For the purpose of deterrence, the Bundeswehr and NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization conduct annual trainings in countering potential attacks on the alliance.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has destroyed the European peace order and continues to challenge NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s collective defence system. Russia might also dare to attack the Alliance, so deterrence is the order of the day. Within the scope of the Quadriga exercise series, the Bundeswehr and its NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization partners have carried out defence training for a possible Alliance contingency since 2023.
In Europe, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 caused many supposed certainties to crumble, including that that Russia would not dare to launch a conventional attack on another European country. While Russia continues to brutally attack Ukraine, it also seems to be setting the course for a larger confrontation. Russian armaments production is in full swing, and Europe’s defence capabilities are already being put to the test. According to analysts, Russia may be capable of attacking NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization territory in Europe as soon as 2029.
“Effective deterrence is our life insurance. If any Russian soldier puts their boots on Allied territory, we will defend every inch of it.”
Conscious of the new threat posed by Russia, the countries of Europe are rallying behind the shield of NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization, the transatlantic defence alliance. NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization has revised its defence plans and increased its military presence along Europe’s eastern border. In addition, the Allies have agreed to massively increase their spending on collective security.
The message to Moscow is clear: whoever attacks a NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization partner will face retaliation from all Alliance member states. When pooled, the capabilities of the 32 NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization member states make the defence alliance the most powerful military power in the world – and one that can effectively deter Russia from carrying out an attack and ensure the preservation of peace. The Quadriga exercise series makes the potential adversary aware what the Bundeswehr and its partners are capable of.
The Quadriga exercise series has existed in this form since 2023. Every year, the Bundeswehr and its Allies engage in training regarding their joint response to an attack on Alliance territory, ranging from alerting to the rapid deployment of large force contingents to NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s eastern flank via the German hub and to fighting together in combined arms operations. However, this is not only a matter of rehearsing the procedures to be followed in the event of an Alliance contingency; it is also a signal of unity and strength by the Allies.
Quadriga has a different military focus each year. The German Air Force played a particularly prominent role in the first Quadriga exercise in 2023. With 10,000 military personnel and 250 aircraft, Air Defender was the largest air deployment exercise in NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization’s history. In 2024, the German Army was at the focus of the exercise. That year, Quadriga was integrated in the largest NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise in Europe since the end of the Cold War. Steadfast Defender saw the participation of 90,000 military personnel spread across an area extending from the Arctic Circle right down to the Black Sea. In Quadriga 2025, the German Navy will be at the focus of the exercise.
