LONDON - Thousands of British and French troops have taken part in a military training exercise that included one of Britain’s largest airborne operations in two decades, the British government said on Oct 25.
The war game is designed to show how NATO countries could be defended against a modern-day attack and comes during fears about Russian aggression in Europe amid Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Some 2,500 troops were involved in the seven-week exercise, in which 600 British and French paratroopers dropped from four RAF A400M Atlas transport aircraft over Germany.
The exercise called Rhino Titan, held at the Sennelager military training centre in Germany, has been testing British troops’ ability against an enemy equipped with drones and electronic warfare.
“The threats we face in the 21st century require an updated, modern approach to warfare - and our adaptable armed forces are preparing accordingly,” British defence minister Wes Streeting said in a statement.
“Alongside our French and German allies, this large-scale training exercise shows we can deliver rapid, large-scale airborne power anywhere it’s needed to defend NATO territory.
“This combination of troops and specialised equipment is what is required to deter our adversaries and keep Britain and our allies safe,” he added.
In recent years, western nations have accused Russia of waging a “hybrid” campaign of espionage, sabotage, including damage to subsea cables, and other disruptions – charges that Moscow has vehemently denied. AFP