Sep 10 2024

Video: NATO paratroopers drop over Europe for exercise Swift Response

In the largest airborne operation since the Second World War, paratroopers from France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain jumped into Estonia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Sweden as part of exercise Swift Response, proving their ability to conduct complex operations with short notice.

Airborne operations require precise timing, and consummate skill from pilots and paratroopers alike. Their ability to insert hundreds of soldiers behind enemy lines makes them a strategic asset to NATO Allies. Because of the inherent difficulty in these missions, frequent practice is required to maintain skills.

That is why the United States leads Swift Response, a yearly airborne exercise that brings Allies together to drop paratroopers throughout Europe. Conducting these drills together helps Allies familiarise themselves with each other’s practices, improving their ability to work together in the event of a crisis.