NATO to increase military readiness, strengthen defense capabilities

Europe, News January 21, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

NATO Military Committee met for the Chiefs of Defense meeting at Brussels on January 18 and 19, 2023 to discuss the Alliance’s defense and deterrence posture amid increasing threats. The meeting was joined by the NATO Chiefs of Defence and invitees from Finland and Sweden.

The NATO military leaders agreed to strengthen the defense and deterrence posture of the Alliance by “increasing readiness, developing capabilities, and interlinking national and NATO military planning more closely than ever,” the NATO statement read.

The main issues discussed by the Chiefs of Defense were the military situation in and around Ukraine and NATO Mission in Iraq and Kosovo.

Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Bauer said in his opening remarks that the degraded global security environment was caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. He said that “Unfortunately, we are seeing the dawn of a new era of collective defense. However, it is an era that NATO is ready for. We have shown the world that we are capable of quickly scaling up our presence whenever and wherever necessary.”

Bauer added that “The war has also shown us that you have to be able to fight tomorrow’s battles as well as yesterday’s battles… today. Modern warfare is just as much about bits and bots as it is about mud and blood.”

NATO leaders were also briefed by the Ukrainian Military Representative Major General Serhii Salkutsan on the military developments in the Russia-Ukraine war. The NATO Military Committee applauded the Ukrainian armed forces for their “resilience and their relentless devotion to the fight for freedom”.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, who participated in the first session of the meeting, stressed that Alliance “must retain the military capacity and capability to defend the Alliance against all challenges, now and in the future, including in multi-domain operations.”

Geoana identified three areas where the Alliance needs to focus, including investing more in defense, increasing the production of weapons and ammunition, and transforming NATO for the digital age.

^{NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Genoana and Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer in a group photo taken during the NATO Chiefs of Defense Meeting in Brussels on January 18, 2023. (Image Credit: NATO)}

Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) General Philippe Lavigne briefed on the accelerated implementation of the NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept and Warfare Development Agenda. General Lavigne stressed that “NATO is now moving towards Multi-Domain Operations with a collective approach to keep the advantage tomorrow, finding the right balance between the large and few versus the small and many.”

According to the NATO statement, the Chiefs of Defence also discussed “how multi-domain operations, interoperability and digital transformation help maintain a military edge over potential adversaries.”

NATO military leaders also exchanged views on military stockpiles, pre-positioning of equipment, and capability development based on collective defense requirements.

Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Christopher Cavoli briefed the military officials on the implementation of the “Concept for the Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area as well as the New Force Structure,” the NATO statement added.

During the final sessions, NATO Military Committee discussed the NATO mission in Iraq with Operational Partners Australia, Finland, and Sweden. The Chiefs of Defence addressed the Mission’s ongoing efforts to assist Iraq in promoting greater stability, building its security and defense institutions, and fighting terrorism.

The leaders also discussed the Kosovo Force mission where they were joined by their Operational Partners Armenia, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Moldova, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine. “The Chiefs of Defence reaffirmed their commitment to KFOR’s mission: to promote a safe and stable environment and guarantee freedom of movement for the benefit of all communities in Kosovo.”