NATO’s Three Joint Forces Commands Train Together In Exercise First
The North Atlantic Treaty Alliance launched Steadfast Duel 2025 on October 22, with the alliance’s largest computer-assisted command post exercise also the first operational-level exercise to involve all three of NATO’s joint forces commands.
The exercise simulates Article 5 scenarios that will test the entirety of NATO’s Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA) family of plans. Approximately 7,000 military and civilian personnel from all 32 allies, including personnel from NATO’s newest members Sweden and Finland, will participate in the exercise in multiple locations across Europe and the United States.
Major General Ruprecht von Butler, Commander of NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre directing the exercise, said the exercise was a “perfect venue to exercise NATO’s strategic and operational command system and integration of the member states”. He added that U.S. Army Europe and Africa would be conducting its Exercise Avenger Triad 2025 alongside Steadfast Duel:
By linking these exercises, we are stronger in our deterrence across air, land, sea, cyberspace and space. STEADFAST DUEL 2025 is arguably NATO’s most strategic exercise this year, and it will ensure that the Alliance is ready for the fight tonight and tomorrow.
“We have a new approach with the 24/7 battle rhythm, exercising more realistically and training as we fight”, said Lieutenant Colonel Ralph, the NATO Joint Warfare Centre’s main planner for the exercise. “An event of this size needs the support of the entire Joint Warfare Centre, and recent European history adds plenty of challenges and learning points to be exploited. The Joint Warfare Centre has worked hard to deliver an exercise that meets emerging threats to NATO security.”
Steadfast Duel 2025 will also see Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (HQ SACT) conducting a range of experimentation activities across the spectrum of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities and interoperability. One experiment highlighted by NATO is the experimental use of a digital command and control system incorporating large language models and artificial intelligence.