Why are the British Army sending tanks across Europe?
Over the past month, troops from the British Army have been undertaking an ambitious operation to transport tanks and equipment from the UK, thousands of miles across Europe. This is Exercise Tractable — an essential part of the UK’s commitment to NATO and our European partners.
In October, soldiers from the Queen’s Royal Hussars began a journey across rail, road and sea, transporting vehicles and equipment. Crossing through Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, they finally arrived in Estonia, where British troops are currently leading a NATO battlegroup. Over 800 personnel and 200 pieces of equipment were involved in the move, which saw the regiment take over from the Kings’ Royal Hussars.
Partnering with our NATO allies
The exercise is part of the UK’s commitment to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic region — which is vital to maintaining our national security and stability.
The UK-led deployment in Estonia makes up one of four multinational NATO battlegroups operating in the Baltics— the others in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. In addition to maintaining a presence in Estonia, the UK also contributes around 150 troops to US-led operations in Poland.
These battlegroups are part of the biggest reinforcement of NATO’s collective defence in a generation, bringing together partners from different NATO nations. Their presence makes it clear that any attack on one ally will be considered an attack on the whole NATO alliance.
