Apr 16 2025

Video: NATO's Allied Reaction Force

BRUSSELS - NATO’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF) is a multinational, high-readiness force capable of deploying at short notice to respond to any challenge facing the Alliance. The ARF was created at the Vilnius Summit in 2023, where NATO Allies agreed upon a new force model and a new set of regional plans to defend the Alliance from attack.

Like the NATO Response Force (NRF), which it replaces, the ARF protects the Alliance on land, in the air, at sea, in space and in cyberspace, ensuring NATO’s ability to effectively address a wide spectrum of threats. In the event of a crisis, elements of the ARF can respond immediately, with a large ground force deployed shortly thereafter.

In early 2025, the high-readiness force carried out its first large-scale deployment in an exercise that saw more than 10,000 troops rapidly deployed to Bulgaria, Greece and Romania. They demonstrated their ability to manage complex logistical and tactical challenges together, proving their readiness to serve as NATO’s rapid-response force.