Bulgaria, U.S. tanks strengthen regional defense in live-fire exercise

9 May 2016 | 2nd Lt. Kathleen OBrien The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Forces from Bulgaria, Romania, France, Great Britain and the United States will conduct a multi-national exercise to improve collective defense in Eastern Europe.

U.S. Marines and sailors of the Combined Arms Company and Black Sea Rotational Force are scheduled to participate in Platinum Lion 16-3 at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, beginning May 9, 2016. 

During the exercise, the Service members will conduct integrated platoon offensive operations, maneuver training, air assault training and mechanized integration aimed at collectively increasing combined arms skills, anti-armor tactics and other capabilities needed for combat.

The Bulgaria-based Combined Arms Company arrived in August 2015 to support NATO allies and partners in the region and to bolster multi-national exercises with mechanized capabilities. The CAC is a supplemental unit to the Black Sea Rotational Force, a semi-annual rotation of Marines and Sailors based in Romania to respond to a broad range of military operations in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility. 

For questions regarding the Combined Arms Company or Black Sea Rotational Force, please e-mail the BSRF Public Affairs Office at kathleen.obrien@usmc.mil.