Britain to take command of major NATO naval force

The Royal Navy has begun the process of taking command of NATO’s Maritime Allied Reaction Force, the alliance’s primary naval crisis response formation.

According to the Royal Navy here, Britain will assume responsibility on 1 July next year, when leadership transfers from the Spanish Navy to Rear Admiral Mark Anderson and his Portsmouth based staff.

The first stage of the handover is Exercise Steadfast Dagger, a planning and decision making drill intended to test the battlestaff who will run the force for a 12 month period. Steadfast Dagger is one in a sequence of preparations that will culminate in Steadfast Deterrence in spring 2026, the validation event required before the UK takes charge.

If activated, the Allied Reaction Force (Maritime) is expected to assemble naval, aviation and support assets within ten days to respond to a crisis anywhere in NATO’s area of responsibility. Its scale is designed to flex with the demands of the mission.

Lieutenant General Gianluca Carai, overall commander of the Allied Reaction Force, attended the opening of UK preparations and offered his assessment of the staff and capabilities. “I am impressed by the extraordinary level of professionalism and commitment of the COMUKSTRIKEFORCE to address all NATO core tasks”, he said. He also highlighted what he described as the “amazing level of innovation and technology of the modern UK naval assets”, thanking national authorities for sustaining the capability.

Rear Admiral Anderson said that leading the maritime element of the reaction force demonstrates the UK’s commitment to the alliance. “It is a clear demonstration to all our partners and Allies that the Royal Navy will play its part in responding to crisis, conflict and competition”, he said. He described Steadfast Dagger as “the crucial first step in our journey to demonstrating the world class capabilities of the CSF Battlestaff”.

Beyond planning drills, the preparation phase will include live activity. Early next year, the UK Strike Force staff will direct warships, aircraft and Royal Marines during Exercise Dynamic Mariner 2026, part of the UK’s Cold Response deployment in the Norwegian Arctic. This will test command and control of the maritime components of the Allied Reaction Force ahead of the July transfer.