Germany’s large-scale military exercise enters its most active phase

BERLIN

Germany’s large-scale military exercise, Quadriga 2024, has entered its most active phase, chief of defense Gen. Carsten Breuer announced on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Gen. Breuer said around 12,000 troops and 3,000 motor and armored vehicles are taking part in the exercise to test the readiness and capabilities of the land forces.

“In the coming weeks we will expect a lot of understanding from the population, as it will be louder, and it will be more crowded on German rails, and highways,” he said, adding that heavy military equipment will be transported during this period.

Quadriga 2024 is the largest exercise of German land forces in decades, and it is being conducted as part of NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 to practice rapid deployment of forces in Eastern Europe.

“We are in the middle of the largest NATO defense exercise since the Cold War. We have to practice like we are in an emergency, we have to practice like we are in war, we have to react quickly and effectively,” Gen. Breuer said.

He said Germany serves as a logistical hub during the NATO exercise for transferring troops and material reinforcement to the allies in northern and eastern Europe.

“I spoke to our soldiers in the field and saw how seriously and professionally they are doing their job. It showed me once again that we’re becoming fit for war, we have been taking clear steps toward that goal,” he said.

Since the start of Ukraine war in 2022, NATO has increased the number of exercises that focus on collective defense scenarios. Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise, which involves over 90,000 troops from all NATO allies, aims to test plans for the rapid deployment of troops to defend allies in eastern Europe in the event of an attack on alliance territory.