The army brigade at the barracks in Oirschot is preparing for the largest exercise in a long time. The entire brigade heads towards Lithuania with all weapons and vehicles. With supporting units that is approximately 4,500 men. “The base is actually emptying out,” says Major Van de Klok.
The command for exercise Steadfast Defender came from NATO’s Commander-in-Chief: the saceur, in military jargon. Units have been alerted in all more than thirty NATO countries. This also happened last Monday in the Oirschot army camp. All soldiers of 13 Light Brigade were updated in the old cinema on the barracks grounds.
On Thursday, media got a preview of what will happen during this largest exercise since the fall of the Wall in 1989.
War
This exercise is not an outing. “There are many concerns about the war in Ukraine, according to various polls,” says Major Van de Klok. “We have a new reality since February 24, 2022, since the invasion,” says Lieutenant Colonel Geerten ter Braak.
Steadfast Defender lasts several months and has already been held once before, in 2021. Then the Russian invasion of Ukraine turned everything upside down. As a warning to the Russians, the exercise is now ten times larger, with 90,000 soldiers.
Anti-aircraft
4,500 come from the Oirschot army base, the largest barracks in our country, supported by, among others, anti-aircraft units from the barracks in De Peel. They are the fastest deployable brigade in our country, because they have vehicles with wheels and not tracks. The national reserve also goes out to guard the Dutch ports.
It is a gigantic logistical operation for Commander Ter Braak. As head of planning in Oirschot, his job is to bring all units back to the barracks and ensure that they are ready. “We have to check vaccinations and fitness. The surviving relatives manual must be completed. Vehicles fully fueled.”
Rush hour
Some of the troops are moving forward a little earlier. But on April 9, the ‘main force’ will be on the road. Then a code word follows and a huge military column, the likes of which we have not seen for a long time, drives out of the gate of Oirschot. In silence, because family members who are waving goodbye are only allowed to say goodbye at home.
To prevent traffic from getting stuck, thousands of soldiers leave at night, before rush hour. “We are obviously not going to immediately block the De Hogt junction,” emphasizes Ter Braak.
Mortars
A total of one thousand vehicles have to leave the barracks, 175 of which are armored vehicles. Enter the scouts Fennecs first. Followed by, among others, the Boxers packed with infantrymen with service pistols and rifles. Mortars, anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft defense: everything goes with it.
But also Bushmasters with radio equipment and radar dishes. armor genius with circular saws, metal detectors and pickaxes. Furthermore: the latest Scania’s with spare parts, tents, tow trucks. Medical teams, engineers, supplies: they have everything with them.
River crossing
First the column sets course for Zwolle. The genius builds a bridge at Olst. There they cross the IJssel. Then they move into Germany. “You should also see it as a route exploration. We are looking for suitable viaducts and bridges for us,” says Ter Braak.
In Germany they settle on an old GDR base. There the brigade joins the 10th German division, with which they have been working for almost a year. “They have tanks,” says Ter Braak. A Belgian company and a French brigade are added. “Language: English,” emphasizes Ter Braak.
A smaller part of about 800 Oirschot soldiers will then head to Lithuania for the final exercise. They go via the Suwalki corridor, a narrow piece of Poland between the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus. Advancing undetected is impossible. But being seen is also a goal of this enormous exercise: deterrence.