On February 1, the active phase of the largest series of NATO maneuvers in the last few decades, the Steadfast Defender-24, began, the purpose of which is to verify the readiness of the military forces of the bloc to respond to threats from all directions.
Recall that a number of operational and combat training events called Steadfast Defender were last held from May to June 2021. About 9 thousand military personnel from 20 NATO countries and their partners took part in them. At that time, a feature of the Steadfast Defender-21 was the transfer of troops from North America across the Atlantic to Europe and their participation in various exercises in the European Theater of Operations, mainly in Germany, Portugal and Romania.
The first stage of the Steadfast Defender-21 was conducted under the leadership of the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk. The main force in them was the Navy (about 5,000 troops and 18 ships), including the British aircraft carrier strike group led by HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Against the background of Steadfast Defender, command and staff exercises were held in Ulm, Germany. In fact, it was a practical test of the readiness of the new joint NATO Support and Support Command to coordinate the operational movement of Allied forces and equipment across the borders of European states. At the same time, during the Noble Jump-21 exercises in Romania, the issues of deploying an interspecific emergency response formation (VJTF) under the leadership of Turkey were worked out. More than 4,000 military personnel and 600 pieces of equipment from 12 NATO countries took part in the exercises.
Compared to the events of 2021, the Steadfast Defender-24 maneuvers stand out not only by maintaining the sequence of planned events, but also by significantly increasing the geography and number of participants. Thus, 90 thousand people, 50 ships, 80 aircraft, helicopters and UAVs, 1,100 units of military equipment from 31 NATO countries and partner country Sweden will be involved. Among the participating countries, the United Kingdom will send 20 thousand troops (including the combat group of the 7th mechanized brigade and 2 thousand people from the Navy), Poland - 15 thousand (the bulk of the 11th armored division), Germany - 10 thousand (including the forces of the 10th armored division), and the Netherlands – 5 thousand military personnel.
It is stated that the Steadfast Defender-24 exercises will test the readiness of NATO member countries to act in accordance with Article 5 and work out possible scenarios of a collision with a "comparable enemy in strength." The first stage of Steadfast Defender includes the transfer of troops from North America to Europe and started in January with the departure of the USS Gunston Hall from Norfolk, Virginia, and the Canadian frigate HMCS Charlottetown from Halifax to the shores of Norway. However, due to a breakdown of the starboard propeller shaft, the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was unable to join the exercises as planned. Instead, the second aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, will go to sea with a delay.
 |
| NATO exercises. |
| Source: www.belvpo.com |
At the same time, Joint Warrior-24 exercises, scheduled for the period from February 24 to March 3 in the UK, provide for amphibious operations on the Norwegian coast and ensuring the security of communication lines in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.
Then, from March 5 to March 14, during the Nordic Response-24 exercises, the main focus will be on the deployment of alliance troops and conducting a joint operation in Norway, Sweden and Finland. 20,000 military personnel from 13 countries will be involved in the exercises. It should be noted that the NATO troops who landed in Norway will go through Sweden to Finland to the borders of Russia.
 |
| NATO exercises. |
| Source: www.belvpo.com |
The second stage of the Steadfast Defender-24 exercise will focus on the eastern flank of NATO near the borders of Russia and Belarus. As part of this phase, it is planned to conduct the Brilliant Jump II exercise (February 13-28), which will be aimed at deploying an interspecific emergency response formation (VJTF) in Poland. Here, the VJTF will be integrated into the exercises of the Polish Dragon-24 Army (February 25 – March 14).
In total, 16 other major national exercises will be held on a single operational background with the Steadfast Defender-24 exercises.
 |
| NATO exercises. |
| Source: www.belvpo.com |
 |
| Steadfast Defender – the scale and geography of the exercises have increased tenfold. |
| Source: belvpo.com |
Thus, in light of the consideration of Northern and Eastern Europe, as well as the Arctic as a potential platform for unleashing conflict against the Allied State, the United States and NATO countries are stepping up their military activities in this region. They are improving the methods of using troops, taking into account real geographical coordinates and preparing areas for strategic deployment of troops.
Nikolai Astrovsky