NATO’s spearhead force deploys to Sardinia for Exercise Noble Jump
The NATO Response Force’s quick-reaction unit, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) has tested its deployment at short notice for the protection and defence of NATO’s southern flank through Exercise Noble Jump 23.
Noble Jump 23 was held in Sardinia, Italy, from 17 April until 12 May 2023. It featured around 2,200 troops provided by seven NATO Allies, including Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway, with logistical support provided by Italy, as host nation. Of those, more than 700 belonged to the German Army’s Panzergrenadier Brigade 37, which leads the VJTF’s land component for 2023. Various kinds of heavy military equipment were deployed, including Leopard 2 main battle tanks from Germany and Norway, CV 90 infantry fighting vehicles from the Netherlands, and German self-propelled howitzers.
Under the command of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, the troops conducted several activities of tactical training to ensure their readiness to respond to any threat.
The VJTF is part of the NATO Response Force, a multinational unit capable of countering threats on land, in the air and at sea with regular and Special Operations units. The NATO Response Force can also perform peace-support operations, protect critical infrastructure and support disaster relief efforts.
