With 1,800 vehicles, 200 drones, and 4,500 soldiers from 3 countries rapidly heading to the eastern border for a combat operation. The army trained this over the past weeks during Bastion Lion. The imaginary eastern border was located in Germany. The exercise formed a realistic preparation for a large-scale conflict and ends today.

The developments in warfare are progressing rapidly. The war in Ukraine demonstrates this daily. Consider the technology of drones and counter-drones. This reality calls for smarter fighting and staying one step ahead of the opponent.

The war shows how difficult and important it is to bring all military capabilities together at the right time and place. That is exactly what happened during Bastion Lion. Think of fire support, air defense, medical care, logistics, and engineering. Moreover, there were armored howitzers on the training ground in Germanys Guz Altmark.

Bastion Lion provided an environment to experiment extensively in practice. Soldiers learned not only to fight with and against drones. They also tested improvements in command and logistics.

Furthermore, they trained on how best to deceive the enemy. Special innovation teams assisted the units. They quickly sought solutions for operational problems. The units immediately put those into practice.

During the large-scale conflict, not only military readiness was central. It was especially about the mindset of soldiers.

Brigadier General Gert-Jan Kooij of the 13th Light Brigade: “Modern warfare requires a different way of thinking and acting. It’s about fighting to win, working as a team, and allowing everyone’s role to shine. We are ready, but you are never fully ready. We must always strive to be even better.”