NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024

[Pelican]

Spanish Navy tanker outbound from UK for Steadfast Defender

The Patiño, a replenishment oiler of the Spanish Navy (Armada), departs Portsmouth to continue with NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender.

Patiño (A14) is one of two oilers of the same class with the Spanish Navy, built in the 1990s with the role of refuelling and restocking ships while underway at sea. The vessel is named after José Patiño Rosales, acting First Secretary of State from 1734 to 1736. He served in the navy and helped reorganize the fleet.

Exercise Steadfast Defender is the largest NATO exercise to be held since the Cold War. Over 90,000 troops are participating with over 1,200 combat vehicles, over 80 aircraft and over 50 naval assets from all 31 allies and NATO partner, Sweden.

All Exercise Steadfast Defender videos: Exercise Steadfast Defender
Recorded: February 25th, 2024
See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_1X5wZV1nk - LFT

[Pelican]

The UK Carrier Strike Group in the North Sea.
HMS Prince of Wales accompanied by HMS Portland, RFA Tidesurge, RFA Tidespring, HMCS Charlottetown, HDMS Niels Juel and ESPS Cristóbal Colón.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C30D3EbJ ... Mw-6IaGW2c

[Pelican]

Royal Navy helicopter caught firing flares in incredible scenes

The incredible pictures were captured while embarked for Exercise Steadfast Defender

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/p ... ng-9133555 - LFT

[Pelican]

British Army troops and vehicles set sail to Europe

NATO’s largest set of military manoeuvres since the height of the cold war, Exercise Steadfast Defender, began in earnest for the British Army as the 23,000-tonne roll-on roll-off vessel, MV Anvil Point slipped her moorings at the Sea Mounting Centre in Marchwood near Southampton.

According to this British Army news release, loaded into the bowels of the ship and parked bumper to bumper on her upper decks were some 600 vehicles – the vanguard of the UK’s land forces that will eventually see some 19,000 British soldiers deploy across a 4.5k kilometre stretch of Europe from Norway’s high latitudes of the Arctic Circle through to Georgia in the Caucuses.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british ... to-europe/

[Pelican]

Massive British warship HMS Portland docks in Aberdeen Harbour

The vessel is 133 metres long and comes equipped with a 4.5-inch gun, Harpoon, Seawolf missile systems, and was once involved in a three-tonne cocaine drugs bust at sea.

See - https://www.aberdeenlive.news/news/aber ... nd-9139478 - LFT

[Pelican]

UK Carrier Strike Group
An awe-inspiring Arctic scene for the #SteadfastDefender24 Carrier Strike Group.
Whilst continuing with NATO exercises in the High North, our ships were treated to some incredible displays of the aurora borealis.
For many onboard, a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
More photos at - https://twitter.com/COMUKCSG/status/1764696249612083592
And - https://twitter.com/HMSPWLS/status/1764705065011466243
Video at - https://twitter.com/i/status/1764651521747075336

[Pelican]

Busy day for British carrier jets in Arctic - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/busy-da ... in-arctic/

British carrier group operating off Norwegian coast - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british ... ian-coast/

[Pelican]

Royal Navy plays a leading role in largest NATO exercise for more than 35 years

Steadfast Defender 2024 (STDE24) is the largest military exercise staged by NATO since the alliance conducted ‘Reforger’ in 1988. In this photo essay, we cover the RN’s participation in the maritime elements of the exercise.

SDE24 spans multiple regions and domains from land, sea, air and space and involves 90,000 military personnel. Essentially it simulates a Russian attack on a NATO member state and the activation of Article 5 which demands all members take action to restore security of the North Atlantic area. Aspects of the exercise began in January with a US and Canadian task group rehearsing the protection of transatlantic sea lines of communication. The main phase of STDE24 included exercises Joint Warrior and Nordic Response (February – March) and during this time the UK contributed 20,000 personnel including 2,000 sailors.

Continues at - https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy- ... -35-years/