NATO’s biggest military exercise to test ability of allied forces

World Today

NATO’s military exercise has been called a success by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. It’s the largest and most ambitious NATO exercise in years involving 36-thousand troops from more than 30 nations with 140 aircraft and 60 warships.

The military training has taken place in Spain, Italy and Portugal. It’s designed to test the ability of allied forces working together.

Stoltenberg hopes the exercises will act as a deterrent, especially to Russia whose observers were invited to view the drills.

Russia’s movement into Crimea and Ukraine led to these exercises increasing in both size and scope with Russian observers. Russia has been willing to use military force to change borders in Europe and destabilize Ukraine.

NATO’s other major concern is the instability in Syria and across North Africa which has led to hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean into Europe this year alone.

These military drills have also focused on countering terrorism and the new threat posed by the Islamic State.

CCTV’s Dan Williams reports from Zaragoza, Spain.