site.btaBulgarian Land Forces Successfully Participate in Saber Junction 23 Multinational Exercise

Over 100 service persons of the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the Bulgarian Land Forces' 61st Stryama Mechanized Brigade took part in the preparation and conduct of the Saber Junction 23 multinational exercise that was held at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany, from September 7 to 18, 2023, the Defence Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.

"Accomplishing the missions assigned to them, the Bulgarian military showed high motivation and excellent training and represented befittingly the Land Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria," the press release said.

The personnel and equipment of the contingent is being transported from the Kalotina Checkpoint (on Bulgaria's border with Serbia) to the Brigade's home base in Karlovo (Central Bulgaria).

More than 4,000 soldiers from 14 NATO Allies and partners participated in Saber Junction 23: the US, Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, and the UK. The annual exercise is designed to prepare a U.S. Army Brigade Combat Team in support of NATO's collective deterrence and defense initiatives.