NATO and EU National Exercises 2026
Real-time overview of major NATO and Allied military exercises in 2026. This page is regularly updated with dates, locations, and details.
Operation Brilliant Shield
2023 – ongoing
Type: NATO Maritime operation
Location: Euro-Atlantic area, particularly the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea
Description: Deterrence and collective defence maritime operation involving surveillance, submarine and mine-countermeasure operations.
Exercise Eager Lion
June 30 – July 14
Type: U.S. led Jordanian land, air, sea, cyber, and special operations. Plus chemical warfare and border control
Location: King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre near Amman. Plus various ground training areas and ranges.
Exercise Breeze
June 30 – July 14
Type: Maritime
Location: Black Sea
Description: Bulgarian-led multinational maritime exercise focused on enhancing NATO interoperability, maritime security, and combat readiness in the Black Sea region.
Exercise Northern Viking
August 22 – September 03
Type: US-led biennial military exercise focused on the defense of Iceland and vital sea routes
Location: North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea
Exercise Namejs (Mācības)
September – October
Type: Civil / Military ground defence exercise
Location: Numerous Latvian locations
Description: Latvia's large-scale territorial defence exercise involving regulars, conscripts, reservists and civil defence organisations to strengthen whole-of-society resilience and rapid mobilisation capabilities.
Exercise Lion Protector 26
September (TBA)
Type: Major multi-national joint exercise
Location: Denmark / Iceland / Norway
Description: Comprehensive joint exercise testing collective defence capabilities across land, sea, and air domains in the High North and Nordic region.