The Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative is a NATO-led effort supported by U.S. Army Europe and Africa to strengthen defense and readiness across NATO’s eastern flank. The initiative focuses on improving coordination between Allies, increasing combat readiness, and integrating new technologies to deter aggression and defend the region.

U.S. Soldiers from the Regimental Support Squadron C Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, watch a drone demonstration on the Flowcopter drone for medical evacuation during Sword 26 in Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, May 9, 2026.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrence A. Giles, Demon Battery small Unmanned Aircraft System Master Trainer, with the Field Artillery Squadron (FAS), 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR), discusses familiarization and drone testing during exercise Saber Strike on May 3, 2026, at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland. The mission of the Launched Effects Battery of the FAS is to employ drones as a core part of the regiment's structure and integrate them rapidly to help close capability gaps within brigade combat teams. From April 27 to May 31, 2026 U.S. and Allied forces will exercise NATO’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative, demonstrating NATO’s ability to fight and win on the modern battlefield. Nearly 15,000 troops from eleven nations will train across the High North, Baltic region, and Poland, executing rapid maneuvers, air defense, counter-drone operations, and cyber defense to validate NATO’s regional defense plans in real time. This series of linked exercises, including Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response, turns investment into capability. Soldiers integrate unmanned systems, AI-enabled command and control, and live data networks to move faster, decide faster, and fight more effectively across all domains. Sword 26 demonstrates how U.S. Army Europe and Africa drives transformation at scale while strengthening deterrence. Together with our Allies, we are building a unified, lethal force ready to defend NATO territory and respond to any threat. (U.S. Army Reserve video by Staff Sgt. Emilie Lenglain)

Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, prepare for the force-on-force iteration of Project FlyTrap 5.0 at Pabradė Training Area, Lithuania, May 2, 2026. Project FlyTrap directly supports the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative by evaluating scalable counter-drone solutions that can integrate into NATO's existing air defense networks.

U.S. Army video shows a compilation of air defenders of Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment participating in SWORD 26 May 3, 2026, in Halmstad, Sweden. SWORD 26 demonstrates the U.S. Army’s ability to operationalize the Army’s Transformation Initiative through the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI) concept, leveraging in-theater forces to enhance deterrence and readiness. U.S. Army and NATO Allies will exercise across eight countries in the High North and Baltic region to validate NATO’s regional plans, harness battlefield innovation, and advance cutting-edge capabilities required to achieve speed, precision, and decision dominance (U.S. Army video by Spc. Luis Jimenez).

U.S. Army Maj. Jared Grubbs, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Cody Schoonover, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jarrad Walter, aviators assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, explain the significance of demonstrating AH-64E Apache helicopter effectiveness in counter-drone operations during Operation Skyfall at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, March 18, 2026. Operation Skyfall is a training exercise designed to advance the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI) by demonstrating the counter-unmanned aerial systems capabilities of the AH-64E Apache.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment partnered with members of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union during a nine-week Leader Validation Exercise designed to enhance interoperability, readiness and national defense capabilities. The exercise brings together more than 400 Riflemen from across Lithuania to build a shared foundation in leadership, marksmanship, medical training and small unit tactics. The program focuses on developing leaders who can return to their home units and train others, multiplying the effectiveness of the force nationwide. “We are training hard to achieve better levels and quality of training, basically to work together with our partners,” said a Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union member, who requested anonymity for operational security reasons. “Collaborating with U.S. troops is a big boost in morale. It’s feeling shoulder-to-shoulder with American Soldiers, understanding how operations should be executed and how we do our procedures.” U.S. Army Capt. Zach Lanctot, a company commander supporting the exercise, emphasized the long term impact of the training. “It’s a nine-week program of instruction that we’re running to help them train themselves and equip them with the skills needed to deter, reinforce and ensure their country is safe,” Lanctot said. “There are 400 leaders from all over the country learning from us, and they’re going to take what we teach them and go train their own people.” The exercise highlights a “train-the-trainer” approach, enabling the LRU to standardize procedures and strengthen cohesion across its ranks while reinforcing NATO interoperability. “They are not full time warriors—they have jobs and train on weekends because they’re passionate about protecting their country,” Lanctot said. “Anyone with that level of commitment—I want to match it. They deserve our full effort.” The LRU, established more than a century ago, is made up of civilian volunteers who support national defense alongside Lithuania’s mi

Multi-Domain Command-Europe, alongside NATO Allies and partners, commenced Dynamic Front 26 on Jan. 27, 2026, a large-scale exercise emphasizing the integration of Joint Fires capabilities across the European Theater. Dynamic Front is the practical application of the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and trains U.S. and NATO's ability to coordinate lethal and non-lethal effects in a distributed battlefield.

Interviews of Soldiers participating in Project FlyTrap 4.5 Nov. 20, 2025, at the Trubbenubungsplatz Putlos, Germany. U.S. Soldiers assigned to 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command tested new, lower-cost, portable sensors and shooters designed for the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line during Project Flytrap 4.5 at Truppenübungsplatz Putlos, Germany. The U.S. Army Global Tactical Edge Acquisitions Directorate (GTEAD) team selected four winning systems in the xTechCounter Strike competition, advancing experimentation and transformation efforts for U.S. and NATO forces.

Capt. Micah Maule, plans officer for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, discusses the second iteration of Digital Shield 2026 in Estonia on March 5, 2026. Digital Shield brings together NATO service members and civilian defense contractors to showcase new and experimental counter-drone systems in a simulated disruptive environment. The exercise provides additional insight, capabilities, and readiness for countering small unmanned aircraft systems, or sUAS, threats along NATO’s eastern flank.