Operation Atlantic Resolve Explained

Operation Atlantic Resolve, refers to military activities in response to Russian operations in Ukraine, mainly the War in Donbass. It was funded under the European Deterrence Initiative. In the wake of Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. and the U.K. took several immediate steps to enhance the deterrence posture along the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including augmenting the air, ground and naval presence in the region, and enhancing previously scheduled exercises.^[1]

The US described the activities as taking measures to enhance NATO military plans and defense capabilities and maintaining a persistent presence in Central Europe and Eastern Europe.^[2] Atlantic Resolve rotations are overseen by a regionally aligned headquarters there.^{[3] [4]}

Airborne operations

On April 30, 2014 United States Army and United States Air Force (USAF) military members were sent to Poland and the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to conduct military exercises with partner nations in an immediate response to Russian illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula on March 18, 2014. This was on done on a bilateral basis, not as part of a larger NATO action.^{[5] [6]}

The force consisted of four companies of approximately: 150 soldiers from the 173rd BCT (Brigade Combat Team, airborne) out of Vicenza, Italy and supporting Air Force JTACs (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) from the 2nd ASOS (Air Support Operations Squadron) out of Vilseck, Germany. Troops were transported with assistance from the USAF 37th Airlift Squadron based out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The four companies were rotated out every ninety days through to the end of 2014 when a more formal version of Operation Atlantic Resolve was put into place.^{[7] [8]}

Road march

See main article: Operation Dragoon Ride. In March 2015, a U.S. Army spokesman in Wiesbaden announced that a convoy of armored fighting vehicles, including Strykers, would return via road to their garrison at Vilseck after manoeuvres in Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania – .^[9] The road march started a week later.^[10]

Assets

Aerial

The aerial assets are mostly deployed to Ämari Air Base, Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Papa Air Base, and Illesheim Army Airfield.

Air Force

The first aerial units were the 159th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (159th EFS) with McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle's and the 123d EFS with F-15C's and a single F-15D from April 2015, who stayed for six months.^[11]

This was added to by the following units:

• 355th Fighter Wing = 354th EFS with 12 x Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II's between February^[12] and July 2015,^[13] initially at Spangdahlem Air Base before forward deployed to an Eastern European Air base.^[12]
• 442nd Fighter Wing = 303d EFS with 8 x A-10C Thunderbolt II's from August 2015 at Amari.^[13]
• 23d Fighter Group = 74th EFS with 12 x A-10C Thunderbolt II's between September 2015^[13] and March 2016 at various bases.^[14]
• 104th Fighter Wing = 131st EFS with F-15C's between April^[15] and September 2016.
• 144th Fighter Wing = 194th EFS with F-15C's and D's from April 2016.^[15]
• 122d Fighter Wing = 163d EFS with A-10C Thunderbolt II's until August 2016.^[16]
• 442nd Fighter Wing = 303d EFS with A-10C Thunderbolt II's from July 2016.^[17]
• 140th Wing = 120th EFS with F-16C Fighting Falcons between July 2016 and August 2016.^[16]
• 48th Fighter Wing = 493d EFS with F-15C's between August and September 2016.^[18]
• 144th Fighter Wing = 194th EFS with F-15C's between August and September 2016.^[18]
• 125th Fighter Wing = 159th EFS with F-15C's between Unknown and August 2017.^[19]
• 159th Fighter Wing = 122d EFS with F-15C's between Unknown and August 2017.^[19]
• 180th Fighter Wing = 112th EFS with F-16's from January 2018.^[20]
• 301st Fighter Wing = 457th EFS with F-16's from April 2019.^[21]

Army

• Task Force Brawler, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade (First RAF unit for OAR), from March 2015 to November 2015
• Task Force Spearhead, 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, from November 2015 to August 2016.
• Task Force Apocalypse, 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st Armored Combat Aviation Brigade, from August 2016 to March 2017.
• 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, from March 2017 to October 2017.^[22]
  • 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1AD CAB, Ft Bliss, TX (OPCON'd to 10th CAB, 25x AH-64s, 400x Soldiers)
• 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, from October 2017 to July 2018.
• 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, from July 2018 to March 2019.^[23]
• 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from March 2019 to November 2019.^[24]
• 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division from November 2019 to July 2020.^{[24] [25]}
• 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division from July 2020 to March 2021.^[26]
• 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from March 2021 to December 2021.
• 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, from December 2021 to September 2022.
• Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division (United States) from September 2022 to May 2023.
• 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division from May 2023 to February 2024

Ground

In January 2017, there were 3,500 troops from the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, 87 tanks and 144 Bradley fighting vehicles there. They initially gathered in Poland, before spreading out across seven countries from Estonia to Bulgaria. The brigade is headquartered in Germany.^[27] An armored brigade will constantly rotate deployment every nine months. The equipment will be permanently based in Żagań in western Poland alongside a Polish armored division^[28] seemingly 34th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, 11th Armoured Cavalry Division. This unit has been replaced by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in September 2017.^[29]

As of May 2018, the rotational force was changed to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.^[30] The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division completed their rotation during October 2019 and were replaced by the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.^[31] 2BCT, 1CAV was replaced in approximately November or December 2020 by 1ABCT, 1CAV. In June, 2021 it was announced that 1ABCT, 1ID would replace 1ABCT, 1CAV in August 2021.

On 4 September 2020, the US Army deployed the 2nd Battalion of the 69th Armor Regiment, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Division, for training in Pabradė. They deployed with M1 Abrams, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, other vehicles, and material.^[32]

On 8 March 2022, V Corps' main headquarters forward deployed to Germany to provide additional command and control of U.S. Army forces in Europe as part of a larger personnel build up in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Reactions

82% of Czechs approved and supported the United States Army-NATO convoy that partook in Operation Dragoon Ride, in an opinion poll that was conducted by the independent STEM agency in 2015.^[33]

A NATO deployment in the early January 2017 was welcomed by Polish officials, who described it as a necessary response to Russian military exercises near its border and its military intervention in Ukraine and members of the public as the materiel crossed into south-western Poland from Germany.^{[34] [35] [36] [37]} The same deployment sparked protests in Germany and prompted a critical reaction among the country’s centre-left political parties, but was defended by the country’s ruling Christian Democrat Party (CDU) coalition and German military officials.^{[38] [39]}

An article about the deployment that was published by the Donbas News International (DNI) agency and its subsequent circulation in the Western conspiracy-theory cybersphere and Russian mediasphere was cited as an example of the creation and spread of fake news.^[40] An editorial by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cautioned anyone against using the deployment as a domestic political tool.^[41]

See also

• NATO Enhanced Forward Presence
• Fort Trump

External links

• Web site: United States Department of Defense. Operation Atlantic Resolve. The United States is demonstrating its continued commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of America's dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region in light of the Russian intervention in Ukraine..
• Web site: Atlantic Resolve. United States Army Europe.

Notes and References

1. Web site: U.S. European Command. OPERATION ATLANTIC RESOLVE. www.defense.gov. 21 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150505190548/http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2014/0514_atlanticresolve/FactSheet_OperationAtlanticResolve_3Jul14.pdf. 2015-05-05. dead.
2. Web site: U.S. European Command. OPERATION ATLANTIC RESOLVE. www.defense.gov. 21 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150505190548/http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2014/0514_atlanticresolve/FactSheet_OperationAtlanticResolve_3Jul14.pdf. 2015-05-05. dead.
3. https://www.eur.army.mil/AtlanticResolve/ Atlantic Resolve builds readiness, increases interoperability and enhances the bonds between ally and partner militaries with multinational training events in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania.
4. News: Shinkman . Paul D. . U.S. Sends Airborne Infantry to Russian Front Door . 16 December 2020 . U.S. News & World Report . April 22, 2014.
5. News: Sgt. A.M. LaVey . 173rd paratroopers arrive in Poland, Baltics for unscheduled exercises . 16 December 2020 . 173rd Airborne Brigade Public Affairs .
6. News: LaVey . A.M. . 173rd paratroopers arrive in Poland, Baltics for unscheduled exercises . 16 December 2020 . 173rd Airborne Brigade Public Affairs . US ARMY . May 16, 2014.
7. News: Sgt. A.M. LaVey . 173rd paratroopers arrive in Poland, Baltics for unscheduled exercises . 16 December 2020 . 173rd Airborne Brigade Public Affairs .
8. News: LaVey . A.M. . 173rd paratroopers arrive in Poland, Baltics for unscheduled exercises . 16 December 2020 . 173rd Airborne Brigade Public Affairs . US ARMY . May 16, 2014.
9. Web site: Übung "Atlantic Resolve": US-Armee schickt Schützenpanzer durch östliche Nato-Mitgliedstaaten. SPIEGEL ONLINE. 16 March 2015.
10. Web site: Solidaritätsaktion: Amerikaner starten "Straßenmarsch" durch Osteuropa. SPIEGEL ONLINE. 22 March 2015.
11. Book: AirForces Monthly. June 2015. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 46.
12. Book: AirForces Monthly. April 2015. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 10.
13. Book: AirForces Monthly. November 2015. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 15.
14. Web site: 74th EFS completes 'far-reaching' European deployment. 21 March 2016 . USAF. 24 March 2016.
15. Book: AirForces Monthly. May 2016. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 12.
16. Book: AirForces Monthly. October 2016. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 95.
17. Book: AirForces Monthly. September 2016. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 30.
18. Book: AirForces Monthly. October 2016. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 10.
19. Book: AirForces Monthly. October 2017. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 16.
20. Book: AirForces Monthly. February 2018. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 14.
21. Book: AirForces Monthly. May 2019. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 14.
22. Web site: Army taps Fort Hood aviation unit for Europe deployment. Stars and Stripes. March 5, 2019.
23. Web site: 1st Combat Aviation Brigade rotation to arrive in Europe. Stars and Stripes. March 5, 2019.
24. Book: AirForces Monthly. December 2019. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 17.
25. Web site: 3rd CAB Transfers Operation Atlantic Resolve Mission to 101st CAB. DVIDS. March 28, 2021.
26. Web site: Farewell to Germany. DVIDS. March 28, 2021.
27. News: The Independent. Biggest shipment of American tanks since the Cold War lands in Germany. Howitzers and fighting vehicles will be joined by thousands of infantry troopers...unloaded in the German port of Bremerhaven.... Jon Sharman. 7 January 2017. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/biggest-shipment-american-tanks-germany-cold-war-russia-aggression-donald-trump-vladimir-putin-nato-a7515066.html . 2022-05-24 . subscription . live.
28. News: Gnauck. Gerhard. US forces in Poland: Here to stay. 4 February 2017. DW. 13 January 2017.
29. News: Vandiver. John. US New tank brigade arrives in Europe for mission in the east. 21 September 2017. Stars and Striples. 13 September 2017.
30. News: Morris. Will. Fort Hood armored brigade arrives in Europe, ready to roll into Poland. 21 June 2018. Stars and Striples. 22 May 2018.
31. https://www.army.mil/article/228857/2_1_cd_convoy_marks_the_fifth_iteration Spc. Joseph Knoch (October 23, 2019) 2/1 CD Convoy Marks the Fifth Iteration
32. Web site: 2 September 2020. JAV kariai šį rudenį vėl treniruosis Lietuvoje. This Autumn, US Soldiers will train again in Lithuania. 2 September 2020. lt.
33. Web site: Dragouni odjeli. Američané zamávali v Rozvadově a vyrazili domů. 1 April 2015. Mladá fronta DNES. iDNES. cs. 8 April 2015.
34. News: Pearse. Damien. Poland welcomes 3,500 US troops amid fears over Russia aggression. Sky News. Sky News.
35. News: MacAskill. Ewen. Russia says US troops arriving in Poland pose threat to its security. The Guardian. The Guardian. 12 January 2017.
36. News: US tanks and troops in Poland a threat, Russia says. BBC. BBC. 12 January 2017.
37. News: Gera. Vanessa. 'We waited for decades': Polish govt welcomes US troops. AP. AP. 14 January 2017. 16 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170116184826/http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/d95657819d1446ef92c0e4a5efb43df5/we-waited-decades-polish-govt-welcomes-us-troops. 16 January 2017. dead.
38. News: ROGERS. JON. 'Tanks do not create peace' Germany fumes at huge build-up of tanks at Russian borders. Daily Express. Daily Express. January 9, 2017.
39. News: Scally. Derek. Nato deployment begins against possible Russian aggression. The Irish Times. January 6, 2017.
40. News: Nimmo. Ben. Three thousand fake tanks. Medium. Medium.
41. News: Troop movements: Curious timing for U.S. and NATO border buildup. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 10, 2017.