High Readiness Joint Task Force

As the second largest army of NATO, Turkey is doing its best to protect the borders of the bloc against terrorism, human trafficking and smuggling, the Turkish defense minister has said, underlining that Turkey sees NATO as the center of its security.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that he supported the plans of the EU to build a common defence policy, but he warned against any rapid reaction force that might duplicate allied operations.

Turkey contributes to NATO missions and continues its fight against terror groups in the south of Europe and NATO, namely ISIL and YPG/PKK, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told his counterparts at a virtual NATO meeting on June 1. 

The Distinguished Visitors Day of Multinational Exercise NOBLE JUMP 2021 (NOJP21) is organized on Tuesday, at the "Getica" National Joint Training Center (CNII), in Cincu, Brasov County.

NATO on May 20 posted a video on social media touting the Turkish armored vehicle Vuran.

"Turkey is leading NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force this year," Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Operations, said on Twitter.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will hold military exercises dubbed Steadfast Defender 21 which will involve up to 9,000 servicemen, will be held on NATO's southern wing, in particular Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Portugal, between May 20 and June 22 and will train redeployment of reinforcements from the US, Vice Chief of Staff at NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE),

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Hungarian counterpart Tibor Benko have met in Hungary's capital Budapest to discuss issues of defense and security along with military cooperation areas.

Speaking at a joint news conference Wednesday following ministerial and delegation-level talks, Akar said discussions were "constructive and productive".

The Polish army will take charge of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said the organization in a statement on Dec. 30. 

Poland will take over the duty from Germany on Jan.1, 2020 and will hand over to Turkey in 2021.

Turkey has pledged to be a ?framework nation? for NATO?s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) by 2021. The force was originally designed to serve as a deterrent to Russian aggression after President Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea and supported separatists in eastern Ukraine. 

Albania reaffirms commitment to NATO