U.S. Army Green Berets are leading a specialized training exercise for Polish special forces in Germany, focusing on drone warfare and incorporating lessons learned from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The exercise, held at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels, is designed to simulate moving through enemy territory, evading detection, and executing drone strikes on key objectives.
This marks the first time a NATO ally like Poland has participated in the drill, which has been developed over the past year by U.S. special forces. The training aims to replicate the complex challenges Ukrainian forces have encountered while defending against Russian aggression, according to a Green Beret officer involved in the training. The Associated Press was granted rare access to the exercise, which has been conducted twice previously by different U.S. Green Beret teams.
The scenario unfolds over several days across a vast training area in the Bavarian countryside. Polish special forces must infiltrate the area, bypass a U.S. Army airborne infantry unit acting as the enemy, and travel approximately 60 miles through simulated civilian landscapes. They are tasked with blending in with the local population to avoid detection by both ground patrols and surveillance drones operated by the opposing force.
"We have them take off their military attire, go in as civilians so they can blend in -- but blend in also means don’t get seen by civilians," a senior enlisted soldier familiar with the training explained. German civilians and infrastructure, including farms, villages, and surveillance cameras, are part of the simulated environment, testing the forces' ability to remain undetected. Failure to blend in could lead to reports to the simulated enemy, resulting in increased surveillance and engagement.
U.S. Army drones are actively used to track the Polish forces. If detected, the Polish team faces simulated consequences, potentially including capture or elimination as part of the exercise. The U.S. Army can deploy military police units with dogs or intensify drone surveillance in response to a sighting. In previous iterations, the U.S. Army had access to over a hundred drones for these purposes.
The exercise underscores a growing emphasis within parts of the U.S. military on adapting to modern warfare, particularly the evolving role of drones, a domain where Ukraine has demonstrated significant innovation. This training occurs amidst heightened tensions between Russia and NATO countries, and despite some mixed signals from the U.S. administration regarding troop levels in Europe and specialized military units.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has previously stated that his country is increasing its defense spending to meet NATO targets and enhance its military capabilities. Poland's participation in this U.S.-led exercise reflects a broader commitment to strengthening collective defense and interoperability within the alliance.