IRIA News

5 minute read

NATO’s Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, one of the alliance’s most significant drills, has brought together thousands of troops, naval groups, special operations units, and air assets in a multi-domain demonstration of rapid deployment and interoperability across Europe.

The exercise began in the first week of February and would go on until February 20, 2026, in Germany and surrounding maritime areas, integrating land, naval, air, and special operations capabilities under NATO’s Allied Response Force (ARF).

Joint Force Command Brunssum is overseeing the operation, which is designed to test the alliance’s ability to deploy high-readiness forces quickly and coordinate them across multiple domains in a realistic scenario.

Steadfast Dart 2026 involves around 10,000 military personnel from 13 countries, with additional national activities linked by Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom.

Participating units include forces from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, and Turkiye. The exercise is structured in two main phases: an initial deployment phase followed by a large-scale training phase.

Focus on Rapid Deployment

The main objective of Steadfast Dart 2026 is to demonstrate the ability of allied forces to deploy rapidly and converge in time and space with other elements of the Allied Response Force.

The ARF is NATO’s high-readiness strategic force under the alliance’s new force model, designed to deploy quickly, scale up as needed, and reinforce deterrence across the Euro-Atlantic area.

66th Mechanised Infantry Brigade on the ground in Germany 🇩🇪 for Exercise #SteadfastDart26.

Ready. Capable. Strong. #NATO forces stand united. 💪#StrongerTogether #WeAreNATO@NATO @SHAPE_NATO @tcsavunma pic.twitter.com/QfW0tKqzs0

— NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum – JFCBS (@NATOJFCBS) February 13, 2026

The force can serve as a strategic reserve in crises, a forward deterrence presence, or deploy rapidly in response to emerging situations across the alliance’s operational spectrum. Its flexibility allows the Supreme Allied Commander Europe to allocate additional units as required.

The exercise is also intended to validate command-and-control mechanisms, test logistics and sustainment for large formations, and strengthen interoperability between allied militaries in joint and combined operations. NATO considers such drills central to its deterrence and defence framework, agreed at the 2023 Vilnius summit.

Land, Naval, and Special Operations

Allied forces began deploying to Germany in early February, with land units transporting vehicles, trailers, and containers into the exercise area. Naval forces followed, with amphibious ships, frigates, and support vessels moving into position in the Baltic Sea and adjacent waters.

Special operations forces are integrated into the scenario through a dedicated Special Operations Component Command, responsible for coordinating missions across land and maritime environments. Air and space assets are also participating, providing support to special operations and amphibious units.

A key element of the exercise is the coordination between maritime and land forces in amphibious scenarios. Naval task groups are working alongside ground formations to simulate rapid deployment, coastal operations, and joint maneuvers under realistic operational conditions.

The maritime phase includes amphibious landing drills along the Baltic coast, where allied naval, air, and land units conduct coordinated operations to secure shorelines and establish control of coastal areas. Observers and senior defense officials from NATO and participating countries attended a press and distinguished visitors day during the maritime phase near Kiel.

Turkiye’s Contribution

Within the wider Steadfast Dart 2026 framework, Turkiye deployed the Anadolu Turkish Maritime Task Force and a range of domestically produced platforms and systems, underscoring its role in the exercise’s maritime component.

Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu said the task force made a significant contribution to the drills, highlighting the deployment of indigenous naval platforms and participation in joint amphibious operations with allied forces.

The Turkish contingent included the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, the replenishment combat support ship TCG Derya, the frigate TCG Istanbul, and the modernized frigate TCG Orucreis, along with marine infantry units, armored amphibious vehicles, helicopters, unmanned surface systems, and Bayraktar TB3 armed unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to Tatlıoğlu, the exercise demonstrated the Turkish Navy’s ability to project power over long distances, with amphibious units transported more than 8,000 kilometers to the Baltic region.

He also noted that the TB3 drones were used for the first time in a NATO exercise and in an amphibious operation, marking a new step in integrating unmanned systems into allied landing operations.

During the maritime phase, Turkish naval special forces and allied units carried out joint missions to clear underwater obstacles, secure coastlines, and support amphibious landings. Mechanized units deployed from amphibious vehicles then moved inland to establish control of designated areas within the scenario.

Steadfast Dart-26 Tatbikatı kapsamında intikalimiz sürüyor. 🇹🇷

Görev net, sancak yüksek, rota belli! 💪

As part of the Steadfast Dart-26 Exercise, our deployment is ongoing. 🇹🇷

The mission is clear, the flag flies high, and the course is set. 💪#MillîSavunmaBakanlığı |… pic.twitter.com/Ha8drvzBNq

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) February 7, 2026

Role of the Allied Response Force

Steadfast Dart 2026 is a key demonstration of the Allied Response Force’s capabilities under NATO’s updated force model. The ARF is designed as a highly available, multi-domain formation that can deploy quickly and scale up depending on the situation. It plays a central role in NATO’s deterrence and defense posture in both peacetime and crisis.

The exercise is intended to show how allied forces can integrate rapidly across domains and operate together in complex scenarios. It also provides a platform for testing new concepts, including the integration of unmanned systems, special operations coordination, and joint amphibious operations.

After completing the main phases of Steadfast Dart 2026, some participating units will remain in the region for additional training and follow-on exercises with allied forces, while others will transition to separate NATO activities focused on surveillance and deterrence on the alliance’s eastern flank.

Steadfast Dart 2026 is expected to continue through February, with allied forces completing deployment, training, and evaluation phases before redeploying to home bases in early March.

NATO’s largest exercise of the year is underway in northern Germany.

With 10,000 personnel from 13 Allies participating, #SteadfastDart26 demonstrates NATO’s ability to rapidly deploy forces to protect our one billion people 🛡️

🔗 https://t.co/Ys8hoBFept pic.twitter.com/PWdaiZrbvs

— NATO (@NATO) February 17, 2026