A major buildup of U.S. and NATO fighting units and equipment has taken place in Eastern Europe and the Baltic nations, while most public focus has been on the U.S. and other countries supplying weapons and logistic support to Ukraine, according to testimony last Wednesday before the House Armed Services Committee.
Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe and U.S. Army Europe Commander, told the committee the U.S. has “right now just shy of 20,000 service personnel who are not normally stationed in Europe.” That puts the total American military forces in Europe at 82,000, plus an additional roughly 18,000 Defense Department civilian personnel, Cavoli said. […]
Cavoli said since the Russian invasion of Ukraine the U.S. has in Eastern Europe “two Division headquarters and we have five Brigade Teams forward – the vast majority of that force is postured forward specifically in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, a limited amount in Slovakia, a large amount in Poland and each of the three Baltic countries.” Specifically, more than 10,000 U.S. troops are now stationed in Poland. […]
Last month, NATO opened in Powidz, Poland, a $182 million Long Term Equipment Storage and Maintenance – Complex that eventually will consist of seven gigantic warehouses, contain 12 maintenance bays and a railhead. The complex, which is described as NATO’s single biggest infrastructure investment in more than 30 years, will be capable of handling 2,700 pieces of heavy equipment from tanks to Bradley Fighting Vehicles — essentially a U.S. armored brigade combat team’s worth of combat-ready military equipment. Läs artikel