British Army troops and vehicles have departed to Poland to join in the largest Nato exercise since the Cold War.
Armoured vehicles belonging to 7 Light Mechanised Brigade, known as ‘The Desert Rats’, alongside Land Rovers, tractors and support vehicles were loaded into a 23,000-tonne cargo vessel, MV Anvil Point, near Southampton on Tuesday.
Around 600 vehicles will sail from the UK, and 1,500 service personnel will fly out to join the Nato exercise, Steadfast Defender, in a large-scale demonstration of the bloc’s unity and capability.
The departure comes as HMS Prince of Wales, which is leading the military maritime mission, set sail for near Norway on Monday.
Around 600 vehicles will sail from the UK as part of Nato's Steadfast Defender exercise
PA
The British warship will be at the centre of Nato exercises involving more than 20,000 UK military personnel across Scandinavia and northern Europe.
Commodore James Blackmore, commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group leading the HMS Prince of Wales, said on Monday: “The UK has an unwavering commitment to Nato and collective deterrence and defence of the Euro-Atlantic region.
“There is no better demonstration of that than HMS Prince of Wales being at the heart of the upcoming Nato maritime exercises, the largest in over 40 years.”
A Nato statement in January said approximately 90,000 troops from all 31 member states plus Sweden will be participating in the exercise, which “is poised to test and refine Nato’s defence plans for reinforcing European defences against a near-peer adversary”.
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HMS Prince of Wales will be at the centre of Nato exercises involving more than 20,000 UK military personnel
PA
Commodore Blackmore’s comments echo that of the organisation, which said: “Steadfast Defender 2024 marks a historic moment for Nato, showcasing transatlantic unity, strength, and determination in the face of evolving security challenges.
“As tensions persist in Eastern Europe, this exercise sends a clear message that Nato is prepared to defend its members, its values, and uphold collective security in the Euro-Atlantic area.”
The initial phase, from January to March, will see a focus on “maritime reinforcement” across the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, while the second phase – February to May – will “shift to using deployed reinforcements across all domains, from the Arctic to the Eastern Flank”.
In January, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We are in a new era, and we must be prepared to deter our enemies, prepared to lead our allies and prepared to defend our nation whenever the call comes.
“Today, our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers. Old enemies are reanimated. Battle lines are being redrawn. The tanks are literally on Ukraine’s lawn. And the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core. We stand at a crossroads.
“The UK will be sending some 20,000 personnel to take part in one of Nato's largest deployments since the end of the Cold War: Exercise Steadfast Defender.
“It will see our military joining forces with counterparts from 30 Nato countries plus Sweden, providing vital reassurance against the Putin menace.”
The exercise comes amid a controversy over Nato defence spending commitments following former US President Donald Trump’s barb that he “would encourage [Russia] to do whatever they want” to under-spending allies.
