The U.S. Army Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, and the Hellenic Army’s 25th Armored Cavalry Division donned the multiple laser engagement system and conducted a joint force-on-force training exercise near Xanthi, Greece on March 16 and 17, 2021. Using MILES, the armored, mechanized infantry and scout platoons from the NATO Allied nations tested their tactics and equipment against one another as a part of Thracian Cooperation 2021. The system, which uses lasers to simulate the firing capabilities of military weapons systems enabled both nation’s militaries to better share their learning during the exercise enhancing their relationship.
On March 16, Ewers’ armored platoon of M1 Abrams tanks from Charlie Company took up their defenses on a hill, hidden in the thick brush of the training area located in historic Thrace. Three platoons from the Hellenic Army pressed their attack, navigating through the rough terrain and thick red clay in the area. The next day, March 17, the different nations switched roles, and three platoons from Charlie Company attacked the lone Hellenic Army armored platoon of Leopard 2 Hell tanks defending another hill in the training area. According to Barbero, the force-on-force training with the Hellenic Army enhanced the company’s experience.Thracian Cooperation is a yearly joint exercise between both the U.S. Army and the Hellenic Army.
Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, is in Europe as a part of 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team’s armored rotation to Atlantic Resolve. It consists of an M1 Abrams tank platoon, an M2 Bradly Fighting Vehicle platoon and a scout platoon of M2 Bradly Fighting Vehicles and HMMWVs. 1st ABCT is the seventh armored rotation to Atlantic Resolve. Through Atlantic Resolve, the U.S. Army provides a combat-credible armored, aviation and logistics brigade for rotations of 9 months showing the Army’s commitment to its NATO Allies and partners. 1st Cavalry Division currently headquarters Atlantic Resolve in a forward element out of Poznan, Poland, and there are approximately 6000 Soldiers participating it at any given time.
Thracian Cooperation 2021 ended with armored units from the U.S. Army and the Hellenic Army conducting a live fire exercise together near Xanthi, Greece, as Hellenic Defense Force’s Chief of Defense Gen. Konstantinos Floros observed on May 19, 2021. Thracian Cooperation is a yearly joint exercise between armored units from both the U.S. Army and the Hellenic Army consisting of cultural events, a joint force-on-force exercise and a live fire exercise as a finale to the training event. The U.S. Army conducts training exercises such as Thracian Cooperation in order to enhance interoperability between its NATO Allies and partners. 1st Cavalry Division currently headquarters Atlantic Resolve out of Poznan, Poland.
