SHAPE, NATO’s military headquarters in Mons, Belgium, announced in a press release yesterday that Steadfast Defender, the alliance’s largest exercise since the end of the Cold War, concluded yesterday. “More than 90,000 forces, more than 50 ships, more than 80 aircraft flying hundreds of sorties, and more than 1100 combat vehicles from all 32 NATO Allies were involved in the exercise. Training focused on promoting readiness across all domains and at all levels of command from strategic, to operational, to tactical,” the release said. “Designed to train and demonstrate the Alliance’s ability to reinforce continental Europe via transatlantic movement of forces from North America and the UK, STEADFAST DEFENDER comprised several NATO and nationally-led exercises that brought Allied troops together in an impressive display of unity and interoperability.”
“At its core, STEADFAST DEFENDER tested the enablement and employment of NATO and National Forces across all domains and across SACEUR’s Area of Responsibility,” the release added. “This reinforcement occurred during a simulated emerging conflict scenario against a near-peer adversary.”
