NATO conducts Neptune Strike 26 multi‑domain drill in the High North

From 17 to 23 July 2026 NATO will run its third Neptune Strike 26 exercise, a multi‑domain training operation that brings together maritime, air and land forces under a unified command framework. The activity is coordinated from Oeiras, Portugal by the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and is part of the Alliance’s Arctic Sentry enhanced vigilance programme.

The drill features the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales operating alongside Spain’s Expeditionary Strike Group ESPS Castilla. Participants include units from Portugal, the United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the United States and additional contributions from Croatia, North Macedonia and Romania. The exercise aims to demonstrate rapid integration of forces across domains, reinforce collective defence, and improve NATO’s interoperability and readiness in the strategically sensitive High North and North Atlantic regions.