German armoured brigade stages first combat drill in Lithuania, focused on drone warfare

Panzerbrigade 45, formally activated last year, is a core element of the reinforced NATO presence in the Baltic region intended to strengthen deterrence against Russia. The brigade is scheduled to reach full operational readiness by 2027, with a planned total strength of 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian employees. Lithuania borders not only Belarus but also the Russian Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad, giving the exercise direct strategic significance.

A new brigade on the NATO frontline

Commanding the brigade is Brigadier General Christoph Huber, who described the drill as an essential step toward 'Kriegstüchtigkeit', a German term for war readiness. Speaking at Pabrade between tanks and Panzergrenadier troops practising assault movements, Huber said the exercise was explicitly designed for future conflict scenarios and not for 'den Krieg der Vergangenheit'. The brigade, he said, was preparing 'auf mögliche Konfliktszenarien der Zukunft', and added: 'Wir müssen künftig anders kämpfen.'

The shift in emphasis is largely a response to what militaries across Europe have observed in Ukraine. Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, the Inspector of the Army, has argued that the massing of troops and firepower, historically a prerequisite for achieving Schwerpunktbildung and seizing the initiative, has become 'zum inhärenten Vernichtungsrisiko' in modern warfare. Concentrated formations are now easier to detect and destroy with relatively cheap drones and precision munitions, a lesson the Bundeswehr is working to internalise.

Lessons from Ukraine reshape tactics

Drones of all types, together with drone defence systems, were deliberately integrated into the exercise, and the Bundeswehr deployed more than 300 drones as part of Freedom Shield. Huber's premise is that the lessons now being practised go beyond the improvised tactics Ukraine has adopted out of necessity, to the structured procedures NATO forces will need if they are to fight a peer adversary.

The kit on display reflects that hybrid approach. Classic heavy equipment remains central: the Leopard main battle tank and the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, supported by Panzergrenadiere, artillery and combat engineers, all feature in the training. The vehicles have been observed fitted with protective netting, an anti-drone measure developed in part from Ukrainian experience. Alongside them, drone overflights and electronic jamming systems form part of the tactical picture being rehearsed at Pabrade.

Heavy armour meets counter-drone measures

The German Army had already taken a step in that direction in April, conducting a trial exercise at the Munster training area in Lower Saxony to gain experience with drone-related threats. Freedom Shield extends that work into a multinational, brigade-level setting, allowing the Bundeswehr to measure its progress against allies operating similar systems. The training ammunition used during the exercise is tracked by the AGDUS laser-based training and simulation network, which registers hits on vehicles down to the individual soldier, giving commanders detailed feedback on performance.

Speaking to the broader purpose of the drill, Huber framed the exercise as preparation for 'Kriegsszenarien in Zukunft', scenarios he suggested would go beyond the improvised procedures Ukraine has been forced to adopt through material shortages. The aim, he indicated, is to embed new tactics into standing NATO doctrine rather than treat them as emergency measures, a deliberate signal to Moscow that the alliance is adapting its posture on the eastern flank.