NATO's biggest amphibious military exercise will be staged in eastern Sardinia from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14, sources at the Atlantic Alliance's Naples headquarters said.

According to Italian local media, the code-named Destine Glory, the operation will "realistically simulate the response to a crisis which tests the ability of the maritime division of NATO's Response Force (NRF)", the sources added.

The NRF maritime division is currently under the command of Comitmarfor, the Italian navy's rapid response force.

Ten NATO countries will take part in the exercises with the deployment of some 8,500 men, 37 ships and 57 aircraft.

The countries are Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the United States.

Source: Xinhua