(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.)
Photo Of The Day and today the Heckler & Koch G36, the standard-issue rifle for the Spanish Army, is on offer. Above you see Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantrymen assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, as they prepare to round a corner during an urban warfare combat exercise at Saber Strike 24 on Bemowo Piskie Training Ground, Poland, April 19, 2024. Note the handguard on these G36s.
Once they rounded the corner, the Spanish service members cleared the door and pushed through the training house swiftly. DEFENDER is the Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness and is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted an exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May.
Below: Note the SIG Sauer LVPO on the G36 to the right. Aimpoint red dot with magnifier on the other.
(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.)
DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
An Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantryman assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, clears a room. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.)
An Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantryman assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, clears a room. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.)
An Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantryman assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, clears a stairway from below before his team moves during an urban combat exercise at Saber Strike 24. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.)
An Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantryman assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, clears rooms and pushes to his next objective. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.)
Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantrymen assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, move along a wall in a stack formation before clearing a building.
Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) infantrymen assigned to Recon Platoon, Protected Infantry Battalion “San Quintín” I/3, Brigada “Galicia” VII, move from one training building to another after clearing it of enemy combatants.
Source: U.S. Army, photo by Sgt. Omar Joseph, Sr.
