Held at the Ādaži training range of the Latvian National Armed Forces, the exercise will last from April 17-30. Altogether more than 1,200 soldiers from Latvia, the U.S., Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia, the U.K. and Sweden will take part.

Estonia will send more than 200 artillery personnel to the exercise, military spokespeople in Tallinn said.

During this year's exercise, soldiers will hone their skills in a broad range of combat support elements: artillery support, air defense, reconnaissance, defense against weapons of mass destruction, combat support by military engineers as well as anti-tank capabilities. Also to be involved in the exercise are joint fire observers and close air support controllers as well as a medical company and transportation units.

Summer Shield has been included in the NATO exercises and training list since 2014, being open to participation by any member state. Last year, more than 1,300 soldiers participated in the exercise.