Steadfast Defender is NATO’s largest military exercise in decades.
More than 90,000 soldiers will take part in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise, which will start in the next few weeks.
It is NATO’s biggest exercise in decades, NATO’s top military commander, an American Chris Cavoli said on Thursday.
According to Cavoli, this year’s exercises will focus on strengthening Europe’s defense.
– This is done by moving troops from North America to Europe, Cavoli said.
In addition to its size, the exercise is also exceptional in its duration.
The exercise, which starts next week, will last until May.
Financial Times – magazine, NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise is the largest since the Cold War.
During the exercises, 500–700 sorties are made and more than 50 transfers with combat ships.
More than 41,000 soldiers at sea and in the air participate in the missions.
The Steadfast Defender exercise is organized at least in the regions of Germany, Poland and the Baltic countries.
The Defense Forces have not commented on the soon-to-be-started large-scale exercise.
In addition to NATO member countries, NATO candidate country Sweden will participate in the exercise.
In addition to NATO countries, the Swedish Defense Forces will participate in the exercise.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told already in October at the JEF coalition meeting held in Gotland, that Britain intends to invest in the defense of Northern Europe.
According to Sunak, Britain will send more than 20,000 British soldiers to military exercises in Northern Europe this year.
In the NATO exercise, the enemy is the alliance led by Russia
In the Steadfast Defender exercise, NATO countries are testing the readiness of the military alliance to repel Russian forces that have attacked a NATO country, Financial Times write.
Bildin according to the last time NATO organized a military exercise on a similar scale in 1988. At that time, 125,000 soldiers participated in the exercises.
German Bild reported on Tuesday about a secret scenario he received from the Ministry of Defense, according to which the escalation between NATO and Russia could start soon.
According to the document, Russia will attack NATO’s eastern flank in 2025.
Director of NATO’s Center for Strategic Communications Janis Sartsin according to Bild, the scenario published by Bild would be a NATO training plan and not a secret intelligence report.
Source: Reuters