NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) is currently led by the United Kingdom and includes military personnel from eight other NATO Allies – Albania, Hungary, Latvia, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Spain and Türkiye. Troops from these countries practised rapid deployment as part of exercise Brilliant Jump 2024, making their way to training grounds in Poland in a matter of days. Once there, they took part in the Polish-led exercise Dragon 2024, which tasked the quick-reaction forces with repelling a simulated invasion.
The drills were part of exercise Steadfast Defender 2024. Involving 90,000 forces from all 32 Allies, the exercise is testing NATO’s new regional defence plans with personnel practising rapid deployment and combat in both Norway and Poland. Steadfast Defender 2024 runs from January to May 2024.