Over 400 competitors from the following 13 nations will be taking part in the Invictus Games
Following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the NATO military alliance has helped to rebuild the Afghan Armed Forces to combat a Taliban resurgence. Afghanistan is a landlocked country so the military consists of an Army and Air Force only. There are more than 200,000 active soldiers and the President is commander-in-chief.
The Australian Defence Force has nearly 60,000 active personnel and a further 40,000 active and standby reserve forces. While small, it remains the largest military in Oceania. Australian troops have fought alongside Britain for decades and were part of the original coalition of nations to send troops to invade Iraq in 2003. The Australian military also fought in Afghanistan.
Canadian forces were an unwavering ally to the UK during the First and Second World Wars and have been committed to multilateral military action since. Canadian troops were part of the war in Afghanistan and contributed to the rebuilding of Iraq after the 2003 invasion by US-led coalition of troops.
Denmark ended its 200 year policy of neutrality following World War Two. The three main military branches – Army, Navy, Air Force – employ almost 27,000 personnel. The country has a strong history of peacekeeping and was part of the coalition of nations who supported the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. It also sent troops to Afghanistan.
Estonia has been a full member of NATO since 2004 and has worked closely with Britain and the United States on security and defence. Soldiers from the Estonian Defence Forces fought alongside Americans in Iraq after the 2003 invasion and with British forces in Afghanistan. The country has engaged in numerous peacekeeping missions including in Bosnia and Kosovo, and contributes to the EU anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia.
France and Britain have a long history of military cooperation on matters of international security. In 2010 they signed two defence co-operation treaties which include joint training and the sharing of aircraft carriers. The French Armed Forces number more than 220,000. French troops were deployed to Afghanistan in 2001.
The Georgian Armed Forces were established in 1991 after Georgia declared independence from the former Soviet Union. Georgia has been participating in international peacekeeping missions since 1999. In 1999-2008 the country deployed troops in NATO KFOR mission under Turkish and German commands. In 2003-2008 Georgia participated in the US-led coalition forces “Operation Iraqi Freedom” with a maximum number of 2000 military personnel. Since 2007, Georgian Armed Forces have participated in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan, operating mostly in Helmand and Kabul. With up to 1600 military personnel deployed on the ground Georgia has been the largest non-NATO and per capita troop contributor of the mission. Georgia also participates in the EUFOR RCA mission in Central African Republic with one Infantry Company. Georgia’s military consists of roughly 37,000 active personnel.
Britain and German fought against each other in WWI and WWII but have maintained a close alliance since 1945. In recent years, German troops were deployed to Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York. Germany ended compulsory conscription in 2011 and its active military is down to below 200,000.
The founding nation of both NATO and the EU, Italy is currently deeply engaged in the NATO transformation process and many of the European Defense initiatives. In order to protect national security, Italian Armed Forces have deployed to many international assistance operations. As one of the nations contributing the most troops, Italy is currently leading UN troops in Lebanon, NATO KFOR, EUTM Somalia and the Naval Force EU Atlanta.
The Dutch have worked alongside Britain and other nations during operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Netherlands deployed troops and aircraft to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom where they took part in combat operations alongside British and Candian forces. The Dutch Armed Forces have about 50,000 active personnel.
For more information on The Netherlands and the Invictus Games,
New Zealand’s military has fought alongside British military personnel for decades and is also involved in peacekeeping and observer missions. The New Zealand defence force comprises more than 8,000 active members and more than 2,000 reservists. Troops were sent to Afghanistan in 2001 and took part in operations to rebuild Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion.
Queen Elizabeth II is the commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces. Its primary role is to protect Britain’s security and engage in international peacekeeping. British troops played a key role in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and joined the US in its 2003 invasion of Iraq. The British military also enforced a UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya. There are currently more than 200,000 active personnel in the British military and about 180,000 reservists. The country is close allies with the United States and European nations and has the second largest military in the E.U.
The United States Armed Forces has about 1.3 million active personnel and 850,000 reservists, making it one of the largest globally in terms of numbers. The U.S. and U.K. have become close allies in recent decades. In 2001, the US was supported by British troops during their invasion of Afghanistan to topple the Taliban. And in 2003, a coalition led by the two nations invaded Iraq.
