Throughout February and March, multiple American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC) ships have been moving cargo from U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports to various ports in countries across North Europe to be used in exercise DEFENDER-Europe 20, the largest NATO exercise in Europe for U.S. forces in 25 years. ARC Group is also providing stevedoring and related logistics support for the exercise.
DEFENDER-Europe 20 will test the military and commercial sealift industry partners’ ability to work together to move large numbers of U.S.-based forces across the Atlantic Ocean. That cargo movement is both to support our NATO partners and allies and to quickly respond to any potential crisis.
Around 20,000 U.S.-based soldiers, 9,000 Europe-based U.S. troops, and 8,000 troops from 17 allied nations will take part in DEFENDER-Europe 20. The exercise enhances the strategic readiness of the U.S. Military, supports the U.S. National Defense Strategy, and NATO deterrence objectives. The exercise will also demonstrate the ability of the U.S. Military to project power globally and test the Army’s logistical know-how on a scale not seen in Europe since the Cold War, when the Army routinely moved thousands of troops back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean for major exercises.
Source: ARC