The Army's major exercise Brave Lion has commenced and will continue over the coming weeks across large parts of Vestjylland (western Jutland, Denmark). Approximately 2,500 soldiers from the 1st Brigade and the Danish Home Guard (Hjemmeværnet) are participating, according to a press release from the Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret).
The exercise is a brigade-level exercise in which various units train together in combat scenarios, with a focus on coordination and cooperation between functions. According to Brigadier General Michael Thøgersen, the exercise aims to strengthen the units' operational capability and demonstrate the progress made over the past year.
"During the exercise, all of the brigade's units are assembled so that they can train cross-functional cooperation," says the commander of the 1st Brigade, Michael Thøgersen.
In recent years, the brigade has received new materiel, including M/25 rifles, armoured vehicles and artillery, which together are reported to have increased the unit's combat capability. NDS has previously reported on the new M/25 rifles recently introduced to the Danish Armed Forces.
Furthermore, drones are reported to play a central role in this year's exercise, both as a tool and as a threat. The training is being adapted based on lessons from the war in Ukraine, including methods for combat positions and camouflage.
"Drones are the future, and within the brigade we are focusing on training to adapt to the battlefield of the future. We cannot win future battles if we do not accustom ourselves to the role that drones play on the modern battlefield," says Thøgersen.