Defence Minister Earl Howe visited UK forces leading Exercise Venerable Gauntlet in Sennelager, Germany alongside troops from Denmark, Germany, Spain and other NATO allies.

Bringing together 3000 troops from 14 NATO nations, this is the first major exercise before the UK takes the lead in a NATO multinational force in 2017. The Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (Land), VJTF (L), will be ready to be deployed in days to protect NATO allies from potential threats and acts of aggression.

The exercise, designed to improve how the different nations operate together, began on 5th September and has seen soldiers from 26th Regiment Royal Artillery using the Spanish 105mm Light Gun and the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment carry out urban patrol training with Polish and Estonian forces.

The UK has committed a thousand troops a year until 2020 to the taskforce – rising to 3,000 when we lead the force next year.

Defence Minister Earl Howe said:

“The UK is one of the leading members of NATO, standing ready to defend partners in Eastern Europe against any threat. By participating in exercises such as these, we are sending a clear message that we are committed to European security.

Today, I have seen first-hand the contribution British forces are making to reassurance our NATO allies that we are ready to protect them at a moment’s notice.”

The UK’s participation in VJTF is just one part of the leading role Britain is playing in NATO. Through our pledge to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence, the UK has committed to deploy over 500 personnel to Estonia and up to 150 personnel to Poland and train thousands of Ukrainian soldiers by the end of March 2017, reassuring our allies in the east.

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Ron5
Ron5
7 years ago

“through our pledge to spend 2% of GDP on defence”

Achieved through what the UK Parliamentary defence committee called “smoke and mirrors” by the Treasury moving non defence related costs from other budgets into defence to give the impression of meeting the 2%, when in fact, it did not.

One day these continuing defence lies will come home to roost. Servicemen & women will die as a result just like some needlessly died in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Mark L
Mark L
7 years ago
Reply to  Ron5

Sorry Ron, but the 2% meets the NATO criteria for defence spending. Do you really believe what a committee of MPs have to say? MPs – some of the most corrupt people in the country.