NATO Military Committee visits strategic commands, review allied forces’ readiness

Europe, News March 8, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The NATO Military Committee visited the Allied Command Transformation (ACT), Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Norfolk, the U.S. Joint Staff Headquarters, and the U.S. 2nd Fleet to review the capabilities and challenges of strategic commands in their respective areas of responsibility.

The Military Committee started the trip on February 28 and received a briefing on Allied Command Transformation’s ongoing work to enable NATO partners to respond “to current and future challenges as well as develop new warfighting capabilities”.

NATO Alliance’s military representatives were also briefed on “ACT’s contributions to the NATO Defence Planning Process”, and deliberated on the Russia-Ukraine war and key lessons that were learned by the command.

According to the NATO statement, the military officials “received updates on the concept for Multi-Domain Operations, on Cyber Defence and on the structuring of the Digital Transformation project as well as the concepts for Cognitive Superiority and Assisted Decision-Making”.

The Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Bauer welcomed NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Lavigne’s efforts and said that “Under the galvanizing leadership of General Lavigne, ACT is not only evaluating NATO’s readiness and ensuring it remains able to face 21st Century challenges, but is also helping shape NATO’s military superiority, through cognitive warfare, digital transformation, and multi-domain operations, enabling a stronger Alliance for the future. You are preparing our Alliance to be fit to fight tomorrow.”

*^{NATO Military Committee visiting Allied Command Transformation. (Image Credit: NATO/IMS)}*

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Lavigne noted “the essential need to not only respond to the changed security environment but also foresee the requirements for NATO’s strategic evolution, by improving its defense capabilities and developing effective strategies to deter potential threats,” the statement added.

General Lavigne said that “Working hand in hand with ACO, ACT is guiding NATO’s military commands towards more multi-domain operations, higher interoperability, and a faster digital transformation. ACO ensures NATO is fit-to-fight today; ACT ensures NATO is fit-to-fight tomorrow; and together, we are preparing for ‘the Midnight Hour’ fight, when today becomes tomorrow.”

On March 1, the NATO Military Committee visited the Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk, which is the Alliance’s main command projecting stability, deterring aggression, and defending NATO’s Allies in the North Atlantic and High North, from seabed to space.

The Military Representatives met with JFC Norfolk Commander, Vice Admiral Daniel Dwyer, and received a briefing on the command’s ongoing and upcoming activities, including the ongoing and planned exercises across their Area of Operations in land and sea.

*^{NATO Military Committee being briefed aboard the USS Bataan. (Image Credit: NATO/IMS)}*

On March 2, the NATO Military Committee officials visited the U.S. Joint Staff and the U.S. 2nd Fleet, in Suffolk and held discussions on the synchronization of National and NATO strategies, particularly in the areas of advancing joint operational effectiveness and warfighting in modern warfare.

The NATO statement highlighted that the U.S. Navy leadership provided “an amphibious capability brief and readiness update via a ship tour” on board the USS Bataan and the USS Mesa Verde. “These capabilities highly contribute to the deterrence and defense of the Alliance,” the statement added.