American forces stationed in Lithuania are holding a casing and uncasing of colours ceremony on Thursday after the deployment of a new rotation of troops.
The changeover of US rotational forces deployed in Lithuania began in late May with the arrival of the first troops from the 1st battalion of the US 66th Armor Regiment with combat equipment. Their weaponry includes M1A2 Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
Read more: NATO air defence exercise begins in Baltics, Poland
The 1st battalion of the US 66th Armor Regiment will now replace the 3rd battalion, which has been deployed in Lithuania since last autumn.
‘Combat ready’ units
The US troops in the country will also have additional capabilities, including "Special Operations Forces, logistics units, Air Component command group", according to Lithuania's Chief of Defense Valdemaras Rupšys.
The US also said it will “maintain the same additional capabilities together with the combat group, including artillery, indirect fire and air defences, as long as the security situation necessitates this presence”, he added.
The troops are “combat ready”, Rupšys said, adding that they are prepared “not just for deterrence but also for combat operations [...] to defend Lithuania together with us”.
US Ambassador to Lithuania Robert Gilchrist, who also attended the ceremony, said the enhanced presence “will remain”.
“I know that the US military, our army, has found it to be quite useful to deploy here. It provides them the opportunity not just to utilise an impressive training area, but also to exercise with NATO allies and with Lithuanian allies as well,” he said.
The battalion will stay in the country “for at least nine months”, Gilchrist added.
US troops have been deployed in Lithuania on a regular basis but Vilnius officials are seeking a permanent American presence in the country. But, according to Rupšys, the presence of US troops on a rotational basis “is the same as permanent presence”.
Meanwhile, the discussions on the issue were still ongoing, the US ambassador said
The US troops have been training their counterparts in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe since spring 2014 as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The mission is aimed at reinforcing collective defence commitments following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
