NATO Allied Land Command Leads Exercise Steadfast Duel, Strengthening Integrated Defense Capabilities
NATO Allied Land Command
Oct 28 2025
Steadfast Duel
Press Release TUE 28OCT
By Allied Land Command Public Affairs
WIESBADEN, Germany -- NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) is leading the synchronization of land forces during NATO Exercise Steadfast Duel 2025, October 22-29.
Steadfast Duel is NATO's largest computer-assisted command post exercise and NATO's first Article 5 exercise with all 32 member states. The exercise is designed to support NATO's move towards stronger and better orchestrated multi-domain warfare at operational and high tactical levels.
In the land domain, LANDCOM is coordinating across the headquarters and staff of seven NATO corps in an exercise simulating over 100,000 NATO troops in the field.
The bulk of the exercise is being conducted in Wiesbaden, Germany, with LANDCOM headquarters integrated with the staff of U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF). This year's exercise places a particular emphasis on the integration of LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF operating as a unified staff to lead operations in the land domain.
"This is how we will fight," said Lt. Gen. Jez Bennett, LANDCOM Deputy Commander. "Integrating the LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF headquarters into a single, cohesive staff allows us to leverage the strengths of both organizations, streamlining our decision-making processes and enhancing our ability to respond effectively to any challenge."
In addition to the integration of the staffs, Steadfast Duel 2025 allows LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF to improve their common understanding of how the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line will serve as a key element in executing NATO's regional defense plans. This transformational warfighting concept leverages unmanned and minimally manned systems, backed with an integrated mission command network using live data and artificial intelligence, blended with multi-domain fires and maneuver.
"This exercise is not just about LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF merging into a single headquarters, at the same time it is about the land domain contributing to the Joint Task Force's maneuver in a Multi Domain Operations context," explained Brigadier General Zacarias Hernandez Calvo, LANDCOM Deputy Chief of Staff Plans. "Steadfast Duel allows us to refine these crucial linkages and validate our ability to contribute to achieving effects at the joint and strategic levels. We are leveraging lessons learned to strengthen our posture and improve even more our ability to execute NATO's integrated regional defense plans."
The exercise scenario focuses on a complex, multi-domain operational environment, challenging participants to coordinate land, air, maritime, space, and cyber operations. Participating corps include U.S. Army V Corps, Multinational Corps Northeast, 1st German Netherlands Corps, 2nd Polish Army Corps, Rapid Reaction Corps- France, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Spain, simulating over 100,000 NATO troops.
"Steadfast Duel provides a critical training opportunity for our unified staff and staffs across the whole theater to rehearse the complex coordination required to conduct large-scale combat operations," said Brig. Gen. Thomas Lowin, LANDCOM Deputy Chief of Staff Operations. "We are training as NATO land forces will fight - integrated, synchronized, with a common command and control system, enabled by artificial intelligence, turning live data into rapid lethal decisions that keep us ahead of the enemy. It ensures we operate as a single unified command to outthink, out maneuver, and out fight our adversary and to win as one force when it matters most and to respond to any threat."
Home / Media Center / NEWS / 2025 / NATO Allied Land Command Leads Exercise Steadfast Duel, Strengthening Integrated Defense Capabilities
Oct 28 2025
NATO Allied Land Command Leads Exercise Steadfast Duel, Strengthening Integrated Defense Capabilities
Steadfast Duel
Press Release TUE 28OCT
By Allied Land Command Public Affairs
WIESBADEN, Germany - NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) is leading the synchronization of land forces during NATO Exercise Steadfast Duel 2025, October 22-29.
Steadfast Duel is NATO's largest computer-assisted command post exercise and NATO's first Article 5 exercise with all 32 member states. The exercise is designed to support NATO's move towards stronger and better orchestrated multi-domain warfare at operational and high tactical levels.
In the land domain, LANDCOM is coordinating across the headquarters and staff of seven NATO corps in an exercise simulating over 100,000 NATO troops in the field.
The bulk of the exercise is being conducted in Wiesbaden, Germany, with LANDCOM headquarters integrated with the staff of U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF). This year's exercise places a particular emphasis on the integration of LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF operating as a unified staff to lead operations in the land domain.
"This is how we will fight," said Lt. Gen. Jez Bennett, LANDCOM Deputy Commander. "Integrating the LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF headquarters into a single, cohesive staff allows us to leverage the strengths of both organizations, streamlining our decision-making processes and enhancing our ability to respond effectively to any challenge."
In addition to the integration of the staffs, Steadfast Duel 2025 allows LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF to improve their common understanding of how the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line will serve as a key element in executing NATO's regional defense plans. This transformational warfighting concept leverages unmanned and minimally manned systems, backed with an integrated mission command network using live data and artificial intelligence, blended with multi-domain fires and maneuver.
"This exercise is not just about LANDCOM and USAREUR-AF merging into a single headquarters, at the same time it is about the land domain contributing to the Joint Task Force's maneuver in a Multi Domain Operations context," explained Brigadier General Zacarias Hernandez Calvo, LANDCOM Deputy Chief of Staff Plans. "Steadfast Duel allows us to refine these crucial linkages and validate our ability to contribute to achieving effects at the joint and strategic levels. We are leveraging lessons learned to strengthen our posture and improve even more our ability to execute NATO's integrated regional defense plans."
The exercise scenario focuses on a complex, multi-domain operational environment, challenging participants to coordinate land, air, maritime, space, and cyber operations. Participating corps include U.S. Army V Corps, Multinational Corps Northeast, 1st German Netherlands Corps, 2nd Polish Army Corps, Rapid Reaction Corps- France, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Spain, simulating over 100,000 NATO troops.
"Steadfast Duel provides a critical training opportunity for our unified staff and staffs across the whole theater to rehearse the complex coordination required to conduct large-scale combat operations," said Brig. Gen. Thomas Lowin, LANDCOM Deputy Chief of Staff Operations. "We are training as NATO land forces will fight - integrated, synchronized, with a common command and control system, enabled by artificial intelligence, turning live data into rapid lethal decisions that keep us ahead of the enemy. It ensures we operate as a single unified command to outthink, out maneuver, and out fight our adversary and to win as one force when it matters most and to respond to any threat."
LANDCOM, headquartered in Izmir, Türkiye, leads the land component of NATO's Joint Forces. It serves as the focal point for land operations, responsible for coordinating and synchronizing land forces across the Alliance's area of responsibility. The command develops, integrates, and coordinates land capabilities to deter and defend against any threat, as outlined in NATO's Strategic Concept for a resilient and responsive Alliance.
Story by Public Affairs Office at LANDCOM
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