Estonia launched a NATO military training exercise on Monday 02nd of February. Joining the military operation are about 1.200 soldiers from the Netherlands and the United States of America. For the next two weeks these troops will train for combat in winter conditions, including how to survive in a Baltic winter environment and how to use skies. This NATO exercise coincide with military exercises by the Russian Baltic Fleet whom are exercising their anti-air defences.
The NATO exercise in Estonia has several interesting points to focus on. The first and most obvious point is that this exercise once again shows that NATO is committed to defend the Baltic States against any aggression. This is a reassuring fact for the armed forces of the Baltic States as the Putin regime in Russia becomes more and more openly aggressive against NATO. Even though a military exercise with 1.200 foreign troops does little to scare the massive Russian army it is a worthy step.
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| Estonian soldiers during a winter excercise |
A second point to notice is that the focus is winter combat. The Baltic States are known to have severe and cold winters and so does Russia. Since the Baltic States lack the huge armies necessary to deal with any kind of Russian invasion it needs allies with powerful armies to come to their aid. Most of NATO countries with such armies are located in Western Europe were winters are less severe. As such these armies lack the necessary skills to fight in severe winter conditions at the same level as their Baltic colleagues and Russian adversaries can endure.
Thus a two week military exercise in how to operate in this environment is not only necessary but vital for any successful military operation in the Baltic winter conditions.
A third point to notice out is the involvement of Dutch soldiers in this exercise. The Netherlands has a keen interest in this region and regularly shows its flag in the Baltic Region. Most of the time the Dutch fleet exercises in these waters and they have a keen knowledge of this region. The Dutch Air Force is also a regular participant in the Baltic Air Policing mission above the Baltic States. The Netherlands also sold Estonia 44 CV-90 armoured infantry fighting vehicles in December 2014, thereby greatly improving Estonia’s mechanized capabilities.
Looking deeper into the involvement of the Dutch armed forces in the Baltic Region and one can see their potential. The Netherlands are, aside from the United Kingdom, the only nearby country capable of delivering an fully equipped amphibious task force that can be used to transport men and material fast enough to the Baltic States. In case of a Russian invasion such amphibious task forces can land anywhere where the beach is good enough to support an amphibious assault. The threat of landing in the rear of a Russian invasion would force the Russians to commit troops to protect every suitable beach, leading to a virtual attrition of the Russian forces. Another scenario could be the rapid insertion of this amphibious force in the frontline as long as a big harbour like Riga or Tallinn is available.
But before anyone can even think to send NATO troops into the Baltic States there are obstacles to overcome. Knowledge of the terrain, weather conditions and how to overcome them are a first step, asides of learning how the various armies operate at each level. That is why this NATO military exercise is so useful for the Alliance and the Baltic States. Learning how to operate in the Estonian winter weather will allow the Dutch and US armed forces to be better prepared for an intervention if the need arises for one.
