An overview of
ARRC NEWS
An overview of
Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024
Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 ( STDE24 ) took place between January and May 2024 , and was NATO ’ s largest and most comprehensive military exercise in decades . Designed to enhance NATO ’ s readiness and demonstrate its ability to defend against emerging threats , STDE24 involved approximately 90,000 personnel from all 32 NATO member nations . This multi-domain exercise spanned multiple geographical locations within the Supreme Allied Commander Europe ’ s ( SACEUR ) area of responsibility , emphasizing NATO ’ s new defence plans .
Exercise in Numbers
– 90,000 personnel from 31 NATO Allies and Sweden .
– Over 50 naval assets , including aircraft carriers , frigates , corvettes , and destroyers .
– More than 80 air platforms such as F35s , FA18s , Harriers , F15s , helicopters , and unmanned aerial vehicles from countries like Norway , the UK , the USA , Finland , Spain , Poland , and Hungary .
– Over 1,100 combat vehicles , including 166 tanks , 533 infantry fighting vehicles ( IFVs ), and 417 armoured personnel carriers ( APCs ).
STDE24 was divided into two main parts :
Part 1 : Transatlantic Reinforcement by Forces
Led by Joint Force Command Norfolk , this segment focuses on maritime operations , including the strategic deployment of forces to Europe and amphibious assault capabilities . Key associated exercises include :
Part 2 : Multi-domain Enablement & Employment of Forces
This phase demonstrates NATO ’ s multi-domain capabilities across Europe , led by Joint Force Command Brunssum . A notable event is the deployment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force ( VJTF ) to Poland , integrating with the NATO ’ s Brilliant Jump 24 and the Polish DRAGON 24 exercises .
The primary aim of STDE24 was to showcase NATO ’ s capability to rapidly deploy forces from North America and other parts of the Alliance to Europe in response to a simulated conflict scenario involving a near-peer adversary . The exercise highlighted NATO ’ s ability to conduct and sustain complex operations over several months , covering vast distances from the High North to Central and Eastern Europe . By doing so , STDE24 underscored the Alliance ’ s transatlantic unity , strength , and determination to safeguard common values and uphold the rules-based international order .
Exercise STDE24 was a monumental endeavour for NATO , reinforcing its defensive posture and showcasing its operational capabilities . Through extensive multinational cooperation and strategic exercises , STDE24 serves as a testament to NATO ’ s commitment to collective defence and international stability .
10 SUMMER 2024 the imjin @ HQARRC Allied Rapid Reaction Corps @ HQARRC