NATO launches largest annual exercises on Baltic coast without US

The largest NATO exercises of the year, Operation Steadfast Dart 26, begin on the Baltic Sea coast in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, without direct US participation.

Units of NATO’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF) have been deployed to the Putlos training area near the German island of Fehmarn to rehearse rapid troop transfers from southern Europe to NATO’s eastern flank, Caliber.Az reports via German media.

The landing operation involves 15 ships and around 2,600 personnel. Overall, approximately 10,000 troops, more than 1,500 vehicles, and 17 ships from 13 countries are participating.

Türkiye, Spain, Italy, and Greece have contributed the largest contingents. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is observing the manoeuvres.

The NATO Reaction Force, often called the “spearhead force,” is designed to mobilise up to 40,000 soldiers within ten days in a crisis. Deployment decisions are made by the North Atlantic Council.

By Jeyhun Aghazada