NATO launches biennial Cold Response exercise in Arctic with 25,000 troops

Exam-focused facts from the 11 March 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

NATO launched Cold Response on 9 March 2026, running until 19 March, primarily in northern Norway and Finland.
Roughly 25,000 troops from 14 countries across northern Europe participate in the exercise.
The United States contributes around 4,000 personnel and withdrew one F-35 Lightning II squadron before the drills.
Norway declared 2026 the year of 'total defence', integrating civilian infrastructure and private companies into national defence planning.
During the drills NATO will test hospitals and emergency services in northern Norway handling casualties from a simulated Finnish frontline.