NATO allies unite for largest live-fire naval drills Formidable Shield 25

Eleven NATO nations have launched the joint military exercise At Sea Demonstration/Formidable Shield 2025 (ASD/FS 25) in the North and Norwegian Seas and the North Atlantic Ocean, beginning May 3, 2025.

The exercise is led by the U.S. 6th Fleet and conducted by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), Caliber.Az reports, citing the US Navy.

Recognized as the largest at-sea live-fire drill in the European theater, ASD/FS 25 showcases Allied combat readiness and operational power across multiple domains. It is specifically designed to bolster interoperability among NATO partners in a joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) setting, utilizing NATO’s command and control structures.

“There is simply no substitute for the training and learning that occurs when we operate in these intensely realistic scenarios,” said Capt. Michael Dwan, Commander of Task Group 154.64 and STRIKFORNATO’s U.S. Maritime Ballistic Missile Defense Assets Advisor.

“Training as a collective using NATO command and control reporting structure forges the bonds of interoperability and strengthens the alliance as a whole. Exercises like ASD/FS are critical for refining our collective integrated air and missile defense capabilities, ensuring we can respond effectively to any threat from any direction and maintain a credible deterrent posture.”

A multinational Task Group Commander has embarked on the Royal Netherlands Navy’s HNLMS De Ruyter (F804), a De Zeven Provinciën-class guided-missile frigate, which serves as the command ship throughout the three-week exercise. The ship provides a platform for seamless, high-level planning and operational coordination.

“Operating together is not just a practice, it's the foundation of our shared security,” noted Cmdr. Welmer Veenstra, commanding officer of De Ruyter. “Embedding our Allies aboard HNLMS De Ruyter provides invaluable training for our sailors. Exercises like Formidable Shield 25 ensure our forces stay sharp, adaptable, and credible.”

ASD/FS 25 includes a wide array of live-fire scenarios targeting unmanned aerial and surface systems, as well as subsonic, supersonic, and ballistic threats. The exercise integrates Allied naval vessels, multinational ground-based air defenses, and aviation units working across domains to deliver coordinated and effective responses. Participants will share tactical data and situational awareness, conduct NATO-level mission planning, and execute coordinated responses to a range of simulated threats.

With advanced technologies at their disposal, NATO Allies use Formidable Shield to test and improve their defense systems in realistic combat-like conditions.

The exercise, held every two years in odd-numbered years, features participants from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Australia contributes a radar sensor for data collection purposes.

This year’s iteration involves over 6,900 personnel, more than 16 ships, 27 aircraft, and eight ground units, including NASAMS, HIMARS, radars, and a Tactical Air Operations Center. U.S. forces from USAFE, MARFOREUR, and USAREUR are also taking part in the multinational training event.

By Khagan Isayev