NORFOLK, Virginia. The Danish Chief of Defence met with senior officials at one of NATO’s two strategic level commands: Allied Command Transformation. The engagements allowed senior leaders to bolster collaborative efforts and stay informed on future warfighting developments.
Leading the Royal Danish Army, Navy and Air Force, as Chief of Defence of Denmark, General Lentfer holds a pivotal role as the principal military advisor to the Minister of Defence and is the highest ranking military member within the Danish Armed Forces. This visit, therefore, carried substantial weight, signifying Denmark’s steadfast dedication to international security and cooperation.
While at Allied Command Transformation, General Lentfer met with Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Philippe Lavigne, and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Chris Badia. Conversations centred on crucial aspects of future warfighting, encompassing NATO defence, military tasks, forces and capabilities, and discussions of Allied Command Transformation’s current and future priorities.
General Lentfer shared that his visit included “discussions about future investments in military capabilities in order to ensure our continuous mutual support for Ukraine but also underscoring the need to consider future technological capabilities in the process of developing the NATO Defence Planning Process for the NATO Alliance and to facilitate the future of multi domain operations.”
The itinerary included observing the Command’s annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, followed by comprehensive briefings from senior staff members and subject matter experts. These sessions provided insights into the Command’s ongoing projects and developmental concepts, covering areas such as Data and Artificial Intelligence, Multi-Domain Operations, and the NATO Defence Planning Process.
Discussions delved into strategies to shape the future of defence operations, highlighting the significance of data-centric approaches and the Alliance’s focus on becoming more driven by data. Emphasis was placed on advancing Digital Transformation ambitions, fostering information exchange, and exploring innovative information utilization techniques within Multi-Domain Operations.
Another key focus was the NATO Defence Planning Process, highlighting its role in harmonizing national defence planning processes between Allies. These methods are crucial for driving capability development within the Alliance and supporting transformational objectives.
Additionally, General Lentfer visited another nearby NATO entity: Joint Force Command Norfolk, which reports directly to NATO’s other strategic command – Allied Command Operations.
The Danish Chief of Defence’s visit to Allied Command Transformation underscores the commitment of nations towards collaborative security initiatives. This engagement reinforces the pursuit of collective defence and highlights the importance of working with Allies in an ever-evolving security landscape.