NATO will begin its biggest war games next week, involving 90,000 troops. These maneuvers will test his ability to engage in conflict with Russia. Photo/REUTERS
BRUSSELS – NATO announced on Thursday that it would begin its largest war games in decades next week, involving 90,000 troops. These maneuvers will test the allies’ ability for months to engage in conflict with such an enemy Russia.
The war games, dubbed Steadfast Defender 2024, will run until the end of May and involve units from all 31 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member states plus potential new members; Sweden. This was announced by NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Christopher Cavoli.
“The alliance will demonstrate its ability to strengthen the Euro-Atlantic region through transatlantic force movements from North America,” the United States general told reporters in Brussels, as quoted ReutersFriday (19/1/2024).
According to Cavoli, the troops will come from NATO allies and Sweden.
The war games, consisting of a series of smaller individual exercises, will take place from North America to NATO’s eastern flank, near the Russian border. It will involve 50 Navy ships, 80 aircraft and more than 1,100 combat vehicles.
Furthermore, this maneuver—the largest since the 1988 Reforger exercises during the Cold War—came as NATO overhauled its defenses in the face of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The US-led alliance has sent thousands of troops to its eastern flank and laid out the most extensive plans since the collapse of the Soviet Union to protect itself from a Russian attack.
Adm. Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO’s military committee, said the scale of the exercise was a demonstration of the alliance’s renewed readiness.
2024-01-19 00:55:52
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