DEFENDER is the Army’s largest annual opportunity to exercise moving personnel and equipment into theater across modes for initial and follow-on operations critical to Large Scale Combat Operations. Led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the exercise focuses on the strategic deployment of CONUS-based forces, employment of Army Prepositioned Stock and follow-on exercises demonstrating lethality and interoperability with Allies and partners

Videos
Video by Pfc. Gavin Hardy
Live Fire Exercise
345th Public Affairs Detachment
May 30, 2024 | 1:02
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Johnson, Louisiana conduct a live fire training exercise with the Finnish Defence Forces near Rovaniemi, Finland, May 17, 2024. The 10th Mountain Division is in Finland as a part of Defender Europe 2024 and seeks to demonstrate U.S. Army Europe’s ability to quickly aggregate combat power in Eastern Europe. (U.S. Army video by Pfc. Gavin Hardy)


DEFENDER is the Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness, and is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
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enlightenedTo find information about filing a claim related to exercise DEFENDER activities, visit Claims Information and select your country.