Poland as one of host nation of the STDE-24 exercise will host a significant number of Allied troops and equipment on its territory. A key element of STDE-24 will be the Polish national exercise with the participation of the armed forces of other countries, DRAGON-24 (DR-24), which will begin as early as late February/early March. Both STDE-24 and DR-24 are defensive exercises and are not directed against any country, but are a demonstration of the ability to counter any aggressive policies and provocative activities of the Russian Federation. Their planning began already in 2022.

The STEADFAST DEFENDER 24 exercises, including national exercises with the participation of other countries' armed forces, such as DRAGON-24 and DEFENDER-24 exercise organized by U.S. European Command, will constitute the largest demonstration of the defense capabilities of the Alliance and its member states since 1999, i.e. since the so-called first wave of NATO enlargement, which included Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The exercises will coincide with NATO's 75th anniversary celebrations. DR-24 exercise will constitute a test of the Polish Armed Forces' ability to respond to a potential multidimensional armed crisis, thus contributing to strengthening the Alliance's deterrence and defense capabilities and demonstrating the strength and determination stemming from its unity.

The DR-24 exercise will involve a total of about 20,000 soldiers and 3,500 units of equipment from 10 NATO countries, including about 15,000 soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces. They will be subjected to a test of interaction and execution of combat tasks on land, in the air and at sea. In addition to military operations in the above mentioned domains, military operations will also be carried out in cyberspace. The main forces participating in the exercise will be assigned by the 11th Armored Cavalry Division, but soldiers from the special forces, air force, navy and territorial defense will also be involved. This year's exercise will comprise elements of Allied troops present in Poland as well, including the NATO eFP (enhanced Forward Presence) battle group. Elements of the non-military part of the country's defense system, from local government administration at the provincial, district and municipal levels to government administration, will also be taking part in DR-24.

The exercises will be divided into two general phases. During the first one, crisis situation activities will be carried out, while the second phase will be a defensive operation exercise. Soldiers will carry out their tasks at the field training centers and in the so-called accidental terrain. Key elements will be the crossing of Allied troops over the Vistula River and the movement of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which will be the linking element between DR-24 and the BRILLIANT JUMP-24 exercise. This will mean, among other things, that both wheeled and tracked military vehicles will move also on public roads throughout the Polish territory.