06/03/2023
๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐๐
Recent conflicts show the destructive force of both smart and standard drones and high-tech missiles. The war in Ukraine is an example close to home, but itโs definitely not the only one. Drones also played a major role in the recent conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Many countries have air defence capabilities to protect their own territory and population. The Member States of the strongest alliance in the world, in particular, have the means of preventing such threats from the ground, from the sea and from the air. But all of these different weapons systems only offer truly effective protection if they can operate as a whole. And that is a complex task.
๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Integrated air and missile defence is an interplay between defensive systems, covering different altitudes and capable of creating imaginary โprotective layersโ over areas of various sizes. The overall picture of all airborne activities should prevent collision of simultaneous actions in the same area. Strict procedures should in turn prevent parties from unnecessarily using scarce resources, which may be needed more urgently against the next threat. The challenge is to discover, identify and intercept any threat as soon as possible.
๐๐จ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Since almost every threat requires a different countermeasure, there is a certain degree of diversity in air defence systems required. One system can intercept drones, another can intercept an aircraft or helicopter and yet another can intercept missiles. Together, these radar and weapons systems can cover the whole spectrum, if they are interconnected, that is. However, for a variety of reasons, it is often difficult to interconnect systems of military units within a single national force, let alone if different countries are involved. The necessary interoperability requires alignment in hardware, software, procedures, coding, classification and much more. Still, this interoperability is necessary to achieve effective integrated air and missile defence. Joint training, experimentation and development is therefore necessary.
๐
๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐
In March 2023, Member States and friendly nations will, up to the highest European NATO level, face the challenge of a conflict between NATO and an aggressor with the most state-of-the art weapons arsenal, while the threat from other directions is also still present and demands attention. Linking the defensive resources of all participating land, air and naval forces should prevent any gaps in Europe's air defence. Scientific institutes, such as the Netherlands Organisation of Applied Scientific Research (TNO), will assist the military organisation in experimenting and taking advantage of the latest technological developments.
The exercise will take place at the Lieutenant General Best Barracks in Vredepeel, home of the Dutch air defenders. Although only containers and tents can be seen on the barracks, the advanced set of computers inside these shelters is the backbone of the largest European exercise of its kind. Connections with simulation tools and systems in various other locations in the Western world will be used to include everything from the single defence unit up to the highest NATO decision-making level in Europe in the exercise. Yet not a single actual missile will be armed during the exercise. Everything is simulated. The local population in Vredepeel area will therefore notice very little of the exercise, at most the chance of encounters with foreign military personnel.
The exercise shows NATO can and will protect what we value. Even in changing and temporary coalitions, NATO works together effectively.
