The tri-national Baltic Battalion (BALTBAT) starts training for the NATO Response Force standby.

The trilateral battalion was formed for standby in the NRF by two Estonian combat companies, one company from Lithuania and one from Latvia, anti-tank platoons from Lithuania and Estonia, one Lithuanian mortar platoon and one support element, and a trilateral staff, the total of roughly 700 soldiers (roughly 200 from them Lithuanians).

The majority in the Lithuanian contingent in BALTBAT are from the King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion.

Exercise Gungnir currently running in Latvia is the first joint training of all the BALTBAT elements. This year BALTBAT will take part in Exercise Saber Strike 2015 in Latvia in June and in Exercise Trident Junction 2015 in Spain in October.

The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force, one of the cornerstone military instruments of the Alliance. The NRF on standby is comprised of military units that are assigned to the NRF by NATO member states, these units are held on high readiness in their home countries and are prepared to deploy to the area of operations within a designated period of time in case a decision is made to use the NRF. The NRF is capable of deploying within five days from making such a decision. One NRF rotation lasts a year.

When preparing for standby in the joint unit the assigned troops also hone their interaction, agree procedures and improve their ability to operate side by side in NATO-led operations.