Callum Fraser
As NATO prepares to mark its 75th anniversary against the dark backdrop of the Ukraine conflict, it has just completed its largest and perhaps most significant post-Cold War exercise, Steadfast Defender. On the other side of the world, where strategic clouds are gathering, Australia and the United States are laying plans for the largest and most important edition yet of their main biennial joint training exercise, Talisman Sabre. This will likely also involve the most significant contributions yet by other partner nations, including from Europe.
These two major sets of manoeuvres are a reminder of the importance of exercises in delivering defence, deterrence and strategic messaging – demonstrating both will and capability. They also point to the increasingly intertwined security concerns and connections between the Euro-Atlantic and Asia-Pacific theatres.
Happy anniversary?
NATO came into being on 4 April 1949 with twelve founding members. Its current 32 members will gather for a two-day anniversary summit in Washington from 9 July. In a sense, the Ukraine conflict has given the Alliance a new sense of purpose. Five years ago, French President Emmanuel Macron argued that NATO was ‘brain-dead’. Since then, it has sought to revitalise its strategic plans, culminating in a new NATO Force Model with greatly enhanced ambition for force generation and readiness.
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