BUCHAREST, March 23. /TASS/. NATO Sea Shield 2026 exercises have begun in Romania, the Agerpres news agency reported. Defense Minister Radu Miruta attended the opening ceremony in the port of Constanta.
The maneuvers, which will take place from March 23 to April 3, involve around 2,500 military personnel from 13 NATO countries: Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the United States, Turkey, and France. Forty-eight ships, 64 combat vehicles, 10 aircraft, and 10 drones will be deployed during the exercise. The Romanian Navy is contributing about 1,500 personnel with 33 sea and river vessels (including three frigates), 14 combat vehicles, four unmanned aerial vehicles, and two deck-based helicopters.
The maneuvers organized by the Romanian Navy will take place in maritime, river, underwater, land, and air environments, the Romanian Defense ministry reported. They will include complex scenarios adapted to current security challenges. The goal of the exercises is to enhance the level of interaction between the participating structures <...>, as well as to optimize the actions of all institutions of the national defense system, public order, and national security.