By Li Xiaobo
NATO launched the military exercise codenamed Steadfast Dart 2026 in Germany recently. Against the backdrop of internal divisions within NATO over the issue of Greenland's status, the exercise carries particular significance.
As one of NATO's largest drills this year, Steadfast Dart 2026 has brought together approximately 10,000 troops from 11 member states, covering traditional land, sea, and air forces as well as emerging operational domains such as space and cyberspace forces.
According to military observer Du Wenlong, judging from the publicly disclosed troop size and force composition, compared with previous NATO exercises, participation enthusiasm among member states in Steadfast Dart 2026 has increased significantly this year, with the number of participating countries rising from nine to eleven. This trend is closely related to the increasingly complex security environment surrounding Europe.
Regarding the strategic intent of the Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, Italian General Nicola Mandolesi stated that "with this exercise, NATO is showing the capability to move rapidly from south to the north, from west to the east." However, in Du Wenlong's view, such traditional operational methods, largely similar to those of the Cold War era, have very limited practical value and deterrent effect.
Du noted that in the past, NATO mainly relied on rail and maritime transport for rapid force projection to designated areas during similar exercises. Operations carried out strictly according to preset plans, he said, are more akin to an armed parade organized by NATO in a simulated combat environment. In fact, NATO's attempts to enhance its readiness through such exercises have produced relatively limited practical results and deterrent impact.
It should be noted that the Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise has taken place at a sensitive time when major divisions have emerged within NATO over the Greenland issue. The US has insisted on strengthening its control over Greenland and has even not ruled out the use of military means. Several European countries have clearly warned that any attempt by the US to forcibly take over Greenland could expose NATO to the risk of disintegration. Recently, Germany, Sweden, France, and Norway have confirmed the deployment of military personnel to Greenland to enhance their military presence in the region.
Du further noted that, against the backdrop of growing concerns among European countries that their interests within the NATO framework may be undermined by the US, European member states are seeking to flex their muscles through this exercise in order to test Washington's strategic bottom line.
Du observed that Greenland is currently facing mounting risks of potential military conflict, and that the ambitions of the US toward the island have shifted from earlier attempts to "purchase" it to more coercive efforts to "seize" it. On one hand, European countries are demonstrating their defensive resolve by deploying troops. On the other hand, they are also probing the US response. As for now, only seven countries have so far deployed a total of 37 military personnel to Greenland. Such a limited presence amounts to little more than a sightseeing tour and is far from constituting an effective defensive force. This symbolic deployment, in fact, reflects the deepening strategic divergences between NATO and the US.
Since the escalation of the Greenland crisis, a series of US military moves has made European NATO members increasingly aware that Washington's role within the alliance framework is undergoing a subtle but significant shift. The Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, without US participation, is in essence a clear signal sent by European NATO countries to the US: should Europe's interests within the alliance continue to be undermined, relevant countries may adjust their strategic orientation and may even not rule out the possibility of military confrontation with Washington.
Editor's note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.