Joint drill of five NATO members kicks off in Bulgaria
Xinhua, May 9, 2016 Adjust font size:
A live-fire drill involving five NATO countries began on Monday at Novo Selo Training Area, one of the four joint U.S.-Bulgarian military bases in the Balkan country, officials said Monday.
Some 150 troops from the U.S. Marine Corps, 90 from Bulgaria, 25 from Romania, 40 from the United Kingdom and 11 from France would participate in the one-week joint exercise Platinum Lion 16-3, the Bulgarian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
During the training, the NATO allies would conduct offensive and defensive operations in a joint multinational environment, the statement said.
Meanwhile, they would practice live firing with their personal weapons, with weapons of partners from other nations, as well as with tanks and artillery, the statement said.
Troops from France would participate for the first time in the joint training Black Sea Rotational Force, the statement added.
Statistics from the ministry showed that last year Bulgarian Armed Forces participated in 264 national and 25 international drills, as well as in 82 joint military trainings and drills with the U.S. Army. Endit