For just under a decade, the Baltic states have actively participated in Operation Saber Strike, an annual series of multinational tactical exercises led by U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) to enhance cooperation within the alliance and illustrate the combined capabilities on the Eastern flank.
The latest exercise, Saber Strike 2018, featured 18,000 troops training in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania making it the largest Saber Strike to date. Although regular NATO military exercises in Europe have continued (a total of 102 are scheduled for this year), 2019 marked the first time Saber Strike has not been held since its initial inception in 2010.
Nonetheless, 2019 has witnessed no shortage of key drills in the Baltic states; SPRING STORM, SUMMER SHEILD, BALTOPS, LOCKED SHEILDS, NOBLE JUMP 19, and CYBER COALITION all have either occurred or are scheduled to occur later this year. Moreover, NATO continues to prepare for DEFENDER 2020, the largest USAREUR-led wargame in more than two decades. The active phase of DEFENDER 2020 will take place from April until the end of May and will test the rapid deployment of NATO troops to Marijampolė in Lithuania, just north of the strategically critical Suwalki Corridor.
Still, Saber Strike, like its fellow NATO exercises, has proven key to improving and maintaining interoperability between a diverse array of allied forces. Without strong interoperability, seams can emerge between allies who each may possess their own different languages, histories, training, equipment, logistics, and intelligence
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