The Griffin Shock 23-1 maneuver serves as a powerful indication to Russia that launching an attack on NATO territory would be futile. Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak made this assertion while observing the military drills in Bemowo Piska, located in northern Poland. The exercise showcases the close cooperation between Polish forces, U.S. forces, and the entire Alliance.
The defense minister acknowledged that through discussions with commanders, the essential message resonated clearly: the soldiers possess a profound understanding of proper conduct and are well-versed in procedures.
“This collaboration and interoperability between the North Atlantic Alliance forces is an undeniable reality,” he emphasized.
Błaszczak highlighted his pride in the agreement reached during his recent visit to the Pentagon with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. They affirmed that Polish pilots would commence training on Apache helicopters, and the first batch of Apaches from the U.S. Army’s resources would be delivered to the Polish Army even before the signing and execution of the contract to procure 96 Apache helicopters.
Griffin Shock is described on an official U.S. Army website as a joint NATO and U.S. Army exercise conducted at short notice. Its primary objective is to demonstrate the U.S. Army’s capacity to rapidly reinforce the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Poland, bolstering it to the size of a brigade-level Land Forces Brigade.
The Griffin Shock 23-1 exercise involves over 3,000 troops from five NATO nations, accompanied by several hundred vehicles.