03:12Germany: US troops arrive in Hamburg for 'Defender Europe 20' military exercise
US troops arrived by plane to Hamburg on Friday amid the largest US troop deployment to Europe in over two decades.
A total of "234 soldiers from Fort Stewart, Georgia, 3rd Infantry Division" can be seen disembarking from a flight, according to US 9th Engineer Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Shoemate.
He added that the troops will "start to work on the downloading of the vessels at the port of Bremerhaven," before moving ultimately to Poland Bemowo Piskie training area, and then starting training with multinational partners, preparing for several series of exercises.
Germany is keen to show its capability in defending Europe, according to Bundeswehr spokesperson Jurgen Bredtmann who said he hopes that Defender Europe 20 would show that they "are capable multinationally."
Darion Akins, US Consul General in Hamburg said, "there's no specific challenge at the moment but just their ability to work together, to work jointly together, and to work effectively together, that's the point of the exercise."
Some 37,000 troops from 11 countries will participate in the exercises, according to the US military. The main activities will take place in April and May across 10 countries, among them Poland and the Baltic states. Around 20,000 pieces of equipment will additionally be shipped from five American seaports.
03:12US troops arrived by plane to Hamburg on Friday amid the largest US troop deployment to Europe in over two decades.
A total of "234 soldiers from Fort Stewart, Georgia, 3rd Infantry Division" can be seen disembarking from a flight, according to US 9th Engineer Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Shoemate.
He added that the troops will "start to work on the downloading of the vessels at the port of Bremerhaven," before moving ultimately to Poland Bemowo Piskie training area, and then starting training with multinational partners, preparing for several series of exercises.
Germany is keen to show its capability in defending Europe, according to Bundeswehr spokesperson Jurgen Bredtmann who said he hopes that Defender Europe 20 would show that they "are capable multinationally."
Darion Akins, US Consul General in Hamburg said, "there's no specific challenge at the moment but just their ability to work together, to work jointly together, and to work effectively together, that's the point of the exercise."
Some 37,000 troops from 11 countries will participate in the exercises, according to the US military. The main activities will take place in April and May across 10 countries, among them Poland and the Baltic states. Around 20,000 pieces of equipment will additionally be shipped from five American seaports.