The Republic of Serbia and NATO officially launched their first ever joint military exercise on May 12, 2026, marking a monumental shift in regional defense dynamics. The two week tactical drill, named NATO Serbia Exercise 2026 (NSE26), is taking place at Military Base South and the Borovac Training Area near Bujanovac. Organized by the Serbian Land Forces and NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Naples, the drills involve approximately 600 troops from Serbia alongside personnel from three NATO member states: Italy, Romania, and Türkiye.

The tactical field exercises are structured under NATO's Partnership for Peace framework, focusing primarily on peace support operations, interoperability, and building regional stability. Over the two week span, participating forces are practicing specialized urban combat tactics, checkpoint operations, crowd control, base defense, and defensive strategies. Additionally, military planners and official observers from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Montenegro are stationed on-site to oversee the maneuvers. 

This landmark operation was organized explicitly at the formal invitation of the Serbian government, while maintaining strict adherence to the country’s stated policy of military neutrality. The direct collaboration serves as a highly sensitive topic locally, given the historical friction left by the alliance's 1999 air campaign against Yugoslavia. Defense officials emphasize that the concrete exercises are aimed strictly at upgrading the operational capabilities of the armed forces and preparing personnel for global United Nations peacekeeping missions.