Against a backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO membership, Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 is almost as much about sending a message of unity, as it is successful deployment and inter-operation of NATO partners.
40,000 NATO troops (c 16,000 from the UK), will deploy over a period of 5 months and take part in at least 15 individual national tactical exercises between Norway and Greece, which form Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024.
For British Forces at least, Steadfast Defender 2024 includes:
Vehicles of the UK Desert Rats embarked mv Anvil Point in February, at Southampton for Germany and Poland. These assets from the UK 7th Light Mechanised Brigade currently form the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and Exercise Brilliant Jump tests their deployment.
Additionally, France will contribute to:
40,000 NATO troops (c 16,000 from the UK), will deploy over a period of 5 months and take part in at least 15 individual national tactical exercises between Norway and Greece, which form Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024.
For British Forces at least, Steadfast Defender 2024 includes:
- Steadfast Deterrence 2024 - deployment of HQ, 1(UK) Div to Stavangar
- Polish Dragon 24 - joint Polish / UK exercise, includes French participation 29 Feb - 14 Mar
- Nordic Response 24 - joint UK / Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish and Swedish exercise with 3 CDO BD in Norway, includes French participation 7 - 14 Mar with submarine Améthyste in Arctic waters
- Austere Challenge - Estonia, UK and US, with UK exercising control by US Corps in support of 2 (ES) HQ
- Spring Storm 24 - UK 16 AAB, France, US and Estonia contributing to Estonian national defence plan
- Combined Resolve 24 - will see Kings Royal Hussars and US 101st Airborne deploy to Grafenwoehr.
Vehicles of the UK Desert Rats embarked mv Anvil Point in February, at Southampton for Germany and Poland. These assets from the UK 7th Light Mechanised Brigade currently form the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and Exercise Brilliant Jump tests their deployment.
Additionally, France will contribute to:
- Swift Response - Hungary and Romania, 5-27 May
- Grand Quadriga 24 - Lithuania, 15-30 May involving the Franco-German Brigade
- Dacian Spring - Romania, 20-26 May.
Units |
| Dates | Unit | Models |
|---|---|---|
| 20feb24 to may24 |  820 NAS Fleet Air Arm | EH101 |
| 20feb24 to 31may24 | 847NAS Royal Marines | AW159 Wildcat AH1 |
|
Individual helicopters| Model | IDs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NH Industries NH90 NFH | N-234 | |||
Ships |
| Classes | Ships | |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Carrier V STOL | Garibaldi class |  C 551 Giuseppe Garibaldi, |
| Aircraft Carrier V STOL | Queen Elizabeth class | R09 HMS Prince of Wales, |
| Guided-Missile Destroyer | Arleigh Burke Flight IIA class |  DDG-117 USS Paul Ignatius, |
| Guided-Missile Destroyer | F100 Alvaro de Bazan |  F-105 Cristobal Colon, |
| Guided-Missile Destroyer | Fridtjof Nansen class |  F312 KNM Otto Sverdrup, |
| Frigate | City class |  FFH 339 HMCS Charlottetown, |
| Frigate | Type 23 Duke class | F79 HMS Portland, |
| Frigate | Iver Huitfeldt class |  F363 KDM Niels Juel, |
| Landing Ship/Platform Dock | San Giorgio class | L 9892 San Giorgio, |
| Landing Ship/Platform Dock | Improved Rotterdam class |  L801 Hr. Ms. Johan de Witt, |
| Support Ship | Tide class | A136 RFA Tidespring, |
| Support Ship | Joint Support Ship class | A833 Zr Ms Karel Doorman, |
| Support Ship | Point class | mv Anvil Point, |
