US Army troops conducted live-fire artillery exercises near the Suwałki Gap, a strategically important region between Poland and Lithuania that connects NATO’s Baltic members to the rest of the alliance, the US Army stated.
The training took place on 3 October 2025 at the Orzysz Training Area in northeastern Poland, about 100 kilometres from the corridor.
Soldiers from Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, fired M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzers during the night phase of crew certification known as “Paladin Table VI.” The event marked the culmination of a multi-stage evaluation process testing crews on their ability to deliver sustained and precise artillery fire in coordination with NATO forces.
According to the US Army, the exercise demonstrated the unit’s readiness to provide long-range fire support to allied operations. “The live fire marked the culmination of crew certification and demonstrated the battalion’s capability to deliver sustained and precise artillery fire in support of NATO,” the Army said.
The M109A6 Paladin, developed by BAE Systems Land and Armaments, is a 155mm self-propelled howitzer designed to combine mobility, protection, and advanced fire-control systems. First introduced to the US Army in 1994, the system has undergone several upgrades, most recently to the M109A7 standard. It remains in widespread service and has been exported to partner nations including Israel, Kuwait, and Taiwan.
The drills form part of Task Force Iron’s ongoing mission to improve NATO’s collective readiness in Europe. Task Force Iron supports V Corps, the US Army’s only permanently forward-deployed corps headquarters in Europe, and conducts regular multinational exercises to enhance interoperability and combat effectiveness with allied forces.
The Orzysz Training Area has become a central hub for NATO exercises in northeastern Poland. It has hosted large-scale drills such as Iron Gate and Iron Defender 25, involving units equipped with M1 Abrams tanks, F-35 fighters, and AH-64 Apache helicopters.
The site also accommodates a rotating NATO battlegroup composed of personnel from the United States, the United Kingdom, Romania, and Croatia.
