British Troops Join NATO’s Northern Star Exercise Near Russia’s Border

Around 5,000 soldiers from seven NATO members are conducting the “Northern Star” war-game in Vuosanka, Finland, about 18 miles (?29 km) from Russia. The British contingent includes over 300 troops, mainly from the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles (3 Rifles) and the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (3 Paras). Participants are divided into “invaders” and “defenders” to practice trench construction, live-fire drills and drone-assisted operations under Article 5, which treats an attack on any ally as an attack on all. Finland’s 830-mile border with Russia, newly on NATO’s map after 2023 accession, underscores the drill’s strategic importance.

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British units test Anduril’s Bolt drone, locating and striking targets, and the Ghost rotary-wing drone for reconnaissance. Data feed into Anduril’s Lattice AI platform, giving a single picture. Troops also dig trenches, spread out to avoid clustering, and operate under GPS-jamming reported by Finns. Lieutenant Colonel Tom Redon says the force is rapidly advancing its capabilities to improve interoperability with Italy and Poland.

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Defence analysts warn the current UK drone stockpile would last less than a week in full-scale war, exposing a “black hole” in defence finances. Although the Ministry of Defence has earmarked an £18 billion uplift, concerns remain about affordability and reliance on foreign suppliers, especially as American firms win UK contracts.

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Sources differ on when a Russian attack might occur: some planners cite 2027 as a possible date, while others refer to a 2030 horizon after the Ukraine war ends. No concrete intelligence on Russian intent is provided.

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“The first thing we do is to dig trenches, so we’re protected from artillery fire and drones. We spread our soldiers out as much as we can, so we’re not clustered together. We’re living out of a hole in the ground, basically. Eating rations, not getting a huge amount of sleep, putting defensive positions out.” — Lieutenant Colonel David Mans, 3 Paras

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“We’re developing really, really quickly. It’s not just about equipment, it’s about new techniques and interoperability with our partners, so the way we exchange tactics but also can communicate with each other faster, become more interoperable and allow us to be more prepared.” — Lieutenant Colonel Tom Redon, 3 Rifles

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“We’re a bit behind on [drone warfare], but we’re slowly catching back up,” — Lance Corporal Steffen Ryan, 3 Rifles

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“It isn’t a huge stretch for imagination to see us deploying here or somewhere like this for real to fight an adversary like Russia, and most importantly, alongside our Nato partners,” — Lieutenant Colonel David Mans, 3 Paras

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The Ministry of Defence plans to extend joint drills on NATO’s eastern flank, deepen the Anduril partnership and allocate the £18 billion uplift to close the drone-stockpile gap. Future exercises will integrate more AI-driven systems as NATO refines collective defence against a resurgent Russian threat.

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