Abrams and Stryker in the Polish proving grounds

According to the information made available by the General Command of Branches of Armed Forces, in October, ten M1 Abrams, few M2 Bradley personnel carriers and support and security vehicles will appear in the proving grounds of Drawsko Pomorskie. Nearly 200 American soldiers from the 1^st Armoured Cavalry Brigade of the 1^st Division will practise with the Polish soldiers from the 12^th Mechanised Brigade from Szczecin.

At the beginning of 2015, the soldiers from the 2^nd Cavalry Regiment, now stationing in Germany, will appear in Poland. That division is equipped with modern Stryker armoured personnel carriers. These wheeled fighting vehicles that are highly mobile are adapted for the fast deployment of mechanised brigades. The Stryker vehicles may be equipped with light guns, missile systems or mortars. Their key advantage is that the operating costs are considerably lower than in the case of M1 Abrams tanks or M2 Bradley personnel carriers and furthermore they have higher level of mobility.

The Lieutenant Colonel Artur Golawski, spokesperson of the General Command of Branches of Armed Forces, announces that in the following rotations the American divisions will be replaced partly by the units of the National Guard. He also emphasizes the fact that it is possible that next year the paratroopers from the 173^rd Brigade will appear in Poland once again. However, the plans of the “Atlantic Resolve” exercises for the next year does not project any increase in the number of American soldiers. There will be still 4 companies with 600 persons in total.