US Soldiers Deploy for Military Exercises in Europe, Including the High North
US Army paratroopers from the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division conducting airborne operations near Bardufoss, Northern Norway, in March 2024. The operation was part of exercise Arctic Shock, a sub-exercise of Nordic Response, both of which were part of NATO exercise Steadfast Defender. (Photo: Hilde-Gunn Bye).
US troops are headed to Europe for the large-scale US Army Exercise, Defender 25, with follow-on exercises with Allies and partners, including airborne operations in the High North and the Baltics.
US military assets and soldiers have begun deploying to Europe for Defender 25 – the largest annual US Army deployment in the European theater.
The large-scale US Army exercise tests how quickly and effectively American troops can deploy to Europe and defend the Eastern Flank with NATO Allies and partners, informs US Army Europe and Africa in a press release.
The goal is to demonstrate the U.S. military’s ability to send forces across long distances, maintain operations, and support its Allies from the Arctic to the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
“This is about global deterrence," Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Gen. Christopher Donahue, said in a statement.
"Everything we demonstrate we can do with our Allies and partners we can pick up and do anywhere. Defender gets us sets and reps at theater logistics and warfighting at scale that isn’t being done anywhere else right now," he added.
Three phases
According to US Army Europe and Africa, equipment and personnel began departing from the U.S. on April 10. Over 5,000 US-based troops are headed to Europe for the exercise's various training locations across 18 countries.
After arriving in Europe, the US forces will participate in a series of exercises, involving approximately 25,000 service members from the US, Allies, and partners.
The three major exercises, or phases, consist of Swift Response, Immediate Response, and Saber Guardian.
Airborne operations in the Nordics
While large parts of the drills in the second and third phases are conducted in Eastern and Central Europe, the geographical center of gravity in the first phase, Swift Response, is the High North and the Baltic regions.
Among the operations to be conducted are five near-simultaneous airborne jumps in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, and Lithuania.
In the first major event commencing Defender 25, paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division will deploy from the US and conduct
a direct airborne jump into Norway.
In the other Nordic countries, Polish paratroopers will conduct an airborne jump into Finland, while NATO Allies will conduct an airborne jump into Gotland Island in Sweden.
Drills also include the movement of troops from the United Kingdom to Norway and Sweden.
American military vehicles on the cargo ship Arc Integrity at bay in Narvik, Northern Norway during the military exercise Immediate Response 24, part of Defender 24.
Defender 25 is the largest US Army exercise in Europe. It is a US European Command-scheduled exercise, conducted by US Army Europe and Africa.
In 2024, it involved more than 17,000 US and 23,000 multinational service members from over 20 Allied and partner nations. Last year, the exercise was furthermore linked to NATO's series of exercises Steadfast Defender 2024, NATO's largest military exercise since the Cold War.
The various exercises in this year's Defender will run through June.
Defender 25
- Defender is the Army’s largest annual opportunity to exercise moving personnel and equipment into theater across modes for initial and follow-on operations critical to Large Scale Combat Operations.
- The exercise is led by US Army Europe and Africa, and focuses on the strategic deployment of CONUS-based (continental US) forces, employment of Army Prepositioned Stock, and follow-on exercises.
- This exercise confirms the capabilities to deny aggressors, reinforces the US commitment to NATO’s defense strategy, and increases combat capability to deter with power.
Source: US Army Europe and Africa.
