Military Exercises: Purpose and Examples

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Military exercises form the backbone of modern military operations. These training activities prepare forces for potential conflicts and other missions through controlled simulations of warfare scenarios.

Also known as maneuvers or war games, these exercises test tactics and strategies in safe environments away from actual combat. They ensure combat readiness for both stationed and deployable forces before assignment to missions.

Core Purposes

Enhancing Combat Readiness

Military exercises build upon foundational training by applying skills in simulated operational scenarios. This increases expertise in specific military specializations.

Even basic training, like the Army’s Basic Combat Training, builds resilience and essential soldiering skills. Advanced exercises typically involve personnel who already possess baseline proficiency.

Testing Tactics and Structures

Exercises provide a platform to explore potential warfare approaches and evaluate the effectiveness of tactics without the risks of live combat.

They assess military structures from strategic concepts to specific operational procedures and technological systems. This validation process becomes particularly important during command structure reforms.

Improving Coordination

Joint exercises involving different military branches or allied forces foster enhanced coordination and mutual understanding.

These activities test shared operational platforms and develop common understanding of procedures. For alliances like NATO, exercises drive interoperability improvements and defense reform initiatives.

Observation and Analysis

Participating forces can observe tactics potentially employed by adversaries during exercises.

War games, often using sophisticated computer simulations, facilitate detailed assessment of combat situations through visual representations of geographic locations and troop deployments.

Modern military organizations routinely use wargames to simulate potential conflicts and model responses to various scenarios.

Demonstrating Strength

The visible deployment of military assets during exercises signals a nation’s capabilities and willingness to cooperate with allies.

Joint exercises within established alliances effectively deter potential adversaries. Large-scale exercises like the DEFENDER series in Europe showcase the US military’s ability to rapidly project substantial forces across vast distances.

Building Relationships

Military interactions during exercises foster confidence in partner nations’ abilities and cultivate appreciation for unique security concerns and shared interests.

International exercises enhance communication, promote collaboration, and build cultural understanding between militaries that might otherwise have limited engagement opportunities.

These interactions establish dialogue channels crucial for facilitating communication during international crises. Personal connections forged during exercises prove invaluable for effective cooperation in real-world operations.

Types of Military Exercises

Live Training Exercises

Live Training Exercises (LFX) most closely mimic actual combat conditions, making them highly effective for readiness preparation.

These exercises integrate troop movement and maneuver with practical application of weapon systems, often using live ammunition or realistic training rounds.

Examples include comprehensive Field Exercises (FX) and Combined Arms Live Fire Exercises (CALFEX). The direct involvement of personnel and weaponry provides authentic preparation for combat.

Command Post Exercises

Command Post Exercises (CPX) focus on the operational level, involving commanders and staff in simulated headquarters environments.

The emphasis lies on refining command, control, and communication processes within and between participating headquarters.

A prominent example is the Warfighter Exercise (WFX), a distributed, simulation-driven tactical exercise involving division or corps-level units against a thinking adversary.

Tactical Exercises Without Troops

Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWT) employ models such as sand tables, maps (MAPEX), or computer simulations to explore potential scenarios during planning phases.

A related type, the Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) drill, ensures synchronized execution of unit actions. TEWTs provide a cost-efficient method for military planners to visualize tactical options without extensive troop deployments.

Deployment Exercises

Deployment Exercises (DEPEX) train specific tasks and procedures for deploying units from home stations to operational areas.

Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercises (EDRE) occur with minimal advance notice to test a unit’s ability to respond swiftly to contingency operations.

Communication Exercises

Communication Exercises (COMMEX) employ and test communication equipment while training personnel in command, control, and communication procedures.

These exercises ensure reliability of vital communication links and personnel proficiency in their operation.

Staff Exercises

Staff Exercises (STAFFEX) concentrate on internal unit staff workings, focusing on specific functions and competencies. These can be augmented by simulations for realistic scenarios.

Situational Training Exercises

Situational Training Exercises (STX) are task-oriented and limited in scope, focusing on movement and maneuver fundamentals. They train collective tasks, related task groups, or essential battle drills.

Freedom of Navigation Operations

Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) serve a dual purpose including significant training components. These operations involve military units transiting through areas where nations have asserted unlawful maritime sovereignty claims.

FONOPs provide real-world operational experience in contested maritime environments while making clear legal and diplomatic statements.

Major US Military Exercises

RIMPAC

The Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise stands as the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. Held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years around the Hawaiian Islands, RIMPAC is hosted by the United States Navy’s Indo-Pacific Command at Pearl Harbor.

The 29th RIMPAC took place from June 27 to August 1, 2024, involving approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, 3 submarines, over 150 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel. The exercise operated under the theme “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.”

RIMPAC aims to strengthen collective maritime forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region. It builds relationships among participating nations, enhances interoperability in maritime operations, and contributes to regional peace and stability.

Activities during RIMPAC span maritime warfare capabilities, including:

• Ship-to-ship gunnery exercises
• Air defense drills
• Anti-submarine warfare training
• Mine warfare operations
• Amphibious landings
• Search and rescue missions
• Maritime security operations
• Sea control exercises
• Complex warfighting scenarios

RIMPAC 2024 featured its largest humanitarian aid and disaster relief exercise to date. It included live-fire sinking exercises targeting decommissioned vessels, testing of unmanned vehicles, and for the first time, urban search and rescue exercises.

The diverse participating nations underscored RIMPAC’s global significance:

DEFENDER Series

The DEFENDER series consists of large-scale, U.S. Army-led multinational joint exercises designed to enhance readiness and improve interoperability among US, NATO, and partner forces.

A key focus is the rapid deployment of forces from North America into the U.S. European Command Area of Responsibility. DEFENDER 25 is scheduled for May 11 to June 24, 2025, with approximately 25,000 troops participating across 18 nations.

The primary objectives include testing the speed and effectiveness of American troop deployment to Europe and their ability to defend NATO’s Eastern Flank alongside allied forces. These exercises demonstrate the US military’s capacity to project forces across considerable distances and sustain operational tempo.

DEFENDER 25 includes several significant sub-exercises:

• Swift Response: Focuses on rapid deployment and operational capabilities of allied airborne forces in response to crises
• Immediate Response: Concentrates on critical early stages of theater opening, reinforcing cyber defenses, and demonstrating security capabilities
• Saber Guardian: Designed to enhance NATO land component mission command capabilities and improve allied force coordination

BALTOPS

Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) is a long-standing annual military exercise held in the Baltic Sea region since 1971, sponsored by the Commander of US Naval Forces Europe.

BALTOPS 2024 took place from June 7 to June 20, involving 20 NATO Allies, over 50 ships, more than 85 aircraft, and approximately 9,000 personnel.

Its primary aims include training in naval warfare disciplines and demonstrating NATO’s commitment to preserving peace and security in the Baltic region.

Activities during BALTOPS 2024 included:

• Complex amphibious landings and maneuvers
• Mine countermeasure operations (the largest assembled coalition for this purpose in NATO history)
• Tactical maneuvering drills by warships
• Anti-submarine warfare training
• Gunnery and small caliber live fire events
• Air defense exercises
• Medical capability integration through mass casualty scenarios
• Joint personnel recovery operations

Talisman Sabre

Exercise Talisman Sabre is a biennial multinational military exercise jointly led by Australia and the United States. The 11th iteration is scheduled for July 13 to August 4, 2025.

Talisman Sabre 2025 is expected to be the largest in its history, with over 30,000 military personnel from 19 nations conducting activities across Australia and, for the first time, in Papua New Guinea.

The exercise focuses on joint crisis-action planning and contingency response, enhancing military capabilities of both nations to address regional contingencies and challenges of the War on Terrorism.

Activities planned for Talisman Sabre 2025 center on multi-domain warfighting, including amphibious and airborne landings, firepower demonstrations, and combat operations across land, air, sea, space, and cyber domains.

Red Flag

Exercise Red Flag is a highly realistic two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted multiple times yearly by the US Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Its primary goal is providing military pilots and flight crews from the US and allied nations with air-combat training simulating real-world scenarios. Exercise Red Flag 2025 commenced in January with participation from Royal Air Force personnel and aircraft.

Red Flag aims to maximize combat readiness and survivability by creating realistic training environments with various threats and challenges. It offers USAF pilots and weapon systems officers the opportunity to fly approximately ten simulated combat missions in a safe environment.

The exercises recreate the intense conditions of the first ten combat missions of a modern air campaign—statistically the most dangerous for aircrews. They involve diverse aircraft types, including attack aircraft, fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance platforms, and electronic warfare aircraft.

A key element is the use of skilled “aggressor squadrons” whose pilots replicate potential adversary tactics, providing a challenging threat environment.

Cobra Warrior

Exercise Cobra Warrior is a biannual exercise led by the UK’s Royal Air Force. It serves as the culminating training event for Qualified Weapons Instructor courses, bringing together NATO Allies for high-intensity simulated warfighting.

Exercise Cobra Warrior 2025 took place in March, involving significant land and air integration between French and RAF ground forces. The previous iteration occurred in September and October 2024, with notable participation from the US Air Force alongside other NATO allies.

Objectives include strengthening partnerships between participating nations and enhancing collective ability to operate as a unified force in response to security challenges.

Activities include air interdiction operations, dynamic targeting exercises, offensive and defensive counter air operations, suppression of enemy air defenses, and personnel recovery missions.

Cyber Guard

Cyber Guard is an annual command exercise orchestrated by U.S. Cyber Command, bringing together cybersecurity professionals from across the Department of Defense.

Cyber Guard 25-1 took place in March 2025, simulating real-world cyber scenarios to allow participants to practice staff processes critical for total force integration in the cyber domain.

Notably, Cyber Guard 2024 was integrated into the larger Large Scale Global Exercise (LSGE 24) for the first time, highlighting the interconnectedness of cyber operations with broader military activities.

Activities involve practicing both offensive and defensive cyber operations, testing processes across all warfighting functions, and identifying lessons to improve command structures, clarify authorities, and enhance information sharing.

Cyber Guard 2025 featured a global scenario impacting multiple geographical areas during a simulated crisis, providing a complex training environment.

Strategic Importance

Maintaining Technological Superiority

Military exercises provide platforms to test and refine advanced technologies in realistic operational settings, ensuring forces effectively leverage cutting-edge systems.

Supporting Diplomatic Missions

Military diplomacy, including joint exercises, cultivates relationships with other nations, strengthens security alliances, and addresses shared security concerns cooperatively.

These interactions foster bilateral and regional partnerships and contribute to a more stable international environment. Exercises also convey geopolitical messages, demonstrating capabilities and resolve, reinforcing foreign policy objectives.

Enhancing Interagency Cooperation

Events like those at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) offer unique opportunities for training alongside personnel from other government agencies, such as the Department of State and USAID.

This fosters mutual understanding and improves collaborative efforts in complex security situations, essential for a cohesive national security apparatus.

Adapting to Emerging Threats

Exercises provide space to test new warfare concepts, such as multi-domain operations integrating air, land, sea, space, and cyber capabilities.

This adaptive learning process ensures military forces remain agile and prepared for future conflicts.

Building Partner Capacity

Training partnerships, often involving joint exercises, enhance allied military strength and contribute to greater regional stability globally.

By working together, the US and partners collectively address security challenges and promote a more secure global environment.

Risks and Considerations

Escalation Potential

While joint exercises within established alliances typically deter potential adversaries, exercises outside such alliances can sometimes inadvertently increase tensions and conflict potential.

Cover for Aggression

Historically, exercises have been used to mask aggression. Examples include the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which illustrate how activities can hide build-up to actual incursions.

Even when not intended as preparation for aggression, large-scale exercises can be misinterpreted by potential adversaries and provoke unintended reactions, as with Able Archer 83 during the Cold War.

Resource Intensity

Military exercises, particularly live training events, require significant resource allocation:

• Land and training ranges
• Personnel time commitments
• Expenditures on fuel, ammunition, and equipment maintenance

Larger exercises involving thousands of troops and vast equipment quantities burden logistics and supply chains, requiring robust planning for casualty evacuation and effective unit coordination.

Uneven Training Value

Training benefits can be distributed unevenly across personnel levels in larger exercises.

While these events provide crucial experience for senior command and staff in managing complex operations and for logisticians handling large-scale deployments, direct training benefits for combat units at lower tactical levels might be less pronounced.

Careful planning ensures exercises provide meaningful training opportunities for all participating personnel.

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