NATO is preparing for its largest military exercise since 2002, with more than 40,000 personnel from 30 NATO and partner counties participating.

The NATO commander of the exercise, Navy Adm. James G. Foggo III, briefed reporters on the planning for Exercise Trident Juncture 2018 at NATO headquarters in Brussels yesterday. Foggo is the commander of NATO’s Joint Force Command based in Naples, Italy. He’s also commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa.

The aim of the exercise is to provide a deterrent effect and defense against “any threat, from any direction, at any time,” Foggo said.

Trident Juncture demonstrates that NATO is relevant, united and ready to defend itself employing collective defence, Foggo said. The exercise’s scenario posits a violation of the sovereignty of a ally — in this case, Norway.

Under Article 5, collective defence means an attack on one ally is considered as an attack against all allies.

The main exercise is scheduled for Oct. 25th to Nov. 7th in and around Norway with a preliminary exercise in the waters off Iceland Oct. 15-17th.

The core of the exercise is the NATO Response Force. The exercise will serve to qualify the force as combat ready. “Within this exercise we will have the 5,000-person Spearhead Force — the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force exercising in Norway,” Foggo said.