NATO Launches Largest Cold War-Era Exercise with 90,000 Personnel
Next week, NATO will embark on its largest exercise since the Cold War, involving approximately 90,000 personnel. The months-long wargames aim to rehearse NATO’s execution of its regional defense plans, which have been developed for the first time in decades to address the potential threat of a Russian attack. While NATO did not explicitly mention Russia in its announcement, its top strategic document identifies Moscow as the most significant and direct threat to member states.
The exercise, named Steadfast Defender 2024, will showcase NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from North America and other parts of the alliance to reinforce the defense of Europe. It will feature more than 50 ships, ranging from aircraft carriers to destroyers, over 80 fighter jets, helicopters, and drones, as well as at least 1,100 combat vehicles, including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.
During the wargames, a simulated emerging conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary will be enacted. General Chris Cavoli, NATO’s top commander, emphasized the importance of these drills in demonstrating “our unity, our strength, and our determination to protect each other.” The exercises will be divided into two parts, with the second phase focusing on deploying NATO’s quick reaction force to Poland.
The Baltic states, considered most vulnerable to a potential Russian attack, will serve as one of the exercise locations. Germany, acting as a hub for incoming reinforcement, and countries on the fringes of the alliance, such as Norway and Romania, will also participate. In a notable inclusion, troops from Sweden, which hopes to join NATO soon, will also take part in the exercises.
This massive undertaking marks a significant shift in NATO’s perspective on security threats. At the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, allies signed off on regional plans that marked the end of an era where the military bloc no longer saw the need for large-scale defense plans, given that conflicts were primarily concentrated in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Previously, NATO had felt confident that the threat from Russia had diminished.
The upcoming wargames will be the largest since the Reforger drills during the Cold War in 1988, which involved 125,000 participants. The Trident Juncture exercises in 2018, with 50,000 participants, were the most recent drills of a similar scale, according to NATO.
As tensions continue to simmer between NATO and Russia, Steadfast Defender 2024 serves as a powerful demonstration of NATO’s commitment to collective defense and its readiness to respond to potential threats. The exercise will not only test the alliance’s military capabilities but also send a clear message of unity and resolve to protect member states. With the participation of various nations and a focus on strategic locations, this wargame aims to ensure NATO’s preparedness and ability to swiftly respond to any emerging conflict scenario.