Czech air defence missileers deployed in Lithuania to protect tank forces against aerial threats

Author: by CPT Jana Samcová

The Czech Armed Forces servicemembers home-based in Strakonice have served four months as part of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Lithuania by now. Since this has been the historically first operational deployment for the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment, they have gained valuable lessons thanks to serving in the Baltics. The key takeaway for them is from operating together with land forces of other NATO nations.

The primary mission for the Czech Armed Forces’ deployment is to provide ground based air defence coverage to the land Battle Group, which they have already honed in multiple common exercises. The most important was exercise Iron Wolf that certified the multinational task force, including the Czech service personnel, for combat ready status.

The Czech Task Force is centered around a fire battery equipped with RBS-70 air defence missile systems, and command and control systems. Operating in the order of battle of ground forces and protecting them against aerial threats, that is where soldiers serving in the battery gain valuable experience.

Supporting land forces

“During our training activity in Lithuania, we are practising cooperation with land forces, which we do not exercise that much intensively back home in the Czech Republic. We are involved in the whole process of preparation and operation conduct, spanning from planning through to the very mission performance, which is to provide Ground Based Air Defence to the whole Battle Group,“ fire battery commander Captain T. R. explained the greatest benefit of the mission for the service members.

The battery commander also recognised the value of desktop training activities organised for the commanding officers to expand the knowledge they need for a successful accomplishment of their mission. “I have a unique opportunity to obtain in-depth familiarity with the tactics of land forces, both in open field and in defence of urban areas,“ Captain T. R. elaborated.

The deployment of the Czech GBAD unit in Lithuania also benefits their international partners. “Service members from other NATO nations deployed here do not have that much operational experience with forces equipped with a very short range air defence missile system that we have in our inventory,“ the 25th ADM Regt officer said. “Most of our partners are keen to have us in the order of battle and seek to gain insight into our tactics as well as options to engage aerial threats, including unmanned aerial systems,“ the battery commander acknowledged.

Bringing people together

Sharing of experience is not limited to field training only. An important linchpin is also sport, as it offers opportunities for service members from various NATO nations to get to know each other better and test their skills and abilities in various contests, such as the Best Infantry Squad Competition, the Murphy Challenge and Baltic Warrior. “Czech service members took part in all those contests. Although they did not have any extensive experience beforehand, they managed to place ahead of teams who had prepared themselves specifically for those competitions,“ Captain T. R. added.