Britain is making a bold move to protect the Western-led alliance as Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has announced the deployment of 20,000 armed forces personnel to participate in NATO's Exercise Steadfast Defender. This marks the UK's largest commitment to NATO in four decades and is aimed at providing reassurance against the increasing threats posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin following his invasion of Ukraine. The personnel from the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and Army will join forces with personnel from 31 other member countries and Sweden, and will deploy across Europe and beyond.

This large-scale deployment will include fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, advanced warships, submarines, and a full range of army capabilities, including special operations forces. The UK will also send a Carrier Strike Group, featuring an aircraft carrier and F-35B fighter jets and helicopters, to the North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, and Baltic Sea for the exercises. Shapps emphasized the growing dangers faced by the international rules-based order and called on Western allies to face down foes including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

He warned that NATO's adversaries are more interconnected than ever, and the foundation of the world order is being shaken to its core. In response to the joint UK-US strikes against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, Shapps stated that the strikes were intended as a single action, but did not rule out the possibility of further military action. He emphasized that the UK will not tolerate a major waterway being permanently closed to international shipping. This bold move by Britain reinforces its commitment to global security and demonstrates its determination to confront pressing threats.