DVIDS – News – Joint live-fire exercise in Poland enhances U.S. and NATO alliance readiness

BEMOWO PISKIE, Poland — U.S. Army soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, supporting Task Force Iron, conducted a multinational combined arms live-fire exercise at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, from June 20-27, 2025.

During the CALFEX, U.S. Army soldiers partnered with the Polish Land Force’s 15th Mechanized Brigade and the British Army’s 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment to demonstrate their ability to rapidly deploy, engage, and maneuver against enemy forces in both day and night conditions.

The week-long exercise required careful planning due to the complex coordination of movement and communication objectives. Soldiers from participating countries gathered around a sand table to rehearse their roles on the first day.

This training is extremely valuable to the platoon, company, battalion and battle group level, because it truly enables lethality from the small-unit,” said U.S. Army Capt. Preston Pierson, Battle Group Operations Officer.

The passage of lines allowed a passing unit to advance and engage enemy targets, providing supportive fire or relieving the stationary unit. This enables the stationary unit the opportunity to advance or withdraw from their position.

The live-fire phase of the exercise started when Polish Land Forces soldiers, operating BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, advanced into the designated enemy area to locate hostile positions.

“We realized how hard these guys train and how well-prepared they are. They knew exactly what they had to do and how to do it,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Helen Dieguez, tank crew commander, Alpha Company. “Seeing them drive down the trails with their BMPs-they know the terrain and they move like they own it. All of us are just mesmerized by how they maneuver.”

Upon simulated contact with hostile forces, Polish soldiers engage enemy targets and quickly relay a report and request for support. U.S. Army soldiers operating M1A2 System Enhanced Package V3 Abrams Main Battle Tank then rapidly advance past the line of Polish soldiers to engage and advance toward enemy targets while firing their M256 cannons.

“That’s my favorite part, seeing rounds go down,” said tank crew driver, Private 1st Class Marcos Bonilla, Alpha Company.

Jackal vehicles operated by the British Army’s 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment, provided crucial fire support and reconnaissance intelligence on enemy locations and activities.

The CALFEX provided a chance for soldiers to familiarize themselves with each other’s weapon systems and battlefield tactics, ensuring effective planning and operations in real-world scenarios. The exercise significantly enhanced interoperability by integrating from the platoon to the battle group level.

“Overall, it was a great experience,” said Polish Land Forces 2nd Lt. Kaczka, platoon commander. “We learned a lot about our capabilities and differences and how to overcome them. In the future, I’d love to see more complex exercises like this to show how we can improve and cooperate even better in the future.”

Task Force Iron’s mission is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent to increase lethality while strengthening partnerships with NATO allies and regional security partners. The task force provides combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s only forward-deployed corps in Europe.