NATO Exercises 2026: The Complete Guide to Allied Readiness

Bookmark this page for the authoritative, always-updated overview of NATO’s 2026 training calendar—drill dates, domains, and deployments across the alliance.

Why This Article Matters (and Why You Should Bookmark It)

NATO's exercise calendar is never published in one go. SHAPE populates its schedule incrementally — typically confirming winter/spring drills first, with summer and autumn exercises announced as late as April or May. For journalists, policy analysts, and security professionals, this creates an information gap.

This guide closes it: a single, evergreen reference updated within 24 hours of any official confirmation. No more piecing together press releases from SHAPE, DVIDS, and a dozen national defence ministries.

Interactive Map: NATO Exercises in 2026

Zoom, click, or hover to explore the geographic distribution of this year’s drills.

Note: Marker positions are approximate mid-points of each exercise area.

2026 NATO Exercise Calendar at a Glance

Romania's additional confirmed exercises:  HISTRIA 26 (strategic), DACIA 26 (tactical, linked to Steadfast Defender 27 planning), Land Shield 26, Burebista 26, Carpathian Arc 26 (MNC-SE led), Steadfast Deterrence 26, Steadfast Duel 26.

Probable but not yet confirmed (annual recurring):  Hedgehog (Estonia), Arctic Challenge, Saber Guardian, Northern Coasts, Formidable Shield (biennial — ran 2025, likely skipped 2026), NAMEJS (Latvia), Thunder Storm (Lithuania), Mare Aperto (Italy), Dynamic Messenger, Sandy Coast, Steadfast Noon, Cyber Coalition.

Dates reflect NATO, SHAPE, and national MoD releases as of 12 February 2026 and may shift; always check this page for updates.

Flagship Drills to Watch in 2026

Completed / Underway

STEADFAST DART 26 (15 Jan – end Feb, Germany) NATO's largest exercise of 2026 so far. The second deployment of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF), and its first under JFC Brunssum. Approximately 10,000 personnel from 11 nations — including ARF units from Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, and Türkiye — are exercising multi-domain operations at the Bergen training area in Lower Saxony. Some 3,000 vehicles, including 1,000 British, arrived via the port of Emden, testing 'Military Schengen' rail and road logistics. The exercise integrates land, air, space, cyber, maritime, and special operations forces.

ARCTIC DOLPHIN 26 (2–13 Feb, Norway) An annual ASW exercise off western Norway (Bjørnafjorden, Sognesjøen, Sognefjorden) bringing together Norwegian and allied navies, including Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1). The drill focused on anti-submarine warfare and certifying new submarine commanders in Arctic maritime conditions.

DYNAMIC FRONT 26 (~Feb, Romania) A multinational field artillery command-post exercise at Romania's Cincu training centre, practising the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line (EFDL) concept. Eight NATO nations coordinated lethal and non-lethal fires across a distributed battlefield, testing multi-domain kill webs and counter-A2/AD capabilities.

Upcoming

COLD RESPONSE 26 (9–19 Mar, Norway / Finland / Sweden) 

The year's premier Arctic exercise. Norway-led, with 25,000 personnel from 14 nations training across land, sea, air, cyber, and space domains in Nordland, Troms, and western Finnmark, plus northern Finland. This is the first Cold Response under NATO's new Multi Corps Land Component Command (MCLCC) in Mikkeli, Finland — and the first to fall under the Arctic Sentry umbrella. Maritime operations extend into the North Atlantic; air operations span all Nordic countries. Finland contributes 3,500 troops (2,000 reservists). A critical test of JFC Norfolk's operational control over the Nordic region following its assumption of responsibility for the full Arctic AOR.

DEFENDER-EUROPE 26 / AURORA 26 / IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 26 / BALTOPS 26 (Spring–Summer, Nordic-Baltic) 

The DEFENDER-Europe 26 umbrella — confirmed via Swedish Armed Forces AURORA 26 planning documents — represents this year's centrepiece exercise cluster. AURORA 26 is a Swedish-led LIVEX to train, rehearse, and validate bi- and multilateral plans for reinforcing Finland and the Baltic states in a pre-Article 5 response operation. It is explicitly linked to Immediate Response 26 and BALTOPS 26. Exact dates are expected in March–April; the Nordic-Baltic geographic focus marks a rotation from DEFENDER-Europe 25's southern orientation.

SEA SHIELD 26 (~Mar–Apr, Romania / Black Sea) 

Romania-led multinational naval exercise training the Naval Component Command and tactical battle groups in crisis scenarios on NATO's southeastern flank. Part of Romania's extensive 2026 exercise programme of over 100 drills.

AFRICAN LION 26 (Spring, North/West Africa) 

The largest annual military exercise in Africa, confirmed for 2026 with new capability integrations planned. Led by U.S. Army SETAF-AF on behalf of AFRICOM. Dates and host nations TBC.

Persistent Operations: The 'Sentry' Triad

A defining feature of NATO's 2026 posture is the simultaneous operation of three open-ended, multi-domain activities — distinct from calendar exercises and running without a stated end date:

Baltic Sentry (launched 14 January 2025) — Enhancing NATO's maritime presence in the Baltic Sea, prompted by suspected Russian undersea sabotage of energy pipelines and communications cables. Incorporates naval surveillance drones, warships, submarines, and aircraft.

Eastern Sentry (launched 12 September 2025) — Bolstering NATO's air, land, and sea posture along the entire eastern flank, from the High North to the Black Sea. Triggered by Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace. Integrates traditional capabilities with counter-drone sensors and novel technologies. Contributions from Denmark, France, Germany, the UK, and others.

Arctic Sentry (launched 11 February 2026) — The newest addition, placing all allied Arctic activity under a single coordinated command for the first time. Led by JFC Norfolk, coordinating with NORAD, USNORTHCOM, and USEUCOM. Denmark's Arctic Endurance exercise and Cold Response 26 both fold under this umbrella. Born from the Davos Rutte-Trump framework on Greenland and broader Arctic security. UK Defence Secretary Healey confirmed JEF participation with major High North activity planned for later in 2026.

Together, Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, and Arctic Sentry represent a shift from episodic exercises to persistent, year-round deterrence posture across NATO's three most contested flanks.

Regional & Domain Hot-Spots

Northern Flank & Arctic Security 

Cold Response 26 (March) anchors the Arctic calendar, now operating under Arctic Sentry's umbrella. Arctic Dolphin 26 (completed February) tested ASW in Norwegian fjords. Denmark's Arctic Endurance is running concurrently in and around Greenland. The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has signalled major High North activity later this year. Arctic Challenge 26, the Nordic air combat exercise, has not yet been announced but is a strong annual candidate.

Baltic & Nordic Deterrence 

Steadfast Dart 26 (January–February) tested the ARF's rapid deployment into northern Germany. The DEFENDER-Europe 26 / AURORA 26 / BALTOPS 26 cluster will dominate the spring–summer calendar with a Nordic-Baltic focus. NAMEJS (Latvia) and Thunder Storm (Lithuania) are expected to recur in the autumn but are not yet confirmed for 2026.

Black Sea & Southeastern Flank 

Dynamic Front 26 (February) tested multi-domain fires at Romania's Cincu. Sea Shield 26 is the flagship Black Sea naval drill. Romania's broader 2026 programme includes Carpathian Arc 26 (MNC-SE led), DACIA 26 (linked to Steadfast Defender 27), Land Shield 26, and Burebista 26. Eastern Sentry continues to provide persistent air defence and surveillance from the High North to the Black Sea.

Mediterranean & North Africa

African Lion 26 is confirmed for spring. Mare Aperto (Italy) and other Mediterranean drills have not yet been announced for 2026. Formidable Shield, a biennial IAMD exercise, ran in 2025 and is unlikely to recur in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest NATO exercise in 2026 so far? 

Steadfast Dart 26, with 10,000 troops and 3,000 vehicles across 11 nations in Germany. However, Cold Response 26 (25,000 troops, 14 nations) will surpass it in March. The DEFENDER-Europe 26 umbrella may ultimately be the year's largest once dates and force packages are confirmed.

What are the 'Sentry' operations? 

Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, and Arctic Sentry are open-ended, multi-domain activities — not time-limited exercises. They provide persistent NATO presence and surveillance across the Baltic Sea, the eastern flank, and the Arctic respectively. Arctic Sentry, the newest, was launched on 11 February 2026.

Why isn't the full 2026 calendar published yet? 

NATO and SHAPE release exercise details incrementally. Winter and spring drills are typically confirmed first; summer and autumn exercises are announced as late as April or May. This guide is updated within 24 hours of any official confirmation.

Are these drills offensive in nature? 

NATO classifies all exercises and operations as defensive and deterrent, designed to protect allied territory under Article 5 and improve interoperability.

Is this guide still being updated? 

Yes — continuously. Bookmark this page. For alerts, follow @Grosswald_org on X or subscribe to the free Großwald Curated newsletter.

Last updated: 12 February 2026

How to Track Late‑Breaking Changes

1. Bookmark this guide—URL stays constant, content updates automatically.
2. Follow @Grosswald_org on X for instant headline alerts.
3. Opt‑in to our Großwald Curated newsletter (weekly, free) for a human‑curated recap of exercise highlights and geopolitical context.
4. Check NATO’s official newsroom for primary‑source press releases.

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