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07 Mar 24. Poland provides security guarantees to Lithuania amid Russia tensions. Poland’s president says the government stands ready to defend Lithuanian territory in the eventuality of an attack, following comments made by Lithuania’s prime minister implying Polish laws may prevent it from protecting the Baltic state.
The presidents of Poland and Lithuania made a surprise appearance here on the last day of a waterway crossing at the Vistula River, which took place as part of the Polish-led Dragon exercise. Both countries’ soldiers were involved in the training.
“Today, I am talking about collective defense. We are ready, and rest assured that Lithuania can count on us if there was such a need, [that] Polish troops would stand shoulder to shoulder with Lithuanian forces to defend every inch of territory against an enemy attack,” Polish President Andrzej Duda told his Lithuanian counterpart during a news conference. “And that means not only Polish territory but also Lithuanian and the territory of the other Baltic states, if necessary.”
Duda’s reassurances were made amid a broader debate that erupted in Lithuania in recent days, following a cryptic statement made by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte. In an interview with a local television program, the prime minister said she had knowledge of existing legal restrictions in Poland that “do not provide for the obligation” to deploy troops abroad even during a war, which would also apply if Lithuania came under attack.
She did not clarify which specific legal acts or limitations this was in reference to.
According to the state-run media organization LRT, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called Šimonyte’s words a “misunderstanding.”
“Lithuania and Poland share the same understanding of security threats, and we will continue to work together to strengthen the security of our countries and the entire NATO eastern flank,” Nauseda told reporters during the March 5 news conference here.
During the Vilnius Security Forum held Feb. 23, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of U.S. Army Europe, reminded attendees that NATO’s Article 5 says an attack on a member state is considered an attack on the alliance, but that each allied country should also be ready to defend itself.
Several European nations are concerned that Russia’s ambitions will spread beyond Ukraine, upon which Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Among the organizations that took part in the Polish leg of the exercise was NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, whose lead is being assumed by the U.K. this year.
In an interview with Defense News, Brig. Gen. Guy Foden, commander of the force, said very high readiness entails that troops are “ready to deploy within [a matter] of days, but depending on where you’re going it can take shorter or longer periods of time.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
08 Mar 24. Increase military spending before Putin makes you pay the price, Sunak warned.
The decision to not give more to the Ministry of Defence in the Budget plays into Russia’s hands, three former ministers tell The Telegraph
Rishi Sunak is facing calls from three former Tory defence secretaries to promise to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP in his party’s election manifesto.
The demands, voiced via The Telegraph, came after no new money was allocated to the Ministry of Defence in Wednesday’s Budget, despite rising geopolitical tensions.
It also followed a new report by MPs, which said there was no realistic plan to fund what they expect the Armed Forces to carry out in the next decade, with the financial black hole estimated to be £29 billion.
Sir Michael Fallon, Sir Gavin Williamson and Ben Wallace, who together headed up the MoD for almost a decade, argued that promising 3 per cent spending was essential for the Armed Forces.
Currently, the UK spends around 2.2 per cent of GDP a year on defence, above the 2 per cent target for members of the Nato military alliance.
Mr Sunak has said the Government’s ambition is to raise that to 2.5 per cent, but no specific timeframe has been given on when or how that would be achieved.
Tory MPs have frequently pressed for higher defence spending after Russia invaded Ukraine and amid other signs that tensions across the world were escalating.
Hitting 3 per cent by the end of the decade would mean around an extra £34 billion in that year, according to Prof Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general at the Royal United Services Institute.
The estimate is based on official government forecasts for growth.
That would be a considerable investment with the public finances already under strain.
Think tanks this week warned that no political party was acknowledging how tough it would be to reduce debt, limit public spending rises and lower taxes after the election.
Sir Michael, defence secretary between 2014 and 2017, writes in The Telegraph: “Raising defence spending should be in every party manifesto this year.
“Every candidate should be challenged to support at least 2.5 per cent in each year of the next Parliament, and 3 per cent by the end of it.
“Stronger forces, a bigger navy, more air defence – these are not alternatives to spending on welfare, the NHS or overseas aid but the preconditions for it. Security comes before anything else.
“The lesson from the 1930s is surely that if we don’t prepare properly, it will be much more expensive to do so later on. If we don’t recapture the political will and build back the defences that enabled us to win the Cold War, our sons and daughters could face conscription for the first time in over sixty years.”
Sir Gavin, who held the role between 2017 and 2019, told The Telegraph: “We need to spend what we need to defend ourselves. The reality of the threats we’re facing is that this figure is going to be at least 3 per cent of GDP, and most likely more. We should put that promise in the election manifesto.
“We can’t continue to be in a place where we are thinking that we can hopefully get there. This has to be planned; this has to be well thought through.
“We’ve got to be in a situation where we start building the capabilities. We have to look at how in essence we rearm ourselves.”
Mr Wallace, who was defence secretary from 2019 to 2023, said: “I do support 3 per cent.
“All the main political parties should have it in their manifesto if we’re serious. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
08 Mar 24. Soldier exodus eroding Britain’s ability to deter hostile states, MPs warn. Committee says Armed Forces’ credibility at stake amid recruitment failures and budget deficits. Britain’s ability to deter hostile states is being undermined by an exodus of soldiers, MPs have warned.
The public accounts committee (PAC) said that the credibility of the Armed Forces was essential for effective deterrence, but it was being undercut by “recruitment and retention issues”.
The warning came as part of a report into the Ministry of Defence budget, in which MPs sounded the alarm over the huge gap between military spending and the Government’s expectations of the Armed Forces’ capabilities.
The report warned that the MoD’s unprecedented deficit, reported to be £16.9 billion, could in fact be almost £29bin – as some parts of the Armed Forces report their budgets differently to others. MPs also raised the alert that Government projects to develop nuclear submarine reactors and missiles appear to be “unachievable”.
The influential cross-party group of MPs said on Friday: “For deterrence to be effective the UK’s Armed Forces must be credible.
“Such credibility is undermined by widely reported recruitment and retention issues, with more people leaving the Armed Forces than are being recruited, the mothballing of Royal Navy ships because of crew shortages, and the unavailability this year of the only Royal Navy ship able to fully replenish the UK’s aircraft carriers, because of a refit.”
They warned that the MoD was “becoming increasingly reliant on the UK’s allies” to protect national interests.
John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, said: “Conservative ministers might talk a good game on defence, but this report is more proof of their failure to deal with the deep problems in the MoD.”
The report urged the ministry to work with industry and the higher education sector to ensure that enough highly skilled workers and apprentices were entering defence.
Missing the target
Eight people leave the Armed Forces for every five who are recruited, according to the most recent estimates.
The Army’s recruitment is outsourced to private firm Capita, which told the Commons defence committee in January it had only recruited 5,000 out of the 9,813 people it had been instructed to hire this year.
Meanwhile in the Royal Navy, two warships were destined to be decommissioned because of a lack of sailors earlier this year, as first revealed in The Telegraph.
The report also said that the department’s approach to dealing with its largest ever deficit was predicated on an “optimistic assumption” that Government defence spending would be boosted to 2.5 per cent of GDP.
Despite a budget increase of more than £46 billion over the next 10 years, the MoD is currently reporting a deficit of £16.9bn – described by the PAC as an “unmistakable deterioration in its financial position”. But the black hole could be even larger, due to the varying approaches to reporting.
The Royal Navy budget includes predicted costs for all the capabilities that the Government expects it to deliver, putting it at a deficit of £15.3bn.
But the Army’s only includes “those projects it can afford” in its spending plans. If it had included all the capabilities requested by the Government its deficit would have been more than £10 billion higher than stated, according to the report. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
08 Mar 24. Readout of U.S.-Serbia Bilateral Defense Consultations.
Department of Defense Spokesman LtCol Garron Garn provided the following readout:
On March 7, 2024, Ms. Lisa Sawyer, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for European and NATO Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, co-chaired the U.S.-Serbia Bilateral Defense Consultations (BDC) with Mr. Nemanja Starović, State Secretary in the Serbian Ministry of Defense. The meeting took place in the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
Participants included Major General John C. Harris Jr., the Adjutant General of the Ohio National Guard; Colonel Andrew Mack, Division Chief, Global Partnerships and Security Cooperation, J5/U.S. European Command (USEUCOM); Colonel Corey Shea, U.S. Senior Defense Official and Defense Attache; and representatives from the Joint Staff, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Department of State, the Serbian Ministry of Defense, and the Serbian General Staff.
Participants discussed bilateral security cooperation priorities, including exercises, training, military-to-military engagements, technical cooperation, contributions to global security, and Serbia’s longstanding State Partnership Program with the Ohio National Guard. Serbian defense officials provided an update on the deployment of Soldiers to the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula and presented ideas on regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. The United States reaffirmed the importance of EU-facilitated dialogue as the best way to achieve a stable and secure Western Balkans. (Source: U.S. DoD)
08 Mar 24. What capabilities does Sweden have to offer Nato?
With Sweden’s long-awaited accession to the Nato military alliance comes a range of different capabilities across air, land and sea. Sweden finally joined the Nato military alliance on 7 March 2024, following an enduring diplomatic exchange, first with Türkiye and then with Hungary. The Scandinavian nation was prompted to join the alliance after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began two years ago.
Sweden’s instrument of accession was deposited with the US Government, which is the alliance’s depositary. On Monday, the Swedish flag will be raised at the Nato headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Nato’s General Secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, welcomed the new member in a post on the social media platform X, in which he also judged that “Sweden’s accession makes Nato stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole alliance more secure.”
This begs the question, what specific capabilities does Nato’s 32nd member have to offer the alliance?
Aircraft
According to GlobalData intelligence, the cumulative value of Sweden’s largest defence sector, military fixed-wing aircraft, is forecast to be $4.5bn between 2023–28.
Combat aircraft equates to 41% of the country’s total market value due to the acquisition of the Jas 39E Gripen aircraft. This multi-role fighter is manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab AB. The company provides models A to F, while Sweden uses models C, D, and E.
The Swedish Air Force operates 95 JAS 38C/D units, procured between 1997 and 2007, and two of the latest JAS 39E units, which were acquired in 2021, according to GlobalData.
The country is expected to register an increased CAGR of 15.1% between 2023 and 33, spending $254m in 2023 on the Gripen E aircraft alone and just over $1 bn in 2033.
This increase in expenditure signals an expanded Saab programme, indicating no sign that the Swedish Air Force will convert to the Joint Strike Fighter Programme, in which the F-35 Lightning II is widely used among Nato members. Moreover, it is said that 400 F-35s will be used by the alliance by 2030.
Likewise, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration signed a contract with Saab for two GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft in July 2022, worth $710.29m (Skr7.3bn). GlobalData indicates that the net cost over the next decade will be $676.8m.
This aircraft will provide Nato with critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance over air, land and sea, providing real-time information to multi-domain units. Given the Russian Navy’s presence occasionally stretching to the North Sea in the past year, the GlobalEye will prove useful in these instances.
Its Erieye extended-range radar system has a range of more than 550 kilometres. A suite of advanced sensors and a command and control system are also integrated into the Global 6000 aircraft.
Land systems
Unlike the Gripen, when it comes to main battle tanks, Sweden is very much in vogue with the Leopard 2.
GlobalData says that the Army operates 120 of them, acquired more than 20 years ago. Since then, the country has upgraded these platforms to the 2A5 iteration, which may soon be evolved to the latest 2A6 variant, which includes a longer L55 gun, an auxiliary engine, improved mine protection, and an air-conditioning system.
In the meantime, Sweden contracted the German manufacturer KNDS to retrofit 44 units in November 2023.
In terms of ground-based air defence, Sweden is in the process of adopting MIM-104F Patriot missile defence systems from the US prime, Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX. Delivery began in November 2021, and initial operating capability was declared in December.
At the time, Sweden was the first non-Nato partner nation to use the system, which was designated ‘LvS103’ in Swedish service. It is part of a wider initiative to modernise Sweden’s air defences in the face of increasingly advanced long-range missile threats and is supported by deliveries of Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors from Lockheed Martin.
The sale includes four radar sets and control stations, nine antenna mast groups, 12 launching stations, and over 300 missiles.
Maritime platforms
Sharing a 15-kilometre maritime border with Russian Kaliningrad will place great importance on the Swedish Navy.
Sweden operates four diesel-electric submarines – three Type A19s procured in 1996-7 and one Type A17 acquired in 1989-90. The Navy is looking to induct two Blekinge-class (A26) submarines from Saab by 2027.
It will be diesel-powered and utilise the Sterling Air Independent Propulsion system to allow the vessels to spend longer periods underwater without having to surface to recharge batteries.
A modular design is intended to allow for long-term upgrades and support for the platforms and accommodate a versatile weapons suite and scalable crew sizes.
In addition, the Navy also possesses numerous light vessels, from its 160 CB90-class combat vessels to its 79 Battleship 90s. (Source: army-technology.com)
08 Mar 24. The United Kingdom, it appears, has trimmed its defence budget. Despite the ongoing war in Europe and rising global tensions, the UK’s financial blueprint for the upcoming year has conspicuously left out additional funding for its armed forces in order to impact concerns like inflation.
This decision has sparked concerns over the potential weakening of the nation’s military capabilities and its stance alongside allies.
The official budget documents disclosed on Wednesday show that defence spending in the UK is expected to witness a decrease of £2.5bn in the financial year ending March 2025 compared to the prior 12 months. This development is alarming, especially as the Defence Secretary has issued stark warnings that the UK is navigating a “pre-war world”, with both adversaries and allies boosting their defence expenditures. Nevertheless, the Treasury’s latest budget seems to neglect the urgent necessity for enhanced military funding.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has attempted to mitigate concerns by stating that the apparent reduction does not reflect additional funding allocated last autumn, as well as ongoing support to Ukraine.
Nonetheless, the lack of new defence spending initiatives has elicited criticisms, with Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), pointing out the UK’s deviation from the defence strategies of its allies.
Chalmers stated, “One of the striking things in a comparative perspective is that the UK is just about the only major European country which is not increasing its defence budget in real terms, and one of the few European countries which is also not increasing its military assistance to Ukraine much in real terms. But the fact is that now, after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many European countries are increasing their defence budgets rapidly, including Germany, the Scandinavian countries, the exposed eastern countries and quite a number of others as well.”
A MoD spokesperson has contended that the defence budget is projected to grow by 0.9% in the year ending March 2025, yet critics maintain that the plans effectively amount to a cut in essential defence spending. This contention is further complicated by ambiguities in the budget documents, including unclear accountancy adjustments and the contentious inclusion of Ukraine aid within the UK’s defence budget figures.
The breakdown by department of government spending indicates a reduction in the Ministry of Defence’s day-to-day running costs and other resource-related expenditures (Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, or RDEL) from £35bn this financial year to £32.8bn for the year to March 2025. Similarly, capital expenditure (Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit, or CDEL) is forecasted to diminish from £19.2bn to £18.9bn over the same period.
Despite these adjustments, which include £2.5bn in new assistance to Ukraine as well as other funding announced in the Autumn Statement, the core MoD budget evidently faces a reduction.
This is especially contentious amid the current conflict in Europe, with critics arguing that it reflects a misjudgement in resource allocation. While the UK’s aid to Ukraine is welcomed by most in defence, the decrease in the MoD’s RDEL and CDEL highlights a troubling direction. Less cash is available to already underfunded forces.
This is in stark contrast to many of the UK’s NATO allies, who are actively increasing their defence budgets. (Source: UKDJ)
08 Mar 24. Failure to fund military puts Britain in ‘alarming place’, MPs say. The MoD is £17bn short of what it needs to pay for its desired defence capability, according to the Commons public accounts committee
Britain is in an “alarming place” because the Ministry of Defence lacks a credible plan to fund the military, leaving the nation increasingly reliant on its allies, MPs have said.
The gap between the MoD budget and the cost of desired military capabilities has risen to £16.9bn, its largest deficit, despite a planned extra £46.3bn over the next ten years.
The cross-party public accounts committee said the real deficit could be closer to £29bn because some sections of the armed forces had included only capabilities that were affordable rather than all those the government had requested.
“In an increasingly volatile world, the Ministry of Defence’s lack of a credible plan to deliver fully funded military capability as desired by government leaves us in an alarming place,” Dame Meg Hillier, the committee chairwoman, said.
In its report, to be published on Friday, on the MoD’s equipment plan, the committee said that gaps in military capabilities had left Britain more reliant on allies to protect its interests, while the credibility of the nation’s armed forces had been “undermined”.
Defence spending has come under increased scrutiny. Ministers have said that the world is becoming more dangerous but are not raising spending.
Shrinking forces, ships that have broken down and a failed Trident missile test have contributed recently to the impression of a military in decline.
When it comes to supporting Ukraine, Britain has fallen behind Germany, France and other countries. Data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy showed that the UK ranked 26th in terms of the proportion of its GDP committed to Ukraine.
Germany, which got off to a slow start when the Ukraine war began in 2022, has committed £5 bn more to the war effort than Britain if military, humanitarian and financial assistance is taken into account.
Professor Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general at the Royal United Services Institute, said: “We have not been increasing the assistance. It has stayed at the same levels where as others have caught up and are overtaking us.”
Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary who pressed for lethal weapons to be given to Ukraine, said: “Being first is not an excuse to slow down. We need to double down not thin out. We have more to give and we should.”
Wallace added that Britain could double the number of troops it is training in the UK and seek ways to use its own facilities to step up 155mm shell production, which Ukraine is running out of.
On a visit to Kyiv on Thursday, Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, announced the UK would supply more than 10,000 drones to Ukraine as part of a multi-million pound investment in the unmanned aerial vehicles.
The MPs pointed to “widely reported” recruitment problems, with more people leaving the forces than joining, and the mothballing of Royal Navy vessels because of crew shortages.
In January, ministers had to deny reports that the assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark would have to be mothballed for this reason before their planned retirement dates in the mid-2030s.
Although Shapps was believed to have approved proposals to take the ships — used by the Royal Marines for beach landings — out of service, he changed his mind after the revelations in The Times.
The MPs urged the government to develop plans to mitigate the risk that allied support might be curtailed or withdrawn. They also renewed their criticism of procurement processes, saying slow delivery of new systems had caused gaps in capability.
Only two of the MoD’s 46 equipment programmes are rated as highly likely to be delivered on time, budget and quality, while successful delivery seems unachievable for five projects, including nuclear submarine reactors, communications technology and missiles.
The report accused the MoD of dodging “major decisions” about cancelling programmes it could not afford and relying too much on an assumption that defence spending would rise to 2.5 per cent in line with the government’s long-term ambition.
Hillier said: “We’re disappointed that not only are the same problems on display here, but they also appear to be getting worse. Despite a budget increase, this year’s plan shows a clear deterioration in affordability. The MoD must get a better grip, or it won’t be able to deliver the military capabilities our country needs.”
A spokeswoman for the MoD said: “The UK continues to lead military support for Ukraine as the first country to provide lethal aid — as well as the first to provide western main battle tanks, and long-range precision strike capability. We have committed more than £7bn of military support to Ukraine, including £2.5bn in 2024-25. We welcome Allies stepping up their support for Ukraine.” (Source: The Times)
07 Mar 24. Moldova signs defence pact with France amid Russia fears. Moldova’s president on Thursday signed a defence cooperation accord with France, warning that Russia was renewing efforts to destabilise her country and that if President Vladimir Putin was not stopped in Ukraine he would keep going. Maia Sandu’s visit to Paris, also to sign an economic roadmap, comes as Western states seek to strengthen the former Soviet state’s capabilities amid what they fear are increasing destabilisation efforts by Russia.
“If the aggressor is not stopped, he will keep going, and the front line will keep moving closer. Closer to us. Closer to you,” Sandu said. “Europe must therefore present a united front.”
Moldova, a western neighbour of Ukraine with a tiny defence budget, has seen long tense relations with Moscow worsen as it backs Ukraine in the war.
Russia has troops and peacekeepers based in Transdniestria, a breakaway statelet of Moldova that has maintained its autonomy for three decades with Kremlin support.
Moscow says it was forced to intervene in Ukraine two years ago to protect itself against aggression and threats from the NATO military alliance and that claims of further territorial ambitions are unfounded scaremongering by the West.
RUSSIAN ‘PRESSURE’
The defence accord sets the legal framework for future training, regular dialogue and intelligence sharing.
A French defence mission will open in Moldova’s capital Chisinau by the summer to help assess needs and talks have begun on possible weapons’ contracts, the French defence ministry said.
President Emmanuel Macron said the agreement marked France’s determination to protect and help Moldova.
Moldova’s spy chief said this week that Russia was planning fresh attempts to meddle by provoking protests, interfering in an upcoming presidential election, and disrupting plans to join the European Union.
“The regime in Moscow seeks to control my country through energy blackmail, sponsoring protests, running disinformation campaigns, launching cyber attacks, interfering in our elections, pouring in dirty money and even attempting a coup,” Sandu said.
(Source: Reuters)
07 Mar 24. Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Sweden’s Accession to NATO.
I warmly congratulate Sweden on becoming the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) today.
Sweden is a proud democracy with a highly capable military, and its accession to NATO will strengthen the greatest Alliance in history and enhance our collective security. Sweden’s decision to join NATO reflects the appeal of our shared democratic values and our common vision of an open world of rules, rights, and responsibilities. I look forward to working closely alongside Sweden as an Ally.
More than two years into Putin’s cruel and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, NATO is more unified and more resolute than ever. Sweden’s decision is another reminder that Putin’s war is not the result of NATO enlargement — it is the cause of NATO enlargement.
On this historic day, I join all of our fellow NATO members in welcoming Sweden to the indispensable defensive alliance that remains the foundation of our common security. Together, we will continue the Alliance’s urgent, vital work to defend every inch of NATO territory, strengthen Euro-Atlantic security, and build a safer world.
(Source: U.S. DoD)
07 Mar 24. Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming alliance’s 32nd member.
Sweden applied for membership of NATO after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Sweden officially joined NATO on Thursday after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred it to rethink its defense policy and abandon its long held position of neutrality.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson formally handed over accession documents to the US State Department in Washington, DC, the final step of a months-long process to gain the approval of all members to allow his country to become the alliance’s 32nd member.
The documents are put into a vault at the State Department, which serves as the treaty depositary for NATO.
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“With receipt of this instrument of accession let me be the very first to welcome Sweden as a party to the Washington Treaty and the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said alongside Kristersson.
Kristersson thanked his allies for welcoming Sweden into the bloc.
“We will strive for unity, solidarity and burden-sharing, and will fully adhere to the Washington Treaty values: freedom, democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. Stronger together,” he said in a statement.
Sweden’s bid to join the bloc was for months obstructed by Turkey and Hungary, which enjoy friendly relations with Moscow and delayed ratifying Sweden’s accession. (Source: CNN)
06 Mar 24. German defence spend to pass Britain’s for first time since Cold War. Tory MPs frustrated Budget did not include more money in light of global threats. Germany’s defence spending is set to outpace the United Kingdom by 2025 according to new projections.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) predicted that Germany would be spending around $120bn (£94.13bn) per year on defence in 2030 compared to Britain, which was projected to spend around £90bn. If Germany did end up outspending Britain, it would mark the first time it has done so since 1981.
Tory MPs on Wednesday expressed frustration that the Government’s budget was lacking in announcements of fresh cash for the defence ministry.
Mark Francois, a member of the House of Commons defence committee, said: “The Defence Secretary recently warned that we are moving from a ‘post-war to a pre-war world’, but nobody seems to have told HM Treasury.”
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All data used to produce the graph was based on an “annual assessment of global military capabilities and defence economics,” the IISS said.
Germany has vowed to massively increase its defence budget as part of a “Zeitenwende” or turning of the times, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This year, Germany for the first time since the Cold War met its spending target of two per cent of GDP on defence, as Berlin seeks to become a major security player in Europe after decades of taking a back seat on military affairs.
It came as Miguel Berger, the German ambassador to the UK, told the BBC there was “no need” for his country to apologise after last week’s hugely embarrassing leak of a highly sensitive discussion by German air force officials about the war in Ukraine.
The conversation, which was intercepted by Russia and published by state-backed broadcaster Russia Today, also discussed secretive details about the possibility of British troops being deployed on the ground in Ukraine.
Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, has said that the call was intercepted by Russia because one of the officers taking part had dialled in on an insecure line from a hotel in Singapore. He stressed that Germany’s secure lines of communication for sensitive matters of state had not been compromised.
British staff in Ukraine at risk
The officer, named by German media as Brig Gen Frank Gräfe, will not be sacked over the security breach, Mr Pistorius said earlier this week.
Mr Berger, the German ambassador, said there was “no need to apologise” over the leak, which UK security sources fear may have put British staff in Ukraine at risk. He said this was because it was down to “an individual mistake by one of the officers”.
“I think that is a good lesson for everybody: never use hotel internet if you want to do a secure call,” added Mr Berger in an interview with the BBC’s Today programme on Radio 4.
He was also critical of Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary who reacted to news of the leak by warning that Germany is “pretty penetrated” by the Russian security services.
He said it fell into the Russian trap of creating division.
“It was an irresponsible comment to make. And it was a comment that fed into the Russian narrative,” said Mr Berger.
(Source: Daily Telegraph)
05 Mar 24. EU Commission proposes 1.5bn euro common defence industry package.
• summary
• Companies
• Plans aim to encourage governments to buy European
• Strategy also provides incentives for joint procurement
• EU countries spending more on defence due to war in Ukraine
Top European Union officials on Tuesday unveiled plans to boost the continent’s arms industry, arguing Russia’s war in Ukraine showed member countries should increase joint purchases of weapons and devote more spending to European firms.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, proposed spending 1.5bn euros ($1.63bn) to give countries incentives to buy jointly from European firms and encourage industry to raise capacity and develop new technologies.
“In the past two years, we’ve faced a situation of a defence industry without sufficient production capacity to meet the sharp increase of demand,” Margrethe Vestager, a vice president of the Commission, told reporters in Brussels.
“We’ve been vividly confronted with the well-known structural fragmentation along national borders,” said Vestager.
She said EU national governments placing orders with favoured companies from their own countries limited economies of scale, created mistrust and prevented competition.
Vestager acknowledged 1.5bn euros was “not a lot of money when it comes to the defence industry” but said it could still create incentives to get the EU’s 27 national governments – which have responsibility for defence – to work together.
The Commission said it wanted to bind Ukraine as closely as possible into its new plans, even though it is not an EU member.
Officials also raised the prospect that the EU could use profits from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine’s defence industry or even buy arms for Kyiv. But EU members have yet to agree on how those funds should be used.
Alarmed by Russia’s war in Ukraine and bellicose rhetoric from Moscow towards the West, EU countries have sharply increased defence spending in recent years. Much of that money has gone to companies outside Europe.
Between the start of the war and June last year, EU states spent more than 100 bn euros on military equipment – 80% outside the EU, with more than 60% going to the United States alone, according to the Commission. (Source: Reuters)
05 Mar 24. EU could halt weapons exports to Britain if war breaks out with Russia. Brussels seeks powers to control arms production so that it can secure European capitals in case war in Ukraine escalates over its borders
The European Union could block exports of weapons to Britain if war breaks out with Russia, it was announced on Tuesday.
A top official said plans had been drawn up to prevent overseas shipments of arms and civilian technologies to make up for the bloc’s own shortfalls in a “security crisis”.
“To counter the return of high-intensity war on our border, we have decided to kick up a gear,” Thierry Breton, the EU’s industry commissioner, told reporters as he announced plans to put the bloc’s defence industry on a war footing.
The proposed overhaul is part of a wider strategy to boost Europe’s military support for war-torn Ukraine and prepare for the mounting threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Brussels wants to massively boost joint weapons production and procurement among its 27 member states with the ambition of strengthening the continent’s security and reducing reliance on the United States.
The European Commission is calling for new powers to control military exports from the bloc to secure its capitals in case the war in Ukraine escalates over its borders. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
05 Mar 24. Austin Lauds Lithuania’s Defense Spending, Modernization. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III thanked Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas for his country’s robust defense spending and for modernizing its armed forces, including investing in new capabilities and infrastructure to strengthen NATO’s defense posture.
The two met today at the Pentagon, where Anusauskas was welcomed with an honor cordon.
Lithuania has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States, allies and partners, providing security assistance, training and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, Austin said, noting that Lithuania welcomed over 77,000 Ukrainian refugees into its country.
Russia’s unprovoked war of choice is now into its third year. “I want to thank you for everything that Lithuania has done to stand firm against the Kremlin’s assault on Ukraine,” Austin said.
“As we approached Lithuania’s Independence Restoration Day, I’m mindful that not long ago, Lithuanians fought bravely for their own freedom. So Lithuanian people understand the dangers of aggression. And they know that freedom can never be taken for granted,” he said.
Independence Restoration Day was first celebrated on March 11, 1990, when Lithuania regained its independence. Now, it’s celebrated every March 11.
“We couldn’t ask for a better ally and friend than Lithuania. And I look forward to discussing ways that we can further strengthen transatlantic security and bolster NATO’s eastern flank,” Austin said.
Anusauskas said Ukraine must win this war, and U.S. aid is critical to that effort.
Lithuania spends well over NATO’s agreed upon commitment of at least 2% of each nation’s gross domestic product on defense, he said.
“The United States’ persistent military presence in Europe remains critical to deter Russia,” he added. (Source: U.S. DoD)
05 Mar 24. Swiss weapons exports plunge as neutral stance hurts trade.
• summary
• Companies
• Swiss weapons exports fall 27% in 2023, gov’t says
• Critics blame block on weapons re-exports to Ukraine
• Industry association wants re-export ban to be changed, says it has nothing to do with neutrality
Swiss weapons exports fell by more than a quarter last year, the government said on Tuesday, with critics blaming the country’s neutral stance which has blocked the re-export of Swiss-made guns and ammunition to Ukraine.
War material exports fell 27% to 696.8m Swiss francs ($788.06m), the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said, down from 955m francs in 2022.
Despite its long-held neutrality, Switzerland is a big arms supplier, the 14th biggest globally in 2022, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
In 2023, Switzerland exported war materials to 58 countries, down from 60 a year earlier, with Germany the biggest customer followed by Denmark, signing big orders for ammunitions and wheeled armoured vehicles.
SECO did not give a reason for the downturn in exports last year, but industry association Swissmem said Switzerland’s ban on the re-export of weapons had played a role.
Under the country’s neutrality law, Bern cannot approve requests for the transfer of Swiss-made war material to Ukraine as long as it is involved in an international armed conflict.
“Some companies have lost orders because of concerns about the Swiss regulations, while others are considering investing less here,” Swissmem director Stefan Brupbacher told Reuters ahead of the release of the figures.
In 2022, Spain, Denmark and Germany were denied permission to re-export armaments to Ukraine, straining relations and raising concerns in the Swiss arms industry, which includes multinationals Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab and Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE), opens new tab, as well as a host of smaller companies.
Swissmem said Switzerland’s arms industry depended on exports and could not rely on demand from the Swiss military to survive.
Brupbacher said a “dogmatic interpretation” of neutrality was blocking re-exports of Swiss weapons and ammunition which other countries had bought years earlier, with many countries not understanding Switzerland’s stance.
“We want the need for re-export permit for all countries which adhere to similar international conventions on weaponry as Switzerland to be lifted,” he said.
“It has nothing to do with the legal definition of neutrality.” ($1 = 0.8842 Swiss francs) (Source: Reuters)
05 Mar 24. Greece joins two EDA-led tactical airlift programmes. The Hellenic Air Force will be part of efforts to enhance operational and logistical capabilities of the C-27J and partake in multilateral air transport training.
Greece has opted to join two European Defence Agency (EDA) airlift programmes starting in March 2024: the C27J co-operation ecosystem and the Multilateral Air Transport Training and Exercises (MATTE) initiative.
Launched in 2020, the C-27J programme serves as a platform harmonisation ecosystem embodied by six nations that operate the transport aircraft – including Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and now Greece. These operators pool their equipment and training resources as part of an optimised logistics solution, with the aim of increasing the platform’s availability.
The admission of the Hellenic Air Force was formalised through a ‘Statement of Accession’ signed by the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, marking the country’s commitment to the co-operative endeavour. According to GlobalData intelligence, the Air Force operates 12 units.
Europe’s Spartan Exercise 2024, which marks the first participation of a Hellenic Air Force aircraft, will take place in Romania from 30 September to 11 October 2024.
Entering service for the first time in 1997, the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft incorporates the same propulsion system and advanced avionics as the C-130J Hercules Transporter. It was originally developed by Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems – a joint venture company based in Marietta, Georgia, which was set up by the US prime, Lockheed Martin, and Alenia Aeronautica, now the European defence prime, Leonardo.
Without modification, Humvees, AML-90s, Perentie 6×6 armoured vehicles, M113 armoured personnel carriers or similar military vehicles can be driven on and off the Spartan via a hydraulically operated rear-loading ramp. The aircraft is constructed to offload vehicles quickly while taking fire.
Although, it should be noted that this common platform ecosystem has anticipated some supply chain setbacks in recent weeks. In early February, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence expressed its concern that its supplier, Leonardo, would fail to deliver C-27 spares on time. This prompted the Baltic nation to request Italy to deliver spares instead.
Meanwhile, Greece has also joined another EDA-led programme, the Technical Arrangement (TA) for MATTE – an initiative launched in May 2018, which aims to streamline and enhance training and exercise opportunities among EDA’s Member States.
This common TA stemmed from the recognition of the cumbersome process involved in drafting individual agreements for each training and exercise event.
Since its inception, MATTE has garnered significant support, with 19 EU member states already on-board: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and now Greece.
Greece’s accession to the common TA as its 19th member, was signed by Dendias, confirming the country’s active participation. This initiative represents a milestone in fostering training, exercises, and interoperability across Europe. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
04 Mar 24. RAF aircraft numbers drop by 22% in seven years. Statistics released by the Ministry of Defence have been updated, detailing UK armed forces equipment and formations for the year 2023.
The annual statistics provide insight into the vessels, land equipment, and aircraft used by the armed forces, along with military formations.
According to the latest review of military aircraft figures from 2016 to 2023, there has been a significant decrease in the total number of fixed-wing platforms. The fleet has reduced from 724 aircraft in service in 2016 to 564 in 2023, which represents a reduction of approximately 22%.
A number of fixed-wing platforms have been completely retired or have seen a reduction in numbers during this period. For instance, the BAE 146, Defender, Islander R Mk14, King Air 200, Tornado, and Vigilant have all been phased out, with their numbers reducing to zero by 2023. The Hawk T1/T1A/T1W numbers decreased from 90 to 67, with the remaining aircraft still in service. The Tucano fleet was also entirely phased out, decreasing from 81 to none.
On the other hand, some platforms have seen an increase or stabilisation in their numbers. The A400M’s count increased from 7 to 21, and the Poseidon fleet, which started in 2020, has grown to a total of 9 by 2023. The Lightning fleet increased from 4 to 31, while the Typhoon has maintained a stable presence with a slight decrease from 132 to 137 in total. Voyager also increased from 9 to 14 in total numbers. (Source: News Now/UKDJ)
04 Mar 24. EU aims to shift European arms industry to ‘war economy mode.’ The European Commission will propose on Tuesday ways for the European Union to boost its arms industry so it can shift to “war economy mode” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Thierry Breton, the European industry commissioner, will lay out proposals to encourage EU countries to buy more weapons together from European companies, and to help such firms increase production capacity, according to EU officials.
“We need to change the paradigm and move into war economy mode. This also means that the European defence industry must take more risks, with our support,” said Breton, previewing the package.
Breton, a French former tech company CEO, has also said the possibility of another U.S. presidential term for Donald Trump – who has questioned Washington’s commitments to NATO – means Europe has to do more to protect itself.
“In the current geopolitical context, Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security, regardless of the outcome of our allies’ elections every four years,” Breton said.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has prompted many European countries to increase defence spending.
But EU officials argue purely national efforts are less efficient and want EU bodies to play a greater role in defence industrial policy.
Analysts say the war has made clear that European industry was ill-prepared for some major challenges, such as a sudden surge in demand for large amounts of artillery ammunition.
Breton’s proposals include creating a European version of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales scheme, opens new tab, under which the United States helps other governments to buy from U.S. arms companies.
Another proposal would allow the EU to compel European weapons firms to prioritise European orders in times of crisis.
To become reality, the proposals will need approval from the EU’s 27 national governments – which have often been reluctant to cede power on defence and military matters – and the European Parliament.
The proposals will also be studied closely by NATO, which has said it welcomes EU efforts to help European defence but warned they must not duplicate or clash with the transatlantic alliance’s work.
FUNDING QUESTIONS
Breton’s package is expected to include some 1.5 bn euros ($1.63 bn) in new money through the end of 2027 – a modest sum in the world of large-scale defence procurement.
But officials say the package will create a legal framework that would allow much greater coordinated spending in years to come, if the EU is willing to stump up the cash.
Breton has called for a special EU fund of 100 bn euros for defence projects.
Commission officials say they want Kyiv to take part in the proposed new schemes to boost joint procurement and production capacity, even though Ukraine is not part of the EU.
“Our mission here is to treat Ukraine as almost equivalent to a member state,” said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the launch of the package.
Agreeing on the proposals will take some time, particularly as a new European Parliament will be elected in June, followed by the appointment of a new European Commission.
Disagreements within the current Commission give a foretaste of some of the power struggles ahead.
While Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she will create a post of defence commissioner if she serves a second term, Breton has argued there is no need for such a role.
“If the question is that of a Defence Industry Commissioner, it seems to me that we already have one,” he said. ($1 = 0.9210 euros) (Source: Reuters)
04 Mar 24. Albania, wary of Russia, reopens Soviet-era air base to NATO. NATO member Albania, which has no fighter jets of its own, opened a rebuilt Soviet-era air base to serve NATO aircraft on Monday amid an increased threat from Russia, Prime Minister Edi Rama said.
NATO has spent over 50m euros ($54.26m) on the Kucova Air Base to bolster its presence in the region. Airspace in the Adriatic country of Albania, which borders Greece to the south and Montenegro to the north, is protected by Italy and Greece.
“This is a base that (will add) another element of security for our Western Balkans region which we all know that it is a region endangered from the threat and neo-imperalist ambitions of the Russian Federation,” Rama said during the inauguration.
Two fighter jets flying from NATO’s Aviano Air Base in Italy landed in Kucova to mark the reopening of the airfield.
The air base is located in the small town of Kucova once known as “Stalin City” when Soviet and Chinese-made MIGs were on standby for orders to scramble in the case of a war with the West that never arrived.
The likely targets then were Austria, Germany, Italy and Denmark, Rama said.
“Today we live in a different era and fortunately Albania is on the other side,” Rama said.
Albania, which joined NATO in 2009, is also in talks with NATO to build a naval base at Porto Romano on the Adriatic coast. (Source: Reuters)
04 Mar 24. UK must play catch-up in defence ahead of Spring 2024 budget.
The UK will unveil its Spring 2024 Budget, in which its defence commitments will provide a good headline for a struggling Government.
Ahead of the release of the UK’s Spring 2024 Budget, defence observers are left pondering whether more funds will be made available for military spending in an election year that is looking increasingly difficult for the incumbent Conservative Government.
The 6 March 2024 budget will effectively serve as a formula to stimulate a degree of growth to the economy and line up good news headlines ahead of a widely expected general election in Q4 this year, most likely taking place in November.
In defence, the UK will be looking for ways it can strengthen its posture through its strategic commitments – from the support it offers Ukraine to organising its own force structure against near-peer threats.
Given the National Audit Office accounted for the UK’s largest defence equipment deficit in December 2023, the Government will need to play catch-up as it seeks to deliver these commitments.
Background and aims
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there were renewed calls for an increase to defence spending, particularly in the context of rising inflation since the start of the conflict in February 2022.
The Spring Budget 2023 allocated an additional £5bn to defence spending over the next two years (2023/24 and 2024/25), and a further £2bn per year in subsequent years up to 2027/28. This increases defence spending by a total of £11bn over this five-year period.
In addition, as part of the Integrated Review Refresh 2023 (which sets out the Government’s national security and international policy), Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out a longer term ambition to increase defence spending to 2.5% of the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP). Although no timeframe has been given for achieving this goal.
Defence procurement in the run-up to the budget
Recently, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) instiututed new methods to its systems acquisition. On 28 February 2024, the Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, looked to hasten the pace of delivery with a greater focus on exportability and minimal national configuration requirements.
“Rather than striving for perfection before delivering to the frontline, capabilities at 60-80% of their full potential will be provided to the user, allowing early application, and subsequent improvements to reach their full potential,” the MoD stated.
This procurement reform sets the stage to furnish the UK Armed Forces with more systems more cheaply and readily available off-the-shelf – certainly a good news headline if ever there was one for a Government that typically relies on nothing other than tax cuts to curry favour.
The budget may enable the MoD with funds to pursue what appears to be a new form of procurement for cheaper systems.
New strategies for an inadequate force structure
Last month, Cartlidge also laid out a new Drone Strategy backed by at least £4.5bn of investment over the next decade, the MoD aims to accelerate access to uncrewed systems for the Armed Forces, rapidly equipping them with innovative technology across air, sea, and land.
These longer-term commitments to restructure the Armed Forces as it adopts hybrid methods of warfare will help to offer fresh opportunities that have been proven by the asymmetric methods applied on the battlefields of Ukraine. (Source: army-technology.com)
01 Mar 24. German chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised a full investigation after Russia published a recording of a phone call between senior German air force officers in which they appeared to discuss supplying missiles to Ukraine. Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, Scholz described the incident as a “very serious affair”. “It will be investigated very carefully, intensively and quickly,” he said. “It is also necessary to do so.” Politicians from parties in Scholz’s coalition expressed concern that Russia may have eavesdropped on other sensitive conversations, and that government communications may no longer be adequately protected. On Friday Margarita Simonyan, head of Russian state broadcaster RT, posted a recording on her Telegram channel in which the head of the Luftwaffe, Ingo Gerhartz, discussed the possibility of deploying German Taurus missiles in Ukraine with other senior officers. In the 30-minute conversation they also discussed whether Ukraine could attack Russian targets without the participation of German soldiers, and how many missiles could be delivered to Ukraine. Scholz has so far refused to deliver Tauruses to Kyiv. According to German news agency DPA, the officers were speaking on the Webex conference platform. The German defence ministry said: “According to our assessment, a Luftwaffe conversation was tapped. We cannot say for sure whether changes were made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media.” Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke on Saturday about the German armed forces’ “cunning plans” which “became apparent due to the publication of this audio recording”. There was shock in Berlin that the security of army communications had been compromised in such a flagrant way, with many senior politicians demanding root-and-branch reform of Germany’s counter-espionage capabilities. Konstantin von Notz, a senior Green MP, said it must be swiftly established if the “eavesdropping scandal is a one-time event or a structural problem”. He said the incident might necessitate a “radical shift” in the assessment of the risks facing sensitive government communications. Roderich Kiesewetter, defence policy spokesman for the opposition Christian Democrats, told public broadcaster ARD the incident was “likely [to be] just the tip of the iceberg”. The eavesdropped conversation was part of preparations for a briefing for defence minister Boris Pistorius. It dealt with whether Taurus cruise missiles would be capable of hitting the Kerch bridge that connects the Russian mainland with Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. The officers also discussed whether Ukraine could attack the bridge without the participation of German soldiers, and how many missiles could be delivered to Ukraine. The officers are heard to say that there was no green light from Germany’s political leadership to allow the delivery of the Tauruses to Ukraine. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of the Bundestag defence committee, told the news agency RND that the Russians were trying to scare Scholz off from allowing the delivery of Taurus missiles. Espionage was, she said, “an element in the toolbox of Russia’s hybrid warfare”. It wasn’t surprising, she added, that conversations were being tapped. “It was just a question of time when it would become public,” she said. (Source: FT.com)
01 Mar 24. Austin Lauds Military Ties Between U.S., Slovakia. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today emphasized the deepening defense ties between the U.S. and Slovakia as he met with Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak.
Austin praised Slovakia’s commitment to modernizing its defense forces, enhancing its interoperability with fellow NATO allies, and supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
“Since 1993, the United States and independent Slovakia have deepened our defense cooperation through NATO, the State Partnership Program with the Indiana National Guard, and joint operations,” Austin said as he welcomed Kalinak, who also serves as Slovakia’s deputy prime minister, to the Pentagon.
“Today, Slovakia is increasing its defense spending,” he said. “It’s modernizing its military, and it’s enhancing its interoperability with NATO.”
Key among those modernization efforts is Slovakia’s purchase of U.S.-produced F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, which Austin said further bolsters Slovak modernization efforts and strengthens defense ties with the U.S.
Those efforts, Austin said, come at a critical time as Russia continues its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
During the meeting, Kalinak reaffirmed his country’s commitment to further modernization efforts and continued military-to-military cooperation with the U.S., according to a summary of the discussion.
The two leaders also discussed the importance of countering Russian aggression in Ukraine and priorities for the upcoming 75th anniversary NATO summit in Washington.
“Our partnership has never mattered more, especially as we mark two years since Putin’s all out invasion of Ukraine,” Austin said as he kicked off the discussion.
“Slovakia has provided critical security assistance to Ukraine’s brave defenders, and I look forward to discussing ways that we can continue to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses and to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank,” he said. (Source: U.S. DoD)
01 Mar 24. German Government calls on states to expedite defence infrastructure. German Defence Minister implements the ‘Infrastructure Turnaround Action Plan’ to act more flexibly in securing infrastructure for troop readiness.
Construction projects for infrastructure sites supporting the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) are to be accelerated through a joint effort by the federal and state governments.
The German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, has implemented a new initiative: the ‘Infrastructure Turnaround Action Plan,’ to secure the readiness of the Bundeswehr in the tentative security climate.
This new plan stipulates that the federal and state governments should rethink together and act flexibly when building infrastructure for troops.
In his statement, Pistorius argued that “the time factor is the decisive factor when it comes to infrastructure.”
Though, this is not Germany’s first instance of infrastructure preparedness. On the continental level, Germany, alongside the Netherlands and Poland, established a military transport corridor across their respective territories for the smooth deployment of Nato and allied troops eastward, where Ukraine is fighting an attritional war against invading Russian forces and where the Baltic nations are expected to play a greater role in European defence.
• German-Dutch air defence frigate concept still hangs in the balance
Pistorius’ infrastructure policy comes just after Baltic nations, particularly Lithuania, are investing in their own infrastructure, which it intends to accommodate its new US platforms and rotational troops from Germany and other Nato partners.
The investments in materials and equipment from the increased defence budget and the Bundeswehr’s special assets also required significant investments in infrastructure for procurements such as the new F-35A fighter aircraft, CH-57F Block II Chinook heavy transport helicopters and the Arrow air defence system. The Bundeswehr will need new, very special buildings, so-called special infrastructure.
Most significantly, the German Ministry of Defence (MoD) says “it is still about ammunition depots, a total of 16 are to be upgraded nationwide.”
In addition, accommodation buildings must be renovated or newly built. This all falls under the term infrastructure. The project needs that the MoD has identified for this, is estimated at over €24bn $26bn in the coming years – for a total of 7,000 construction projects.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
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