The Marine Corps deployed in Romania projects its operational capabilities in Eagle Flight 25

• This NATO multinational exercise, divided into three phases, has the primary objective of strengthening interoperability between the units of Multinational Division South East and the Forward Land Forces Battle Group

The Spanish Marine Corps, part of the Forward Land Forces Battle Group (FLF BG) deployed in Romania, is participating in the Eagle Flight 25 exercise at the Joint National Training Centre (JNTC) facilities.

This ambitious exercise, which will run until 7 September, has been planned by the Multinational Division South East (MND-SE) and is being executed entirely by the FLF BG.

Eagle Flight 25 is structured in three consecutive weekly phases. During the first week the Eagle Thunder exercise took place, including a joint firing range between Spanish and French mechanised companies, with the support of sapper units. Moreover, a fire support exercise was carried out with 81 mm mortars to reinforce the integration of fire support with manoeuvres.

This was followed by the Eagle Spearhead exercise, involving MNB-SE units composed of military personnel from Poland, Romania, Portugal and North Macedonia. This phase involves Force on Force exercises and focuses on mechanised offensives on trench areas and urban centres, with the main objective of improving interoperability between all participating units.

Finally, this third week will be devoted to the Eagle Strike exercise, during which live fire drills will be conducted with the MLRS and CAESAR systems of the French forces. The Spanish mechanised tactical subgroup will conduct firing exercises using all its weapon systems. This exercise represents one of the last training opportunities before the main exercise of the semester, namely, Dacian Fall 2025.

All in all, the Eagle Flight 25 exercise is a demonstration of the integration, coordination and operational capabilities of the allied forces deployed in south-eastern Europe, in which the Spanish Marine Corps has demonstrated its readiness and operational capability to fulfil its tasks in the context of protecting NATO's eastern flank.

Land deployment on the eastern flank—Romania

The Multinational Battle Group in Romania is one of eight counterparts deployed along the eastern flank of the Atlantic Alliance to contribute to the deterrence and defence of this area. The activities to be carried out are similar to those already being executed by the Spanish Armed Forces stationed in Latvia and Slovakia. These include conducting exercises by the unit itself and others deemed appropriate, integrated into the Multinational Battle Group led by France, as well as those conducted in cooperation with the Romanian Armed Forces.

During the 2016 Warsaw Summit, it was decided to strengthen ‘deterrence’ as a fundamental tool to ensure the protection of Allied territory on the eastern flank. Subsequently, at the Madrid Summit in 2022, the Alliance recognised Collective Defence as the top priority among the missions outlined in the new Strategic Concept of the Atlantic Alliance (NATO).

During the aforementioned Madrid summit, it was agreed to expand the deployment on the eastern flank to eight Multinational Battle Groups (MN BG). All Battle Groups will be capable to expand to the level of Multinational Brigade (MN BDE).

Until October 2024, Spain's contribution of forces to these multinational units was part of the MN BG in Latvia and Slovakia. Since then, a Marine Corps tactical subgroup has joined the MN BG in Romania.