FT: NATO to hold biggest exercise since Cold War

NATO is preparing to hold its largest exercise since the Cold War. Steadfast Defender will take place in February-March next year in Germany, Poland and the Baltic countries, the Financial Times reported.

About 41 thousand military personnel, more than 50 ships will be involved in the maneuvers, and from 500 to 700 aviation sorties will be carried out. The plan is to use real geographic data “to create more realistic scenarios for troops.” The purpose of the exercise is “to practice an attempt to repel Russian aggression directed against one of the alliance member countries,” the publication indicated.



NATO views the event itself as a key part of demonstrating to Moscow the alliance’s readiness for war. Thirty-one countries will take part in the exercise, as well as Sweden, which is still awaiting approval for its NATO membership from Turkey and Hungary. The frequency of such events is planned to increase to two per year instead of one.

Earlier it was reported that NATO reconnaissance aircraft again intensified in the Crimea region. On Monday, August 14, an American RQ-4 Global Hawk drone with the call sign FORTE12 was detected to the south and southwest of the peninsula. The maximum flight duration of a high-altitude strategic drone is 36 hours.