Bergen (GER), 14 February 2026. The Commander of the Italian Land Forces (COMFOTER), Army General Lorenzo D’Addario, visited today the Italian Army units deployed in Germany for the NATO exercise Steadfast Dart 2026 (STDT26), the Alliance’s main Joint Deployment Exercise (DEPLOYEX) for 2026 and the first large-scale deployment of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) within the area of responsibility of the Joint Force Command Brunssum.
During the visit, General D’Addario met with commanders and personnel from the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA), currently leading the ARF, the Multinational Division – South (MND-S), responsible for the Land Component Command, and the “Julia” Alpine Brigade, designated as the Light Infantry Brigade of NATO’s rapid reaction force.
The visit took place at the conclusion of the exercise’s initial phase, focused on the strategic deployment of forces. Italian units successfully completed this phase with high efficiency in planning and conducting logistical operations, thanks to the National Support Element (IT NSE) based at the Logistics Support Command in Rome, the 6th General Support Logistic Regiment in Budrio, the Transit Area Management Regiment – RSOM in Bellinzago Novarese, and the “Folgore” Logistic Regiment in Pisa, fully meeting NATO timing and operational standards.
The completion of the ARF deployment phase marks a key milestone of the exercise: not only a moment of arrival but the culmination of a complex and challenging multinational deployment. In recent days, Italian units of the ARF reached Germany and integrated into the operational area through a highly coordinated effort, moving personnel, equipment, and heavy vehicles via airlift, maritime transport, rail, and long road convoys, demonstrating operational readiness, strong multinational cooperation, and host nation support.
Throughout the day, General D’Addario received briefings on ongoing activities and the training objectives of STDT26, with particular focus on interoperability, multinational integration, and coordination-essential to ensuring effective maneuvering in a complex, multi-domain environment. He also observed practical demonstrations of command and control tools, including the NATO MAVEN SMART SYSTEM, IMPERIO, SITAWARE, and NATO FAS, at the ARF Headquarters.
Steadfast Dart 2026, conducted between January and February in Germany, integrates multi-domain capabilities (land, air, maritime, space, cyber, and special operations) and covers the entire employment cycle of the components, from deployment to final repositioning. The exercise strengthens NATO’s deterrence and collective defense posture under the Alliance’s new defense plans and also serves as a testing ground for the evolution of the ARF’s capabilities, operational processes, and command and control procedures.
Beyond its operational dimension, the Allied Reaction Force functions as a continuously evolving hub for innovation, experimentation, and advanced training, where concepts of command and control are developed. The COMFOTER’s visit underscores the leading role of the Italian Army in NATO’s transformation process and in preparing forces for STDT26.