NATO to launch biggest military exercise since Cold War in 2024

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – NATO prepares to launch its biggest live joint command exercise since the Cold War in the spring of 2024, The Financial Times (FT) said. 

The FT reported that NATO is assembling over 40,000 troops to conduct an exercise under the name of Steadfast Defender to train the forces of the alliance on repelling potential Russian attacks against one of its members.

The exercise is expected to start in the spring of 2024 and involve from 500 to 700 air combat missions, more than 50 ships and around 41,000 troops, according to NATO officials.

The number of nations involved in the exercise is 32, including Sweden, and it will be carried out in Germany, Poland, and the Baltics in February and March. The exercise will use real world geographical data to make it as realistic as possible for the troops’ training, making it the first of its kind in regards to technical capability.

NATO aims to transform from crisis response to a war-fighting alliance, changing its military training strategy to two big exercises every year, as opposed to one, and increasing the number of high-readiness forces from 40,000 to over 300,000.

The alliance will also train their forces on fighting terrorist threats outside its border.By Stella Yousse