The largest NATO exercise of the year, DEFENDER-Europe 21 has begun its active phase in the port of Durres, Albania in the Western Balkans Region of Europe.The initial activity is a Joint Logistics Over the Shore Operation Albania joined NATO in 2009, and NATO Partner and aspirant Bosnia-Herzegovina and member Croatia from the same region are also participants in D-E 21.After the Western Balkans, the drills shift to the Eastern Balkans of Bulgaria and Romania plus Estonia in the Baltic States,then on to nations such as Germany and Hungary.* So D-E 21 began with the arrival last week of USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300),a vehicle cargo ship belonging to the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC),in the Adriatic Sea off Durres, Albania.The logistics ship has a complement of 26-45 civilian mariners and up to 50 active duty troops.USNS Bob Hope is configured to preposition tanks, trucks and other vehicles and supplies in support of a US Army heavy brigade.It is a roll-on/roll-off vessel. Also arriving at Durres were US Army Logistics Support Vessels MG Charles P. Gross (CSV-5) and SP4 James A. Loux (CSV-6).These large landing craft can beach and discharge up to 15 M1 Abrams tanks each, plus other equipment and supplies.They are part of an Army fleet of about 500 vessels under the US Army Transportation Corps.The two LSVs in Durres are crewed by a complement of eight Army warrant officers and 27 Soldiers each.Few realise that the Army has its own fleet.* According to Pentagon Press Secretary RADM John F. Kirby,US Navy retired,D-E 21 is: focused on deterring aggression, while preparing our forces to respond to crisis and conduct large-scale combat operations if necessary.* Russia has recently built up a force of over 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine and in occupied Crimea, Ukraine, about which Mr.Kirby noted that: There's still quite a few-I mean there's still a lot of forces arranged against,or aligned along the border with Ukraine and in occupied Crimea.And it's still never been completely clear what the intentions were.* So the atmosphere of crisis instigated by Russia still hangs in the air as D-E 21 ramps up.* Mr.Kirby explained that: DEFENDER-Europe exercise is going to conclude in June, but not before demonstrating joint force readiness, lethality and interoperability, reinforcing the US commitment to our Allies and Partners...* Several component drills make up D-E 21: 1.Swift Response, which is airborne operations in Bulgaria, Romania and Estonia; 2.Immediate Response,which will have more than 5,000 troops from eight countries carrying out live-fire scenarios spread out over 12 nations; 3.Saber Guardian,with over 13,000 troops conducting more live-fire drills conjoined with air and missile defence operations; and 4.A large command post exercise with over 2,000 troops honing command and control skills over a multinational land forces contingent.* U.S. Army Europe and Africa leads the drills, with active support from the US Navy and Air Force.*