1,500 British troops practising alongside NATO allies in Europe

The Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, has visited 1,500 British soldiers exercising across five countries in Europe at present, working alongside NATO allies in a sign of solidarity against potential threat.

Fallon met the troops in Romania, which included the UK’s 20th Armoured Brigade as part of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force Land component, which the UK took charge of in January this year. The 500-strong British force have been deployed on Exercise Noble Jump, working with 14 partner nations and checking NATO’s ability to deploy forces rapidly and in response to crises.

Fallon said: “The UK is playing a leading role in the NATO alliance and with around 1,500 British personnel exercising in Europe this week, nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in this region. We are standing side by side with our allies in the East, a sign of our unwavering commitment to European security. The UK is stepping up in its support for NATO’s collective defence from the north to the south of the alliance. Through this deployment, RAF planes will be ready to secure NATO airspace and provide reassurance to allies in the Black Sea region.”