Quadriga 2024: Land forces train for Article 5 missions
Bundeswehr and NATO land forces are showing their defence readiness during the first half of 2024. Some 90,000 soldiers – including 12,000 from the Bundeswehr – are taking part in NATO’s large-scale exercise Steadfast Defender 2024. Germany’s contribution is called Quadriga 2024 and consists of four component exercises. What do the exercises entail?
The scenario is alarming, but not unrealistic. An aggressor attacks NATO in Europe: from the northeast, the east and the southeast. In order to stop the attacker, NATO invokes Article 5. The Allies are preparing to jointly defend Europe.
As Germany’s contribution to the large-scale NATO exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, Quadriga 2024 is to show that the Bundeswehr is determined and capable of making a decisive contribution to the defence of NATO’s eastern flank.
At the very latest since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, it has been clear that a large-scale attack on NATO countries in Europe is not just a theoretical military scenario, but a possibility that cannot be entirely ruled out. Although the Allies are superior to any potential adversary in terms of troop numbers, weapons and technology, the cooperation between forces needs to be practiced. This is the only way to ensure effective defence.
The objective is deterrence
This year, the cooperation between NATO forces will be trained during the large-scale exercise Steadfast Defender 2024. Tens of thousands of military personnel from all 31 NATO member states – plus Sweden – will practice an alert in an Article 5 scenario, preparing for deployment, transferring large units to mission areas, and engaging in defensive combat against an aggressor. NATO wants to demonstrate its ability and also show Russia what it should expect in case of an attack on NATO territory. Deterrence is the order of the day on NATO’s eastern flank.
Largest NATO exercise in 35 years
Within the scope of Steadfast Defender 2024, the German Army and other major organisational elements of the Bundeswehr are participating in a series of four exercises with 12,000 soldiers and 3,000 vehicles. This exercise series is called Quadriga 2024. Speaking ahead of the exercise, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, the Chief of the German Army, explains that the exercise series is to function as a stress test for the system of collective defence.
In its own right, Quadriga 2024 is the largest exercise of German land forces since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Together with the exercises in partner countries, Steadfast Defender 2024 is even the largest NATO exercise since the end of the Cold War some 35 years ago.
Germany as a central hub
Quadriga 2024 will intermittently keep the Bundeswehr’s land forces busy over a period of five months: from the alerting of the first units in January to the final major exercise in Lithuania in May. About one in six of the 62,000 German Army soldiers is directly involved in the exercise series. It consists of the three deployment exercises Grand North, Grand Center and Grand South as well as the final exercise Grand Quadriga. During this period, the Bundeswehr will carry out exercises in Germany, Norway, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Lithuania.
The deployment exercises of the Bundeswehr will be followed by further NATO exercises. For instance, after being deployed to Norway, 23 Mountain Infantry Brigade will take part in the exercise Nordic Response to train fighting in conditions with ice and snow. The newly established 21 Brigade – referred to as the medium forces – will showcase its firepower during live firing as part of the Grand Eagle exercise following deployment to Lithuania.
| Name | Participating units | Country of destination | Follow-up exercises | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand North | 23 Mountain Infantry Brigade 3 Military Police Regiment 163 Logistic Battalion RSOMReception, Staging, Onward Movement | Norway | Nordic Response | 21 February – 15 March |
| Grand Center | 41 Armoured Infantry Brigade 21 Armoured Brigade 130 Amphibious Engineer Battalion 1,2 and 3 Military Police Regiments 461, 467 and 472 Logistic Battalions | Poland and Lithuania | Dragon (Poland) Grand Eagle (Lithuania) Allied Spirit (Germany) Saber Strike (Poland) | 26 February – 26 April |
| Grand South | 1 Airborne Brigade 472 Logistic Battalion 2 Military Police Regiment | Romania via Hungary | Swift Response | 26 April – 18 May |
| Grand Quadriga | 12 Armoured Brigade French-German Brigade 13 Light Brigade 1 Logistics Regiment 161, 171 and 472 Logistic Battalions 1 and 3 Military Police Regiments 750 CBRNchemical, biological, radiological, nuclear Defence Battalion | Lithuania | Final exercise | 2 – 30 May |
The Bundeswehr’s other major organisational elements are providing support. For instance, the deployment of troops through Germany is being organised by the Bundeswehr Homeland Defence Command. More than 1,000 support forces of the Joint Support and Enabling Service are making a crucial contribution to the success of Quadriga. They are supporting the deployment with port handling and transport companies, for example, and providing protection with military police while on the move.
The German troops taking part in Quadriga have already been alerted. Over the next few weeks, the exercise activities will gain momentum. Since Germany will again serve as a central hub for troop movements through Europe, the German public will see increased military traffic on the roads in the coming months. The Bundeswehr and NATO will use the hashtags #Quadriga24 and #SteadfastDefender24 to provide information on the exercises in Europe on social media.