NATO to conduct largest exercise since end of Cold War
During exercise Steadfast Defender 24 soldiers will rehearse how US troops could reinforce European allies in countries bordering Russia and the alliance’s eastern flank. (Photo: NATO)
NATO announced last week that it would be launching its largest exercise since the Cold War named Steadfast Defender 24 and involving 90,000 troops.
The exercise was set out to practice the deployment of US troops to support European allies in nations along the eastern flank of the alliance in the event of a potential conflict with a “near-peer” adversary like Russia. Around 90,000 troops will participate in the exercise which will take place from February to May 2024.
While the alliance refrained from explicitly naming Russia in its announcement, its foremost strategic document clearly designates Russia as the primary and direct threat to the security of NATO member states.
Related Articles
I/ITSEC 2023: Combined and joint exercises – when is bigger better?
A full year of continuing resolutions would be ‘devastating’ for defence plans, warns US senator
Ukraine receives further weapon support from NATO members and BAE Systems
Steadfast Defender has been designed to permit the 31-nation alliance to “demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via transatlantic movement of forces from North America”, US General Christopher Cavoli, supreme allied commander of NATO, said during the 18 January NATO Chiefs of Defence press conference.
The exercise will be launched in Norfolk, Virginia, with the deployment of forces to continental Europe. The activity will be comprised of a series of exercises that will continue throughout SACEUR’s Area of Responsibility throughout the first half of 2024, NATO noted.
Russia deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said the scale of the exercise marked an “irrevocable return” of the alliance to Cold War schemes. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The last equivalent large-scale NATO exercises were REFORGER in 1988, with 125,000 participants, and Exercise Trident Juncture 2018, with 50,000 contributing military personnel.
More from Training
-
Royal Jordanian Air Force takes delivery of five new Bell 505 aircraft at Farnborough
The five helicopters complete an order of 10 Bell 505s placed in 2022.
-
US Navy contracts for EW training flight hours awarded
The electronic warfare (EW) jets contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with work scheduled to begin in August 2024 and completed in August 2029.
-
Rheinmetall receives rocket order from German armed forces for Tiger helicopters
The Tiger attack helicopter was developed for the French and German armies, prior to also being procured by Spain and Australia, with a total of 185 ordered. Germany, however, has planned to retire its 55-strong fleet.
-
How US marines and sailors trained for humanitarian assistance in Indo-Pacific region
US Marine Corps and US Navy personnel enhanced their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities during a training exercise in Papua New Guinea.