The Agreement of Affiliation was signed on October 21 at the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense by Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Brigadier General Valdemaras Rupšys and Chief of Staff of the German army Lieutenant General Jorg Vollmer.
“The Affiliation of the Iron Wolf Brigade to a German division will open more opportunities to ensure our Brigade is ready to act in composition of a division through training and exercises. It will also improve interoperability with the German-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group. Germany is our reliable ally in security and defense,” Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Brig Gen Rupšys said.
“This agreement is a one more stone added to the wall we are building together. Affiliation of the Iron Wolf Brigade to a German Army division will strengthen our cooperation like never before,” the chief of staff of the German Army said after the signing ceremony.
The Iron Wolf brigade has already begun joint combat training with German army units earlier this year. The affiliation will allow the staff of the Iron Wolf Brigade to be ready to act in composition of a superior military unit, something Lithuanian brigades have to be able to do, yet they can only train for that by courtesy of foreign countries that have divisions.
The German-led NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Lithuania is integrated into the Mechanized Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf but the knowledge and skills acquired in training and exercises allowed by the affiliation will take the brigade staff’s interoperability with the German-led NATO Battalion Battle Group in Lithuania even further.
The Mechanized Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf had been affiliated for over a decade to the Danish Division for training purposes until this year. This year the longstanding cooperation was passed on to the Motorized Infantry Brigade Griffin.