Estonia to Host Record Number of U.S. Troops in Allied Drill

Estonia US Army
Soldiers of the U.S. Army 3rd squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment arrive at their home base at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, April 1, 2015. Michael Dalder/Reuters

Estonia will host a record number of U.S. troops during the allied Saber Strike exercise this summer, BBC's Ukrainian service has reported.

The Estonian Armed Forces did not confirm how many U.S. troops would take part; however, they did estimate that over 500 units of U.S. military kit would participate in the exercise.

Saber Strike will be one of U.S. Army Europe's largest multinational exercises this summer in a bid to practise a speedy response with its new rapid-reaction forces in Eastern Europe.

The Saber Strike 16 exercise will complement a summer NATO exercise, Brilliant Jump, to drill multinational response from eight allies in Eastern Europe, in the hypothetical scenario of a threat in the region.

The exercise will kick off on May 27 in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and continue until June 15, involving 14 different nations, including a 2,400-kilometer tactical march by 2nd Cavalry Regiment from Germany to the Baltics.

It will involve around 10,000 troops troops and will be one of the biggest tests for NATO allies' reinforcement strategy before its assessment at the alliance's summit in Poland in July.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


I am a Staff Writer for Newsweek's international desk. I report on current events in Russia, the former Soviet Union ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go