Exercise STRONG BALKAN 23 saw NATO SOF (Special Operations Forces) from seven countries training together in Albania.
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Special operations forces from seven NATO allied countries recently participated in exercise “STRONG BALKAN 23.”
The “STRONG BALKAN 23” exercise took place in Albania from October 31 to November 10. It brought together Special Operations Forces (SOF~) from seven NATO allied countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and Turkey, as well as observers of NATO partner Bosnia and Herzegovina. The exercise saw the forces training in complex scenarios such as free fall. parachute jumping, rapid descent from helicopters, vehicle interdiction, sniper shooting and building mine clearance.
The objective of the exercise was to further strengthen cooperation between different allied SOF units regarding current security challenges. It was the first time that Albania hosted this annual exercise.
This NATO multimedia footage, filmed in early November and released yesterday, includes various shots of special operations forces from contributing nations training together in free-fall parachute jumping, speed rope, banning vehicles, precision shooting and mine clearance of buildings.
List of plans ~ some clips are silent:-
- 00:00 ~ Exercise area in Albania
- 00:21 ~ NATO and Albania flags flutter in the wind
- 00:39 ~ National crests on the arms of Albanian, Greek, Montenegrin and Turkish soldiers
- 00:54 ~ A Special Operations Forces (SOF) soldier gives a preliminary briefing to other SOF soldiers
- 01:19 ~ A Turkish Chinook helicopter arrives at the exercise area to pick up SOF paratroopers from various countries.
- 01:50 ~ SOF paratrooper gives briefing before boarding helicopter
- 02:01 ~ SOF paratroopers from various nations walk towards the Chinook helicopter and board.
- 02:46 ~ Chinook helicopter in flight
- 03:03 ~ Paratroopers from various nations jump from the back of the Chinook over the training area in Albania.
- 03:43 ~ SOF paratroopers from various nations land in the training area.
- 04:14 ~ SOF snipers fire on targets during exercise.
- 04:46 ~ SOF troops from various nations storm a building during the exercise.
- 05:41 ~ Albanian armored vehicles train during the exercise
- 06:14 ~ Albanian armored vehicles on the move during the exercise
- 06:33 ~ Turkish Black Hawk helicopter in flight
- 06:40 ~ SOF troops from various countries practice helicopter search and rescue and fast roping exercises.
- 07:21 ~ Turkish Black Hawk helicopters in flight
- 07:57 ~ SOF paratroopers from various nations carry their national flags when parachuting. The following countries are represented: Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and Albania.
- 08:50 ~ SOF parachutist recovers his parachute at sunset
- 09:01 ~ Sound clip (Albanian) – Lieutenant Colonel Ajet Jata, commander of the Albanian special operations regiment: “These special forces, special groups, have been integrated with each other. The group was therefore a mixture of different countries. We have seen aerial special actions, such as free falling parachutes, actions with fast rope helicopters, strikes on objects, operational actions with snipers, destruction of doors and objects and d other actions such as banning a vehicle. Or other individual and collective special tactical actions carried out by special forces.
- 09:33 ~ Soundbite – Lieutenant Colonel Ajet Jata: “This exercise aims to achieve several objectives, such as military cooperation between these countries, increasing the professional skills of the operators participating in the exercise, the exchange of experiences and building cooperation and friendship between special operators from these countries.
- 09:54 ~ Lieutenant Colonel Ajet Jata: “This is an important exercise from the NATO point of view because it unites these countries to develop a special force and by bringing these forces together they strengthen cooperation to act and operate in different missions. »
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