NATO to deploy 90,000 troops in largest exercises since Cold War

NATO to deploy 90,000 troops in largest exercises since Cold War
by Paul Godfrey
Washington DC (UPI) Jan 19, 2024

NATO chiefs approved four months of war games in eastern Europe and the Baltic involving 90,000 troops in the alliance's biggest military exercises since the end of the Cold War more than 30 years ago.

Operation Steadfast Defender 2024 would be "the largest NATO exercise in decades" with the participation of all 31 NATO allies plus Sweden, which has candidate status for NATO membership, Supreme Allied Commander Europe Christopher Cavoli said at a news conference Thursday following a two-day NATO Defense Chiefs meeting in Brussels.

The exercises, which get underway in Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania next week, are to "rehearse and refine" the alliance's deterrence and defense strategy for the Euro-Atlantic area and help make NATO "fit for the purpose of collective territorial defense."

"The Alliance will demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North America. This reinforcement will occur during a simulated emerging conflict scenario against a near-peer adversary," said Cavoli.

"Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values and the rules-based international order."

While Cavoli did not mention the adversary by name, Admiral Rob Bauer chair of the NATO Military Committee opened the news conference by noting Ukraine's efforts to stave off Russia's invasion.

"Today is the 649th day of what Russia thought would be a three-day war," Bauer said. "Ukraine has prevailed as sovereign independent nation in Europe. They are closer to the Euro-Atlantic family than ever."

Cavoli said that the exercises marked the need to "rehearse and refine" NATO plans through "rigorous training."

"We are now in the process of making our plans executable. This means making sure we have the force commitments, command and control arrangements, and the enablement our plans require," he said.

On Monday, Britain announced the deployment of 20,000 troops to Operation Steadfast Defender, including thousands of Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel, with Defense Secretary Grant Shapps saying the alliance was "at a crossroads."

"Today, our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers. Old enemies are reanimated. Battle lines are being redrawn. The tanks are literally on Ukraine's lawn. And the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core," said Shapps.