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Royal Navy begins preparations for taking charge of NATO’s premier maritime force
3 December 2025
The road to the Royal Navy taking charge of NATO’s premier naval force has begun with the battlestaff due to lead it being put through their paces.
On July 1 next year the Royal Navy will assume command of the Allied Reaction Force (Maritime) – the nautical element of NATO’s response to an international crisis, deploying land, sea and air forces anywhere in the alliance’s area of responsibility to defend and deter.
Currently commanded by the Spanish Navy, the maritime force will transfer to Rear Admiral Mark Anderson, Commander of the United Kingdom Strike Force, and his staff, based in Portsmouth.
The first step towards that 12-month tenure of the force – successor to the long-standing NATO Reaction Force – is Exercise Steadfast Dagger, a table top/planning exercise.
It’s one of several Steadfast exercises building up to Steadfast Deterrence in the spring of 2026 which will validate the UK staff’s readiness to take command.
If activated at the direction of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, ARF(M) would muster the relevant warships, naval air power and support vessels to intervene in a crisis within ten days. The force is intended to be as large – or small – as the situation demands.
Offering advice and experience to the UK staff as their preparations began was Allied Reaction Force overall commander Lieutenant General Gianluca Carai, an Italian red beret.
“I am impressed by the extraordinary level of professionalism and commitment of the COMUKSTRIKEFORCE to address all NATO core tasks,” General Carai said.
“In particular, I would emphasise the amazing level of innovation and technology of the modern UK naval assets.
“For this, I would express my greatest gratitude to the British Royal Navy, Armed Forces and National Authorities for all the efforts and resources invested to achieve and sustain this so relevant capability for NATO.”
Rear Admiral Anderson said the UK remained committed to both NATO and taking command of the maritime component of the ARF.
“It is a clear demonstration to all our partners and Allies that the Royal Navy will play its part in responding to crisis, conflict and competition,” he added.
“Steadfast Dagger is the crucial first step in our journey to demonstrating the world-class capabilities of the CSF Battlestaff.
“I am extremely proud of my team and the effort they have put into preparing and delivering this exercise and it is a real privilege to represent that to General Carai.”
The training of the UK Strike Force staff is not merely confined to theoretical/desktop exercises.
In the new year, they will have real warships, aircraft and ground forces – including Royal Marines of the UK Commando Force – to direct during Exercise Dynamic Mariner 2026, part of the UK’s Cold Response winter deployment/training in the Norwegian Arctic, testing and enhancing command and control capabilities and operational effectiveness of the maritime components of the ARF.