BRUSSELS - Poland is hosting NATO's Exercise Steadfast Cobalt this Sunday so that the organization can test communications systems, according to NATO's press release Wednesday.

Troops from over 20 NATO allied nations are taking part in the two-week exercise, in which nearly 1,000 personnel are to participate.

The exercise is aimed at certifying the deployable communications and information systems used by elements of the NATO Response Force (NRF).

For the first time, this exercise introduces advanced communication assets down to the tactical level and, in addition to supporting troops, other capabilities such as cyber defense have also been included.

Major General Thomas Franz, said, "All communication systems must be instantly responsive, indeed in some instances, operational before any task force arrives on location."

"We have also introduced on Steadfast Cobalt effective procedures to train, test, and evaluate new communication structures," said Franz. (Xinhua)