Estonia: See final day of NATO 'Tornado' drills before 'Siil 2015' war games

The NATO joint military exercises codenamed 'Tornado' entered their final phase near Tallinn, Saturday, with nearly 2,000 soldiers of the First Infantry Brigade of Estonian Defence Forces and several divisions of US paratroopers participating. The drills included shooting, squad-based infantry and combined arms exercises as well as training with the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), a laser system for combat simulation. Soldiers carried small laser receivers detecting when the soldier has been struck by a firearm's laser. Each laser transmitter authentically mimics the effective shooting range of the respective weapon. The Tornado drills are held in preparation for the 'Siil 2015' war games involving 13,000 soldiers from the US, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to be held between May 4 and 15. 'Siil 2015' translates literally to 'Hedgehog 2015' in English. The presence of US soldiers in the region is a part of the military operation 'Atlantic Resolve,' a demonstration of US commitment to NATO members across Eastern Europe through international training and security cooperation.