Over 350 Moldovan, U.S. servicemen to participate in Dragon Pioneer 2016 drills in Moldova

Chisinau, 28 April /MOLDPRES/ - Over 350 servicemen of the armies of Moldova and the USA will participate in the exercises Dragon Pioneer 2016, due to take place in Moldova for the first time ever on 3-20 May.   

A representative of the Defence Ministry, Diana Gradinaru, has told MOLDPRES that the goal of the drills was joint training of engineer sub-units and enhancing the level of inter-operability between the two armies. As many as 198 servicemen of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the United States and 165 military of the engineer and 22nd peacekeeping battalions, as well as the three infantry brigades of the National Army will participate in the exercises.     

The scenario of the exercise, due to be held at the Codru Engineer Battalion and the training centre of the Moldova motorized infantry brigade, provides for training of contingents of the National Army and the USA in carrying out engineer investigations, fortification works, crossing obstacles, arranging the crossing of a river, carrying out of works on destruction, surviving, with logistic support in field conditions, with providing medical assistance and evacuating the wounded.     

Fifty eight units of equipment of the U.S. Army will be used in the Dragon Pioneer 2016 drills, of which 11 combat vehicles and combat engineer vehicles, 18 HMMWV manoeuvre machines, 29 transport, medical, engineer vehicles. The National Army will participate with 40 combat engineer vehicles.       

(Reporter V. Rusu, editor M. Jantovan)