NATO kicks off huge drill with 6,000 soldiers and missiles flying over European waters
NATO's most important integrated air and missile defence exercise is taking place in the North Atlantic, North Sea, and Norwegian Sea
A colossal defence training exercise, involving the interception of missiles over European waters, has been initiated, drawing on the combined forces of 11 NATO countries and engaging over 6,000 military personnel.
Kicking off from regions spanning the North Atlantic, North Sea, and Norwegian Sea is Exercise Formidable Shield 2025, which stands as NATO's premiere integrated air and missile defence drill.
Spanning a three-week period, this complex operation is carried out under the leadership of STRIKFORNATO and the US Sixth Fleet. The exercise features live-fire tests to intercept supersonic, subsonic, and ballistic threats, marking one of the most sophisticated air defence training scenarios ever devised.
With participants that include the US, the UK, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, and Australia contributing radar sensor technology, an impressive count of 16 warships, 27 aircraft, and eight ground-based air defence systems are in active use.
These training manoeuvres aim to examine the alliance's proficiency in sensing, tracking, and disarming various airborne dangers through NATO's collaborative command and control frameworks, as well as practising joint responses to missile strikes, reports the Express.
Speaking with the UK Defence Journal, Captain Michael Dwan, Task Group 154.64 Commander and representative of the US Navy, underscored the importance of this training: "There is simply no substitute for the training and learning that occurs when we operate in these intensely realistic scenarios.
"Exercises like Formidable Shield are critical for refining our collective integrated air and missile defense capabilities, ensuring we can respond effectively to any threat from any direction.
"Training as a collective using NATO command and control reporting structure forges the bonds of interoperability and strengthens the alliance as a whole. Exercises like Formidable Shield are critical for refining our collective integrated air and missile defense capabilities, ensuring we can respond effectively to any threat from any direction and maintain a credible deterrent posture.
"Operating together is not just a practice, it's the foundation of our shared security," said Commander Welmer Veenstra, a Commanding Officer on De Ruyter. "Exercises like Formidable Shield 25 ensure our forces stay sharp, adaptable, and credible.
"Formidable Shield is one of NATO's most important deterrence exercises this year, and also Europe's largest at-sea live-fire exercise in 2025."
Sergeant Jonny Karlsen from the Norwegian Joint Headquarters informed High North News.
"The war in Ukraine shows the significance of integrated air and missile defense to protect the airspace. By extension, this joint IAMD exercise is very important for Norway and our allies."
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