Steadfast Jazz 2013 is the first such large-scale exercise in the region to test collective defence scenarios in the Baltic States and Poland.
The President underlined that this exercise demonstrated NATO's strong commitment to defend Lithuania and the other Baltic countries from any external threat.
The purpose of the exercise is to train and test the NATO Response Force, a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and special forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed. The NATO Response Force is a key-component of NATO's collective defence capabilities.
At the Adazi Base in Latvia, the President will visit the Joint Allied Headquarters to watch the command and control drill. She will also jointly meet the press with Presidents of Latvia and Estonia and NATO's Secretary General.
Steadfast Jazz 2013 started on November 2. Taking part in the seven-day exercise are 300 Lithuanian troops deployed in our country, Latvia, Poland, and Norway. This exercise involves about 6,000 personnel from 20 Allied nations and partners (Finland, Sweden and Ukraine). It is the largest NATO exercise since 2006.
