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U.S. Deploys M1A2 Abrams and Bradley IFVs in Germany for NATO Readiness Exercise Combined Resolve 26-05.
U.S. M1A2 Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles trained at Germany’s Hohenfels Training Area during Combined Resolve 26-05, according to imagery released February 19, 2026. The exercise underscores NATO’s push to sustain heavy armored maneuver capability as European land forces adapt to increasingly contested and sensor-dense battlefields.
On February 19, 2026, imagery released via the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service showed American armored vehicles operating at the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany during Combined Resolve 26-05. The visuals capture an M1A2 Abrams positioned just beyond a treeline while U.S. forces from 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division engage simulated opposing elements. Conducted at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, the exercise reflects ongoing efforts to maintain armored maneuver readiness within U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s area of operations. The training holds particular relevance as NATO continues adapting land force doctrine to contested and sensor-saturated operational environments.
U.S. M1A2 Abrams tanks and Bradley IFVs conducted armored maneuver training at Germany’s Hohenfels Training Area during Combined Resolve 26-05 to reinforce NATO combat readiness (Picture Source: DVIDS)
Combined Resolve 26-05 represents the latest iteration of recurring multinational training designed to prepare rotational armored brigade combat teams for high-intensity operations across the European theater. Conducted at the JMRC in Bavaria, the exercise integrates mechanized formations against a dedicated opposing force capable of replicating reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and indirect fire threats. Recent DVIDS releases show Abrams tanks maintaining security postures while U.S. soldiers maneuver through forested terrain, reflecting tactical scenarios in which line-of-sight is constrained and engagements may occur at short range.
The M1A2 Abrams remains the core of U.S. heavy maneuver capability, built around a 120mm smoothbore cannon supported by advanced thermal imaging systems and stabilized fire control architecture. Its composite armor configuration is designed to provide survivability against kinetic and chemical energy threats, while its mobility allows armored formations to rapidly reposition under contested conditions. In restrictive woodland environments such as Hohenfels, Abrams crews are required to adopt reduced exposure profiles by utilizing terrain masking, treelines, and short tactical bounds in order to limit detection from aerial reconnaissance platforms and loitering munitions.
Operating alongside the Abrams, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles contribute protected mobility for dismounted infantry and provide suppressive fire through their autocannon armament. In forested terrain, Bradleys support maneuver elements by securing flanks, enabling infantry deployment, and acting as sensor nodes capable of maintaining battlefield awareness in cluttered environments where traditional long-range surveillance is degraded. Their role in rapidly transitioning troops between mounted and dismounted operations is particularly relevant in scenarios involving ambush threats or restrictive maneuver corridors.
Both platforms carry operational legacies from previous deployments that continue to shape their tactical employment in modern training contexts. Experience gained from sustained combat operations has reinforced the need for armored survivability to extend beyond passive protection alone. Current doctrine increasingly emphasizes dispersion, deception, emissions discipline, and integration with short-range air defense and counter-reconnaissance assets in order to mitigate the growing presence of unmanned aerial systems on the battlefield.
The Abrams–Bradley pairing enables armored formations to maintain tempo while addressing close terrain challenges presented by woodland combat. Tanks provide overwatch and direct fire support while Bradleys facilitate infantry maneuver necessary to clear restrictive terrain and prevent adversaries from establishing defensive kill zones. The exercise scenarios conducted at Hohenfels illustrate how armored units must now coordinate movement and concealment simultaneously in order to survive under persistent surveillance conditions.
From a strategic standpoint, training rotations such as Combined Resolve are directly tied to the United States’ broader force posture in Europe, including rotational armored brigade deployments and prepositioned equipment stocks intended to support rapid reinforcement along NATO’s eastern flank. The continued presence of Abrams tanks and Bradley IFVs in Germany highlights the role of heavy mechanized formations in deterrence planning, particularly in scenarios requiring immediate ground maneuver capability in response to potential regional escalation.
The Combined Resolve 26-05 rotation demonstrates how U.S. armored forces are refining fieldcraft, concealment, and coordination practices in environments designed to replicate contemporary battlefield constraints. As NATO land forces adjust to threats ranging from aerial reconnaissance to precision fires, exercises conducted at Hohenfels reinforce the importance of maintaining deployable heavy armor capable of operating effectively under contested European terrain and weather conditions.