Steadfast Defender 24:UK Makes Major Commitment

The UK Ministry of Defence laid out its plans in the massive NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender 24 on 15 January 2024.Said the Ministry:In the context of our ever more dangerous world,the Secretary of State for Defence,Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP,will deliver a major speech at Lancaster House today to set out his vision for the UK to deter threats,lead among Allies and defend the UK...the Defence Secretary is expected to announce that in the first half of 2024,20,000 service personnel from the Royal Navy,the British Army,and the Royal Air Force will deploy across Europe to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender 24.*The drills will see the UK Armed Forces join 70,000 other NATO troops from 31 NATO Allies and candidate Sweden to operate across multiple countries coinciding with the Alliance's 75th Anniversary.This deployment will feature the RAF's most advanced fighter jets and surveillance aircraft,the RN's most advanced warships and submarines,and the full range of the Army's capabilities-from logistics to armour to Special Operations Forces.*Mr.Shapps' remarks are expected to say:We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies,lead our Allies and be prepared to defend our nations whenever the call comes.Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers.Old enemies are reanimated.Battle lines are being redrawn.The tanks are literally on Ukraine's lawn.And the foundations of the world are being shaken to their core.We stand at a crossroads...providing vital reassurance against the Putin menace.*Mr.Shapps noted that deploying this year is 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team...which will be operating across Europe to deliver one of the largest NATO deployments since the Cold War.Steadfast Defender 24 will deliver on the promises made at the 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit.The RN will be deploying eight warships and submarines and more than 2,000 Sailors.A UK carrier Strike Group,centred on a QE Class aircraft carrier and her air group of F-35B Lightning jets and helicopters,will operate as part of a potent Naval Force of Allied warships and submarines in the North Atlantic,the Norwegian Sea,and the Baltics.More than 400 Royal Marines Commandos will be deployed to the Arctic Circle at the heart of our Allied Amphibious Task Group designed to land in the High North and defend the Alliance in one of the world's harshest environments.Sixteen thousand troops from the British Army will be deployed across Eastern Europe from February to June 2024,taking with them tanks,artillery,helicopters,and parachutes.There will be live-fire manoeuvres,parachute jumps,an Army and Navy joint helicopter force,and Army Special Operations Forces on deployment.The British Army will deploy to test and strengthen the readiness of the UK's Land Forces in defending NATO,and to bolster its ability to operate jointly with Allied Armed Forces.*The RAF will be making use of some of its most cutting-edge aircraft,including F-35B Lightning attack aircraft and Poseidon P8 surveillance aircraft.The RAF will practise flying simulated conflict scenarios against near-peer adversaries,proving its ability to defer and defend against threats.*It is known that SD24 will practise a reinforcement of Europe from North America across the Atlantic Ocean.*More context:There is suspicion that Russia has not only been jamming Ukraine with Electronic Warfare,but NATO Allies as well.The Washington think tank Institue for the Study of War (ISW) noted high levels of GPS interference in Poland on 10 and 16 January 2024,and in the Baltic Sea Region between 25 and 27 December 2023.Several analysts believe it was likely Russia attempting to wage hybrid warfare against NATO.The ISW also noted that Putin has been sharply critical of the Baltic States recently for their perceived mistreatment of ethnic Russians living in them-an expansionist vision of Russian Federation sovereignty.ISW said that Putin:notably amplified a long-standing Kremlin effort to set information conditions for future escalations against the Baltic countries,likely as part of his wider effort to weaken NATO.

Allied Reaction:NATO's Newest Force

On 29 September 2023,the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Italy (NRDC-ITA) was announced as the interim headquarters for the Alliance's new Allied Reaction Force (ARF),NATO announced in a press release.ARF was established at the NATO Vilnius Summit in July 2023.The NRDC-ITA will provide Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher G. Cavoli,U.S. Army,with immediate capability to respond to a crisis,while also providing for the development of permanent ARF structures.The ARF will be a new,muti-domain Force for providing more options to respond swiftly to threats and crises in all directions throughout Alliance territory.Said NRDC-ITA commander Lt.Gen.Lorenzo D'Addario:I am excited and honoured to serve the Alliance in such a crucial role.We will be training hard to provide NATO a ready Force.* For the remainder of 2023 and early 2024,NRDC-ITA will undergo a rigorous series of measures:military exercises;academic studies;staff training;and the exercise Steadfast Deterrence in May 2024.Then NRDC-ITA will receive validation as an interim HQ before officially assuming the role in July 2024.This new role will strengthen the Corps' extant relationships,while allowing it to work with new Allies and Partners,sharing expertise and experience while demonstrating cohesion and legitimacy.The selection of NRDC-ITA as the interim HQ reaffirms Italy's commitment to the Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area,NATO said.* For its part,the UK has already pledged forces to the ARF.The ARF is part of the Alliance's New Force Model,which will support modernisation and strengthening of the NATO Force Structure.This in turn will ensure declared capabilities,equipment and forces are available to SACEUR in the right place at the right time.The agile,multi-domain and combat-credible ARF will be able to deploy at very high readiness to respond to a range of crises,the UK Ministry of Defence pointed out,in light of Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.Contribution of fighter aircraft,land forces and maritime vessels to the New Force Model will protect people across the Alliance against future threats,the UK MOD stated.

Ukraine Crisis: MOD identifies Putin's possible routes of invasion

Russia Probes British Defences by Sea and Air - Belgian fighter jets among responders

The Russian military has been probing the UK's area of national interest in recent weeks,raising NATO concern as fighting between the Ukrainian Army and Russian-backed rebels intensified in Eastern Ukraine.On 8 January 2018,the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster intercepted and escorted two Russian warships,the Stereguschin-class frigates Soobrazitelny and Boiky,plus their support ships Paradoks and Kola,out of the English Channel.
Commander Simon Kelly,commanding officer of the Westminster,explained:
The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK,and it is very important that HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link.*
Presumably,the Russian warships have by now returned to their Baltic homeport.*
In the Baltic State of Estonia,Britain has deployed its Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) artillery,which is long range and precision-guided by GPS,along with 800 troops as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence strategy.*
On 15 January,the RAF launched Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland,on a quick reaction alert as two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers approached the UK.The Russian Defence Ministry said their bombers were escorted by Belgian F-16s as well as British Typhoons at different stages of their mission.*
According to the UK Ministry of Defence:
The RAF worked closely with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed through a variety of international airspace,before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea.Subsequently,our fighters escorted the Russian Blackjacks North,out of the UK's area of interest.At no time did the bombers enter UK sovereign airspace.*
For his part,British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
The threats this country faces are intensifying and we will not hesitate in defending our skies from acts of aggression.Our excellent RAF tracked the Russian aircraft every step of the way,and they continue to police UK and international airspace every hour of every day,to help keep the British people safe.*
RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies,the MOD added.