NATO launches largest military exercise in 40 years
On 24 January, NATO began Steadfast Defender 24, the largest military exercise by the North Atlantic Alliance since 1988.
Source: European Pravda
Details: Steadfast Defender 24 began with the departure from Norfolk, Virginia, of the landing ship USS Gunston Hall, which will later sail across the Atlantic Ocean. This is the first tactical manoeuvre of the exercise.
By the end of January, the Charlottetown, a Canadian Navy ship, will join the exercises, sailing from the port of Halifax to Europe.
"Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values and the rules-based international order," said General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
The Steadfast Defender 24 exercises, which have been several years in the planning, will demonstrate NATO's ability to rapidly deploy forces from North America and other Alliance members to strengthen Europe's defence.
They are intended to simulate the Alliance's response to an attack by a country such as Russia and will include a series of small individual drills held in a variety of locations, ranging from North America to NATO's eastern flank, near the Russian border.
The exercises will involve approximately 90,000 personnel, 50 naval ships, 80 aircraft, and over 1,100 combat vehicles. This will be NATO's largest exercise since 1988.
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