British Army Departs for Largest NATO Exercise in Europe Since Cold War

The UK’s 7 Light Mechanised Brigade, also known as “The Desert Rats,” is en route to Poland to take part in Steadfast Defender, NATO’s largest European exercise in 40 years. Approximately 600 vehicles, including armoured vehicles, Land Rovers, and engineers’ tractors, were loaded into MV Anvil Point, a 23,000-tonne cargo vessel, near Southampton on Tuesday. Some 1,500 service personnel will fly out to join the NATO exercises, the largest to take place since the Cold War. Maj. Simon Robertson of 17 Port and Maritime Regiment said: “It’s very much down to us to ensure that we get the vehicles where they need to be and the people in order [so] they can move on to conduct the exercise....