NATO sharpens edge to confront future challenges

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 20, 2003

NATO sharpens edge to confront future challenges

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For the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 2003 is a year of transformation. As the world's largest military alliance and the key guarantor of transatlantic security, it has taken big steps to adjust itself to new challenges in the 21st century.

The strategy, based on a security environment drastically changed by the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States in 2001, was officially adopted by NATO leaders at their Prague summit in November 2002.

At the summit, the bloc mapped out a package of reform plans on enhancing its military capabilities. At the core of the package were overhauling of the command structure, formation of a rapid response force and establishment of a new high-readiness, multinational Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Battalion.

The reform of the allied command system is considered the most important step in the transformation.

NATO leaders agreed that NATO's military command arrangements should be streamlined to provide "a leaner, more efficient, effective and deployable command structure with a view to meeting the operational requirements for the full range of alliance missions."

Under those principles and after intensive work by the Military Committee, the Senior Officials' Group and the Strategic Commands, NATO defense ministers approved the revised command arrangements in June, 2003.

The new command structure marks what is perhaps the most important development of NATO since its inception more than five decades ago.

Under the three-year reform plan, NATO would cut the number of command headquarters to 11 from 20.

The present two operational strategic commands would be reduced to one, and a functional strategic command for transformation would be established to coordinate and promote efforts in enhancing capabilities.

Below the strategic command level, the present five operational regional commands would be slashed to two Joint Force Commands and a Joint Headquarters, and the present 13 operational subordinate commands would be merged into six.

In addition, the number of Combat Air Operation Centers would also be reduced from 10 to six.

The new NATO command structure, in the words of a NATO press release, "is essential to assure continuity of command arrangements and the effective development and operation of the alliance in the future."

The greatest single operational initiative being taken is the creation of the NATO Response Force (NRF). Up to the brigade size in terms of its army element, and with complementary-sized air and naval components, the NRF is being established to give the alliance an unprecedented crisis response capability.

It would allow NATO to make a rapid military response and thus defuse a developing crisis during its early stages.

The NRF was formally established in mid-October and carried out its first exercise in Turkey in November, demonstrating its rapid response capability.

It would be tailored as required by the needs of specific operations and can move quickly to anywhere as needed. It can also carry out certain missions on its own or serve as part of a larger force in the alliance's military operations.

The NRF embodies NATO's ongoing transformation and is vital in meeting the new and elusive threats of the 21st century that are so different from those of the Cold War era, said Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Jones.

"The creation of the initial NATO Response Force... is an important sign that the alliance is rapidly changing to meet the new threats of this new century. It represents an unambiguous commitment of the alliance's intent to stay militarily relevant in a global context," Jones said.

General Jack Deverell, who also commands the NRF, regarded its establishment as "a major step forward in creating the expeditionary capability, essential to countering the globalization of new threats to peace and security."

In early December, NATO's first CBRN defense battalion was established, another major step in the transformation process. The Prague summit endorsed the implementation of five chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear initiatives to enhance NATO's defense capabilities against weapons of mass destruction.

The CBRN defense battalion is designed to provide rapidly a credible nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) capability, primarily to deployed NATO joint forces and commands so that NATO maintains freedom of action in a NBC threat environment.

With all the transformation implemented, NATO's capabilities and interoperability would undoubtedly be upgraded to an unprecedented level. NATO's edge will be sharpened.

However, it is evident that the United States is always the "big brother" in the alliance, and will be so even after the transformation. Analysts believe that NATO has been and will continue to be an indispensable instrument for Washington to achieve its strategic goals in the world.

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