Steadfast Dart 2026: Paratrooper General Scuderi leads the deployment of NATO's MND-S

The Multinational Division South (Multinational Division South (MND-S)), a NATO command based in Rovezzano (FI), enters the operational phase of the exercise “Steadfast Dart 2026” with a clear objective: to demonstrate, under the leadership of Paratrooper Division General Giuseppe Scuderi, the ability to rapidly deploy and command a multinational force, in a scenario as close as possible to a real deployment of the Alliance's new reaction force.

Forward command post and subordinate units: the formation led by Divisione Vittorio Veneto

The MND-S participates in the maneuver by deploying in the Bergen-Hohne Training Area (approximately 284 km², one of the largest training areas in Germany) the forward command post, the central node of command and control on the ground.

Under Scuderi's command will operate the Alpine Brigade Julia, employed as a maneuver unit in the Allied Reaction Force (ARF), with its own command and with logistical and communication assets. Among the key units in the field is also the 8th Alpini Regiment of Venzone.

Under the same command and control framework, allied units from Turkey, Spain, and the Czech Republic are also expected, while additional specialist contributions include – according to institutional sources – a Greek unit dedicated to civil-military cooperation and national assets, including a helicopter squadron.

The “testing ground” of the new ARF: mobility, interoperability, real-time

“Steadfast Dart 2026” has been presented by NATO commands as the largest Alliance exercise in 2026 and as the first major deployment test of the Allied Reaction Force on a large scale, focusing on rapid movement, reception procedures, and integration between different countries.

In this context, the role of the MND-S is particularly observed: the Division – integrated into the Alliance's force structure and under the command of NRDC-ITA – must demonstrate in the field the ability to “bring together” commands, communications, logistics, and multinational units, transitioning from planning to execution with real-world scenario timing.

Deployment of vehicles and troops: the logistical corridor passes through Emden

The movement component is one of the most tangible elements of the exercise: troops and vehicles converge on the port of Emden, the entry point for shipments directed to Germany and towards the training area. According to the Ministry of Defense communication, an initial Italian ship with over 1,500 vehicles and support equipment undergoes the phases of Reception, Staging and Onward Movement (RSOM) through German territory; further arrivals are also expected with a second ship carrying about 1,600 vehicles and a third with about 750 vehicles at the beginning of February.

Supporting the deployment of the MND-S forward command post are also the support units: the 78th Command and Tactical Support Unit “Lupi di Toscana” for logistical needs and the 7th Transmission Regiment of Sacile for the communications component.

Numbers and countries involved

NATO and Italian sources indicate the involvement of about 10,000 military personnel from 11 countries, including – besides Italy – Lithuania, Bulgaria, and other European allies, with support also from France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.