 NATO Allies, Deploy for Biggest Exercise in Decades. More NATO Allies have deployed to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender, involving 90,000 forces from 31 Allies and partner Sweden. More NATO Allies have deployed armed forces to take part in the Alliance's Biggest Exercise in Decades. In Canada, HMCS Charlottetown set sail from a dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while the British Anglian Regiment rolled out a convoy of armored vehicles from a barracks in Rutland. In the US, USS Gunston Hall departed from a naval base in Norfolk. All assets and personnel are participating in Steadfast Defender 2024, which involves 90,000 forces from 31 Allies and NATO partner Sweden. The exercise, which is conducted across various NATO nations, is based on NATO's new defense plans and demonstrates the Alliance's ability to rapidly deploy forces, from North America and other parts of the Alliance, to reinforce the defense of Europe. It also gives a clear demonstration of NATO's transatlantic unity, strength and determination to do all that is necessary to protect each other and our common values. Steadfast Defender 24 is a series of national and multinational large-scale exercises, that takes place from January 24, 2024 until the end of May.