NATO boosts defence capabilities with Puma IFVs in Lithuanian drills

For the first time, German Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) were deployed in a NATO tactical field exercise, held in Lithuania.

The exercise, which took place at the Lithuanian Army's central training ground in Pabrada, marked a significant milestone in NATO's operational capabilities, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

According to an official statement from the army command, the exercise focused on enhancing the coordination and interaction between maneuver units and combat support units. The training included a range of combat drills, with the final phase dedicated to live-fire exercises aimed at testing the combat readiness and efficiency of the units involved.

In addition to the Puma IFVs, the exercise saw the participation of several other advanced military platforms, including German Leopard 2 tanks and PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery units. The successful integration of these systems showcased NATO's enhanced collective defence capabilities and its ability to deploy a variety of modern combat assets in joint operations.

The firing exercise marked the final phase of the maneuvers.

Since 2017, Germany has taken over command of the NATO Consolidated Battalion stationed in Lithuania. The battalion consists of 1,600 troops from various NATO member countries, including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway.

By Vafa Guliyeva