Exercise STEADFAST DART 2026, NATO’s largest exercise of 2026 and the first large-scale peacetime deployment of the new Allied Reaction Force (ARF), based at NRDC ITA HQ, marked a significant milestone on Thursday, January 15, 2026, with the arrival of troops and equipment in the port of Emden, Germany.
The first Italian sea transport vessel, carrying over 1,500 military vehicles and support equipment, will undergo Reception, Staging, and Onward Movement (RSOM) through Germany. Further Italian naval movements are planned in the coming weeks: a second vessel will deliver approximately 1,600 military vehicles at the end of January, while a third vessel, carrying approximately 750 vehicles, will arrive in early February.
The objective of STEADFAST DART 2026 is to test the ARF’s capabilities and deployment procedures, as well as interoperability between troop-contributing nations and the host nation. Furthermore, the ARF, led by NRDC ITA, today represents one of NATO’s key technological and operational platforms, with a role that goes beyond operational readiness: it is a training and innovation hub, where new concepts, command systems, and advanced technological solutions are tested. It also serves as a doctrinal hub where operational deployment options are developed in support of NATO’s core missions.
The ARF Command, with its multi-domain capabilities and the presence of multinational assets, further demonstrates Italy’s commitment to supporting NATO in the service of deterrence, defense, and cooperative Euro-Atlantic security.
The Allied Reaction Force is a strategic force with high operational readiness and multi-domain capabilities. It provides the Alliance with forces capable of operating in the land, air, sea, space, cyber, and special operations domains, enabling operational effects with faster reaction times than previously possible.
ARF is composed of the Land Component Command of the Multinational Division South (ITA MND-S) in Florence, the Maritime Component Command of ESPMARFOR (Spain), the Air Component of the TUR JFAC (Turkey), the JLSG of NRDC ITA, and the Spanish Special Forces.
The leadership of the ARF’s land component is entrusted to the Multinational Division South, successor to the “Vittorio Veneto” Division, a large unit of the Italian Army based in Florence. Established in 2019, the MND-S is capable of planning and conducting multinational and joint operations, ensuring high flexibility and interoperability.
In this context, the ARF will therefore coordinate the use of land forces provided by allied countries. Among these is the Alpine Brigade “Julia,” the Italian Army’s flagship unit, specialized in mountain operations and already integrated into NATO rapid response forces.
The exercise will involve approximately 10,000 soldiers from 11 countries, including Italy, Greece, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, with additional support from France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.