Defence Counsellors from NATO Nations visited the Headquarters of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Philippe Lavigne, on November 15th to discuss warfare development initiatives carried out by Allied Command Transformation in order to create military warfighting capabilities – today and in the future, with particular focus on NATO 2030, NATO’s Defence Planning Process, Multi-Domain Operations, Digital Transformation, Interoperability and observations from Ukraine.
The international security environment is undergoing rapid changes due to an existing and complex web of international actors and technologies. This challenge requires a global and balanced response, which includes dimensions like arms control, nuclear deterrence, a balanced defensive posture, along with various adaptations of our conventional capabilities. To keep the military edge and to maintain a technological advantage over all potential adversaries, NATO forces must continuously adapt, evolve, and innovate.
Allied Command Transformation explained to the Defence Counsellors its work to proactively shape the future operating environment, to build and maintain advantage, and to win any future fight. The Command is working with partners across NATO to embrace Multi-Domain Operations with increased focus on cyberspace and space – enabling the Military Instrument of Power to prepare, plan, orchestrate and execute synchronized activities, across all operational domains and environments, at scale and speed. In order to embrace Multi-Domain Operations, NATO must also move the Alliance towards a secure, data-enabled organization. This digital transformation is an operational necessity to move data vertically from the strategic to the tactical level and horizontally across all domains.
The Defence Counsellors received a timely update on the NATO Defence Planning Process as well as discussing how the Alliance can become more agile in capability development; the NATO Defence Planning Process is the framework within which national and Alliance processes can be harmonized to meet NATO objectives. It establishes how to meet the mandates of Political Guidance and sets targets for Allies and the Alliance collectively, guiding national and collective capability development. Allied Command Transformation plays a core role in framing the short, medium and long-term defence planning perspective of the enhanced NATO Defence Planning Process, providing an improved effective and transparent process to inform policy and define Capability Development.
The Defence Counsellors are part of the Permanent Representative delegation of their member country within NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.