German brigade in Lithuania launches major NATO exercise in Pabrade

The German Army’s 45th Armoured Brigade “Lithuania” has begun its first large-scale exercise, Freedom Shield 26-I, at the Pabrade training ground, the Lithuanian Armed Forces announced on Friday.

Around 2,900 troops and 800 vehicles from seven NATO member states will take part in the drills, which will simulate a full spectrum of modern combat operations. Training will include the use of drones, mortars, artillery, attack helicopters, main battle tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles.

The exercise marks a new phase in the brigade’s readiness, with German forces demonstrating their combat capability in Lithuania twice a year to reinforce deterrence and security on NATO’s eastern flank, according to the military.

“Freedom Shield 26-I shows that we, as land forces soldiers, have mastered our craft, and that the soldiers and officers of the German Brigade ‘Lithuania’ will fulfil their mission—defending freedom without hesitation,” said brigade commander Colonel Christoph Huber in a statement.

Under the brigade’s command, the 203rd Tank Battalion from Augustdorf—reinforced by the 122nd Mechanised Infantry Battalion from Oberviechtach—will train alongside a multinational battle group based in Rukla. Participants will also include other German Armed Forces units and Lithuania’s Land Forces.

The exercise integrates multiple training stages—deployment, tactical manoeuvres, and live-fire drills—into a single process. Both battalions, set to fully relocate to Lithuania next year, transported their Leopard tanks and Puma infantry fighting vehicles to the Baltics by ferry and rail. The AGDUS combat simulation system will be used before transitioning to large-scale tactical operations, including battalion-level live-fire exercises.

Germany has committed to deploying a full brigade in Lithuania by the end of 2027.