ABOARD THE FRENCH FRIGATE NORMANDIE (AP) Large NATO drills in the frigid fjords of northern Norway may be just war games meant to hone the fighting skills of the newly expanded 32-nation military alliance . But for troops taking part, they are very real.

And thats the whole point.

With drills underway now, NATO is baring its fangs in its biggest exercises since the Cold War, sending an unmistakable message to Russia that alliance members are ready to defend each other if needed.

Having watched Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, the NATO training aims to cover all eventualities. That can include trying to catch troops off guard.

This week, crew members aboard the French frigate Normandie, one of Frances most modern warships, were roused from sleep and scrambled to hunt down and kill a submarine that snuck into cold Norwegian waters.