WIESBADEN, Germany —
U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s commanding general, Gen. Christopher Donahue, observed the Estonian national exercise Hedgehog 25, taking place 5-23 May, in various locations across Estonia. Donahue observed Allied and partner service members and 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers from Fort Stewart, Georgia, near Camp Reedo, Estonia. Donahue engaged with Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, Maj. Gen. Andrus Merilo during his visit.
Exercise Hedgehog 25 includes service members from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and tests the deployment and integration of roughly 15,000 Estonian active and reserve troops and NATO Allied troops including the Great Britian led Forward Land Forces (FLF) Battlegroup.
“The Estonian Defence Forces continue to demonstrate and build upon the real capability and capacity for deterrence they bring to the Alliance," said Donahue. "Hedgehog is a demonstration of their ability to rapidly bring their total force to bear alongside a reinforced UK-led Battlegroup with Allies and partners to execute our integrated defense plans. NATO and U.S. land forces are exercising at a size and scope that runs from the High North to the Black Sea and back to Fort Bragg and Fort Cavazos this month, on everything from theater-level command to corps-level maneuver to tactical tasks."
As the commanding general of NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) Donahue also reviewed how the NATO FLF battlegroup is increasing in size and capability as part of NATO’s presence along the eastern flank of the Alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Donahue met Brig. Giles Harris of the United Kingdom, commander of the U.K.s contribution to the NATO FLF Battlegroup to discuss how NATO continues to evolve and advance to meet its commitment to collective defense.
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