NATO’s ongoing and upcoming Military Exercises

IRIA Staff - May 22, 2022

In November 2019, the French President Emmanuel Macron famously described the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a ‘brain dead’ alliance while citing U.S.’s withdrawal from Northern Syria without NATO’s consultation. Little did he know that the importance of NATO would be redefined in a coming couple of years.

The predominantly European military alliance NATO was created to provide collective security against Soviet Union’s increasing influence in Europe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO had been dubbed as a ‘Cold War relic’. Former U.S. President Donald Trump often referred to it as an ‘obsolete’ entity throughout his term and election campaigns.

Mocked by the critics and ridiculed by the leaders of its own member states, the NATO alliance was in a dire need of a post-Cold War purpose that came in the form Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Due to Russian President Putin’s decision to carry out a “special military operation” in Ukraine, NATO not only found an opportunity to revive itself but also to expand its membership and include more European nations.

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg ordered an immediate deployment of NATO’s Rapid Action Force of 4,000 troops to protect the European borders. Although NATO remains uninvolved in the military actions that are taking place in Ukraine, its forces are currently on high-alert status while keeping a close eye on Russia’s moves in its advancement toward the west.


U.S. Marines take part in Cold Response 2022 exercises in Evenes, Norway, on March 22, 2022. (Image Credit: Yves Herman/Reuters)


Russia’s attack on Ukraine also revitalized communication channels between NATO member states and brought Europe and its Western partners including U.S. and Canada, back into frequent communications regarding European security. Several European countries started to line up to obtain a NATO membership including Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Serbia, Georgia, and Moldova.

Another significant revival for NATO was to prepare its forces and forge their capabilities to address the looming threat of Russian continued invasion of the West. This came in the form of updating the military equipment and expanding the scope of NATO military exercises.

Earlier in March this year, around 35,000 soldiers from NATO countries took part in Cold Response 2022 exercise in Norway. During the exercise, NATO partners conducted live-fire drills to ensure that the allies’ armed forces are prepared to respond to emerging threats or crises. According to NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu, joint exercises show that "NATO stands strong and ready to protect our nations and defend against any threat." Lungescu also highlighted that NATO exercises also "help to remove any room for miscalculation or misunderstanding about our resolve to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory. NATO exercises are defensive, transparent, and in line with our international commitments.”

NATO has also announced to carry out several new and revitalized military exercises focusing on military training and capability bolstering all aspects including land, aerial, naval as well as cyber warfare. As part of NATO’s revived spirit, the allies and partners are conducting a series of planned military exercises spread all across Europe.


A U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler assigned to the “Garudas” Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134 flies over the flight line at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 4, 2021, in support of Northern Edge 2021. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force/ Senior Airman Adriana Barrientos)


Here is a compiled list of some of the most prominent ongoing and upcoming NATO military exercises for 2022:

Defender Europe 2022
Defender Europe is an annual large-scale U.S.-led multinational joint military exercise that is not only confined to the NATO partner states but also includes non-NATO European allies. Defender Europe has been designed to focus on the readiness of troops and interoperability of the U.S. and NATO military. The Defense Europe 2022 has become more significant due to the ongoing Ukraine war and increased security threat in Europe.
Exercise Dates: May 3, 2022 - June 2022
Participants: 8,730 security personnel from 11 different countries are participating in Defender Europe 22. The participant countries include the United States, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, France, Latvia, Lithuania Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, and United Kingdom.
Venue: Defense Europe 22 exercise would conduct operations across 9 different countries throughout Europe. The exercise Venue:s are based in Denmark, Lithuania, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland Slovakia, and Estonia.


Exercise Swift Response 2022
Swift Response is a large-scale ongoing U.S.-led multinational military exercise focusing on enhancing airborne interoperability. The exercise is currently taking place simultaneously with the Defender Europe 22 in Eastern Europe, Arctic High North, Baltic and Balkan regions. The objectives of Swift Response 2022 are to present combat credible Army forces in Europe while particularly focusing on building airborne interoperability with allies and partners and the integration of joint service partnerships.
Exercise Dates: May 2 - May 20, 2022
Participants: More than 9000 troops from 15 different NATO and non-NATO allied countries are participating in the exercises including forces from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Estonia, and Georgia.
Venue: Swift Response 2022 operations are being conducted at several different venues throughout eastern Europe, the North Pole, Baltic, and Balkan regions as well as in Alaska, U.S.


Troops from NATO allies and partners take part in military exercise. (Image Credit: NATO)


Hedgehog 2022
Hedgehog 2022 is a NATO-led military exercise that started at the Estonia-Latvia border. Hedgehog 2022 is Estonia’s largest multinational military exercise, which takes place every three or four years. The exercise will test combat readiness and the ability to respond to different threat scenarios in an international framework. Different military units of an infantry brigade, air force, navy, cyber command, special operations command, support command, military police, and territorial defense forces will participate in the exercise, together with allied and partner nations.
Exercise Dates: May 16 - May 30, 2022
Participants: More than 16,000 troops from 11 different NATO and non-NATO countries are participating in the exercises including the United States, United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden Ukraine, Georgia, France, and Germany.
Venue: The Hedgehog 2022 is taking place in Estonia near the Estonia-Latvia border. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO has increased its military presence in Estonia.


Steadfast Cobalt 2022 (STCO22)
Steadfast Cobalt 2022 or STCO22 is an ongoing NATO exercise that is designed to establish and test the networks and systems needed for the NATO Response Force (NRF) to connect to each other and conduct missions together. The exercise will verify, validate and enhance the interoperability under a federated environment of the deployed NATO Command Structure (NCS) forces, NATO Force Structure (NFS) forces, and partners for the C4ISR (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance).
Exercise Dates: April 25 – June 10, 2022
Participants: Representatives from all 30 NATO member countries are participating in STCO22. 19 different NATO Command Structures and 14 NATO Forces Structure units are participating in the exercise. Up to 9 countries can obtain observer status for STCO22 after having approval from the North Atlantic Council (NAC).
Venue: STCO22 is being conducted simultaneously in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and the NATO Response Force headquarters in Brunssum, Netherlands.


Forty-two ships and submarines representing 15 international partner nations maneuver into a close formation during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Shannon Renfroe)


Ramstein Legacy 2022
Ramstein Legacy 2022 is going to be the largest ground-based Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) exercise in the world, bringing together NATO IAMD allies and partners to build theater-wide procedural interoperability.
Exercise Dates: June 5 - June 16, 2022
Participants: The complete list of the participant for the Ramstein Legacy 2022 includes 25 different countries mostly from the NATO alliance with Sweden being the only non-NATO country.
Venue: Operations for the Ramstein Legacy 2022 include live fire and missile defense system exercises. These events shall take place at four different locations in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.


Dynamic Mongoose 2022
Dynamic Mongoose is a NATO-led annual military exercise held in the High North every summer. It is hosted consecutively by Norway and Iceland each year. Dynamic Mongoose focuses on the interoperability of surface ships, submarines, as well as aircraft, and personnel converges for anti-submarine warfare and training to conduct sea control or sea denial-related naval tasks in preparation for future collective defense and crisis response operations.
Exercise Dates: June 12 - July 8, 2022
Participants: The exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2022 would involve units, sailors, and airmen along with submarines, surface ships, and maritime patrol aircraft from seven NATO nations (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States).
Venue: According to the schedule of annual rotation between Iceland and Norway, the Dynamic Mongoose 2022 would take place in the Arctic Circle of Norway.


U.S. soldiers take part in joint military exercises in northwestern Poland on June 2, 2020. (Image Credit: Marcin Blelecki/EPA-EFE)


Dynamic Guard 2022 (II)
Dynamic Guard is NATO’s five-day-long biannual multi-national maritime electronic warfare exercise series designed to provide tactical training and help build and maintain proficiency in maritime electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defense for the NATO Response Force and NATO national units.
Exercise Dates: September 4 – September 8, 2022.
Participant Countries: The participants of the Dynamic Guard exercise are limited to the NATO member states. 5 to 10 different naval fleets participate in each exercise with rotation.
Venue: The Dynamic Guard 2022 (I) was conducted in February 2022 along the coast of Norway. Dynamic Guard 2022 (II) would take place in the Mediterranean Sea.


Apart from these major military exercises, there are several short-level military training programs that are being conducted by NATO to prepare the member states and allies for war readiness.

Although some countries such as Sweden and Finland are prepared to join the NATO alliance in the backdrop of Russian aggression toward the west, it would take months before their applications are accepted and approved by all 30 NATO member states. To address the short-term security concerns in Europe, many NATO member countries are signing military pacts and defense deals with non-NATO members are making security pacts and defense agreements as well as providing each other with weapons and equipment to strengthen their collective defense against Russia. The most recent security pact was made between the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Finland.


Airmen from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. and the 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, arrive at Amari Air Base, Estonia on January 24, 2022. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Megan Beatty)

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