The 'Guzmán el Bueno' Brigade participates in the 'Steadfast Defender' exercise

A Leopard tank after crossing the Vistula River

The commander of the "Guzmán el Bueno" Brigade X (BRI), General Fernando Ruiz, attended the official visit day of the "Steadfast Defender" (STDE) exercise, held on March 5th in Korzeniewo, Poland. Precisely, Brigade X is the unit with the largest representation of personnel and assets in the current execution phase of STDE, known as "Polish Dragon"

This event was structured with a presentation about the exercise itself, given by the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli. Following this, a dynamic demonstration of a river crossing operation over the Vistula River was carried out by infantry units on engineer platforms, supported by aviation, anti-aircraft artillery, and long-range artillery. Finally, there was an exhibition showcasing the combat materials and assets of the different participating countries.

The commander of Brigade X (left) attended the exercise

STDE is a NATO exercise that serves as the framework for a series of 10 main exercises taking place throughout the first half of the year 2024 in various locations spanning the entire transatlantic area, with a special focus on European territory. Altogether, it represents the largest exercise conducted by NATO since the end of the Cold War, with direct participation from 31 countries, over 90,000 personnel, 1,100 combat vehicles, 50 ships, and 80 aircraft.

The Army participates in it with a contingent of a tactical group entity, generated from the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), with units belonging to the mentioned Brigade 'Guzmán el Bueno' X, Logistic Support Group No. 21, and Transmission Regiment No. 1.