NATO Enhanced Forward Presence
The NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) is a support initiative of NATO that was decided on July 8 and 9, 2016 at the NATO summit in Warsaw . It serves to secure the eastern flank of the allied states and to deter Russia. Multinational combat troops (NATO battlegroups) are being relocated to the Baltic states of Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania as well as Poland for training and exercise purposes . Around 1000 soldiers are stationed there on a rotating basis.
background
Due to the Crimean crisis and the war in Ukraine in 2014/15 , NATO initiated the Readiness Action Plan to protect NATO's eastern flank at the summit in Newport ( Wales ) on September 4th and 5th, 2014. It is intended to increase the speed of reaction of the NATO Response Force (NRF). NATO planners are considering the possibility that aggression by the Russian Federation in the form of hybrid warfare , such as against Ukraine , is also possible against smaller member states such as Estonia with a strong Russian minority in the country.
In particular, the Suwalki gap is seen by military strategists as a weak point in the event of a possible rapid advance by Russian forces to the territory of the Kaliningrad exclave .
European Reassurance Initiative
In 2017, the United States supported a European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) with 3.4 billion US dollars to significantly increase its presence in Europe in order to ensure “peace and security in Europe”. This is aimed primarily at the Eastern European and Baltic NATO member states that the United States is committed to their "security and territorial integrity". The Operation Atlantic Resolve is part of this program instead.
Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training Initiative
The Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training Initiative (TACET) is also intended to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Baltic states and Poland by supporting the implementation of the measures of the NATO ReadinessAction Plan, enabling the armed forces to work together, increasing their capabilities and promoting national resilience becomes. On-site forces of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence participate in joint exercises and training measures. In December 2015, Great Britain became the third TACET nation alongside Germany and the USA. During the NATO defense ministers' meeting from February 10 to 11, 2016, Germany, Great Britain and the USA also committed ten other NATO member states to support the TACET initiative (Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway , Spain, Czech Republic). This also includes the establishment of ABC defense units and the training of pioneers. The Multinational Corps North-East with its headquarters in Stettin assumes a coordination and support role.
NATO battlegroups in the Baltic States and Poland
The NATO battlegroups are multinational combat units .
NATO Battlegroup Estonia
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The NATO task force in Estonia is led by Great Britain and has its headquarters in Tapa . Troops rotate from France , Great Britain and, since 2018, from Denmark .
Great Britain participated in 2017 with around 800 soldiers consisting of the 5th Battalion of The Rifles Infantry Regiment with Warrior armored personnel carriers and parts of the 20th Armored Infantry Brigade with Challenger 2 main battle tanks. France has been involved with 300 soldiers since April 2017, including the Foreign Legionnaires of the 2nd Infantry Foreign Regiment (2 ° REI), 13 armored personnel carriers of the VBCI type and 10 wheeled armored vehicles of the VAB type . In addition, four Leclerc battle tanks of the 501 e régiment de chars de combat reinforced the French contingent.
NATO Battlegroup Latvia
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The NATO task force in Latvia is headed by Canada and has its headquarters in Ādaži . It consists of rotating units from Albania , Italy , Canada, Poland , Slovenia and Spain .
The troops were officially welcomed into the country on June 23, 2017 with a military parade
NATO Battlegroup Lithuania
The NATO task force in Lithuania is under the leadership of Germany and has its headquarters in Rukla . Construction began in early 2017 and has units from Belgium , Germany, France , Croatia , Luxembourg , the Netherlands and Norway .
The first rotation from January 2017 had a nominal strength of 1,200 men and came from the Panzer Grenadier Battalion 122 from Oberviechtach in Bavaria.
The second rotation from August 2017 came from the 371 Panzer Grenadier Battalion from Marienberg with 14 Marder armored personnel carriers , 8 Leopard 2A6 battle tanks and other vehicles as well as a supply company and a staff platoon .
From February 2018, the third rotation was formed by 350 soldiers from Jäger Battalion 292 of the Franco-German brigade from Donaueschingen.
NATO Battlegroup Poland
The NATO task force in Poland is under the leadership of the United States and has its headquarters in Orzysz . The troops rotate from Poland, Romania and the United States.
In mid-January 2017, the arrival of numerous US soldiers in Poland was celebrated. As part of Operation Atlantic Resolve , the United States relocated around 3,500 soldiers, 86 main battle tanks and 144 armored personnel carriers of the 3rd US Armored Brigade of the 4th US Infantry Division to NATO's eastern flank and are supposed to be in Poland and the eastern NATO states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary , Romania and Bulgaria rotate.
The European High Command of the United States (EUCOM) announced on February 19, 2017 that around 1000 more soldiers of the 2nd US Cavalry Regiment with several Stryker armored personnel carriers will be relocated to Orzysz as part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence from the end of March 2017 . Supported by around 350 soldiers from Great Britain and Romania and in support of the defense of the Polish 15th Lozen Mechanized Brigade as part of the deterrence against Russia .
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Warsaw Summit Communiqué: Issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Warsaw 8-9 July 2016. NATO , August 3, 2016, accessed on February 19, 2017 .
- ↑ "VJTF: NATO is even faster" BMVg of October 16, 2014
- ↑ "FACT SHEET: European Reassurance Initiative and Other US Efforts in support of NATO Allies and Partners" , Mark Cancian. Center for Strategic and International Studies. February 9, 2016.
- ↑ "OPERATION ATLANTIC RESOLVE (2014)" , US European Command. US Department of Defense. 2014.
- ^ Estonia - French deployment in the context of the enhanced forward presence (eFP). (No longer available online.) The French Delegation to NATO, July 28, 2017, archived from the original on August 5, 2017 ; accessed on September 9, 2017 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Thomas Wiegold: NATO Battlegroup in Lithuania: German advance command arrived with delay , eyes straight ahead !, January 24, 2017.
- ↑ a b Tom Goeller: One year "increased presence" in Lithuania. Federal Ministry of Defense, January 18, 2018, accessed on April 14, 2017 .
- ↑ Thomas Wiegold: Enhanced Forward Presence: Tanks on the way to Lithuania. February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017 .
- ^ Press and Information Center of the Army: Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) - Farewell to Lithuania. (No longer available online.) Deutschesheer.de, January 17, 2017, archived from the original on February 20, 2017 ; Retrieved February 19, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Relief is on the way - Marienberger Jäger on the way to Lithuania. deutschesheer.de, July 24, 2017, accessed on August 10, 2017 .
- ^ Operation "Atlantic Resolve": Welcome celebration for US soldiers in Poland. In: Haz.de . January 14, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2017 .
- ↑ Eucom Commander: US Armored Brigade's Deployment to Poland 'Significant'. In: Defense.gov . Department of Defense , January 12, 2017, accessed January 14, 2017 .
- ^ USA relocated around 1000 soldiers to Poland in April. Deutsche Welle , February 19, 2017, accessed on February 19, 2017 .
