Senior reporter

Published 2nd Apr 2025, 06:00 BST

Around 2,600 British personnel, along with more than 700 vehicles, joined allies in the Balkans in Exercise Steadfast Dart.

The aim was to show the bloc’s ability to mobilise at speed, amid a series of World War Three threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies.

It comes after the Ministry of Defence came to an agreement with UK port operator, Associated British Ports allowing it to use its 21 ports.

The return of the strategic RO-RO vessel, "Eddystone" to Immingham, packed with British Army hardware returning from a major NATO exercise. This will mark the first time the new strategic agreement between the MoD and Associated British Ports has been put into practice. In a major shift to increase its agility in deploying overseas, under the new agreement British Defence will now have the option to use the numerous ports operated by ABP rather than the just the Sea Mounting Centre in Marchwood near Southampton. . .Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme 30th March 2025

These included the Port of Immingham, for the Armed Forces. It usually ships via the Marchwood Military Port in Southampton.

Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said: “The ability to deploy and recover our forces more efficiently is a game-changer, ensuring we remain ready to deter and respond to threats at pace and continue to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad for decades to come.”

There’s been concerns over the ability of the Armed Forces to respond a “rogues’ gallery” of state threats, with Russia and China in the vanguard and Iran and North Korea following close behind

According to FullFact website there are 127,036 full-time fully trained personnel in the forces, including 71,151 in the Army, 28,085 in the Royal Navy/Marines and 27,800 in the RAF.

The UK has committed to spend 2.5 per cent of its GDP on defence by 2027.

More than 700 military vehicles land back on Humber after major NATO exercise