In a bid to help its armies move faster in times of conflict, the European Commission has unveiled a new action plan to find any gaps in European infrastructure that could slow them down. It comes at a time when war is raging between Russia and Ukraine in one of the continent’s biggest conflicts since World War Two. Russia reacts to the “great humiliation” of the Putin-Ukraine war lately The invasion served as a “wake-up call” for the EU to strengthen its defences, both on the ground and in cyberspace. “One of the main lessons from the delivery of arms and military equipment to Ukraine to fight the Russian invasion is that every second counts,” said European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell. “Rapid military mobility is critical to addressing emerging crises at our borders and beyond.” Under the initiative, roads, bridges, railways, ports and airports will be assessed to see if any are unable to handle heavy or large military equipment, with those identified receiving priority upgrades. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:23 “Return of industrial-scale warfare to Europe” “Rapid and efficient movement of armed forces” across borders It also aims to ensure guaranteed access to fuel supplies across the continent and develop an electronic system to reduce the time it takes for armed forces to move across borders. Currently, armies can face a wait of at least five days to be able to move military equipment across the border for warfighting and other maneuvers due to formalities, customs and tax rules. “With this new military mobility action plan, we will address existing bottlenecks to enable our armed forces to move quickly and efficiently,” Mr Borrell added.
Other objectives in the military mobility action plan:
Promote access to strategic military capabilities and maximize cooperation with the civil sector to enhance the mobility of armed forces, particularly from the air and sea; Improving energy efficiency and climate resilience of transport systems. Strengthening cooperation with NATO and key strategic partners such as the US, Canada and Norway Promoting connectivity with regional partners and enlargement countries such as Ukraine and Moldova
Read more: UK military exercise in Europe Russia releases fast-paced military drills video 13 lessons military planners will learn from Ukraine The EU and NATO routinely combine forces to conduct military exercises, but also have rapidly deploying combat brigades for use in times of conflict. But US military officers have long warned of logistical and physical obstacles to moving forces to Europe. Air Vice-Chancellor Sean Bell, who covers the war in Ukraine for Sky News, explained that the conflict showed that “realistic training” for Europe is vital but currently a “deficit” in their defense preparations. “We’re a bunch of disconnected puzzle pieces sitting on a table and you have to be able to train together,” he said. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:06 US military exercises in European waters Cybersecurity needs a boost Another worrying tactic is the use of cyber attacks, with civilian facilities ranging from hospitals to shipping companies targeted by hackers in recent months. In its action plan, the Commission said the EU should strengthen civil and military cooperation in cyberspace and improve exchanges between national and European defense experts. Cybersecurity standards and certificate requirements should also be strengthened and joint funding provided to help countries invest together in more modern cyber capabilities, it said.
