region, interoperability DRONES IN THE Staff Gen Joseph F. Dunford presented to the of allies, bilateral cooperation, including joint CONTEMPORARY CONFLICT: Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas the Commander De- military exercises, and international fight gree Medal of the Legion of Merit. against terrorism. EFFICIENCY EVALUATION "The award is a sign of appreciation not According to Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas, it was only of me but all the Lithuanian Armed agreed at the meetings to further strengthen Forces, it stands as a symbol of a strong bi- defence cooperation between Lithuania and lateral partnership of Lithuania and the US the US — both between the armed forces and multilateral partnership in NATO that and separate services. is based on shared values and goals," Gen. On August 14 Chief of Defence met with Lieut. J. V. Žukas said after the ceremony. Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau Later Chief of Defence formally met Lieut. Gen. Daniel Hokanson. with highest commanders of the US Armed On Tuesday Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas visited Forces at the Pentagon: Chairman of the See page 3 Dear readers of the "Lithuanian Military Digest", Content It already has been more than four years of us being the witnesses NEWS of the brutal military Russian aggression against sovereign Ukraine. It is obvious that Lithuania and its allies are vigilantly watching the CHIEF OF DEFENCE GEN. LIEUT. J. V. ŽUKAS: THE US actions of the conflicting countries, and especially of our powerful COMMITMENT TO OUR REGION IS PARTICULARLY neighbour. However, we would like to emphasize that the tension STRONG....................................................................................................1 has started to shift from land to the waters washing the 300-kilo- LITHUANIAN ARMED FORCES UPGRADE RBS 70 metres-long coastline of Ukraine, which is still under control of SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM, PROCURE Kiev after the Crimean annexation. The ever-increasing tension NEW MISSILES.......................................................................................4 in the territory has been boosted recently by the Russian navy or border guard vessels that are appearing in the Azov Sea, which is GERMAN ARMED FORCES TANK BATTALION why Ukraine claims it has to be ready. Needless to say, we have to COMMANDER LT. COL. R. BRAUN IS IN COMMAND be ready as well. OF THE NATO EFP BATTALION BATTLE GROUP IN Since Russia decided to move its vessels (including the war- LITHUANIA............................................................................................5 ships) from the Caspian fleet to the Azov Sea, a new hot spot be- gan to emerge. Although the shots are not being heard here, the NEW ROTATION OF THE DUTCH SOLDIERS BEGAN appearance of heavily armed Russian ships and the intensification THEIR TRAINING IN LITHUANIA..............................................7 of the security service activity suggest that in these waters the con- COOPERATION BETWEEN GERMANY AND flict has been recently dangerously escalated and the imbalance of LITHUANIA HAS BEEN DISCUSSED..........................................8 power is being highlighted. According to Galina Odnorog, one of the founders of non-governmental organisation "Mariupol Social COL. R. PETKEVIČIUS HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS Movement", Ukraine is like sitting on a powder keg, because even DIRECTOR OF THE NATO ENERGY SECURITY the slightest provocation can turn this situation into a war. CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE.............................................................9 These are not the only Russia’s gestures in the recent days that JOINT TERMINAL ATTACK CONTROLLERS WILL BE managed to attract attention. On August 18, Vienna and the whole ABLE TO TRAIN IN KAZLŲ RŪDA TRAINING AREA......10 European Union (EU) raised their eyebrows when Putin danced arm-in-arm with Austria’s Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl at her BELGIANS TOOK THE MISSION OVER FROM wedding. On the other hand, we should not be wondering why PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH SERVICEMEN.....................11 he showed up with a bouquet of flowers and a troupe of Cossack NATO'S PRESENCE singers — it is no surprise this man is ready to lead a circus in front of the entire world. We all understand that by dancing with one of EFP BG COM RENÉ BRAUN: IT IS MORE LIKE HOME the EU political figures, he actually intended to dance on everyone, THAN LIKE BEING ON A MISSION.........................................12 who might be against the "Great Bear". So this becomes just an or- dinary reminder of what kind of hostile forces all of us are facing. SPECIAL DRONES IN THE CONTEMPORARY CONFLICT: Wish you a pleasant reading, EFFICIENCY EVALUATION..........................................................18 Team of the "Lithuanian Military Digest" Military Press Office of Lithuanian Armed Forces Totorių str. 25, LT-01121, Vilnius; Phone (370 5) 210 3897, GSM (370 6) 28 75851; fax (370 5) 273 5550; Kotryna Gurevičiūtė Correspondent Phone (370 5) 210 3897, GSM (370 6) 28 75851; fax (370 5) 273 5550; Email [email protected] Publisher — Lithuanian Armed Forces. The opinion of editorial office does not necessarily coin- cide with the opinion of the authors. Pictures, manuscripts are not returned and reviewed. Cir- culation is 300 copies. Printed by the Cartography Center of Lithuanian Military, Muitinės str.4, Domeikava, LT-54359 Kaunas dist. Order GL-437. Photo credit: Srg. Sp. Ieva Budzeikaitė Ieva Sp. credit: Srg. Photo 2 Lithuanian Military Digest News Chief of Defence Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas: The US commitment to our region is particularly strong From page 1 the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the US to share insights on the security situa- tion in the Baltic Region, ongoing changes and modernisation in the Lithuanian Armed Forc- es, and Lithuanian-US defence cooperation with the Lithuanian-American community in Washington. "I can only say how remarkable it is that we have an ally like the United States of America. It was one more opportunity for me to see that the US commitment to the security in Europe, including our region, are steadfast," Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas summed up the visit. Gen. Lieut. J. V. Žukas began the formal visit in the US on August 9. Earlier during the visit Chief of Defence met with Adjutant-General of Pennsylvania A. Dominique credits: Olivia and OrtizPhoto G. Pineiro Major General Anthony J. Carelli in Los Ange- les and visited Consulate General of Lithuania. On August 11, he visited soldiers of the Lithu- anian Grand Duke Algirdas Battalion and as- signed units training at Fort Irwin Training Area and the National Training Centre of the United States alongside US allies together with Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Valdemaras Rupšys. The US commitment to the security in the region and visibility in Lithuania is one of the most essential guarantees of security and stability of Lithuania. Both on a bilateral bass and adhering to NATO efforts, the US is implementing broad deterrence measures in the Baltic region. The US was the first ally to deploy air defence reinforcement — addi- tional fighter aircraft and capabilities for per- sistent presence in the Baltic States, when the security situation changed in the region and Europe in spring 2014. US soldiers are training in military exercises and other military cooperation events held in Lithu- ania. The US also leads a NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Poland to strengthen the eastern flank of the Alliance. Defence cooperation between Lithuania and the US particularly intensi- fied with signing a cooperation agreement in January 2017. The document reiterates both countries’ commitment to work together to strengthen the NATO alliance, to increase European security, and to fight global secu- rity threats. September 2018. No 4. 3 News Lithuanian Armed Forces upgrade RBS 70 short- range air defence system, procure new missiles he Ministry of National Defence The Swedish-manufacturedRBS 70 missile and the Lithuanian Armed Forces system is a short-range air defence capabil- enhances the present air defence ca- ity based on control beam, i.e. laser equipment Tpabilities and functionality of the weaponry guides the missile. The greatest advantage of in their possession by procuring improved RBS 70 is that there has not been electromag- missiles and BORC night-capability sights on netic equipment so far created in the world ca- the basis of a contract signed with Swedish pable of producing jamming that could disrupt