U.S. Army Europe and Africa Begins Exercise Swift Response

May 2, 2022

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WIESBADEN, Germany —

This spring U.S. Army Europe and Africa will demonstrate its ability to conduct near-simultaneous airborne operations from the Arctic Circle to the Balkans region during Swift Response.

Exercise Swift Response is an annual U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise that takes place this year in Eastern Europe, the Arctic High North, Baltics, and Balkans from May 2-20.

Planning for this exercise began in 2021 and is not in response to any specific threat or adversary.

Approximately 9,000 service members from 17 Allied and partner nations will participate in the exercise, including approximately 2,700 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen.

Swift Response exercises U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s ability to rapidly deploy beside European multi-national airborne forces with little to no warming across the globe. The purpose is to present combat credible Army forces in Europe and Africa and enhance readiness by building airborne interoperability with Allies and Partners and the integration of joint service partnership.

During the exercise, Southern European Command Task Force-Africa will oversee five near-simultaneous Joint Forcible Entries, or airborne operations, over the course of 96 hours.

The exercise begins when the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division leaves Alaska and flies over the North Pole to Norway. The flight, and subsequent airborne jump into Norway, will demonstrate the unit’s ability to conduct arctic defense operations with Allies and partners in the Arctic High North.

At nearly the same time, paratroopers from the 173rd Infantry Brigade (Airborne) and 82nd Airborne Division, and several allied airborne units, will conduct separate JFEs into Latvia, Lithuania, and North Macedonia. Once the airborne assaults are complete, each brigade task force will conduct on-the-ground tactical operations and follow-on training, to include rotary wing deep-strike attacks, air-assault operations, live-fire training and field-training exercises.

Leveraging European and U.S.- based cargo assets, the 21st Theater Sustainment Command will also conduct aerial resupply during the exercise.

The planning for this exercise will integrate COVID-19 mitigation measures to ensure we are vigilantly protecting our service members, Allies and host nation communities.

  • U.S. Army Europe and Africa