04/22/2015: The Baltic Battalion — not to be confused with the Battalion of the same name formed in the 1990’s – is a new initiative combining Estonian, Latvia and Lithuanian forces.
In 2014, the battalion began preparations for the 2016 rotation of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and is due to be certified for the NRF later this year. Exercise Gungnir is the first joint training of all the BALTBAT elements, simulating an attack by enemy forces on the Latvian capital Riga.
This year BALTBAT will take part in Exercise Saber Strike 2015 in Latvia in June and in Exercise Trident Junction 2015 in Spain in October.
The trilateral battalion was formed for standby in the NRF by two Estonian combat companies, one company from Lithuania and one from Latvia, anti-tank platoons from Lithuania and Estonia, one Lithuanian mortar platoon and one support element, and a trilateral staff, totaling roughly 1000 soldiers.
Credit: Natochannel : 4/16/15