Orange v. Blue in Bavaria

In maneuvers, at least, a winner

Opposing waves of mammoth tanks maneuvered for position on Bavaria's rain-drenched farm lands. Mechanized units of infantrymen clattered through gingerbread villages, clashing for control of strategic bridges and road junctions. Overhead, missile-bearing Cobra helicopters and F-4 Phantom jets thundered across the skies, "firing" at one another and at targets on the ground.

For ten grueling days that ended last week, a mock combat raged in southern Germany between two opposing powerful military forces: the "invading" Orange and the defending Blue. Code-named Carbon Edge, the "war" was a NATO military exercise involving more than 50,000 troops, 4,000 tanks and armored personnel carriers, 7,500 other vehicles, 90 fixed-wing aircraft and 500 helicopters. Carbon Edge was by far the biggest single event of Reforger 77, this year's edition of NATO's traditional fall training extravaganza. West German, British, Canadian, Dutch and Belgian troops and American forces based in Europe were mobilized for the event, and 14,000 G.I.s were airlifted across the Atlantic. (Reforger, in fact, is an acronym for return of forces to Germany.) To the north, a special all-NATO defense team battled British and Danish "enemy" troops, while in the Mediterranean the alliance conducted a massive naval exercise, culminating in an amphibious landing along the Turkish coast.

In Carbon Edge, the Orange force (played by some U.S. and West German units) took the role of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. Reflecting its impressive firepower advantage on the Central European front, Orange quickly penetrated the Blue lines, raced 40 miles and crossed the upper Danube. After falling back and regrouping, Blue counterattacked; its main forces hammered away across the invader's broad front, while airborne rangers hit Orange from behind. When the exercises ended, Blue had clearly triumphed.

One purpose of the massive maneuvers was to give the Americans practice in moving reinforcements to Europe from U.S. bases. Two weeks before the Orange "attack," the U.S. 1st Infantry Division was airlifted from Fort Riley, Kans., the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division arrived from Fort Carson, Colo., and the 2nd Battalion (Ranger) of the 75th Infantry came from Fort Lewis, Wash. The exercises were the first large-scale test of "interoperability"--coordination of the somewhat different communications systems, tactics and equipment used by the alliance's armed forces. Thus U.S. Cobra helicopters, armed with TOW antitank missiles, provided cover for West German tank units and were directed to targets by West German officers. Old tricks were also polished, like dropping a Sheridan light tank from a low-flying C-130 transport plane.

No shots were actually fired. Instead, 1,900 umpires--sporting white armbands and riding in Jeeps flying white pennants--clambered about the battlefield. Over field radios, commanders were told "You're dead," while "killed" vehicles were marked with yellow flags. There were, however, real casualties; in ground accidents and one mid-air collision, two American servicemen and six German civilians were killed.

In the past, NATO exercises have almost always been held farther north. Southwestern Bavaria was chosen this year to give commanders new terrain on which to practice, and partly to give farmers in the old maneuver area some reprieve from the damage inevitably inflicted by charging tanks. Although limiting damage was given high priority, a number of farm fences were mowed down and crops plowed under by tanks and APCs. A battalion of 600 engineers roamed about the combat zone assessing the damage; they repaired fences, sometimes reimbursed farmers on the spot and reprimanded overzealous commanders. Damages this year could reach $2 million.

The Bavarians seemed delighted to play host to Carbon Edge. In Kirchberg, for example, half a dozen villagers were clearly enjoying themselves as they watched Orange units set up defenses on the town's south end. The spectators were smirking, since they knew that the Blues were coming from the north. Outside Pless, the stranded crews of three Orange Sheridan light tanks, which had become hopelessly mired in five feet of mud, were brought lavish meals by the townfolk.

Can exercises like Carbon Edge really determine how good NATO forces would be in a shooting war? Some think not. Senators Sam Nunn and Dewey Bartlett of the Senate Armed Services Committee have argued that in the event of a real invasion from the east, NATO's frontline would be quickly overrun, enabling Warsaw Pact forces to reach the Rhine within 48 hours (TIME, Dec. 13). Other experts, while questioning the Senators' timetable, agree that NATO needs strengthening. Nonetheless, NATO commanders felt that Carbon Edge was proof that their forces had some steel. Said U.S. Army Lieut. General David E. Ott: "Granted, we are not using live ammunition. But what we are seeing here is the extreme efficiency and lethality of our weapons today." Added NATO's Supreme Commander, General Alexander Haig: "European security is the centerpiece of America's security policy. The presence here of so many reinforcing echelons from the U.S. confirms it."

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