US Army soldiers have conducted live-fire artillery qualifications in Latvia as part of ongoing training activity aimed at maintaining readiness and reinforcing NATO’s eastern flank, according to the US Army.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 1st Cavalry Division, fired the M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer during Table 11 and Table 12 qualification exercises at Camp Ādaži on 18 December. The activity formed part of a structured certification process designed to validate artillery crews, fire direction centres and command teams under live-fire conditions.
The Table 11 and Table 12 events represent the final stages of US Army gunnery qualification for artillery units. According to the US Army, the tables focus on crew coordination, communications, fire mission processing and the accurate delivery of indirect fires. Successful completion confirms that units can operate effectively as a team in combat scenarios.
Camp Ādaži, located northeast of Riga, is Latvia’s primary military training area and has served as a major regional training site for decades. The facility was expanded in 2017 to support increased multinational activity following NATO’s enhanced forward presence deployments in the Baltic region.
The M109A7 Paladin is the latest variant in the long-running M109 family of self-propelled howitzers. According to the US Army and manufacturer BAE Systems, the platform is intended to provide armoured brigade combat teams with modernised indirect fire support through improved survivability, digital fire control systems and commonality with other tracked platforms. The US Army describes the M109A7 as a key element of its artillery modernisation effort within armoured formations.
During the exercise, US Army officials stated that the training also supported broader alliance objectives. The presence of US artillery units operating in Latvia is intended to enhance interoperability with NATO partners and demonstrate collective defence commitments in the region, according to the service.
The US Army has regularly deployed rotational forces to Latvia as part of NATO assurance measures, with live-fire training viewed as a critical component of maintaining combat credibility.
Must be nice to have some artillery!
In an interview with Ukraine Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on 30Dec2025:- (reported by Euromaidanpress.com, link below)
Syrskyi confirmed that Britain’s Defence Chief and France’s General Staff chief have both requested Ukrainian assistance in training their forces in the new drone warfare. “The vector has changed,” Syrskyi said. “They are interested in us giving our instructors, our officers in order to provide assistance in the training of their armed forces.”
He also reported that Russia’s 410,000 losses in 2025 year exceeded its entire recruitment drive. Russian forces in Ukraine have plateaued at 710,000-711,000 for the past six months, unable to grow – despite continuous recruitment
Daily Russian casualties now average 1,000-1,100 personnel, with kill ratios reaching six-to-one or higher in some sectors.
Contrary to Russian claims, Ukraine retains control of roughly half of Pokrovsk. “All the approaches to the city are under our control, under the control of the actions of our drones,” Syrskyi said.
At Kupiansk — which Putin claimed captured three times — Ukrainian forces have cleared the city and established a bridgehead north of the Oskol River. Slava Ukraini!
Source:-
euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/30/syrskyi-interview-800000-troops-tro-reforms-assault-forces-2025/