NATO-led exercise Steadfast Defender 2021 ends

By Baris Seckin

CINCU, Romania (AA) - The Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise with the participation of 12 NATO members, including Turkey, ended in Romania on Tuesday.

The military drill was held "to ensure that our forces are trained, able to operate together and ready to respond to any threat from any direction."

The 3rd Corps, which assumed the role of NATO Response Force Land Component Command, and the 66th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Command, which assumed the role of "Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF)," participated from Turkey.

As many as 2,200 troops and 550 vehicles were part of the exercise in the Cincu training field, VTJF 2021 Brigade Commander Staff Col. Erdogan Kocoglu said in his speech at the closing ceremony.

The exercise, he added, is an important opportunity to test the rapid transfer of troops by land, air, sea and rail when necessary.

Adm. Robert Burke, the US commander of NATO's Joint Force Command Naples, told a press conference that the Turkish unit demonstrated it is capable of deploying and resisting in an emergency.

Equipment from participating countries was also displayed for the guests. Turkey’s indigenous armored vehicles Kirpi and Vuran attracted huge interest.