Military vehicles loaded onto ship as Desert Rats deployed to Poland for military exercise

British Army troops and vehicles are en route to Poland to take part in the largest Nato exercise since the Cold War. Armoured vehicles belonging to 7 Light Mechanised Brigade, also known as “The Desert Rats”, alongside Land Rovers, engineers’ tractors and support vehicles were loaded into a 23,000-tonne cargo vessel, Anvil Point, near Southampton on Tuesday. Some 600 vehicles will sail from the UK, and 1,500 service personnel will fly out to join the Nato exercise called Steadfast Defender, in a demonstration of the alliance’s unity and capability. Watch more on Independent TV: Click here to subscribe to The Independent: About The Independent: Making Change Happen. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Connect with The Independent: Check out our full video catalog: https://www.