For nearly half a century, European security was defined as protecting the free nations of the continent from nuclear attack or invasion by massed conventional forces. NATO was the focal point for this security, and the free countries of Europe largely tailored their militaries toward home defense.
Now, Europe is looking outward in its military activities to promote security throughout the global community. Many new European members of the Free World already have demonstrated their willingness to participate in extra-continental security operations. But ironically, some of the European countries that are offering the most participation are formerly nonaligned nations.
These countries largely were neutral during the Cold War, eschewing membership in either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. Their militaries were built wholly around domestic defense based on geography. Rather than project power, their forces were designed to operate from fixed facilities in familiar terrain using well-established logistical chains. Mobility and coalition were not factors.
The post-Cold-War era has given way to the Global War on Terrorism, and these formerly non-allied nations now are finding common ground with others whose values are threatened by nihilistic terrorists. Countering the enemy in this new war requires a multitude of measures, many of which are out-of-area. This opens the door to involvement in operations ranging from peacekeeping to actual warfighting against terrorist strongholds.
Many countries that have been loath to participate in international military operations now are joining such efforts, both through ad hoc coalitions and through established alliances. In some cases, these international engagements take the form of humanitarian support for troubled areas. Other activities may include peacekeeping, regime reinforcement or logistical support for other nations’ combat operations. The broad spread of potential international operations provides many options for even small nations to contribute to security on behalf of the Free World.
But these new involvements raise the challenge of interoperability. Many of the newly freed nations of Europe have had to remake their militaries to fit a more Western model along with a new defense mission. Because they may emphasize different elements of their military forces, they face different interoperability challenges.
Previously neutral nations that looked inward to define their military capabilities often designed systems and architectures accordingly. If a nation was not counting on fighting in conjunction with militaries from other countries, then it often paid little attention to whether its forces could interoperate externally. The result was a custom-designed military that suited its host country perfectly but that was ill-equipped to interoperate in coalition or alliance operations.
So now Europe is facing a new and different security challenge, and it has a host of new alliance members and partners contributing military forces for diverse missions. Even longtime NATO members have difficulty interoperating, and the alliance’s new members are learning firsthand how complicated interoperability can be among Western allies. Alliance partners, particularly the former non-allied nations, must adapt to interoperate with NATO as well as with its various members.
The greater involvement of European nations in pursuing Free World security goals worldwide is a positive development, and the inclusion of formerly neutral and even onetime adversary nations helps strengthen the hand of like-minded governments. The result is greater flexibility when employing military forces for wide-ranging missions. But the interoperability challenges loom large for all the militaries of the Free World.
More information about Europe is available in the September 2007 issue of SIGNAL Magazine, in the mail to AFCEA members and subscribers August 31, 2007. For information about purchasing this issue, joining AFCEA or subscribing to SIGNAL, contact AFCEA Member Services.
