Throughout January and February 2025, NATO will conduct Exercise Steadfast Dart 25 to practice the deployment of the new Allied Reaction Force, which can rapidly reinforce NATO’s eastern flank. These important exercises will showcase the Alliance’s readiness, capability, and commitment to defend every inch of NATO territory.
Thousands of UK personnel will continue to deploy to Europe in the next two months to spearhead a major NATO exercise.
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UK leading contribution with over 2600 personnel and 730 vehicles deploying to NATO’s eastern flank.
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First deployment under new NATO Allied Reaction Force.
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Deployment demonstrates UK’s unshakeable commitment to NATO and European Security.
The exercises will see the UK Armed Forces join thousands of personnel from ten NATO Allies, operating across Romania and Bulgaria coinciding with the anniversary of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
NATO updates on Exercise Steadfast Dart 25
Exercise Steadfast Dart demonstrates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and highlights the UK key leadership role in the Alliance.

1 (UK) Div will deploy 7 Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team with additional Force Elements
730 vehicles including Foxhound and Jackals will deploy by road, air, and sea to Eastern Europe where they will conduct two exercises before returning to the UK at the end of February.

Learn more about our NATO Allied Reaction Force
Commanding NATO role for 1st (UK) Division
Commanding NATO role for 1st (UK) Division
As we approach the three-year anniversary of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we must continue to strengthen our collective defences together to deter Putin effectively.

JACKAL 2
Jackal 2 is a high mobility weapons platform, with a unique air-bag suspension system allowing rapid movement across varying terrain. It is designed to protect personnel against roadside explosions and mine attacks.
Armed with either a Heavy Machine Gun or a Grenade Machine Gun as the main weapons system in the fire support role, with General Purpose Machine Gun for crew protection. The forward gun ring would give a 360 degree sweep of fire.
FOXHOUND
The Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology and provides unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight. With a top speed of 70 mph it can still protect against improvised explosive devices thanks to its v-shaped hull.

730 vehicles including Foxhound and Jackals will deploy to conduct two exercises in Eastern Europe before returning to the UK at the end of February.

As we’re looking forward to deployment, I’m ready to get more hands on in the job, work with foreign armies, and see how they work
Highlander Marcus Watson reflects on pre-deployment training for Exercise Steadfast Dart and how live fire and tactical training felt beneficial:
“I enjoyed days like this, it gets us out of camp. I like to get in and amongst the action and get the job done.
“Every day is a learning curve so it’s good we have each other, there’s always something you can learn from someone else as we all have different views and ways of approaching different scenarios, so it was good to be out here and develop as a team.”
