Approximately 1400 British army soldiers, including members of the Desert Rats brigade, departed from the UK for a major military exercise in Europe aboard a passenger ferry. Specifically, soldiers from the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade and the Scots Guards, previously deployed in Oman, boarded a DFDS vessel from North Tyneside.

Dubbed the Desert Rats, the brigade enjoyed onboard entertainment such as karaoke, cinema, and bingo but refrained from alcohol. Their destination was Sennelager, near Paderborn, Germany, where they will collaborate with French troops for a 6-8 week NATO exercise.

Despite the use of a civilian vessel, the Ministry of Defence clarified that it was not due to a lack of navy ships. The exercise serves to assess the UK’s capability to utilize civilian transport infrastructure in the event of NATO’s Article Five activation, a pivotal aspect of the alliance.

The deployment underscores the principle that an attack on one ally is an attack on all members, as demonstrated during the invocation of Article Five following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. This marks the first instance of troops utilizing a passenger ferry in a military exercise since the Gulf War.

Charlie Gilmore, company commander of Right Flank, Scots Guards, emphasized the exercise’s objective of showcasing NATO’s ability to swiftly deploy a significant force in Eastern Europe. The use of civilian transport aligns with historical precedents like the Falklands War and the Gulf conflict, offering logistical flexibility compared to relying solely on military airlift.

The MoD highlighted that transporting such a large troop contingent by air would necessitate multiple RAF Voyager aircraft, underscoring the strategic significance of incorporating civilian ferries into military operations.