Around 180 soldiers from the 28th Infantry Division of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard will be deployed to Kosovo to participate in the “Immediate Response 25” exercise, part of the larger “Defender Europe 2025” training event.
The exercise runs from May 26 to June 9, 2025, involving over 12,000 troops from the U.S., NATO allies, and partner countries across eight European countries including Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovakia.
In Kosovo, the 28th Infantry Division and the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) will act as a division headquarters overseeing a multinational brigade. Soldiers from the 28th Infantry Division, along with members of the Iowa National Guard and the KSF, will also conduct a national training exercise on June 3 at the Babaj Boka Training Area (BBTA).
Purpose and Benefits for Kosovo:
- The exercise is a key component of the U.S. Army’s efforts to increase readiness and demonstrate rapid strategic deployment capabilities.
- It aims to strengthen cooperation with NATO allies and partners.
- For Kosovo, this supports the comprehensive transition of the KSF into a multiethnic territorial defense force interoperable with NATO.
Importance of “Defender Europe 2025”:
- It is one of the largest military exercises in Europe, led by the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command.
- Involves over 25,000 troops from 29 allied and partner countries.
- Demonstrates rapid movement of personnel and equipment from the U.S. continental territory to Europe to conduct large-scale combat operations and follow-on missions in cooperation with allies and partners.
Overall, this exercise highlights the importance of international cooperation and the development of Kosovo’s security capabilities within the framework of regional and broader security.
