https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b...orce-vcxdg5xv5
British troops readied for Nato show of force
Ministers will announce one of Britain’s largest troop deployments to Nato today as Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, warns that the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have shaken the foundations of world order “to their core”.
In what will be Britain’s biggest land mobilisation to Nato in 40 years, 20,000 military personnel will be deployed from next month across eastern Europe as part of the exercise Steadfast Defender. They will be joined by one of the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers, eight warships and the RAF’s F35 lightning attack aircraft, which will practise flying in simulated conflict scenarios.
In speech to be given in London,
Shapps will warn that such a show of strength is necessary as the “peace *dividend” enjoyed by the West since the end of the Cold War comes to an end.
“We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies, prepared to lead our allies and prepared to defend our nation whenever the call comes,” he is expected to say. “Our *adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers. Old enemies are reanimated. Battle lines are being redrawn. The foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core.”
British forces will join those of 30 other countries in one of
Nato’s largest deployments since the end of the Cold War and the first on such a scale since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
More than 16,000 British soldiers will take part, about a fifth of the regular army….