Rapid response Desert Rats charge ahead for Exercise Steadfast Defender

A monumental effort has seen thousands of British Army personnel and hundreds of their vehicles arrive in Germany for Nato's Exercise Steadfast Defender.
Exercise Brilliant Jump One saw personnel deploy to Germany from the UK, whilst Exercise Brilliant Jump Two will see them move off from Germany and head to Poland.
At the front is 7th Brigade, known as the Desert Rats, leading the charge.
More: www.forces.net/operations/ger...
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[@stonemarten1400]

Rare smart decision by MoD to retain the barracks and training area at Sennelager. They were going to hand-it-all back with the closure of British Forces in Germany, but kept this base at the last minute. Thankfully, as this is really proving it’s strategic value in these troubling times.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

Don't forget the Strategic Defence Review of 2010 determined Sennelager would be closed down by 2020. More short-sightedness since proven wrong, and now they have to go back.

[@al28854]

4:13 having high speed Starlink satellite internet is a huge help too.

[@FuckFeminists]

Yeah. They showed how clever they are, preparing for a war with Russia. Quite the thinking man's choice of enemy.

[@antikoerper256]

Always had huge respect for the brits. There are many reasons we all speak English today. Much love and thanks for the service from your humble NATO ally - Bulgaria

[@al28854]

So .... long live the English Empire ??

[@thecurlew7403]

​@al28854 It's gone years ago all these convoys is are whiskey being delivered to the mod for back handers of corruption that's why uk forces are a big joke. 😅😅😅😅

[@45dda]

@@al28854Wtf are you on about?

[@wor53lg50]

​@@45ddaits gets so boring dos'nt it, surely they must cringe and feel like ignorant idiots typing it...

[@williamtp3717]

i love the use of defenders. beautiful cars and clearly very handy

[@gazza9463]

Probably zero ballistic protection though. I stand to be corrected.

[@williamtp3717]

@@gazza9463 of course it doesn’t but for zippin around behind friendly lines at a budget, can’t go wrong with it 👍

[@dumptrump2294]

@williamtp, the " Proper Job " are on the move.

[@gazza9463]

@@williamtp3717Fair point

[@williamtp3717]

@@gazza9463 with the budget not getting increased anytime soon, keeping them makes sense, i wonder what the upkeep on them would be though, with em being discontinued and all...

[@BlueBockser]

It's great to see you here, godspeed from Germany!

[@Jamie-qt5yo]

Sennelager. Probably the worst lager in the world.

[@alanjohnson8417]

😂

[@charlieyerrell9146]

Is that an old squadies joke.

[@leevaughan7887]

😂

[@phillipthomson]

Haven’t heard that for a while

[@cosmicstargazer10]

Noice, old Heineken reference...Remember the Hoffmeister ads, follow the bear...

[@alanmcmillan6969]

Show that the GB is here, and ready!

[@Echo-01]

With what though? The US has Bradley's, Abrams, Strykers etc. and we have a few logies, land rovers, and foxhounds I'm not hating on the Army and don't like to complain about the size but it's sad really

[@ynwa3476]

We don't need vast land forces, we are a small island. The money is better spent on air and sea defence.

[@45dda]

@@Echo-01This is a light mechanised unit…The Challengers don’t really meet that criteria…

[@45dda]

@@ynwa3476Yes we do as part of NATO, we won’t be fighting in the UK…

[@clivecartey]

Sorry to be a bit picky, or maybe it's a touch OCD - but - what a mixed bag of vehicle colour schemes. Even disregarding the 'desert' colours the variety of fading greens used makes an aerial shot of the vehicle park look like a compost heap. Or, maybe, that's the new camouflage scheme - compost. Not a bad analogy really since a lot of the vehicles looked like they were slowly decaying. (NB: I know that I will get replies talking about " vehicle rotation" and "does it really matter" - all noted in advance, thank you).

[@dustinrobinson58]

Good old STC coming in handy.👍

[@stonemarten1400]

Yeah, but they closed TingleTangles on the Sennelager strip 😢

[@terencefield3204]

Fine folk, yet the scale of it all seems completely inadequate to the threats.

[@45dda]

That’s not the only unit…there’ll be 90,000 troops taking part from across NATO…

[@terencefield3204]

Yes yes we know all that. It is not the problem, think more deeply.@@45dda

[@FuckFeminists]

What threat? Give independently-sourced evidence that Russia is in any way a threat to the West if NATO doesn't move to attack it first. Y'know. Like it is right here.

[@TheMacdaddy1976]

Disgrace they cut the nuts off the Rats took away their tanks and gave them a bunch of useless jeeps and trucks with nothing but 7.62mm weapons at best …disgrace

[@TheBooban]

They have no Challengers?! Whats the point of that?!

[@GameCatcher89]

I find it Ironic that they're called the "7th Light Mechanized Brigade Combat Team" when they dont even have a single tracked vehicle, unless the term 'light mechanized' also includes all motorized vehicles now

[@TheBooban]

@@GameCatcher89 tracks or wheels, what’s it matter? Still mechanized. But they used to be an armored unit.

[@jakeh491]

​@@GameCatcher89LIGHT being the key word there. A word I probably would use for a tank 😂 although the uk does need 4× as many tanks minimun!

[@MCPacey1]

@@GameCatcher89 mechanized is all wheeled, armoured is tracked

[@WestheimerEnergy]

My father was a desert rat, driving a Valentine tank up and down the desert from Libya to Egypt and back later my brother was in REME and gwas based at Senelager and Fallinbostle during the 1960’s and 70’s.

[@sapiotone]

Loved the perfect Alan Partridge moment in the middle!😂 Best of luck 7 Brigade!🐀❤

[@wolfgangwickinghoff936]

Welcome back!

[@jariusaliffwan8001]

Those are some nice looking land rovers. Not an easy thing to drive but boy it does look good.

[@johnsharp6618]

Such a tiny scale exercise in comparison to the ones held in the 80s

[@nikhinson3703]

Tiny scale from a British perspective, but not from a NATO perspective. 90,000 is a fair old number, but yes we used to regularly field that on our own back in the 80s

[@pgw1977]

Yep I was on Lion Heart, fun times!

[@FuckFeminists]

What was the largest, in 1988? Wasn't that 125,000 personnel total? This is 90,000 with a different and more modern doctrine and equipment. and involving every NATO member, which now in practice numbers 32 countries. Hardly tiny in comparison. And all parallel to the Russian border, in a time of extreme tension over a potential World War.

[@markwright130]

I don't want to spoil the party lads but shouldn't you be protecting our borders.

[@mosthaunted2]

Our borders are always protected, don't worry about that, It's our main priority above everything.

[@garagenigel]

Wrong channel! This ain't GB news?

[@jakeh491]

Wouldn't you rather them deter a war miles away than wait for it to get to our borders? Let them fight in other peoples backyards so we don't have to fight in ours

[@nikhinson3703]

We’ve only got one, and I don’t think the Republic of Ireland are about to kick off any time soon!

[@mosthaunted2]

@@jakeh491 Totally right!.

[@wudruffwildcard252]

What’s the point of it? Light infantry on the eastern front? Every other country commits the most heavy units they have. If it were something like mobile drone recon units embedded with mobile brimstone launchers, that would make a difference but not what we are seeing here….

[@MrSharpe95]

I hope they were checked for contraband energy drinks lol 😅

[@jusele-ox9rc]

Wonder if TokH is still open Or the savoy Black n white. Crazy times 🇬🇧🍺🇩🇪

[@iLoveBeingDelusional4U]

Surely those vehicles should have been checked by MT staff before leaving Barracks. Then the drivers would've been given the relative paperwork 21 checklist with the vehicles documentation. It would've speed up the process, serving for 22 years, sometime I think the Army is a bit backwards at time..

[@charlieyerrell9146]

I have noticed that the armoured vehicles now have sloped undersides. The army have learned their lessons about landmines. Sloped armour defects the blast of mines.

[@mausilugner6637]

why do you always have a soldier running between the vehicles ?

[@johnbruce4004]

Love the variety of colour schemes

[@aanttz4803]

Look the Russians, look everyone...meanwhile the real invasion contines at Heathrow and Dover

[@user-hn3qr2dt4q]

If senelaager is a key asset what stops an enemy bearing it up before you get there

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

Cant a single british modern soldier speak 2 sentences without „uh uh uh“ every few words?

[@45dda]

Who cares? They’re squaddies, not Public orators

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

@@45dda just uuh speaks for uuh their uuuh average intelligence. UK is done

[@Chips-Dubbo]

"Full-Time Troll, I grind anyones gears"

[@sebjones1566]

Wonder how many wagons have already piled in.

[@Fester_]

Great job. Nice coverage and thanks for not interviewing the lady mechanic we saw as that has become all too predictable.

[@phillipthomson]

All vm’s are ladies😂

[@kralikkral5560]

We will need some Taiga Rats - or rename them.

[@daviecrocket9160]

They will not be renamed and should not be

[@Saveourecosystem]

Heading towards Russia??

[@subwaveyquasi5264]

I feel like thats what may be happening

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

„Uuuh. Uuuuh. Uh. Uh uuuuuh“

[@raoulheinrichvonmerten4851]

Where were they two years ago?

[@Whangareitaiji3138]

Oh, for goodness sake. That bunch wouldn't last five minutes against a proper armoured unit. Fancy the "Desert Rats" being stuck in light vehicles. What a joke.

[@JammyDodger45]

They won't be fighting a 'proper armoured unit', the whole point of their Recce unit is locate and fix the enemy for other assets to destroy. I understand that you've got your military knowledge from CoD so if you want any other utterly basic and obvious things explained to you then just sing out fella.

[@russefrance4869]

These guys seem very professional but they are being let down by British special forces who have been caught murdering civilians, a Royal Navy that can't launch missiles and a Royal Air Force having to send its pilots abroad to be trained by the Americans and Italians. Time the MoD sorted itself out to support the few good people we have left.

[@SlamDunkMunk]

Steadfast Defender

[@user-zb3vy7zj3g]

Late napad ujutro if you want to operate thx 😊

[@GsmGsm-rc1lj]

The British army operates in the land of the mountains

[@garydonoghue4565]

Bet harems is loving the pick up in trade since Covid

[@Swatmat]

it closed a few years back

[@MCPacey1]

@@Swatmat it didn't your just not allowed in there anymore

[@user-zb3vy7zj3g]

Servisi trebaju sooning both Espana preko i tires posle. Čović 80%

[@paulgibbons2320]

No desserts in Germany.

[@davepearce6359]

They have plenty of puddings and desserts in Germany. But no DESERTS. 😂

[@JammyDodger45]

The Black Forest Gateaux is literally named after an area in Germany so I'm going to agree with Dave!

[@sparkiegaz3613]

Rapid response,,,😂😂😂😂

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

Yeah none of the people in the video can say 5 words without „uuuuh“ inbetween. Its a pain in the ass watching this vid

[@sparkiegaz3613]

@@AbuHajarAlBugatti uuuuuuuh uuuuuh

[@user-kr7yh8vw9m]

First.

[@cliveengel5744]

Englander Desert Rats, what happened to Montgomery of El Almien 😄

[@robgoodson4483]

Defeated Rommel !! 👍😉

[@obecny00]

this is a joke they want a fight with russia in a 40 yers old land rover🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@45dda]

You don’t understand much do you…

[@iLoveBeingDelusional4U]

Those are support vehicles which would be far from the lines.. Keep up fella.

[@FuckFeminists]

@@iLoveBeingDelusional4U The fact that someone says "they want to fight with Russia" and your response is about the proximity to the line of contact is a pretty good illustration of where the average youtuber's head is at these days.

[@jeevestherobot]

gay

[@squirepraggerstope3591]

We British should NOT be committing large land forces to any European central front in any case! our main effort should be at sea, in the air, and on land directed predominantly at supporting the Scandinavian theatre.

[@suburbia2050]

Wow it’s a Putin troll fest in here

[@FuckFeminists]

Or you can't handle the truth. As a Johnson and Sunak troll yourself.

[@Torin_Hrastostit]

The desert mouse

[@Avro2]

its rat

[@Asif_Bcn]

Russia is not Afganistán.

[@jonreid7957]

Thanks Sherlock. Very insightful.

[@conroc01]

Russia is easy in comparison. Russia is a paper tiger. Crappy kit and inferior soldiers.

[@SoapMovie2300]

@@conroc01 underestimating your potential enemy is the biggest mistake

[@conroc01]

@@SoapMovie2300 We have over estimated Russia for decades. In a real war they have been proven to be lacking in every aspect other than meat wave assaults. NATO would have air superiority in spades. They would fold in short order.......but for their nukes. If they went up against NATO it would be the end of the Russian state and empire.

[@Jamie-qt5yo]

Deluded. How much they paying you for spouting that garbage? Ukraine are done and have been for a long time now. Russia are holding all the ground they said they were taking. When you lose more troops than the other side and are practically out of ammunition and weapons it's safe to say you aren't winning.

[@phillipthomson]

Exercise steadfast defender,soon to be renamed operation steadfast defender Ukraine is running out of ammunition,Russia is making advances NATO’s biggest exercise happening at the same time.just saying

[@martinjones8220]

Training to stop a dinghy

[@jetmec]

If only

[@suburbia2050]

Say hi to Putin for me

[@JohnCampbell-co1qk]

Such unnecessary pollution, all at the taxpayer's expense.

[@ruebencover5795]

My god !!!! You need to have a look at what's happening in the world

[@RJM1011]

Are really this stupid ????????????????

[@ruebencover5795]

@RJM1011 yes people are

[@pgw1977]

Woke leftie alert!

[@alexverdigris9939]

@@pgw1977 I'm a woke leftie and I hate pollution of all kinds. Though I completely understand that defense expenditure is an unavoidable necessity in a world of blood-thirsty agressive dictators. I wish we lived in a nicer, peaceful world, but we aren't, and it isn't. I'm afraid we can't avoid this pollution, unfortunately.

[@Wild-Storm]

Good to see how tax payers money is being spent rather than helping those on a deathbed

[@jakeh491]

This is to train the men that are willing to lay their lives protecting you. How about you show some respect! They train so if they ever get thrown into a war they can protect themselves and their brothers. Exercises like this saves their lives!

[@suburbia2050]

You mean 80 year olds at the natural point in their life? Yeah brilliant use of money.

[@R.R.1979]

The Brithis 🇬🇧 Back to EU

[@mikewingert5521]

A few old land rovers……the British have nothing…..thank Christ for America

[@ynwa3476]

This is not the UKs entire army ! This is a task force to take part in a large exercise with multiple nations each providing their part.

[@mikewingert5521]

@@ynwa3476 Yes I know. I was in the British army for 24 years; a 2434 from 1974 - 98. You are incorrect too; it is not a task force. It is just exercise elements arriving at sunny Senne (as we called Sennelager).

[@ynwa3476]

@@mikewingert5521 Thankyou for educating me. I know things are bad at the moment but I think the government will increase defence spending. We do have some great stuff being built but I agree we need more numbers.

[@mikewingert5521]

@@ynwa3476 no no, I don’t mean to ‘educate’ anyone. Sadly we have nothing in the UK. The entire UK contingent was deployed in ONE ro ro ship…from Marchwood - Emden in a STUFT vessel…Ship Taken Up From Trade. We have no military vessels or British merchant fleet to do this so we hire one via the Baltic Exchange. Our Land Rover fleet are un armoured and worn out too. New anything vehicle wise will take years to arrive. During Gulf 1 we hired 132 STUFT ships.

[@RJM1011]

@@ynwa3476 Pedo in Dunblane so NO money for the Army, NHS, Navy or anything else sadly.

[@dazzleawakening]

I'm sorry but am not fighting for the uk ... Russian are not asking for war we are so am not fighting.

[@jonreid7957]

No one in the U.K would ask a Russian troll like yourself to fight.

[@christopherhumphrys7398]

No one would want you

[@stonemarten1400]

Yeah, they’re really going to miss you mate, super-space-marine that you clearly are.

[@Jamie-qt5yo]

Same as you then.

[@stonemarten1400]

@@Jamie-qt5yo Excuse me, how about my 30 years dishonourable service in the Khyber Pass with the 3rd Foot and Mouth “Devils in Skirts”?