The Army begins its deployment to Poland for the 'Steadfast Defender' exercise

Vehicles of the "San Quintín" Battalion in Gijón

On April 12th, the Army began its deployment to Poland, where it is participating, between April and May, in the Saber Strike and Switf Response exercises, of the Steadfast Defender series, the most important NATO exercise in European territory, in which more than 20 member countries and partners of the Atlantic Alliance are going to participate.

Personnel and means of the Protected Infantry Battalion "San Quintín" I/3, of the Brigade "Galicia" VII, and the Tactical Group "Tetuán," of the Group of "Regulars of Ceuta" n. 54, have left this week by boat bound for Gdansk (Poland). Along with them, there are also troops of the Engineers Regiment n. 7, the Mixed Artillery Regiment n. 30 and the Logistics Unit n. 23, of the General Command of Ceuta. These units will participate in Saber Strike exercise.

The participation of the Spanish Army in the Steadfast Defender exercise not only reinforces Spain's importance as a key ally within NATO and its strong commitment to its allied partners, but also offers a unique opportunity to test and improve the operational capabilities of the Spanish Army in a complex multinational environment.

The Steadfast Defender exercise is led by the U.S. Army for Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) and is the largest U.S. deployment in 2024. The Steadfast Defender series is composed of several exercises, which are starting now in spring and are developed throughout these months in different locations on the European continent.

Within the framework of the Steadfast Defender, Spain participates in the Defender Europe 24 exercise, which comprises three key exercises: Saber Strike, Immediate Response and Swift Response. The Spanish Army will contribute operational organizations in Saber Strike and Swift Response, as well as contributing observers to the Immediate Response exercise.

The Saber Strike exercise is one of the most important exercises in the series and is led by the U.S. 5th Army Corps, involving U.S. soldiers and partner and allied countries, including Croatia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom.

For its part, Swift Response is an exercise designed to test the ability of allied airborne units to respond quickly and effectively to crisis situations as an interoperable, multinational force. During the exercise, four Joint Forcible Entries (JFEs) will be established in Estonia, Poland, Romania and Sweden. The participation of the Spanish Army will focus on the JFEs of Romania and Sweden.

The participation of the Army in the Saber Strike and Swift Response exercises contributes to improving interoperability between allied forces, a fundamental element to ensure an effective response to current and future threats.

Personnel of Regulars leaving Ceuta