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18 Jul 24. NATO Nations Face Challenges to Defend the Alliance, Cavoli Says. The NATO nations face challenges in defending all alliance territory from aggression, said Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, supreme allied commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command.
Cavoli spoke at the Aspen Security Forum today and said the NATO alliance is in the midst of a major change in focus and readiness. “There is a lot of work to be done, and there are big challenges looming — some of them are right in our face, right now,” the general said.
That looming threat, of course, is Russia, but Cavoli cannot ignore challenges on the horizon, and that includes China.
The general gave an explanation of the situation in Europe since he became NATO’s combatant commander just after the Madrid Summit in 2022. At that summit, NATO leaders immediately implemented a strategy to deter Russia and to defend the alliance’s territory. “This was an enormous sea change,” Cavoli said. “That was the business we were in during the Cold War, but after the Cold War, it was no longer necessary, and we turned our attention to out-of-area operations.”
Those operations in the Balkans, Kosovo and Afghanistan allowed NATO nations to field smaller forces who would deploy for specific times. ” happened on a very predictable basis, which allowed for a cyclical force-generating process that allowed us to take many, many economies everyplace else, except for the unit that was deployed,” he said. “All the nations and NATO happily took the peace dividend and built a force that was optimized for that sort of operation.”
Russia launched its second invasion of its Ukrainian neighbor, and that force-generating process was instantly outdated. NATO had to focus — once again — on collective territorial defense. “We need standing forces, and at standing levels of readiness, geographically focused on specific areas,” Cavoli said. “So, we wrote … operational plans to do this.”
These plans are for northwest Europe, the center of Europe and in southeast Europe, and they are “classical plans that describe how to defend a certain piece of geography, with what forces and what methods,” the general said. “This has led to a huge raft of advances that we’re working on in NATO right now.”
Among the biggest is the need for many more NATO troops ready to fight when needed. This requires money and Cavoli is encouraged by alliance progress in meeting the 2% of gross domestic product that now 23 nations have met.
Since Madrid, the nations also now “have a shopping list for military requirements,” Cavoli said. “That shopping list had been put into place. It has been embraced by nations, who are spending the money to do something about it.”
On the military side, the alliance has also changed command and control, the exercise program the force posture across Europe.
“All of these things are really going to lead us to a healthier alliance that’s focused on the core task of collective territorial defense,” he said.
Supporting Ukraine is vital for U.S. and European security, Cavoli said. But people need to consider what’s next. “We can’t be under any illusions: At the end of a conflict in Ukraine — however, it concludes — we are going to have a very big Russia problem,” the general said. “We are going to have a situation where Russia is reconstituting its force, is located on the borders of NATO, is led by largely the same people as it is right now, is convinced that we’re the adversary, and is very, very angry.”
NATO must continue to support Ukraine now and must prepare for the inevitable end of the war in that country. Americans need to understand that Europeans see Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an existential threat. “I think it is underappreciated in … the United States, just how much our European allies have awakened to the fact that the house is on fire,” Cavoli said. “This is not a show, and this is not just rhetoric. This is true concern about the stability of their continent, and the survival of their states.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Jul 24. Von der Leyen pledges air shield in new EU defence push. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged on Thursday to create “a true European Defence Union” over the next five years, with flagship projects on air and cyber defence, if she wins a second term.
“Member States will always retain responsibility for their own troops, from doctrine to deployment,” von der Leyen said in a document setting out her programme before a European Parliament vote later in the day on granting her another term.
“But there is a lot Europe can do to support and coordinate efforts to strengthen the defence industrial base, innovation and the (European) single market,” she added.
The document’s focus on defence reflected how the issue has surged to the top of the European political agenda following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
European leaders have stressed they must do more to bolster their own defences, especially given doubts over how much they can rely on the United States for protection if Republican Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election in November.
Against this backdrop, the European Commission is seeking to play a greater role in defence policy – an area that has traditionally been the domain of national governments and NATO.
Von der Leyen confirmed she planned to appoint a European Commissioner for Defence – a new post – and said the Commission would present a “White Paper on the Future of European Defence” in the first 100 days of its next term.
She said major EU defence projects “should focus on our biggest common and cross-border threats”.
“Working with Member States and in close coordination with NATO, we will propose a number of Defence Projects of Common European Interest starting with a European Air Shield and cyber defence,” she said.
“We will ensure that these major projects are open to all and we will use all of the tools at our disposal – both regulatory and financial – to ensure they are designed, built and deployed on European soil as quickly as possible.”
Von der Leyen did not say how such projects would be funded. But she said her Commission would make “proposals for urgent defence investment needs”. (Source: Google/Reuters)
18 Jul 24. US in Europe’s sights amid calls for “single market” for defence. Newly re-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants European countries to stop buying equipment from the United States, among others.
Newly reelected as European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen wants a single market for defence. Credit: European Commission
Newly re-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for the formation of a European Defence Union and the creation of a defence single market across the continent’s member states, amid external threats posed by Russia.
Delivering a statement on 18 July 2024, in Strasbourg ahead of a secret ballot of the European Parliament to choose a new EC president – or re-elect the incumbent – von der Leyen told European parliamentarians that the European Union had to spend more on defence, but ensure it remained within its members, and its borders.
Despite having advanced defence industrial complexes, European countries regularly head to the US or Israel to secure leading military capabilities, with Germany as one example in 2022 selecting US-origin F-35 fighters and Chinook heavy lift helicopters in 2023 in multi-bn-euro deals.
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Poland too has sought to acquire tanks, artillery, and other systems from South Korea, while most Nato countries in Europe have also opted to acquire the F-35 fighter from the United States.
The CAVS programme is one of a number of common European defence programmes created in recent years. Credit: Patria
France and Sweden are rare outliers in the European Union in actively choosing to prefer indigenous military systems over overseas imports, despite not having the benefits of economies of scale that US-supplied equipment provides.
There is no doubt that the reliance on US equipment is squarely in the crosshairs of von der Leyen, who is keen to engender a pro-European preference among defence spenders.
“Protecting Europe is Europe’s duty. I believe now is therefore the time to build a true European Defence Union. Yes, I know there are some who are perhaps uncomfortable with the idea. But what we should be uncomfortable about are the threats to our security,” von der Leyen told European parliamentarians.
“Let us be clear: member states will retain responsibility for their national security and their armies and Nato will remain the pillar of our collective defence. But we all know very well that our spending on defence is too low and ineffective, our foreign spending is too great.”
To this end, von der Leyen called for the creation of a “single market for defence”, where EU member states invest in “common European projects”.
Such programmes are already underway, through initiatives such as the CAVS mechanised infantry vehicle and the European Patrol Corvette. Platforms such the Boxer armoured vehicle are other strong examples of European cooperation in defence, as well as the Leopard series of main battle tanks.
However, national biases have caused more than one European multinational programme to be axed, with France in particular ever-keen to ensure it retains pre-eminent work shares in cooperative endeavours.
Von der Leyen retains EC presidency
Retaining the presidency of the European Commission, von der Leyen keeps the spot as the most senior administration official within the European Union, acting in some respects as a head of state.
However, von der Leyen’s second term, due to run from 2024-2029, will be markedly different from the preceding five years, with the first stumbling block the outcome of the US presidential election in November, from which the outcome of the Ukraine-Russia war will emerge. (Source: army-technology.com)
16 Jul 24. China is among the countries that pose a “deadly” threat to Britain, the peer leading the UK government’s strategic defence review has declared. Lord George Robertson, a former secretary-general of Nato and ex-Labour defence secretary, said that the new review would bring “fresh eyes” to the threats and challenges facing the UK in the coming years. “We’re confronted by a deadly quartet of nations increasingly working together,” he said, in a reference to China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. His language marked a stark pivot from rhetoric about Beijing deployed by the previous Conservative government, which described China as an “epoch-defining challenge” and only used the term “threat” in an economic context. Asked about this shift, Robertson said: “The Nato summit last week in Washington made it perfectly clear that the challenge of China was something that had to be taken very, very seriously indeed.” He said developments in the “Asia-Pacific” region could be repeated “in the Euro-Atlantic area very quickly afterwards”. John Healey, UK defence secretary, confirmed that an “audit” of UK-China bilateral relations, promised by Labour in its manifesto, would be conducted separately to the strategic defence review. “The consideration of the challenges that China presents are clearly cross-government, not confined to defence. So you should expect that exercise to be done separate to this and to be done in a cross-government way,” he said. Healey announced that the new Labour administration would examine how to make the Ministry of Defence an “economic department” that drives growth, wealth creation and prosperity in Britain. The defence sector will form one of the cornerstones of the government’s new industrial strategy, he pledged, highlighting data showing that the wider economic impact of defence jobs “are greater than many other sectors”, while the average wage was 40 per cent higher than other manufacturing industries. Around 70 per cent of jobs in defence were outside London and the South East, and were highly skilled, he added. “So for a government that wants to drive growth, improve productivity, and spread wealth creation, defence is one of the cornerstones of a new industrial strategy,” he said. Under a Labour administration, defence will contribute “not just to the security of our country, but to the prosperity of our country in future years”, Healey said. UK military unprepared for ‘conflict of any scale’, warns ex-defence official Sir Keir Starmer announced last week that the review, which will report by July 2025, would set out a road map for how defence expenditure will rise from its current level of 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent. Healey said other economic aspects of defence would be integral to the review. “It isn’t just a question of how much we spend, but how well we spend it, and to ensure that defence becomes an economic department, which is part of the mission that every department must have now,” he said. Alongside Robertson, who will lead the review, the defence secretary said that Fiona Hill, a foreign policy expert and former US presidential adviser, and General Sir Richard Barrons, a retired four-star general and former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff will also help direct the work. The appointment of Hill, who gave testimony to Congress in the impeachment investigation into Donald Trump, may raise eyebrows across Whitehall ahead of a possible second Trump presidency in the US. The external review is designed to bring “fresh eyes” to the challenges facing UK defence and eschew “entrenched” thinking, Robertson said. The review will consult serving military, veterans, MPs from all parties, as well as representatives from industry and academia. (Source: FT.com)
16 Jul 24. Europe’s fears that a second Trump presidency would drastically reduce transatlantic security ties and sever critical US support for Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression. Donald Trump’s selection of Vance as his running mate on Monday night intensifies long-running concerns among US allies that the Republican candidate for November’s election intends to run a protectionist “America first” administration, with huge implications for Europe’s defence and economic security. “More champagne popping in the Kremlin,” said Guy Verhofstadt, a member of the European parliament and former Belgian prime minister, in response to Vance’s nomination, in a post on X. “Are Europe and UK preparing yet or still shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic?” Vance has said he sees the US’s security umbrella for Europe, a pledge underpinned by the Nato alliance that has been a cornerstone of the continent’s defence since the second world war, as a crutch that has allowed Europe “to ignore its own security”. “There is frankly no good reason that aid from the US should be needed [for Ukraine],” the Ohio senator wrote in a February Financial Times op-ed. “We owe it to our European partners to be honest: Americans want allies in Europe, not client states, and our generosity in Ukraine is coming to an end.” The US is the largest provider of financial assistance and military hardware to Ukraine. Even though the EU has collectively provided more to Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, US support is seen as irreplaceable: Ukraine was forced to ration ammunition and lost significant territory as US lawmakers held up the approval of $60bn in military aid this spring. Trump’s lead in polling ahead of November’s vote and incumbent Joe Biden’s stumbling performances in their first televised debate have already spooked European capitals fearful that the Republican will return to the White House. European officials also worry that Trump would use a second term to impose blanket tariffs on imports that would damage the EU economy, in addition to ending support to Ukraine and reducing the US security commitment to the continent. Vance said last week that the UK could be the “first truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon . . . since Labour just took over”, referring to the UK’s new centre-left ruling party.
About 6.5 per cent of the UK’s population is Muslim. Angela Rayner, the UK’s deputy prime minister, challenged Vance’s contentious remarks on Tuesday. “We won votes across all different communities, across the whole of the country,” she told a UK television show. “And we’re interested in governing on behalf video of Britain and working with our international allies.” US senator JD Vance says UK could be ‘first Islamist country’ with nuclear weapons © National Conservatism Trump intends to demand peace talks between Ukraine and Russia immediately if he wins the election and has “well-founded plans” on how to do so, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after meeting the Republican candidate last week. Kyiv has rejected calls for immediate peace talks while Russia continues to occupy large parts of southern and eastern Ukraine. Vance has repeatedly called for Ukraine to cede territory in order to end the war, arguing such a settlement would be in Washington’s best interests. The position closely aligns with the terms laid out by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month to begin peace talks. Former US president Donald Trump and Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US © Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters News of Vance’s appointment to the Trump ticket sparked concern in Ukraine, where the senator’s comments have rankled officials who have come to keep a close eye on policy movements in Washington. “The choice of Vance is a clear signal for us,” said Inna Sovsun, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the liberal Golos party, pointing to the senator’s stance against assistance for Kyiv. Should Trump and Vance win in November, Ukraine would need to “think of a new strategy of communication with the Americans”, she added. “The person who openly said ‘Ukraine is going to have to cede some territory to the Russians’ cannot be the best representation of US politics. Russia is our common enemy.” Trump has also made it clear he has little appetite to continue the current level of US backing for Ukraine. He has said the US will stop arming Kyiv if it does not agree to sit down with Russia for talks. (Source: Extract/FT.com)
15 Jul 24. Armenia launches military drills with US amid souring ties with Russia. Armenia on Monday launched joint military drills with the United States, a move that reflects its leader’s efforts to forge closer ties with the U.S. and other Western allies as the country’s relations with old ally Russia sour.
The “Eagle Partner” war games are aimed at increasing the interoperability of units participating in international peacekeeping missions, according to Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.
They involve Armenian peacekeeping forces, servicemen of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the Kansas National Guard. It wasn’t immediately clear how many troops were taking part.
The exercises were scheduled to last through July 24.
Russia has been Armenia’s main economic partner and ally since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Landlocked Armenia, which used to be part of the Soviet Union, hosts a Russian military base and is part of the Moscow-led security alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Armenia’s ties with Russia, however, have grown increasingly strained since Azerbaijan waged a lightning military campaign last year to take the Karabakh region, ending three decades of ethnic Armenian separatist rule there.
Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers who were deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh after a previous round of hostilities in 2020 of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s onslaught. Moscow rejected the accusations, arguing that its troops didn’t have a mandate to intervene.
Russia has engaged in a delicate balancing act, trying to preserve close relations with Armenia while also maintaining warm ties with Azerbaijan and its main ally Turkey, a key economic partner for Moscow amid Western sanctions.
The Kremlin has been angered by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to deepen Armenia’s ties with the West and distance his country from Moscow-dominated alliances. Russia was particularly vexed by Armenia’s decision to join the International Criminal Court, which last year indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
As the rift with Russia kept widening, Armenia froze its participation in the Russian-dominated security alliance, canceled its involvement in joint military drills and snubbed the bloc’s summits.
In September 2023, Armenia also held the “Eagle Partner” drills, eliciting dismay in Moscow, where officials called the move “unfriendly.” (Source: Defense News)
15 Jul 24. UK promises ‘new era’ of defense with launch of strategic review. London said that the review will be completed “in the first half of 2025” and work is to begin right away, “in recognition of the urgency of the threats” it faces.
The new UK Labour government has formally launched a major review of its defense posture and policy which it says will take a “clear-eyed” approach to international threats, including Russia, reboot “hollowed out” armed forces and end wasteful acquisitions.
The much anticipated Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was commissioned by Labour leader Kier Starmer today and will be overseen by John Healey, UK defence secretary.
London said in a statement that the review will be completed “in the first half of 2025” and work is to begin right away, “in recognition of the urgency of the threats” it faces. Among the challenges to consider: Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific.
Healey noted that, “at the start of a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defence. Hollowed-out armed forces, procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue.”
The review will assess the general state of British armed forces, including “resources available,” define what capabilities the UK requires across all military domains, and ensure a “NATO first” approach “is at the heart of Britain’s defence plans,” added Labour.
SDRs are regular internal looks at Britain’s defense strategy, roughly analogous to the Pentagon’s National Defense Strategy. Previous reviews happened in 2015 and in 2021, with a refresher happening in 2023 as a result of the Ukraine war.
The launch of the new review comes after Starmer reinforced at the NATO summit in Washington last week that the UK is committed to increasing defense spending to 2.5 percent GDP; However, he has so far refused to put forward a timeframe for reaching the target. London currently spends around 2.3 percent on defense.
At this early stage, there is no indication of which big ticket procurements will be protected or potentially cut, with the exception of nuclear deterrence related efforts, which Labour backed in the build up to the general election, and AUKUS, after Healey publicly endorsed the trilateral effort during a visit to Sheffield, England, alongside Richard Marles, Australia’s defense minister, on Sunday.
Labour added that the review should address “the approach to be taken to acquisition and support in order to deliver the required capabilities in a timely way, and how to secure the best possible value for money and rapidly changing technology.”
The last UK government faced its fair share of equipment cost overruns, technical problems and procurement delays, especially concerning land vehicles, with the Ajax Armored Fighting Vehicle now expected to meet an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) milestone in 2025 – eight years later than originally planned.
It also remains to be seen how Labour will handle the £1.2 bn ($1.5 bn) New Medium Helicopter acquisition, which has Airbus, Leonardo and Lockheed Martin in competition to secure a contract for “up to” 44 helicopters, despite senior industry figures continuing to suggest London is only interested in a reduced buy of, at most, 30 aircraft.
While in opposition, Healey heavily criticized the Conservative government for squandering money on mismanaged procurements, arguing that £15bn ($19bn) had been wasted and that UK NATO commitments were being put at risk.
He has been similarly opposed to cuts made to the British Army that have led to the service falling to 72,510 personnel, its smallest size since the Napoleonic era. Despite his concern, Healey has not said how the Army will grow under his watch or set out a specific number to be targeted.
On force structure, the review will look at features “needed to create the necessary integrated multi-domain Defence capability of the future.”
There will be no break in policy by Labour toward “steadfast” support for Ukraine, having committing to “endure for as long as it takes” until Kyiv defeats Russia.
Healey told reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit that should Russia win the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin will look to expand further, and a victory for Moscow could encourage other “big countries” to take what they want by force. He also suggested that regardless of who wins the next US election, it is clear the Pentagon will shift focus from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific and Europe must therefore “step up” to take on more responsibility for its own security.
Elsewhere, the review will look to “identify” how to maintain UK defense ties in the Indo-Pacific, the Gulf and Middle East.
George Robertson, a former UK defence secretary, will lead the review. He will be supported by Fiona Hill, a well-respected national security hand led European and Russian affairs on the US National Security Council from 2017 to 2019, and Richard Barrons, former commander of UK Joint Forces Command. The three person team will consult with lawmakers, industry and academia.
David Quarrey, UK permanent representative to NATO, said during an event hosted by the Royal United Services Institute defense thinktank today that it is “early days to be talking about the substance” of SDR, but that allies at the NATO summit wanted to and also heard “messages” from the UK pledging support for Ukraine, increased defense spending and “building” British defense capabilities.
“There’ll be a ton of work to do as we start putting all that through the Strategic Defense Review in the coming weeks or months and there’ll be detailed discussions with colleagues [from NATO] here I’m sure, during all of that, but I think people were reassured and delighted to hear the strength of those messages,” he explained. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
14 Jul 24. ‘Stronger Together’ Remains Lodestar for NATO, Chairman Says.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was born in 1949 out of the simplest premise: “We are stronger together,” said Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday night.
Brown spoke at the Truman Library Institute event marking the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty that established NATO. The event was in the National Archives, which holds the original treaty and subsequent ratifications.
President Harry S. Truman called the collective defense treaty a simple document, Brown said. But President Truman then said that if it existed in 1914 or 1939 and was supported by the 12 nations who negotiated the treaty, “I believe it would have prevented the acts of aggression, which led to two world wars.”
NATO grew out of the suffering and destruction of all wars and was “born out of hope for a better future and a commitment to preserve peace and stability,” the chairman said. “President Truman and his fellow leaders knew that the best protection against an uncertain future was to strengthen the partnership of nations.”
The alliance has been a rock of stability for the past 75 years and it has deterred aggression, promoted prosperity and provided a source of strength for the world, he said. “Today, the purpose and principles of the NATO alliance are being tested in an increasingly complex global security environment,” the senior U.S. military official said.
Brown laid out those challenges, which are familiar to anyone who has read the National Defense Strategy. The challenges the United States sees emanate from the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and violent extremism. “All five of these challenges are active at the same time and they are becoming interconnected,” Brown said.
China continues to undertake aggressive military behavior in the South China Sea, while also attempting to increase its global influence through economic and political statecraft, he said. Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is now in its third year, but Russian President Vladimir Putin also seeks to build novel military capabilities and to diversify his nuclear arsenal.
Iran attempts to further conflict and regional influence through its proxies, while North Korea persists destabilizing the region with ongoing ballistic missile research and testing, the chairman said. And violent extremists continue their vile attacks.
“This is not the first time that America and its allies have faced challenging times, and Truman and the leaders of the 11 other founding nations knew in 1949 that we are stronger together,” Brown said.
NATO is more than just 32 like-minded nations and more than just unifying military force in 32 countries. “NATO demonstrates the strength possible when nations with shared values come together to focus on achieving a shared vision,” he said. “Collectively, NATO’s most significant strategic asset is the relationships and collaboration we have with our allies and partners.”
While this may be based on a simple premise, it requires had work and cooperation. “To maximize the advantage, we must be truly integrated,” Brown said. “We can’t develop our respective national plans and capabilities with allies as an afterthought. We need to start at the beginning with the end in mind. We, as an alliance, need to be integrated by design.”
This means joint exercises so forces can meet one another and understand how they work, train and live.
“True integration means we can adapt to dynamic situations,” the general said. “True integration allows us to shape crises rather than respond to crises. Integration just doesn’t happen. It takes work. Relationships take work, consensus takes work. But the results of our work are far greater than the sum of our parts. We are stronger together.”
This is demonstrated in the alliance’s response to the largest war in Europe since World War II. “Today, I see the power of countries working together in Ukraine’s fight to defend itself from Russian aggression,” Brown said. “That Russian aggression designed to splinter NATO, has had an opposite effect — bringing life into the alliance with a renewed purpose and increasing its size.”
Spotlight: Support for UkraineFor more than two years, a group of 50 nations including all 32 members of NATO, have been meeting monthly to organize support for Ukraine, he said. The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has coordinated more than $95 bn in direct security assistance and trained over 143,000 Ukrainians. “These efforts have been critical reason why Ukraine has been successful in repelling larger and supposed more capable force,” Brown said. “Because we are stronger together.”
Brown shared his expectations for the U.S. joint force which are intertwined with NATO. His first expectation is the U.S. military, and its NATO allies have to understand that honing warfighting skills must have primacy. Second, the alliance must modernize and aggressively lead in operationalizing new concepts and approaches. Finally, he expects that all service members must know that trust is the foundation of the military profession.
“Honing our warfighting skills has primacy in all we do,” Brown said. “We exist to fight and win our nations’ wars. We want to be so good at what we do, that our adversaries never want to engage us in conflict. We want to be the worst nightmare to fight. These past 75 years, NATO has been effective because — together — we’ve built credible deterrence.”
The NATO nations urgently need to modernize and aggressively pursue new concepts and approaches. This will ensure “that we have the right tools, capabilities and strategies to adapt to the dynamic and complex environment of the future,” he said. “NATO is doing this that the set of operational plans are part of the concept for deterrence and defense of the Euro-Atlantic area. NATO has a blueprint to continually modernize collective defense.”
Finally, Brown said that no matter the nation, “every military capability we have is a static display without our service members,” Brown said. “Trust is the foundation of our profession. Trust that we do right by our servicemembers. The trust of our families that we will take care of them. It is the trust we have with our elected leaders in the publics’ we serve. Most importantly, is the trust we have with each one of our NATO allies and partners.”
That trust is at the foundation of the Washington Treaty and has been earned “through hardships, battle, sacrifice, but rooted in shared values and approaches,” he said. “Trust is what has given NATO its strength over the past 75 years. Because we are stronger together.”
Looking to the future, the alliance must deal with “nations who wish to overthrow the international order and these actions recklessly threaten global stability,” he said. “In the early 20th century, violent aggressors led to some of the most horrific events in history.”
But now there is NATO, which is today “the strongest and longest alliance the world has ever seen,” Brown said.
NATO has been the beacon of freedom and peace for 75 years, and Brown hopes it will continue for another 75 years. The world will face many challenges and the world is changing, Brown said, but one thing remains constant: “We are stronger together.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
12 Jul 24. Top 3 British Army programmes for new UK Government.
Labour’s new team at the UK Ministry of Defence will have to balance between modernising an ageing land inventory, and a procurement black hole in Main Building.
The British Army is in the midst of a wide-ranging restructure and reduction in numbers of personnel and equipment, struggling with out-of-date platforms and a huge drawdown in capabilities as systems and munitions are donated to Ukraine.
With the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) having to contend with a £16bn ($20.7bn) gap between its resources and platforms on order according to the National Audit Office’s report into the 2023-2033 Equipment Plan, it is likely that hard decisions will have to be made in the months ahead.
Here are the Top 3 British Army programmes for the new UK Government to consider, ahead of a future Strategic Defence Review.
RCH 155 or expanded Archer?
In one of the last military procurement acts of the outgoing Conservative government, it was determined that the UK’s new mobile artillery platform – the replacement of the 1990s-era AS90 – would be the RCH 155 self-propelled 155mm howitzer, which itself is based on the Boxer 8×8 mechanised vehicle already being acquired in large numbers for the British Army.
The delivery timeline is also a factor to consider, with a viable capability only likely to be achieved by the end of the decade, at the earliest. Until then, and with the inventory of AS90 155mm artillery potentially emptied in donations to Ukraine, the British Army is literally going to have to soldier on with the interim buy of 14 Archer 155mm SPHs.
However, the potential for UK-German industrial cooperation with the RCH 155, a key factor to consider, could see the programme maintained.
Challenger 3 or late-variant Leopards?
The UK is upgrading 148 of its approximate 200 Challenger 2 main battle tanks (MBT) to the Challenger 3 standard, the main element of which is a new turret that will incorporate Rheinmetall’s 120mm L55A1 high pressure gun, providing an engagement range of up to 5km. This will bring commonality with Nato allies, with the L55A1 also fitted to the Leopard 2A6 tanks operated by many European armies.
However, the finite number of available Challenger 2 hulls – reported in 2023 that the British Army only had around 150 available for operations – could leave the fleet in a parlous state for repairs at the outer end of the Challenger 3 probable end-of-service in the late 2030s.
With Germany recently announcing the acquisition of more than 100 of the latest Leopard 2A8 MBTs, could the UK instead make more use of license-built, late-variant Leopard 2s instead, until the future Eurotank (also known as the MGCS) is more than a blueprint on a screen?
Ajax curtailed for retained Warrior?
The development of a new family of armoured vehicles, centred on the Ajax infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) variant, is critical for the British Army as it appears set to lose its Warrior tracked IFV in 2025. Nearly 600 are to be acquired across the range.
However, in January this year it was reported by Army Technology that while more than one quarter of the 589 Ajax family of armoured vehicles intended for use in the British Army have been manufactured, no deliveries had taken place since at least June 2023 as crews continued familiarisation programmes with the platform.
As of 17 January 2024, 44 units had been delivered, with the platform yet to enter initial operating capability with deliveries short of the 50-unit benchmark required to hit the milestone.
Given this, the stop-start nature of the programme and issues with hearing damage among crews training on early models, could the British Army see a reduced Ajax buy and perform an about-face on its legacy Warrior IFV – due to leave service in 2025 – to restart the axed Warrior Capability Sustainment Plan?
European cooperation the deciding factor
The UK’s new Labour Government, with its team in place at the MoD, has already made great play of commitment to furthering the country’s defence capabilities. A fourth option, not included above, could regard the curtailing of the British Army to the planned 73,000 full-time personnel under ‘Future Soldier’, although even at that size it is clear that the number of soldiers outstrips available platforms.
Much will depend on the direction the UK takes in developing closer defence industrial ties with its European Union neighbours, particularly Germany, in the land domain.
Given the prospect of a UK-EU defence and security pact, one could well see the UK leveraging the economies of scale available in common EU programmes such as the Leopard MBT to use in its own military, license-building platforms that could bring greater industrial benefits in the long run compared to short-term gains of bespoke, UK-specific, kit. (Source: army-technology.com)
12 Jul 24. Top 3 Royal Navy programmes for new UK Government. As Labour ascends to government the Ministry of Defence will need to think combatively and logistically for its global endeavours.
Quick to allay fears around Britain’s maritime capabilities, the former Conservative Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who has since lost his seat in Parliament, declared a “golden age of shipbuilding.”
At the same time, the Royal Navy is losing personnel, struggling to retain them, and axeing coveted units in its force structure.
Following a change of government, it is hoped that the new Ministry of Defence will provide a more honest account of the nation’s future capabilities, and more efficient ways of dealing with the numerous problems the Navy faces in a world on the warpath.
Here are the top three platform programmes for the new UK Government to consider, ahead of the new Strategic Defence Review next week.
Dreadnought SSBNs
A new Labour government will have a lot to prove to its floating voters when it comes to defence, following a welcomed U-turn from the days when the Party advocated for nuclear disarmament.
Labour leader – and newly elected Prime Minister – Keir Starmer claimed that Trident, the UK’s nuclear deterrent, forms the “bedrock” of the country’s national security agenda during a visit in April to the nation’s nuclear submarine site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
There resides the spearhead of the Royal Navy’s continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent: nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), the future Dreadnought-class, comprising four boats and considered to be the largest submarines in the force’s history. It boasts a length of 153.6 metres (m) and a displacement of 17,200 tonnes.
Dreadnought is due to enter service in the early 2030s while the Vanguard fleet begins retiring after four decades carrying out Operation Relentless, the UK’s strategic deterrence mission. Like Vanguard before it, Dreadnought will be equipped with eight operational missile tubes for launching Trident II D5 missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. Four additional tubes will be configured with ballast.
The threat from artificial intelligence (AI) autonomous weapons and the need for international cooperation to mitigate the potentiality of “AI killer robots” was re-emphasised at the recent Humanity at the
The Dreadnought-class will be the first British submarines to feature X-rudders. Improvements in control and safety allow for the technology, which is designed to reduce the noise of the boats, particularly at high speeds.
In October 2023, the Royal Navy announced that BAE Systems had constructed the largest segment of the first boat. A month later, Britain’s only nuclear shipbuilder, Babcock, won two contracts collectively worth £121m ($153.8m) to provide input into the development of the class.
Britain’s SSBN ambitions have continued to grow since then as Babcock was tasked to provide deep maintenance and life extension for HMS Victorious, one of four Vanguard-class SSBNs; it will continue to operate well into the 2030s.
Fleet Solid Support Ships
Britain’s security commitments have rapidly expanded over the past few years as the country’s values and objectives, and that of its Nato allies and partners, are continually challenged on the world stage.
In a series of defence analyses – enshrined in successive Integrated Defence Reviews and Defence Command Papers – the UK recognised that it must project a credible force posture, nowhere more so than in the maritime domain. If the Royal Navy is intent on delivering such an ambitious level of capability then it must be able to sustain its endeavours.
This has prompted the need for new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships that can supply munitions, supplies and provisions to the wider combatant fleet, including aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates.
In December 2023, the former Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, announced the deployment of a Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG) to Japan in 2025.
Following the inaugural deployment in 2021 – which travelled 55,000 nautical miles – the 2025 CSG will bolster the country’s deterrence in the Indo Pacific, a theatre characterised by a ‘grey zone’ conflict between China and the West.
Britain may operate more regularly on a global scale in the coming years, and to paraphrase Napoleon, professionals ought to think logistically when it comes to waging conflict, especially when it is on such a vast scale.
‘Team Resolute’ – comprising Navantia, Harland & Wolff and BMT – will deliver three FFS ships to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), which currently operate six support ships.
Construction of the first vessel is set to begin in 2025, with all three support ships expected to be operational by 2032. The new ships will replace RFA Fort Austin and RFA Fort Rosalie, which were sold to Egypt, and the RFA Fort Victoria, which is set to be decommissioned in 2028.
The vessels will have a storage capacity of 9,000m² for supplies and stores. They will feature a flight deck capable of accommodating all helicopters operated by the UK armed forces, while its hangar can house two Merlin rotorcraft, along with extra room for current and future uncrewed systems.
Amphibious Assault Ships
In equal measure, Britain’s two amphibious assault ships – technically Landing Platform Docks, HMS Albion (L14) and HMS Bulwark (L15) – provide an essential logistical enabler to the Royal Navy’s combative endeavours.
However, the Albion-class faces the prospect of decommissioning as the number of Navy personnel falls and recruitment levels take a hit.
Able to accommodate hundreds of soldiers or Royal Marines, the vessels can launch and recover amphibious assaults from an extensive rear well deck and two-spot helicopter deck. Each landing platform dock can operate eight landing craft, four of which can transport and land main battle tanks. The docking system is located at the stern of the ship. (Source: naval-technology.com)
12 Jul 24. Top 3 Royal Air Force programmes for the new UK Government.
Where do the UK Royal Air Force’s top three programmes futures sit with the introduction of the new Labour Government’s defence strategy?
The new UK Labour Government, under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey, is set to implement reforms in the aerospace, defence, and security sectors following their election victory.
Key initiatives will focus on stabilising the defence budget amidst a looming fiscal black hole, with a commitment to increasing spending to 2.5% of GDP. A Strategic Defence Review will prioritise the UK’s military capabilities, particularly addressing the future of the Royal Air Force’s top three programmes.
Labour aims to renew national security while enhancing the Armed Forces’ infrastructure and personnel welfare, all while preparing for current and upcoming Nato commitments whilst continuing support for Ukraine.
Trilateral collaborations: UK, Italy, and Japan
The government, reinforced by Italian Minister Tajani’s recent discussions with Secretary of State Lammy, is committed to advancing GCAP by 2035, emphasising the trilateral collaboration with Italy and Japan to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet, Tempest.
This trilateral initiative aims to replace ageing aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon and ensure the UK maintains competitive military capabilities while also fostering close ties within NATO and the G7.
With more than £2bn allocated, progress is underway in electronics and systems integration. BAE is the prime contractor in the UK, and Rolls-Royce is developing the engines. Leonardo UK is the primary electronics manufacturer, and MBDA UK focuses on weaponry, as highlighted by GlobalData’s “UK Defense Market 2023-2028” report.
Former Conservative Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge, now Shadow Minister of Defence, reaffirmed the necessity of maintaining a strict timeline for GCAP while serving as the Defence Procurement Minister, discouraging additional partners to avoid delays despite Saudi Arabia’s push for inclusion.
New Medium Helicopter in UK Defence
The new UK Labour Government is poised to make decisions concerning the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme. Scheduled for a decision in 2025, the NMH selection hinges on social value and UK industrial capability, with a 25% weighting allocated to these factors.
Airbus, Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin are contenders, each offering distinct advantages: Leonardo proposes the AW149 with UK production, Lockheed Martin provides the Black Hawk promising UK assembly and export opportunities, while Airbus presents the H175M assembled in the UK.
According to GlobalData’s “UK Defense Market 2023-2028,” the choice between domestic offers and proven options like the Sikorsky S-70M will be crucial as the UK seeks to bolster its defence industrial base while meeting operational needs.
Additionally, the previous Conservative Government committed to ensuring ongoing support for the Puma Mk2, which the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme is supposed to replace, until 2028, which may affect the NMH timeline.
Expansion of the A400M Atlas fleet
Following the induction of all 22 A400M Atlas aircraft, the RAF aims to expand its operational versatility. Recent tests have included low-level parachuting and heavy cargo airdrops. During the next five years of the Labour Government, the RAF will likely invest in modernising its fleet.
According to GlobalData’s “UK Defense Market 2023-2028” report, further investments in expanding the A400M fleet were anticipated under the Conservative Government to meet growing operational demands as the RAF expands its global footprint. This includes addressing the limitations of retiring platforms like the C-130J and ensuring the A400M effectively meets the UK’s expanding operational demands supporting both tactical operations and humanitarian missions.
The Atlas is expected to offset the loss of the retiring C-130J fleet. It can transport 37 tonnes in excess of 2,000 nautical miles and operate in austere environments. The aircraft’s capabilities include air-to-air refuelling and low-level parachuting, which are important for modern military operations.
An RAF Atlas C.1 (A400M) transport aircraft at night at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in 2023. Credit: UK MoD/Crown copyright
Balancing fiscal prudence with military modernisation
The new UK Labour Government, led by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey, faces a critical decision-making period for the Royal Air Force’s top programmes. Prioritising the NMH programme, they must balance domestic production benefits with proven capabilities.
The Labour Government’s approach to the RAF’s top programmes—GCAP, NMH, and A400M—signals a focus on balancing fiscal prudence with military modernisation. Labour’s commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP reflects their emphasis on strengthening military infrastructure.
Ensuring the advancement of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) and expanding the A400M Atlas fleet will be necessary. Balancing budgetary constraints with investments, the Labour Government’s defence strategy emphasises a dual focus on national security and supporting the UK’s defence industrial base, ensuring capabilities and economic benefits.
(Source: airforce-technology.com)
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