MOSCOW, 20 May (RIA Novosti) - The Russian-American joint exercise Torgau-2005 will be held in Russia and Germany from May 23 to June 3, a source at the Russian Army press service said Friday.
A group of 52 officers of the US European Command and 87 servicemen of a US composite mechanized infantry company were airlifted to Moscow for the exercise.
According to the agency's interlocutor, 137 Russians and 139 Americans are to participate in the exercise. Alexei Potapov, Deputy Chief of the Combined Forces Academy of the Russian Armed Forces, will direct the maneuvers.
The source said that the Torgau-2005 exercise would be held in two stages. At the first stage, from May 23 to May 28, Russian and American servicemen will hold joint field exercises at the Combined Forces Academy and the range at Solnechnogorsk. The second phase will be held from May 29 to June 3 at a range off Grafenwoehr in South Germany.
"The active phase of the exrcise will be held in Russia at the Solnechnogorsk range. The participants will practice joint brigade actions in defense and hold firing exercises involving tank and infantry fighting vehicles' guns, grenade launchers and small arms," Zhitenev said.
He said that the Torgau-2005 exercise had three main objectives - to practice methods of cooperation between commanders and staff in decision-making, develop staff and brigades cooperation in defense, and practice joint brigade actions.
The Russian-American exercise Torgau-2004 was held in Moscow and the Moscow region last year and involved 60 generals and officers from a US Task Force in Southern Europe.
According to the war game concept, a mechanized brigade of the US Army and a motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Army participate in a peacekeeping operation to protect a third allied country. All the battles took place on maps and computer displays in the Combined Forces Academy.
Besides, Russian and American officers trained in area reconnaissance in the Academy's training center Vystrel outside Solnechnogorsk.
The Grafenwoehr Training Area, located a short distance from the town of the same name, is the largest NATO tradining facility in Europe. It is subordinate to the US 7th Army Training Command set up in 1976, which incoprorates over 15,000 military and civil experts in its units.
Ping
Sounds to me like the U.S. preparing for the days soon when the remaining California taxpayers revolt when they discover they have loost their homes and everything else due to chaos created by Mexifornia, and the U.S. has to call on the UN for help.
I kinda believe we pretty much know all we need to know about the Rusky lads.
Compared to the training climate they're used to, Graf will be a paradise to those Russian soldiers.
Let's hear it for public relations BS!
What a total waste of taxpayer money. We're never going to fight along-side the Rooskies or the Krauts. Someone high up just wants to get brownie points...for what, I have no idea.
Oh wait, maybe it's to play with two countries that have votes at the U.N. I wonder how much we doled out for the "privelage" of playing wargames with these has beens.
Pretty neat! Back in the early 60's I used to play war games around Grafenwoehr preparing to meet, rather than play with, the Russkies. This sounds a whole lot better.