By Lt. Col. Cain Claxton, U.S. Army V Corp

POZNAN, Poland — V Corps and adjacent U.S. Army and NATO units announced April 22 the start of Saber Strike 26, a multinational exercise with activities spread across the Europe’s eastern borders, from Finland to Poland. The exercise serves as a powerful demonstration of the Alliance’s ability to rapidly deploy combat-credible forces to deter aggression and defend NATO territory.

The exercise commence April 23 with a tactical road march by the U.S. Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment, which will travel over 1,000 kilometers from Germany into Poland. This movement will be visible to the public, and all activities are being conducted in close coordination with host nation authorities to ensure safety and minimize disruption.

Near the end of the road march, Soldiers of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment will conduct of river crossing using engineer assets from an Italian army bridging company and the U.S. Army 7th Engineer Brigade.

Once the 2nd Cav Reg. is assembled at Bemowo Pitskie Training Area, it will integrate with the Forward Land Force – Poland Battalion and fall underneath the NATO Multinational Division North East (MND-NE) for the remainder of the exercise. Called “Amber Shock” by the NATO MND-NE, 2CR and combined multinational participants will train together synchronizing capabilities in a real-world training scenario. It demonstrates how the U.S. as a framework nation can rapidly integrate into the NATO FLF in Poland and expand its size from a battalion to a brigade. The exercise also features innovations in casualty care from AI-assisted triage, drone-delivered supplies, and modernized evacuation procedures.

As a key component of the larger Sword 26 exercise series, Saber Strike 26 validates NATO’s regional defense plans by testing the seamless integration of forces from different nations in a dynamic, real-world environment. This year’s iteration places a strong emphasis on leveraging lessons from current conflicts and integrating cutting-edge technology to give soldiers a decisive edge on the modern battlefield.

Saber Strike is where our commitment to innovation and interoperability becomes reality. We are not just training; we are adapting in real-time, integrating low-cost, effective technologies and proving that our Alliance can out-think and out-maneuver any adversary. This exercise sends a clear message: we are a ready, lethal, and unified force.

In Lithuania, the exercise will feature Project Fly Trap 5.0, a 2nd Cavalry Regiment-led initiative focused on developing and fielding low-cost, effective counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) solutions. This event directly applies lessons learned from current conflicts to better protect soldiers on the modern battlefield. 2nd Cavalry Regiment has been the U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s leader in C-UAS innovation throughout Project Flytrap.

Partnering with the U.K. Parachute Regiment, Soldiers of 2nd Cav. Reg. continue to develop technologies and tactics with industry experts in the field. Dozens of vendors will join Soldiers at Camp Pabrade, Lithuania, experiment and adapt technology and tactics for the modern battlefield May 1-15. The effort streamlines research and development by putting emerging tech right in the hands of Soldiers, with industry tech developers right there to make adaptations on the fly.

Further north, in Finland, the U.S. 4-70th Armor Battalion is making final preparations to deploy to participate in the Finnish-led national exercise, Northern Star. In a significant display of trust and integration, the U.S. unit will operate under the command of the Finnish Pori Brigade, conducting live-fire training that demonstrates the deep interoperability between the two armed forces.

Saber Strike 26 is a tangible demonstration of the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance.

For more information, photos, and videos throughout the exercise, please visit the https://www.dvidshub.net/features/SaberStrike and follow V Corps on social media.

About Saber Strike 26: Saber Strike 26 is a V Corps-conducted exercise and a key component of U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s larger Sword 26 exercise series. The exercise demonstrates V Corps’ commitment to providing ready, lethal, and interoperable forces alongside NATO allies and partners to deter aggression and defend NATO’s eastern flank. As America’s forward deployed corps in Europe, V Corps is uniquely positioned to lead these complex, multinational operations, showcasing a combat-credible force ready to fight and win.