NATO & Military: Exercise series “Quadriga 2025″ and defense exercise “Thunder Strike”
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Published on: August 5, 2025 / Updated on: August 5, 2025 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
NATO & Military: Exercise series “Quadriga 2025″ and defense exercise “Thunder Strike” – Creative image: Xpert.Digital
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In late summer 2025, the Baltic Sea region will become the scene of one of the largest demonstrations of military power since the end of the Cold War. With the "Quadriga 2025" exercise series, the Bundeswehr, together with 13 NATO partners and approximately 8,000 German soldiers, is rehearsing a real-life scenario: the defense of NATO's eastern flank under realistic war conditions. The operation is a direct and unequivocal response to the concurrent Russian-Belarusian military exercise "Zapad-2025," which is causing considerable concern in the West – not least because previous Zapad exercises served as preparation for real invasions like the one in Ukraine.
At the heart of Quadriga 2025 is not only the deployment of armored brigades to Lithuania and the security of air and sea space, but also a fundamental shift in Germany's role. From a former frontline state, the Federal Republic has evolved into the Alliance's central logistical hub, which must coordinate the deployment of hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers in an emergency.
Meanwhile, partners like Poland and Lithuania are also responding with their own large-scale exercises and drastic measures such as the imposition of curfews. The exercises are thus more than just a maneuver: They are a test of new command structures, a litmus test of alliance solidarity, and a clear signal of deterrence and unity in an increasingly tense security situation.
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The NATO exercise series Quadriga 2025
The exercise, under the overall responsibility of the Naval Command in Rostock, serves the stated goal of increasing the Bundeswehr's operational readiness and making a visible contribution to national deterrence. The newly established Bundeswehr Operational Command, which reached full operational readiness on April 1, 2025, is assuming operational leadership for such a complex series of exercises for the first time.
Sub-exercises and focal points:
Grand Eagle – Relocation of Panzer Brigade 37
The Grand Eagle exercise is a central component of Quadriga 2025. The Army is deploying forces from the 37th Panzer Brigade "Free State of Saxony" to Lithuania. This large-scale deployment demonstrates Germany's ability to quickly and effectively deliver reinforcements to NATO's eastern flank. Starting in 2025, the 37th Panzer Grenadier Brigade will assume the role of the brigade with the highest operational readiness in the Army as Forward Land Forces.
Northern Coasts – Key Maritime Role
The Northern Coasts naval exercise will take place from September 1 to 12, 2025, and assumes a key role at sea. Under German leadership, multinational navies will exercise in the Baltic Sea to further develop their capabilities for national and alliance defense. The focus is on the tactical planning and conduct of maritime operations in coastal areas. In addition to Germany, the Baltic Sea states of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as well as France, Great Britain, the USA, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Canada, are participating.
Brave Blue and Safety Fuel – Logistical masterpiece
The Brave Blue and Safety Fuel exercises, taking place from August 29 to September 12, focus on the logistical challenge of transporting troops and equipment to Lithuania via various modes of transport, including road, rail, and sea. Particular emphasis is placed on the supply of fuel and drinking water in Lithuania, as well as the protection of essential defense infrastructure.
Role2Sea – Medical care at sea
From August 18 to 29, 2025, the Navy will be practicing sea-based medical care at the Sea Rescue Center with Role2Sea. The rescue center on board the task force support ship "Frankfurt am Main" will simulate the care of 30 casualties after an accident. The exercise covers the entire rescue chain, from initial treatment on board and surgical interventions to the transport of severely injured persons to specialized facilities on land.
Silver Dagger – Special Forces in Finland
From August 25 to September 12, special forces from various NATO nations will train together with the German Armed Forces in Finland as part of Exercise Silver Dagger. This exercise demonstrates NATO's expanded capabilities following Finland's accession and leverages the new strategic depth on the Alliance's northeastern flank.
National Guardian – Protecting the Homeland
The Germany-wide exercise National Guardian, running from August 29 to September 12, simulates real-life support services for military forces during deployments. The Army Homeland Security Forces and the Navy's Reserve Forces are practicing the protection of critical defense infrastructure. For the first time, all support services at one of the Convoy Support Centers will be provided by a civilian contractor.
Air Mag Day
From September 1 to 4, the Air Force will support maritime operations as part of Air Mag Day. This integration of air and naval forces underscores the exercise's multidimensional approach.
The Russian-Belarusian exercise Sapad-2025
The joint military exercise "Zapad-2025" between Russia and Belarus, planned for September 2025, is causing considerable concern within NATO. The name "Zapad" translates as "West" and already hints at the thrust of the exercise. Western military experts are urgently warning of the potential consequences of this exercise.
Belarus has announced that it will downsize the exercise and relocate it inland. The number of soldiers deployed will be halved, with current estimates placing the total at approximately 13,000 – significantly fewer than the 200,000 soldiers who participated in the last Zapad exercise in 2021. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin presented these changes as a goodwill gesture and emphasized Belarus's peaceful position.
However, the West's concerns are not unfounded. The previous Zapad exercise in 2021 served, in retrospect, as preparation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Large-scale Russian exercises have repeatedly served as cover for real attacks in the past – for example, on Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014, or Ukraine in 2022.
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Germany's logistical challenges and military presence in Eastern Europe
Strategic importance of the exercises
The Suwalki Gap as a neuralgic point
The Suwalki Gap, only about 65 kilometers wide, between Poland and Lithuania is considered NATO's Achilles heel. This narrow land corridor separates the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad from Belarus and represents the only land connection between the Baltic states and the other NATO partners. In an emergency, Russia could completely cut off the Baltic states from their NATO partners within 30 to 60 hours.
The strategic importance of this corridor is evident in the exercise scenarios of Quadriga 2025. Securing the Suwalki Gap and crossing strategically important rivers such as the Vistula are key exercise elements. NATO is intensively rehearsing how reinforcements can be brought through this critical corridor in an emergency.
Germany as a logistical hub
Germany has evolved from a frontline state during the Cold War to NATO's central logistical hub. Operational Plan Germany envisions that, in an emergency, up to 800,000 Allied soldiers and 200,000 vehicles would have to be deployed through Germany. This massive logistical challenge requires the establishment of Convoy Support Centers along the main transport routes.
The defense company Rheinmetall was awarded a framework contract worth €260 million to operate these rest and assembly areas. Services include accommodation, catering, refueling, technical support, and even security – including in defense and alliance situations.
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German Eurofighters in Poland
In direct response to Sapad-2025, Germany is deploying five Eurofighter fighter jets to Poland for the first time. The jets of Tactical Air Wing 31 will operate from Minsk Mazowiecki airbase, east of Warsaw. Around 150 Bundeswehr soldiers are supporting this nearly month-long deployment, which represents a clear signal of solidarity within NATO.
Polish and Lithuanian reactions
In direct response to Zapad-2025, Poland is planning its own large-scale exercises involving 34,000 troops. The exercise "Tarasis 25" will take place concurrently with the Russian-Belarusian exercise and will involve NATO soldiers from the Joint Expeditionary Force.
Lithuania is conducting its national defense exercise "Thunder Strike." This includes a series of smaller exercises such as Thunder Bastion, Vigilant Falcon, Thunder Storm, and Cyber Shield. During the three-week exercise, 10,000 reserve and active-duty soldiers will be deployed, with approximately 2,500 soldiers actively training. The exercise also includes the imposition of temporary curfews in certain areas of the capital, Vilnius, and the city of Kaunas.
Structural reforms and new commands
The Operational Command
With the establishment of the Bundeswehr Operational Command on October 1, 2024, national and joint operations were fundamentally reorganized. Under the leadership of Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, the command, with its 1,400 positions, consolidates the operational planning, command, and evaluation of all Bundeswehr operations.
The command will assume operational command of a large-scale exercise for the first time at Quadriga 2025 and will also coordinate the implementation of the Operational Plan Germany. This new structure enables unified command from a single source and improves responsiveness in all scenarios – from hybrid threats to alliance defense.
The new Homeland Security Division
On April 1, 2025, the Army will establish a fourth major unit, the Homeland Security Division. The division will consolidate all existing homeland security regiments and companies under a central command. With an initial force of 6,000 soldiers, mostly reservists, it will be responsible for protecting critical infrastructure in Germany.
The Homeland Security Division plays a central role in securing the "Germany Hub." While the Field Army operates on NATO's eastern flank in the event of a defense emergency, the Homeland Security Forces secure transport routes, convoy support centers, and other critical defense facilities within the country.
Baltic Sentry – Protection of underwater infrastructure
In response to repeated attacks on critical underwater infrastructure, NATO launched Operation Baltic Sentry in January 2025. Germany is contributing naval capabilities, including corvettes, frigates, minehunters, and maritime patrol aircraft. The Bundeswehr's Heron TP drone was deployed for the first time to monitor the Baltic Sea coastal waters.
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Technological and tactical innovations
Drone defense is firmly integrated into all phases of Quadriga 2025. The Bundeswehr is testing newly acquired equipment and further developing tactics for combating unmanned systems. Experience from the Ukraine war demonstrates the growing significance of this threat.
During the Role2Sea exercise, the new medical equipment kits of the "Flexible Stretcher Installation Unit" will be deployed for the first time in realistic conditions on the NH-90 helicopter. The system enables the simultaneous transport of six patients with stable circulation, significantly improving casualty care.
National dimension
Quadriga 2025 demonstrates that modern defense is a task for the whole of the nation and society as a whole. The transport of personnel and materiel throughout Germany can only succeed with the support of civilian authorities, the police, and private companies. The first-time involvement of civilian service providers in the operation of Convoy Support Centers marks a paradigm shift in German defense planning.
The series of exercises highlights Germany's changing role from a Cold War frontline state to NATO's logistical hub. With the ability to host hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers and deploy them to the eastern flank in an emergency, Germany is assuming a key role in the Alliance's collective defense.
The simultaneous conduct of Quadriga 2025 with the national exercises of Poland and Lithuania in response to Zapad 2025 sends a clear signal of unity and resolve. NATO partners demonstrate their ability to coordinate their defense and underscore that any attack against a member state would trigger a joint response from the entire Alliance.
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