Logistic support for this year’s largest-scale NATO exercise

The minister of defence added that “Hungary as an ally is committed to accomplishing its tasks, which is one of the fundamental pillars of the implementation of our international security strategy.

Exercise Steadfast Dart 2025 will be conducted with the participation of some 10,000 troops from nine NATO member states between 7 and 21 February in Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. This exercise involves the first large-scale deployment of NATO’s new rapid reaction force, the Allied Reaction Force.

This will be the ARF’s first major operation, during which deployable capabilities and standard operating procedures are to be tested. Besides the three host countries, the exercise will also involve troops from Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia and Türkiye.

The ARF is one of the most significant novelties of the modernized NATO Force Model, which enables NATO to quickly react to any crisis.

From early January until 7 February, the deployment capabilities of ARF forces are being tested: this is the period available for the units participating in the exercise to arrive by air, sea and on land at the venue of the exercise from France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

Due to its geographical position, Hungary is a key transit station in the Central European region, and therefore it plays a crucial role in supporting the repositioning of military operations and forces.

Within the framework of host nation support tasks, Hungary is capable of providing, at short notice, high-level logistic support to transiting military forces. This support includes the fulfilment of catering, accommodation, refueling, convoy escort and other logistic needs. Through this, Hungary contributes to the success of Alliance operations and strengthens the taking of joint action in the interest of regional and international security.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky told the press that the military bases at Pápa and Szentes provide accommodation, rest areas and supplies for the more than 400 personnel of the British units on their way to Romania as the representatives of the lead nation of the exercise.

The main forces are passing through the country basically in the night hours on 20-22 January in a convoy consisting of phased serials, with 20-25 vehicles per march column on the route Rajka–Pápa–Szentes–Nagylak.

Due to the above, one must expect increased military traffic and phased military march columns on 20 and 21 January in the early morning hours, between 3.00 a.m. and 7.00 a.m. on the route Rajka border crossing point – M15 motorway – M1 highway – Main Road 83 – Pápa, HDF 47th Air Base.

The march columns will continue their movement in the evening hours between 18.30. p.m. and 23.00 p.m. on 21 January, on the route Pápa, HDF 47th Air Base – Main Road 83 – Main Road 8 – M7 motorway – M0 highway.

In what follows, the convoys are expected to reach the Szentes base of the Hungarian Defence Forces 14th Engineer Regiment in the wee hours, until 3.00 a.m. on 22 January on the route M5 motorway – Main Road 451. While on the move, they will make a short stopover in the Inárcs rest area of the M5 motorway.

The march column will resume movement between 18.00 p.m. and 22.00 pm. on 22 January, leaving Szentes to travel along the route HDF 14th Engineer Regiment – Main Road 451 – Main Road 45 – Main Road 47 – M43 motorway – Road 448 – Nagylak, old border crossing point.

The British units will receive similar support on their way back scheduled for the end of March.