ELTA-R

On the Field Training Ground "Novo Selo" was finished the final stage of the process of preparation and evaluation of the first mechanized battalion of the composition of the 61st Mechanized Brigade and the certification of the first Battalion Battle Group as the joint Bulgarian-US exercise "Allied Force 2012," a Topic: "The battalion battle group to conduct a wide range of operations of establishment of joint security area of responsibility.".

Participants:

Participants in the exercise "Allied Force - 2012", total of 788 servicemen and 177 units of military equipment. The evaluation of the actions of the formations of the group in accordance with the standards of the forces of the two NATO strategic commands, was carried out by a national committee consisting of 12 officers of the Defence Staff.

Management of training:

Headquarters for management of training included 14 soldiers from the headquarters of the 61st Mechanized Brigade and six officers from the 172nd Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Army. For evaluation during the exercise was a group monitoring consisting of four officers from the 61st Mechanized Brigade and two officers from the 2nd Mechanized Brigade, completed the course in Germany. They worked with six officers from the 172nd Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Army. The group was led by the commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment Colonel Lindsay.

Trainees:

• Units of 1/61 battalion battle group, with the exception of the already certified to the Joint Center for the Land Forces of the United States in Hohenfels (Germany).
• An infantry platoon of the 173rd Airborne Brigade of the U.S. Army.
• Two helicopters from the airbase "Krumovo" for aero-medical evacuation and transport units in the area of operations.
• Team aero-medical evacuation from MMA Sofia.

Opponent: The activity mimicking the actions of the enemy had 150 soldiers from the 3rd Mechanized Battalion of the 61st Mechanized Brigade managed personally by the commander Colonel Dejan Deshkova. They created close to the reality of the opposing forces work to highlight the important role of the battalion battle group.

Ratings:

Commanders and their subordinates received high marks from the Minister of Defense Anu Angelov, U.S. Ambassador Marcie Ries and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Land Forces Commander of the U.S. European Brigadier General Michael Beals.

Personally I'm impressed by the actions of the battalion battle group, which is the result of several months of training with units of the U.S., Macedonia, Georgia, Ukraine and all those involved in the Joint Command Training Center of the U.S. land in Europe. I think the group can be successfully certified to perform tasks in the three missions of our Armed Forces. This was a very impressive information very difficult doctrine was to assess Ambassador Reese.

Showed a good example of partnership between our two countries and armies, Brigadier Beals said.

The doctrine was attended by Deputy Minister of Defence Augustina Tsvetkova, Chief of Defense Gen. Simeon Simeonov, the Permanent Secretary of Defense Dr. Nicholas Milkov, Deputy Chief of Defence Lt. Gen. Stefan Vasilev SCS Commander Lieutenant General Atanas Samandov, commander of Army Maj. Gen. Neiko Nenov, generals and admirals, MPs, mayors, foreign military attaches. Thank Brigadier Kanev, who made it possible for the successful formation of the first battalion battle group, said Gen. Simeonov. "The formation of the first battalion battle group would be beneficial to the further formation of the other five. Process goes according to plan. Goal by the end of 2014, all six were formed battalion battle groups." Said Lieutenant Nenov.

Afterword:

61st Mechanized Brigade was the first brigade of the Army voyskina composition of the Bulgarian army rearmed with NATO Field Integrated digital communications and information system - PIKIS. The exercise "Allied Force - 2012" was attended also fighting machines of subdivisions Command and Staff machines and communication of complex hardware PIKIS. Building PIKIS is related to commitments by the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria for the rearming of the number of units of the Bulgarian Army to achieve interoperability of membership in Euro-Atlantic alliance (NATO). The project to build PIKIS is one of the most ambitious projects of the Ministry of Defence in the recent history of the Bulgarian Army.

Note: Information is based on materials from the media.