Troops deployment for Steadfast Dart 25
Steadfast Dart 25 is one of NATO's most important joint drills this year
Agenția Media a Armatei, 05.02.2025, 14:00
Little time is left until the opening of the biggest drill staged by NATO this year. Held in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania over February 10th and 21st, «Steadfast Dart 25» brings together 10 thousand servicemen from 9 allied countries able to participate in all kind of ground, air, sea and special operations. Through this complex troops deployment, the drill emphasizes the multi-domain capabilities of NATO and its unflinching commitment to collective defence. Spain, which is heading the Joint Special Operations Command, will deploy 3 thousand troops, as well as gear and transport planes. Special operations cannot be done by conventional troops as they involve special procedures for any situation, in order to reach strategic, operational or tactic objectives and to achieve military objectives.
According to the Spanish Defence Ministry, several transport alternatives have been used for the deployment of troops and equipment, combining air, sea, rail and road transportation. So, the ship carrying the most part of the troops set sail in Almeria and landed the contingent in the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. The equipment and vehicles were carried by trains towards rail terminals in Dumbrăveni and Voila (Romania), and from there their deployment to Cincu, in central Romania, was made by road. Five air missions were scheduled for the transport of 261 tactic vehicles and 58 containers. This has been a complex, large-scale deployment mainly involving ground units and special operation units due to the large number of personnel, the equipment and vehicles involved.
Several days ahead of the aforementioned operation, the Spanish servicemen part of the NATO battle Group deployed in Cincu had completed the Eagle Thunder exercise which focused on the implementation of the firing capabilities of the Spanish detachment with both daytime and nighttime activities. Initiatives such as «Eagle Thunder» are proving the detachment’s readiness and determination to contribute to the security and stability of the allies in the region, reiterating the allies’ commitment to the defence and deterrence policy of NATO’s eastern flank.
The last F-16 Fighting Falcon, Romania purchased from Norway, has touched down at the 71 Air Base “General Emanoil Ionescu” in Câmpia Turzii (central Romania) to complete the 48 Fighting Squadron, which boasts 16 aircraft. The purchase of the F-16s and the related packages of goods and services, is aimed at increasing Romania’s security through the defence of the national/NATO airspace in time of peace and crisis situations through the Permanent Air Policing under NATO command.
The Romanian Defence Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, has received the Italian ambassador to Romania, Alfredo Durante Mangoni. One of the issues on the agenda was the importance of carrying on the joint drills aimed at contributing to raising interoperability at the allied level. Italy’s contribution with troops and equipment to NATO drills «Steadfast Dart 25» and «Sea Shield 25» has been hailed. The Romanian official has conveyed thanks to Italy for the support it offered to the countries in NATO’s Eastern Flank, mainly for its participation in the strengthened air-policing missions in Romania, including this year as well as for its contribution to the allied structures on the Romanian territory.
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