With the logistic movements of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) Headquarters Command Post, STEADFAST DART 2025 (STDT25) is ready to commence.
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Press Release, Solbiate Olona, 08 January 2025: With the logistic movements of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) Headquarters Command Post, STEADFAST DART 2025 (STDT25) is ready to start. The exercise is the first large-scale deployment of the ARF since its establishment last year. It is aimed to test the deployable capabilities and procedures as well as the interoperability among the troop contributors and host nations.
The exercise demonstrates NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces from Europe to reinforce the defence of its eastern flank. This reinforcement will occur during a simulated emerging conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary, showing the ARF capability to conduct and sustain complex operations across thousands of kilometres and in any condition. Approximately 10,000 personnel from nine Allies and including air, land, maritime and Special Operation Forces will participate.
STDT25 will be carried out in Romania, Bulgaria and Greece with the host nations’ support to demonstrate NATO’s responsiveness in delivering significant deterrence effects. Live capability demonstrations will be conducted including amphibious operations, live-fire air power and combined manoeuvres across all domains.
The ARF replaced the NATO Response Force (NRF) on July, 1st 2024. It is a crucial element for the deterrence and the defence of the Euro-Atlantic area, ensuring NATO is prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to any threat in an evolving security environment. In the new NATO Force Model (NFM) aimed to make the Alliance stronger and able to deter, if necessary, to defend against any potential adversary, the ARF has been specifically designed to complement NATO’s Regional Plans agreed upon by all Allies at the Vilnius summit in 2023. This force offers the Alliance a strategic, high-readiness, force-generated, multi-domain and multinational capability that can be deployed and employed immediately on the orders of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) to strengthen deterrence in peacetime and crisis, and support the Alliance’s defence in conflict.
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