The UK Ministry of Defence has announced its participation in Exercise Black Eagle, in a bid to reassure and support allies in Eastern Europe.
Approximately 1,350 personnel and more than 350 armoured and other vehicles will be sent to Poland to take part in the military training, which will be held in October this year.
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Announcing the commitment during a visit to Warsaw with UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "It is right that Nato members and partners demonstrate our commitment to the collective security of our allies in Eastern Europe, so I am pleased to confirm our participation in these exercises.
"In particular, the commitment of a battle group to Exercise Black Eagle shows our sustained and substantial support to Nato’s eastern border."
Exercise Black Eagle is one of a planned series of Nato drills that are scheduled to take place throughout the autumn in support of allies in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states.
The exercise will commence after the completion of a US-led manoeuvre, Exercise Sabre Junction, which will see participation from 16 Nato and partner nations. This drill will be held at the end of August in Poland.
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By GlobalDataUK light infantry troops from 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, will take part in the exercise.
Additionally, Nato will be holding a summit in Wales on 4-5 September this year to discuss with member nations how to equip the alliance to respond to future threats.
Fallon said: "We have a strong opportunity at the Nato summit to discuss how we will continue our response to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and its destabilisation of eastern Ukraine. The UK is playing a central role and we are not ruling out further enhancements."
Image: Defence Secretary Michael Fallon (left) shakes hands with the Polish Minister of National Defence Tomasz Siemoniak. Photo: courtesy of the Ministry of Defence / GOV.UK.
