The exercise, titled “Marshal Power” and running until October 29th, will train for combat operations behind a fictional frontline in a scenario of national defense. The Bundeswehr will be cooperating with police, fire departments, and rescue services.
Military Exercise in Bavaria: Where the Soldiers Will Be
According to the Bundeswehr, the exercise will cover a large area, primarily in southern and eastern Bavaria. Training units will be active in twelve districts northeast of Munich, with a focus on the Landshut, Regensburg, Deggendorf, and Ingolstadt areas.
A special feature of this exercise is that the approximately 500 military police soldiers and around 300 civilian personnel will not be training on secured military training grounds as usual. Instead, the exercise will primarily take place in public spaces.
What Exactly is the Bundeswehr Practicing in “Marshal Power”?
The Bundeswehr is training to combat threats in the “rear area” behind a fictional frontline. This includes defending against drones, sabotage acts, and so-called “irregular forces”—armed combatants not belonging to a state army. The exercise is based on a scenario where a NATO member state is attacked and the alliance intervenes for defense.
The soldiers will also practice tasks such as processing incident scenes, traffic control, locating weapons caches, and combating illegal arms trafficking. Additionally, they will train in protecting critical infrastructure, for example, at the decommissioned Isar 2 nuclear power plant. The exercise also includes drone defense and the deployment of their own drones.
Why is the Exercise Happening Now?
The Bundeswehr emphasizes the necessity of the current maneuver against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, which has heightened the importance of collective defense. The current security situation underscores the need for stability, operational capability, and security.
Improved cooperation between military and civilian forces is considered essential for this. The exercise is also a response to the recently reported drone sightings, including at Munich Airport, to which an appropriate response is required.
How Does This Affect Local Residents?
In the affected areas, residents, commuters, and travelers may encounter armed Bundeswehr personnel—whether on country roads, in industrial areas, or directly in towns. A Bundeswehr spokesperson stated that exercise activities could be distributed throughout the entire day, including early morning and late evening hours.
Due to the military presence, traffic disruptions and diversions are possible in the affected districts. The Bundeswehr plans to publish more detailed information via social media. The local district administration offices and police stations will also inform the public accordingly.
What is the Best Conduct Around the Exercise Area?
The Bundeswehr urgently requests that the public follow the instructions of the involved forces and respect cordons and notices. Extra caution is required when encountering military convoys on the roads.
Vehicle columns must not be interrupted by other road users. Therefore, special attention is required when overtaking. It is also important to note that an entire military convoy may proceed through a red traffic light if the lead vehicle entered the intersection when the light was green—in this case, other road users must wait longer.
Source: T-Online
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