SWORD 26 ~ US and Allied forces will conduct a series of exercises across the High North, Baltic region, and Poland from late April through May 2026.
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Press Release, Wiesbaden, 02 April 2026: US and Allied forces will conduct a series of exercises across the High North, Baltic region, and Poland from late April through May 2026, leveraging cutting-edge capabilities to demonstrate credible deterrence in the land domain. Known as SWORD 26, this US Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF)-led series of multinational exercises will focus on operationalising NATO’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI), highlighting the continued commitment to collective defence and security.
Formerly known as DEFENDER – an acronym for Dynamic Employment of Forces toEurope for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness – the exercise was renamed SWORD 26 to represent a shift in focus from deploying forces from the United States to Europe to employing in-theatre forces to validate NATO’s regional plans and advance the EFDI. This change reflects the US Army’s emphasis on warfighting, modernisation, and readiness, consistent with NATO’s transformational priorities.
“SWORD 26 tests our lethality and ability to harness data and AI-enabled warfare at scale to operate with NATO Allies. It’s the application of Army Transformation to fight NATO’s regional plans across all domains in the High North, Baltic region, and Poland,” said Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general, US Army Europe and Africa.
NATO’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative is the transformational warfighting concept that harnesses the US Army’s Continuous Transformation into enhancing NATO’s deterrence posture in line with the Region Plans. EFDI leverages unmanned and minimally manned systems, backed with an integrated mission command network using live data to accelerate decision-making, to offset forward posture, and adversary advantages in mass and momentum.
Building on this foundation, SWORD 26 will test advanced technologies, such as AI-enabled command and control, multi-domain operations, and counter drone systems. By combing rapid manoeuvre and joint all-domain fires with decision dominance, SWORD ensures NATO forces are prepared to operate as a unified, lethal force across all domains.
The SWORD 26 exercise series incorporate three linked exercises, SABER STRIKE, IMMEDIATE RESPONSE and SWIFT RESPONSE, and highlights NATO’s historic transformation, including the commitment to 5% defence spending. These investments are translated into real capability, integration, and scale. The exercise involves US and NATO forces operating from distributed locations across the High North, Baltic region, and Poland and underscores the importance of USAREUR-AF’s role as the Army’s premier theatre for transformation and readiness.
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