NATO member Türkiye has dispatched several military aircraft to Germany, along with roughly 2,000 troops, to take part in the Western alliance’s largest annual military exercise.
Dubbed “Steadfast Dart 2026,” the 12-day drills kicked off on Sunday and are set to continue until February 20 under the direction of NATO’s Joint Force Command.
This year’s Steadfast Dart exercises bring together about 10,000 troops from 11 NATO member states, including Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Spain. More than 1,500 ground vehicles, 30 fighter aircraft, 15 helicopters and 15 warships are also set to take part in the wide-ranging war games.
During the drills, joint training will be carried out with personnel from allied nations, with the aim of enhancing interoperability between NATO-aligned militaries. The exercises are also intended to test NATO’s rapid-reaction capabilities in the event of an unforeseen crisis in Europe.
On Saturday, the Turkish Defence Ministry announced that several military aircraft had departed from Türkiye’s north-western Çorlu province and arrived at Germany’s Wunstorf Air Base to take part in the drills.
Last month, Turkish ground forces and armoured vehicles began departing by sea from Türkiye’s Tekirdag seaport and arrived at Germany’s Emden seaport late last week, according to the ministry.
The latest deployments mark the first time Türkiye has sent such a large military force to Northern Europe, a sign of the country’s growing weight within NATO’s defence architecture.
“Such capability to deploy a large force to Northern Europe, and conduct combat operations, once again demonstrates the strength of the Turkish Armed Forces within NATO,” Defence Ministry spokesman Zeki Akturk told reporters last week.
Türkiye joined NATO in 1952, at the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. It currently has the second-largest military in the 32-member alliance, after that of the U.S.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washingto...
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury. ...
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, au...
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury.
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, authorities said on Saturday (11 July).
More than 100 countries now spend more on servicing debt than on education, UNESCO has warned, as it called on governments and international lenders to expand the use of debt-for-education swaps.
South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who helped Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time, has died at the age of 25.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
Dozens of flights have been cancelled across East Asia as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches China. The typhoon, which has maximum sustained winds of 162 kph (100mph), is nearing a remote chain of Japanese islands, east of Taiwan on Friday.
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
This is the last of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, authorities said on Saturday (11 July).
Turkish prosecutors have ordered the detention of 36 people, including the mayor of an Ankara district controlled by the main opposition, over alleged bribery and tender-rigging.
Temperatures above 40°C are scorching parts of Central Asia, prompting the World Health Organization to warn that extreme heat is becoming an increasing public health threat across the region.
This is the third of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment