Estonia to host large-scale NATO medical exercise this month

Thousands of medical experts from NATO countries will participate in one of the alliance's largest medical exercises in Estonia throughout June.

Vigorous Warrior 2026 will take part in Vigorous Warrior 2026, which focuses on medical support across the 32-member alliance and civil-military cooperation. The activities will mostly take place in Harju and Lääne-Viru counties.

The exercise covers the full spectrum of military medical support in a conflict scenario, from planning to execution.

Brigadier General Dr. Jens E. K. Diehm, director of the NATO Center of Excellence for Military Medicine, called the drill a "pivotal exercise."

"It brings Allies and Partners together to train medical support jointly, realistically, and in line with the demands of today's operational environment. This kind of cooperation is essential to ensure that our medical support functions even in the most challenging circumstances," he said.

Vigorous Warrior 2026 is one of the largest international exercises taking place in Estonia this year, bringing together approximately 2,000 participants from 32 Allied and Partner nations.

The exercise also provides an opportunity to test innovative technological solutions, contribute to capability development, and strengthen interoperability.

Col (in reserve) Tarmo Metsa, director of the exercise on behalf of the Estonian Defence Forces, said hosting the event in Estonia is "significant both for us and for our partners."

"Bringing the exercise to NATO's eastern flank means that we are training medical support where Allied readiness is particularly important in today's security environment," he said.

It also gives Estonia the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to organize a large-scale medical exercise, Metsa added.

Before, during, and after the exercise, members of the public may notice an increased presence of military vehicles on Estonian roads as well as unmanned aerial systems operating in the air.

Various simulation devices, including blank ammunition, training grenades, and illumination flares, may be used throughout the exercise and may generate higher-than-normal levels of noise.

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