Yesterday, February 10, the 7th Cavalry Regiments 5th Squadron of U.S. Armed Forces (5-7 CAV) took over the rotations duty from 30th Infantry Regiments 2nd Battalion in Camp Reedo, South Estonia.
“We have an incredibly trained and experienced team that is excited to be in Estonia. We are proud to work with the Estonian military to deter further Russian aggression, while demonstrating real lethality and readiness in complex terrain. We remember the sacrifices made by Estonia to support us during the War on Terror, which was the only time NATO Article V was invoked, and we are honoured to now be here, conducting security cooperation with the Estonians,” said the Commander of 7th Cavalry regiment 5th Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Michael L. Hefti.
The recently arrived unit, using the modernized infantry fighting vehicles „Bradley“, replaced the 30th Infantry Regiments 2nd Battalion, that had been in the service at Southern Estonian, based in Võru since the summer of 2024. The most apparent difference between the two units is the 7th Cavalry Regiments use of armoured vehicles that provide the squadron stationed in Estonia with greater firepower and manoeuvrability.
“There is an incredible sense of purpose among our Soldiers as we train in a Baltic state that borders Russia and to also learn from Estonian Defence Forces in exercises like Winter Camp, Hedgehog, and other discrete training events,” added the Squadron Commander Lieutenant Colonel Hefti.
Battalion sized allied units have rotated in Southern Estonia since the spring of 2022, the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. First two rotations were manned by units from the United Kingdom. Those have been followed by consecutive rotations by the Armed Forces of the United States. Newly arrived 7th Cavalry 5th Squadron is the fifth U.S. Army unit rotation in Estonia cooperating with the Estonian Defence Forces 2nd Infantry Brigade and Estonian Defence League to ensure the safety in the region.
5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment is an armoured reconnaissance squadron and part of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia. They are also known as Task Force Warpaint and set up as a unique formation that specializes in both dismounted and mounted armoured reconnaissance and serves as the eyes and ears for higher level commanders. They are the most modernized armoured reconnaissance squadron in the United States Army and fight with the M2A4 Bradley, the new Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle, Mortars, Anti-Tank weapons, and numerous other technologies and systems. Their unique capability and training allows them to fight primarily at night and in the worst conditions, especially when drones, helicopters, planes, and satellites are impacted by various conditions and unable to support. Task Force Warpaint has served in Europe before and deployed in under a week to Europe when Russia invaded Ukraine. As part of the XVIII Airborne Corps, the reconnaissance squadron can deploy anywhere in the world in under 96-hours with armour capability.
