YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The main phase of the Dragon 2017 NATO massive military exercises will kick off today in Poland.

The general command of Poland’s Armed Forces said the wargames will be held in various training facilities in the country.

“Today the important event will be the loading of the RBS 15 mk3 missilies on ships and the operation of missile frigates in the sea”, authorities told TASS.

The military exercises officially began on September 20. 3,5 thousand units of equipment and 17 thousand soldiers participate in the drills.

The Dragon 17 wargames were launched in Zegrze near Warsaw, RT reported.

Despite being a national exercise, the Polish authorities invited troops from NATO member states – the US, UK, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, as well as Georgia and Ukraine, which are seeking to join the bloc – to take part.

The drills will also see Poland’s new Territorial Defense Forces, which prepare civilians to assist the military, participating for the first time.

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Michal Dworczyk told Radio Poland that the drills were aimed at testing cooperation between the Polish military and NATO forces.