Center for a New American Security (CNAS)’s Post

The NATO summit taking place under the cloud of uncertainty surrounding President Biden's political future is undoubtedly a critical event. This backdrop of political ambiguity may influence the dynamics and decisions made during the summit, as member countries might be cautious about making long-term commitments. It could also underscore the importance of stability in U.S. leadership for the cohesion and strategic direction of the alliance. However, NATO's ability to adapt and unite despite such uncertainties will be a testament to its resilience and the strength of its collective defense principles. The outcomes of this summit will be closely watched, as they could have lasting implications for transatlantic relations and global security.

Si vis pacem, para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war… A phrase referenced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as it considers what progress has been made since NATO agreed to step up efforts to boast its preparedness and spending following Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Not at all ironic then that combat jets practise overhead as I type. Ahead of the organisation’s 75th Anniversary Summit in the US, there is much to be pleased with. The Alliance is in a better state than it was two years ago. Spending is up. Finland and Sweden are being integrated as new members, with the Finnish air force deploying F18 fighters on an alliance mission in Romania this week for the first time. But, there is still work to do. To be ready for a prolonged conflict, and therefore positioned to deter such an event, further spending is needed which will in term boost industrial capacity in western defence contractors, and address critical capability gaps. The nature of warfare is changing rapidly. Whilst Germany, for example, has announced it will procure more Eurofighters to replace its aging fleet of Tornados (jets already retired by the RAF) work continues to develop drones capable of flying and fighting alongside fast jets on future missions. The UK has also publicised successful testing of the DragonFire direct energy weapon which is expected to enter service with the Royal Navy in 2027. These are some of the headline grabbers, but the devil - as ever - is in the detail. Last year NATO members agreed the 2% spending commitment would be “a minimum”. The pledge was set in 2014. The trajectory of nations meeting or exceeding this - as I noted in my own presentation in 2022 to some ex-colleagues at open source intelligence firm, Janes - is trending up. Today there are 18 countries (rather than the meagre 3 in 2014) which meet or exceed it. Even in today’s climate, that is far from a full house. To execute multinational missions, integration is critical. This is helped by the very good levels of immediate interoperability of Sweden and Finland’s forces which have now joined NATO, but more work remains to be done, not least reform of command and control. With increased orders, defence industry capacity challenges must be addressed to ensure equipment is delivered on time. Collaboration between the EU and NATO, already seen but not without its tensions, must continue and develop moving forward. With nationalism and far right parties doing notably well this week in European elections, and Trump holding a narrow lead in US Presidential election polls, how will any increased focus on individual nations, or moves such as an exit from NATO by one of the larger nations (suggested by Le Pen in France for example) impact The Alliance’s future? Its members and advisories will be watching closely. To read more, you can access the full article and download the report, below. #geopolitics #nato #defence

Today marks the 75th anniversary of a historic moment in global security—the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty: https://lnkd.in/exqQen6x   On April 4, 1949, the United States and our closest allies penned this crucial agreement in Washington, DC, laying the foundation for the strongest and most successful Alliance in history.   "In the 21st century, NATO remains the bulwark of our common security—and America's commitment to this great defensive alliance remains a sacred trust,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said. “Today's 32-member alliance is larger than ever, after the historic recent addition of the proud democracies of Finland and Sweden; stronger than ever; and more united than ever."   As we look towards the NATO Summit in July, we are reminded of the urgent need to strengthen our resilience, advance technological innovations, and bolster our collective deterrence and defense.   #SucceedThroughTeamwork #WeAreNATO #StrongerTogether

The integration of #Finland and #Sweden into NATO significantly enhances the alliance’s strategic depth and operational opportunities in the High North, fostering new forms of cooperation and defense planning while reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Nordic region. More from Henrik Breitenbauch and Benjamin Jensen here: https://lnkd.in/eNN-_NFC #NATO #Defense #Military #NationalSecurity #InternationalSecurity #HighNorth #WashingtonSummit #NATOSummit

Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership enhances the Alliance, especially through certain critical assets, such as Finland’s substantial reserve forces and Sweden’s robust defense industry. Ahead of this week’s NATO Summit in Washington D.C., I co-authored a piece with Wilson Beaver about the strategic advantages that Sweden and Finland — the newest members of NATO — bring to the Alliance. You can find the piece below: https://lnkd.in/gjzV9ncu

In February 2022, I had the opportunity to visit NATO Headquarters and the NATO Space Centre during a critical time as Russia initiated its unprovoked war on Ukraine. The ongoing NATO Summit in Washington, DC has reignited my excitement to delve into research on NATO, collective security, and alliances once again. NATO stands at its strongest point ever, dedicated to bolstering the defensive capabilities of Europe and North America against external threats. The Alliance's collaboration extends beyond borders, with partnerships in the INDOPACIFIC region. Countries like Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and Australia are aligning with NATO, forming a formidable collective security front. Despite the intense discussions at the Summit, particularly concerning our European partners, it was undoubtedly successful, serving as a testament to NATO's unwavering strength and commitment to global security. #NATO #NATOSummit #CollectiveSecurity #Alliances #GlobalSecurity #spacesecurity

NATO at 75: ‘The most powerful and successful alliance in history’ - Atlantic Council "Seventy-five years is a long time. Long enough, at least, to take some things for granted. It’s reasonable to claim that this applies to the Alliance and the peace that it has helped ensure for its members for seventy-five years. NATO is nowadays seen as such a staple of the security architecture in the North Atlantic that even its members sometimes forget to reflect on just how powerful, diverse, and foundational to the modern world it has become." In an alliance like NATO interoperability is everything. Taking a systems-agnostic approach, we integrate operational and simulation tools into a common environment and include the most recent lessons learned in scenario development. Whatever the mission or scenario, Calian delivers high-readiness training taking a "train-as-you-fight" approach. Calian Group is a proud training partner for NATO, delivering military training solutions for NATO and for NATO member nations to build and sustain readiness for any mission. For more about Calian delivers training for NATO and the world's militaries, please visit @https://lnkd.in/eJ8uNg7f #defence #defense #nato #training #interoperability #alliance Note: Articles posted or shared on this Calian Defence Solutions site are for informational purposes only. Any views or opinions expressed herein are those of the articles’ authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Calian Group. https://hubs.li/Q02sg1kN0

This week, the heads of state and government of the thirty-two members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and their partner countries will convene from July 9 to 11 at the 2024 Washington NATO summit. Deterrence and defense are critical topics with special emphasis on air defense and related technologies. It will be interesting to see if any announcements associated with this summit impact the U.S. Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry.

Reflecting on 75 years of NATO at the 2024 Washington D.C. Summit! While we honor our achievements, it's crucial to address the often-overlooked human factor in defense. Our strength lies in our people. #NATO75 #HumanFactor #workersinuniform https://lnkd.in/e6eqrUvf

Strengthening practical links with NATO allies, intensifying regional cooperation, and ambitious national measures of the past several years have had a positive impact on Europe’s strategic posture. https://lnkd.in/gMTMWypG