The exercise consists of a simulated environment, created by the Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway, focused on a humanitarian and peacekeeping mission in a politically unstable country. The forces must show that they are capable of assisting, operating and engaging with local representatives, speaking to the media, transmitting information effectively with command units, air forces and land units, and coordinating logistics.
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) provided crucial support from the Communications and Information Systems Support Unit (CSU) based in Stavanger. CSU Stavanger provided the facilities, technology and network on the strategic and operational levels to create a real-life scenario within the simulation exercise. In addition to the support provided by the CSU, the Agency deployed Command and Control specialists to Norway to provide on-site expertise, while Agency experts based in Brussels managed networks and connectivity issues during the exercise, enabling collaboration for over 1,400 participants in the exercise.
STJA23 will be the last version of this exercise as we know it, since this year's iteration concludes NATO's Steadfast Jackal series of exercises, which began in 2019. As NATO moves to a higher level of readiness in 2024, the Alliance will pivot to a more reactive model and the exercise will be reinvigorated to test and support the Allied Response Force structure.