Steadfast Dart 2026
NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Allied Reaction Force is conducting an exercise of strategic deployment through Europe to Germany. The Bundeswehr is providing support.
NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Allied Reaction Force is conducting an exercise of strategic deployment through Europe to Germany. The Bundeswehr is providing support.
Steadfast Dart is an annual NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise to practise rapid deployment and supply of the Allied Reaction Force (ARFAllied Reaction Force) through Europe. The ARFAllied Reaction Force is a rapidly deployable NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization force composed of armed forces from multiple member states as required. With establishment of the NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Force Model, the ARFAllied Reaction Force replaced NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s previous rapid response force, the NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Response Force (NRFNATO Response Force), in 2024. The up to 800,000 troops earmarked in the new armed forces model can be deployed in the entire area of operations of the NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPESupreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) within six months. 0,000 of them are part of the ARFAllied Reaction Force and are mission-ready after only ten days.
During Steadfast Dart 2026, the ARFAllied Reaction Force forces will be activated in their home countries for an exercise period from January to March and deploy by sea, land and air from Turkey, Italy and Spain across Europe and its marginal seas to Germany. NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Rapid Deployable Corps Italy provides the headquarters and operational level of command for the ARFAllied Reaction Force in all domains – not only for the current exercise, but for all operational scenarios.
Across Europe, the exercise will involve some 10,000 troops from eleven countries, including Italy, Greece, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Turkey, with additional support from France, Belgium and the United Kingdom.
Steadfast Dart involves approximately 10,000 troops of NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization partners across Europe. Approximately 7,300 troops are deploying to Germany, which is supporting the ARFAllied Reaction Force as host nation.
Bundeswehr/Astrid Höffling | map base: © Mapcreator/OpenStreetMapIn Germany, approximately 7,300 troops of the land, air and naval forces, as well as special operations forces, from the NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization member states Italy, Spain, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Greece are participating in the exercise. This includes the TCG Anadolu, the Turkish navy’s first vessel capable of amphibious landing operations, which will deploy to the Baltic Sea during the exercise.
For Germany, Steadfast Dart 2026 is a key part of this year’s Quadriga 2026 exercise cluster, in which Germany as the host nation provides comprehensive support to the ARFAllied Reaction Force forces. In addition, more than 2,000 troops of the German Army and Navy will exercise together with ARFAllied Reaction Force forces in Grand Quadriga and Northern Quadriga, both on land and at sea.
What is special about this exercise: Steadfast Dart is not based on a fictitious exercise scenario. The exercise is planned and conducted as an operation, with the aim of increasing our own operational readiness, demonstrating capabilities in order to deter potential aggressors, and reassuring NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Allies that Germany is performing its role as a NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization hub reliably and sustainably.
Steadfast Dart 2026 is the ARFAllied Reaction Force’s second large-scale deployment exercise. In 2025, approximately 10,000 troops from nine nations already exercised deployment to NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s south-eastern flank in Romania, Bulgaria and Greece.
During Steadfast Dart 2025, ARFAllied Reaction Force forces exercised landing operations in Greece. Amphibious landings are a part of the exercise in 2026 as well.
NATO
As host nation, Germany provides accommodation and meals for the troops of the Allied Reaction Force, among other services
Bundeswehr/Katharina WaierDue to its geographic location, Germany serves NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization as a central hub for troop deployments. Host nation support is a key Alliance commitment in this context. In line with NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization requirements, the up to 800,000 troops with up to 200,000 vehicles to be mobilised within six months in the event of an Article 5 contingency must receive support during their stay in and transit through Germany.
The Bundeswehr will provide accommodation and meals for the troops of the Allied Reaction Force. The scope of services also includes further logistic support such as refuelling of vehicles and aircraft and the transportation of vehicles and containers. In total, approximately 1,500 vehicles – ranging from trucks to armoured self-propelled howitzers – are expected, not including aircraft and ships. In addition, the Bundeswehr provides the exercising forces with storage and parking areas, for example for weapon systems and ammunition, as well as maintenance capacities. This also includes guarding and security, including counter-drone measures.
These support services are provided by the entire Bundeswehr, by civilian and military agencies. That entails close cooperation between the Bundeswehr Joint Force Command, the four services, the Joint Support Command and the Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services element with the Bundeswehr Service Centres. Civilian companies are also involved in the support services.
What is practised during the Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, how is the Bundeswehr involved and what does this exercise mean for the public? You can find answers to these and other questions here:
Steadfast Dart is a NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise of the deployment of the Allied Reaction Force. The focus is on the fast transport of troops, weapon systems and supplies across Europe.
Italy, Greece, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Turkey are participating in Steadfast Dart 2026, with additional support provided by France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Troops from Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Turkey and Greece will exercise in Germany. Germany is supporting the Allied Reaction Force as host nation.
The deployment will take place across all of Europe. In Germany, the focus is on the north of the country, with the ports in Emden and Kiel being the main ports of arrival. An amphibious landing exercise will be conducted in Ostholstein and a field training exercise in the region of Munster. Deployment of troops and military transport will mainly take place in the federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
As a NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization partner, Germany is firmly integrated into the Alliance’s exercise planning. The Bundeswehr regularly participates in multinational exercises throughout the entire NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization territory. However, the Allied Reaction Force will be exercising in Germany for the first time. The Bundeswehr is providing support services to the exercising forces in the context of host nation support.
Germany’s key task in Steadfast Dart 2026 is to ensure that the country runs smoothly in its role as a hub. Due to its central geographic location in Europe, one of Germany’s core Alliance commitments in NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization is to provide host nation support to the up to 800,000 troops with up to 200,000 vehicles to be mobilised within six months in the event of an Article 5 contingency while these troops and vehicles are staying in or moving through Germany. These support services range from accommodation, meals and medical care to refuelling, maintenance and provision of safe parking areas as well as escorting of convoys, guarding and security.
During Steadfast Dart 2026, this host nation support will be required for the Allied Reaction Force and provided by the Bundeswehr. This involves civilian Bundeswehr members as much as troops of all services. The Bundeswehr Joint Force Command coordinates the support services.
The exercise was planned in the long term and is part of an exercise series or regular NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization training cycles. However, it is not based on a fictitious scenario; the rapid deployment of the Allied Reaction Force will be exercised the same way it would be conducted in the event of an immediate threat to NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s external borders.
The exercise was planned in the long term and is part of an exercise series or regular NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization training cycles. However, it is not based on a fictitious scenario; the rapid deployment of the Allied Reaction Force will be exercised the same way it would be conducted in the event of an immediate threat to NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s external borders.
During the exercise period, there may be traffic disruptions due to troop movements in northern Germany. Whenever possible, the public will be informed of the routes of military convoys ahead of time, unless this information cannot be provided for reasons of military security.
Information on the exercise is available at bundeswehr.de, on the Bundeswehr social media channels and on the Bundeswehr’s citizens’ help line.
For reasons of military security, visitors cannot be admitted to the exercise activities.