NATO units set for Lithuania and five other eastern member states

[Hindustani78]

https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/f-35s-arrive-in-bulgaria
Two Air Force F-35As out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and a crew of supporting airmen arrived in Bulgaria Friday during the first European flying training deployment for the Lightning II, according to the Air Force. The aircraft and airmen will remain in the region for several weeks to conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft.

The fifth-generation stealth tactical fighter aircraft arrived at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria, after stopping at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, and also flying in Estonia. The deployment, funded in part by the European Reassurance Initiative, is expected to enhance the region's ability to host future F-35 fighters, according to EUCOM officials.

The aircraft were supported by a single KC-135R Stratotanker, c/s “Nacho 81”, from 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, that launched from RAF Mildenhall.

Interestingly, the 5th generation aircraft used the very same radio callsigns used by the F-35s involved in the JSF’s first ever visit to Estonia on Tuesday: “Conan 01” flight.

According to the Department of Defense, today’s training deployment has been planned for some time and was conducted in close coordination with Bulgarian allies. “It allows the F-35A the opportunity to engage in familiarization training within the European theater while reassuring allies and partners of U.S. dedication to the enduring peace and stability of the region.”

“The aircraft and Airmen began arriving in Europe on April 15, and are scheduled to remain in Bulgaria for a brief period of time before returning to RAF Lakenheath to continue their training deployment.”

Already deployed to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, to take part in exercise Thracian Eagle 2017 were also 12 F-15C Eagle jets belonging to the 122nd Fighter Squadron of the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana Air National Guard that are in the involved in the drills along with the local-based Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29s as well as Su-25s from the Forward Deployment Air Base at Bezmer, L-39s from the Air Training Group at Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base, AS-532 AL, Mi-24 and Mi-17 helicopters from Krumovo Air Base, and air defence units.

Whilst “Nacho 81” could be tracked during its flight (to and back from) Bulgaria, this time the deployment to eastern Europe was not “accompanied” by any evident activity by U.S. or NATO intelligence gathering aircraft. In contrast, as already reported, on Apr. 25, flight tracking websites exposed the presence of a U.S. Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent, an RC-135W Rivet Joint and a RAF Airseeker over or around Estonia.
US Soldiers at the Grafenwoehr, Germany

KC 135 Stratotanker for refuelling F 35 Lighting II near Estonia.

 

[JPMM]

Portuguese Force going to Lithuania:
- CAtMecR (Mechanized Rifle Coy) (Pandur 8x8) from RI14 Viseu
- DOE (SOF Task Unit) from CTOE Lamego
http://www.operacional.pt/exercito-portugues-regressa-a-frente-leste/

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705021053215470-poland-f16-NATO-mission-lithuania/
The Siauliai air base that has been operated by NATO forces from the Royal Netherlands Air Force is changing hands on Tuesday, as Polish F-16s replace the Danish F-16s.

Four Dutch F-16s have circled Lithuanian skies for the past four months to help ensure regional security, but now the Polish Air Force will fulfill that role.

In the past, Poland has committed MiG-29 fighters to police Baltic skies. Since Lithuania became a part of NATO in 2004, Poland’s air force crews have conducted security missions in the Baltic six times; the latest deployment is the seventh.

The Siauliai air base will see Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Vytautas Umbrasas welcome the new fleet of Polish jets. According to the Baltic Times, 17 NATO members have taken turns helping patrol Lithuania since the nation joined the alliance.

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201705021053216486-eucom-more-forces-russia-deterrence/
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US European Command head Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said on Tuesday that the United States needs more armored forces in Europe to ensure Russia’s deterrence.

"Russia’s posture is not a light force, it is a heavy force," Scaparrotti stated in a Senate hearing. "In order to have the posture that is both credible and of the right composition, we need more armored forces."

The commander noted that at present he has one rotational brigade. The size of the force needs to increase over time, he continued.

Scaparrotti added Washington needs to consider sending more "enablers" in Europe, including engineers and aviation brigades.

In March, Scaparrotti said that the United States seeks to deter Russia, not engage in conflict with the country. The commander argued the United States needed to demonstrate strength to gain Russia's respect.

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201705031053218274-usa-division-headquarters-move-poland/

WARSAW (Sputnik) — The US army's 4th Infantry Division command stationed at the garrison in Baumholder, in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz, is set to be moved to Poznan in Poland, the Defence24 news portal reported, citing the division's Mission Command Element public affairs chief Brent Williams.

"Relocating the Mission Command Element from Germany to Poland increases the U.S. Army’s efficiency, effectiveness, and capability to manoeuvrer forces. The forward presence of the Mission Command Element in Poland further enables U.S. Army Europe’s connection to our Allies, European leaders and civilians, and ultimately increases the Alliance’s preparedness to respond to any threat or crisis in Europe," Williams was quoted as saying by the outlet.

The move is being made as part of the Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is the US army's effort to counter alleged Russian aggression in Ukraine.

NATO has been boosting its presence in Eastern Europe since the outbreak of the Ukrainian conflict in 2014. Western powers accused Russia of meddling in its neighbor's war, but Moscow stressed it was not a side in the hostilities. NATO nevertheless decided deploy additional troops in the Baltic states next to Russia's borders during its 2016 summit in Warsaw.

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201705031053227797-duda-poland-army-romania-lithuania/
WARSAW (Sputnik) — Under the two orders, officially signed on Wednesday, 250 servicemen would be located to Romania and 200 troops would operate in Baltic states, mainly in Latvia, until December 31, 2017.

Along with the troops, the Polish Armed Forces will also send a tank squadron to Latvia and armored vehicles to Romania, in compliance with the president's order.

Duda's order comes amid NATO efforts to increase its presence in Eastern Europe in order to deter the alleged Russian aggression. After the summit in Warsaw in July 2016, the alliance decided to send international battalions formed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and the United States to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Reacting to NATO's move, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow has no plans to attack any NATO member.

 

[Hindustani78]

HDMS Hvidbjonen front beside HMS Chatman and USS Cape St. George during International exercise BALTOPS.

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705051053298922-denmark-nato-fleet/

The Danish Navy will lead one of NATO's two standing fleets, the north Atlantic Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 fleet (also known as SNMG1), Danish Radio reported. The Royal Danish Navy will thus play a key role in an area where the Russian Navy also sails and which is therefore seen as worthy of increased attention by NATO.

Danish Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen explained the increased necessity of a Danish presence in the Baltic Sea, citing Russia's alleged military build-up.

"The Baltic Sea is becoming an increasingly important zone amid the Russian escalation. There we can see that we need a stronger presence in our own region," Claus Hjort Frederiksen told Danish Radio. "It is a declaration of confidence for the Danish Navy, but it is also an opportunity to develop the Navy's skills," he added.

According to Claus Hjort Frederiksen, Russia's proceedings represented an increased security risk for Denmark. He also said it is crucial that the fleet is present, so that Russia and "others" know that any provocations will lead to consequences.

Speaking of provocations, however, 200 Danish soldiers are currently headed to Estonia as part of a rotary NATO force to secure the Baltic republic from Russian "aggression." The rotary force will be stationed some 100 kilometers from the Russian border and is expected to set the Danish state coffers back 140 million DKK a year ($20mln).

NATO has two standing naval forces, called SNMG1 and SNMG2. The former sails in the Eastern Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, while the latter operates in the Mediterranean Sea.

SNMG1 consists of several destroyers and frigates, with the Royal Canadian Navy, the German Navy, the Royal Netherlands Navy, and the US Navy each contributing one ship on a permanent basis. These are joined periodically by ships from the navies of Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.

The Royal Danish Navy is known for its "newer, but fewer" policy and its consequent avoidance of submarines. It has currently three frigates, the Peter Willemoes, the Niels Juel and the Iver Huitfeldt.

In recent years, Danish-Russian relations soured dramatically following Crimea's reunification with Russia and the Ukrainian conflict, which are seen in Denmark as "Russian occupation" and "Russian aggression," respectively. The chilly relationship was exacerbated further by Denmark's plans to join the US-led missile shield, as well as blatant and unfounded accusations about Russian "hacking."

Previously, Russia's military presence along its own borders in the Baltic Sea region has been often cited as a pretext for NATO's buildup in Eastern Europe. During its last summit, NATO resolved to strengthen its military presence in Eastern Europe on a rotational basis with four battalions in Poland and in the Baltic nations. During the 2014 summit, NATO established a 5,000-strong Very High Readiness Joint Task Force in response to the alleged Russian threat.

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201705051053307089-lithuania-mobilization-lighting-strike/
Lithuania mobilized 2,000 reservists for the Lightning Strike 2017, the largest Lithuania's military exercises, according to the press service of the country's Defense Ministry.

VILNIUS (Sputnik) — Lithuania has launched a mobilization of 2,000 reservists as part of the largest national military exercises in 2017, the press service of the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"The reservists should come to the conscription stations to confirm their personal details," the statement said speaking about the participation of 2,000 reservists in the drills codenamed Lightning Strike 2017.

The statement added that the conscription stations for the reservists, who had served in 2000-2012, were opened in 12 cities across the country.

According to the statement, the servicemen would practice their skills in three-week drills in summer and in fall.

The Lightning Strike 2017, the largest Lithuania's military exercises, kicked off on April 28 and would end on Sunday. The drill aimed at working out the cooperation between the Lithuanian army and police.

 

[Hindustani78]

Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria April 28 2017

 

[Hindustani78]

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The F-35A Lighting II fighter jet’s introduction into Europe has received enthusiastic praise following 76 sorties and more than 154 flying hours alongside F-15 jets from the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force Base in Lakenheath, according to a press release from the US Department of Defense.

"During the training deployment, the aircraft forward deployed to Estonia and Bulgaria to maximize training opportunities, build partnerships with allied air forces and familiarize airmen with Europe’s broad and diverse operating conditions," the release stated on Monday.

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201705091053432384-nato-drills-estonia-us/

Four Apache AH-64 and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters of the US army landed on Tuesday at the Amari airbase near Tallinn to participate in massive NATO exercises, dubbed Spring Storm 2017, the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces said.
TALLINN (Sputnik) — The helicopters arrived from Latvia, where they were deployed at the Lielvarde base as part of NATO's Atlantic Resolve operation.

"The drills have already started for the Estonian air forces, as since yesterday and till Wednesday they are practicing on the protection of the Amari airbase… The active part of air exercises will begin next week," Chief of Staff of Estonian Air Force Lt. Col. Toomas Susi said.

The Spring Storm 2017 drills, with almost 9,000 troops participating, are taking place in Estonia between May 8 and May 26.

Over 800 troops from the United Kingdom, who are part of the battalion deployed in Estonia, and about 300 French troops from this battalion participate in the drills. Germany sent about 400 troops and soldiers from Canada, Finland, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Ukraine and the United States also participate in the exercise.

Following the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014, NATO has been boosting its military presence in Europe, particularly in Eastern European states, citing Russia's alleged interference in the conflict as justification for the move. A decision of the Alliance to deploy four multinational battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland was announced by the Alliance's secretary general after the NATO summit in July 2016.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that amassing troops and military equipment on its borders is provocative, violates past NATO pledges, and can lead to regional and global destabilization.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/world/1915708-reuters-us-criticizes-russian-build-up-near-baltic-states.html

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that a Russian missile deployment near the Baltic states was "destabilizing", and officials suggested the United States could deploy a Patriot missile battery in the region for NATO exercises in the summer, according to Reuters.

U.S. allies are jittery ahead of war games by Russia and Belarus in September that could involve up to 100,000 troops and include nuclear weapons training – the biggest such exercise since 2013, Reuters reported.

The drills could see Russian troops near the borders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Russia has also deployed Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, its enclave on the Baltic Sea. It said the deployment was part of routine drills, but U.S. officials worry that it may represent a permanent upgrade.

Asked during a trip to Lithuania about the deployment, Mattis told a news conference: "Any kind of build-up like that is simply destabilizing."

The United States is ruling out any direct response to the Russian drills or the Iskander deployment. But at the same time, U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, raised the possibility that a Patriot missile battery could be deployed briefly to the Baltic region during NATO exercises in July that focus on air defense, known as Tobruk Legacy.

The officials stressed that the Patriots, if deployed, would be withdrawn when the exercises were over. That would most likely happen before the Russian drills began, they said. Mattis declined to comment directly on the possible Patriot deployment to reporters after talks in Vilnius.

"The specific systems that we bring are those that we determine necessary," Mattis said, saying that NATO capabilities in the region were purely defensive. It was Mattis's first trip to the Baltic states, which fear Russia could attack them in the same way that it annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014.

The states are concerned about their lack of air defenses and considering upgrading their military hardware. Asked about Baltic air defenses on a visit to the Pabrade training ground, Mattis told reporters: "We will talk to the leaders of each of the nations, and we will work this out in Brussels and we will work together if necessary.

"The reason for the deployment you see right now is the lack of respect for international law by a nation in the region, and so long as the nation shows respect, we would not have to deploy that," Mattis told reporters, standing in front of a German Leopard tank.

The two-weeks workshop by Illinois National Guard is held in Lublin.

Military instructors from Illinois National Guard hit the ground of Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade Command to share their knowledge and expertise in the field of planning and executing operations, from 9 to 19 May 2017.

The workshop which will last approximately two weeks is organized in Lublin. In the theoretical part the North American instructors will deliver lectures and facilitate discussions in the actual workshop fields.

The practical part will introduce Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian officers to Illinois National Guard approach in terms of running military decision making process aimed at successful military operations.

Oleksandr Gain, Public Information Officer LITPOLUKRBRIG

https://sputniknews.com/europe/201705101053460500-lithuania-border-fence-/


4:57 10.05.2017

A construction company in Lithuania has been contracted by the country’s State Border Guard Service (SBGS) to build a 1.3 million euro ($1.4 mln) fence along the Baltic state’s border with Russia.

“In keeping with a pertinent agreement with the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, Gintreja will soon erect a separation fence along a 44.6 km stretch of the Lithuanian-Russian border. The estimated cost of the project is 1.335 million euros,” the SBGS press service announced on Wednesday.

According to the SBGS, the two-meter high metal fence along Lithuania’s border with the Russian region of Kaliningrad, which also borders Latvia, will stretch all the way to Neman River where cameras and other security systems were earlier installed along the entire length of Lithuania’s 109 kilometer water frontier.

The money to build the on-land fence will come from state coffers.

Until 2020, Lithuania also plans to build a similar fence along the border with Belarus with an eye to keeping illegal migrants out.

The border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad runs for 255 kilometers and passes through the Curonian Spit and Curonian Lagoon, then following along the Neman River, Sesupe, Sirvinta, Liepona, Lake Vistytis.

So far, the border between Lithuania and Kaliningrad region is marked only by special signs and a 13-meter control line.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705101053476591-us-missile-destroyer-baltic-sea/

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Navy explained the ship's presence in the Baltic Sea is a "demonstration of the continued commitment to the collective security of NATO under Operation Atlantic Resolve."

"The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) arrived in Kiel, Germany, for a scheduled port visit," the release stated.

The Carney carries the Aegis ballistic missile and air defense system, according to published Navy documents.

The sailing distance from Kiel to Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast is roughly 412 nautical miles.

The United States plans to increase the number of troops deployed on the Baltic states’ territory to observe Russia-Belarus joint military exercises dubbed Zapad-2017 ("West-2017"), slated for September, media reported Wednesday citing US defense officials who wished to remain anonymous.

The US has indicated it will be paying close attention when Moscow conducts military drills in August and September in western Russia, including in Kaliningrad, a Russian province nestled between Lithuania and Poland along the Baltic Sea.

As many as 70,000 to 100,000 Russian ground forces will mobilize in various areas to prepare for the possibility of conflict with NATO. In the middle of these exercises, the US will take over air policing responsibilities in Lithuania to monitor and observe troop movements, Stars and Stripes reported. Troop drills will also be conducted in Belarus.

Russia’s Zapad exercise is held every four years.

“Any buildup like that is simply destabilizing,” US Defense Secretary James Mattis said of the drills in comments made Wednesday in Vilnius.

One concern among US defense officials is that the war games will give Moscow an opportunity to make significant changes to missile installments throughout the region, including upgrading them with Iskander ballistic missile systems. Theoretically, the Iskanders could be armed with nuclear warheads for short-range targets up to 100 miles away.

The Iskander defense system has been stationed in Kaliningrad in the past for temporary deployments. If it goes back on the chessboard in Kaliningrad, the US may respond by stationing Lockheed Martin Patriot missile systems in European countries that have requested them, to deter the “threat.”

“I would just say I have too much respect for the Russian army to think they actually believe there’s any offensive capability,” Mattis said of the NATO and US forces currently stationed in Europe. Mattis insisted troop deployments in Poland and Lithuania are merely “defensive systems.”

Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it would never attack any of NATO member states. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to the report by calling it a result of a foreign-imposed "hysterical Russophobia," which undermines the interests of Lithuania's own population.

The US worry might be slightly more petty. Pentagon officials fear that new Russian military technology in Kaliningrad could disrupt radar operations and ultimately scale back US and NATO military operations near Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705131053567126-us-army-upgrades-stryker-survivability/
A German-based US Army cavalry regiment is testing a survivability upgrade for the Stryker combat vehicles as part of European training exercises designed to counter Russian weaponry.
Saab official Scott Caldwell said that four Strykers have been outfitted with the company’s mobile camouflage system (MCS) by the Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment, stationed in Vilsek, Germany.

Currently the vehicles are engaged in force-on-force exercises with partner nations in Hohenfels, Germany, where they will stay until June being formally evaluated. The service will then decide whether it wants to acquire the camouflage system.

The mobile system acts as a "uniform skin" for the Strykers, according to Caldwell, helping the vehicles blend in with their surroundings. It includes technology designed to improve the Stryker’s signature management when dealing with radar, near and short-wave infrared sensors, and long and mid-wave thermal sensors.

Caldwell told Defense News, "There is nothing out there currently — even advanced signature management systems — that can make a tank disappear.” But, he said, “we are kind of peeling back the survivability onion. If we are able to keep a system or a vehicle from being identified, seen or targeted, then we’re going to increase the survivability and give that crew a chance to make a decision. Do they engage the enemy? Do they reposition the vehicle? It gives them those crucial minutes and seconds in order to make a decision."

The service’s concern with survivability stems from a fear that US combat vehicles won’t be able to measure up to Moscow’s, after seeing Russia’s upgraded vehicles in 2015 during reunification efforts in Ukraine.

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Daniel B. Allyn said at the time, "The Russians, it turns out, had upgraded and fielded significant capabilities while we were engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan," which put US Strykers at an “unacceptable risk," according to the service’s website.

The Army plans to spend $300 million on upgrades to 83 production vehicles and spares as well as eight prototypes, and already has the funds for the Stryker fleet’s 30 mm cannons.

Caldwell said it took troops about a day to integrate the MCS into the four Strykers after some instruction from Saab, explaining that the “skin” can be removed and reattached to other vehicles to suit different environments.

He said, "The ones we chose to cover were the ones the command felt were some of the more vulnerable piece of equipment, mostly due to their mission and how they conduct their mission."

**

 

[Hindustani78]

Friday, May 19. LITHUANIA – Defense Minister of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak visited the Pabrade training ground to participate in the Flaming Sword 17 closing ceremony.

The exercise involved special operations units from six NATO countries, as well as Ukraine and Georgia.

After the exercise, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine congratulated Ukrainian SOF servicemen with the ending of SOF training.

“Despite that the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces were created recently, you acted highly professional during the exercise,” the Minister said.

Following the results of the exercise the Minister decided to award the Ukrainian Special Operations soldiers with cash awards.

Friday, May 19. LITHUANIA – During the debriefing on the Flaming Sword 17 Multinational Exercise, Defense Minister of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak met with Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) General Raymond A. Thomas and NATO Special Operations Headquarters Commander Vice Admiral Colin J. Kilrain.

The Minister thanked the American colleagues for support of Ukrainian SOF units.

“Our Special Operations Forces are still very young and need time and experience. We are interested in training of our men, we have the longing and learn quickly, I am sure we will make some progress,” Stepan Poltorak said.

He added that U.S. instructors have prepared many Ukrainian soldiers. The Defense Minister noted significant results in this area:

“Last year we did not lose a single centimeter of our land, reduced the number of combat deaths and have some success in military matters,” the General of the Army of Ukraine said.

The Minister of Defense informed his counterparts on the situation in the Eastern Ukraine and the threat that may arise in the future.

“The security situation in Ukraine requires that Ukrainian Special Operations Forces have gained military capabilities,” Stepan Poltorak said.

He stressed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces need not just the training, but the training of Ukrainian soldiers at foreign training centers.

“I truly believe our work to be constructive,” the Minister said.

Friday, May 19. LITHUANIA – “We are pleased to observe progress in how your soldiers act, and appreciate your achievements. Your Special Operations Forces were founded a year ago, and they are impressive. You build your own models of action and rely on your unique combat experience, not on theory. I also like that you root for your Special Operations Forces, because that’s what I live for,” Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) General Raymond A. Thomas said.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine invited General Raymond A. Thomas to visit the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the International Peacekeeping and Security Center.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705231053901300-polish-navy-submarines/

The Polish Navy wants to get at least four submarines to ensure its security in the Baltic Sea, Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said on Tuesday.
WARSAW (Sputnik) – He pointed out that the submarines must be equipped with weapons of destruction, not only with protection means. The minister did not specify when the Navy wants to get the submarines.

"We want to get at least four submarines. Without protecting the Baltic Sea we will not protect our motherland," Macierewicz said.

Earlier in the day, Poland presented the new defense concept, in which it called Russia the main threat.

Since 2014 Warsaw has been raising concerns over alleged Russian role in the Ukrainian crisis.

Poland is now boosting its army amid increasing NATO presence in Europe. In December, Macierewicz said there were plans to increase Poland's army by up to 50 percent over the coming years, with at least three territorial defense brigades to be deployed at the country's eastern border.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705301054113375-denmark-military-budget-nato/

Last week, US President Donald Trump called on his NATO allies to boost their defense spending to make up for US taxpayers forking out more money than all of the other NATO nations combined. For Denmark, this goal may pose insurmountable difficulties.

While Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen repeatedly claimed that he felt "safe" with US protection, US President Donald Trump once again rebuked his fellow NATO nations for failing to meet the goal of spending at least two percent of their GDP on defense at the recent NATO summit in Brussels. Denmark, which ranks among NATO's thriftiest spenders with military spending accounting for only 1.14 percent of its GDP, may find it especially hard to meet its NATO obligations.

Today, Denmark's defense expenditure amounts to 22 billion DKK ($3.3bln) annually. An expenditure of at least 2 percent would therefore cost Danish taxpayers 17 DKK ($2.5bln) each year.

According to Red-Green Alliance foreign spokesman Nikolaj Villumsen, this would dramatically undermine the Danish welfare state.

"In round numbers, this corresponds to 32,000 social workers' salaries. It would simply not be possible to remove so much money," Nikolaj Villumsen told the Danish daily Berlingske.

Social Liberal Party defense spokesman Kristian Hegaard called the goal "completely unrealistic" and suggested that Denmark should not behave like a tail-wagging dog before Trump's administration.

"It is best for us to decide. We should not only obey orders from the US," Kristian Hegaard said, as quoted by the Danish newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad.

For the Danish Armed Forces, however, the perspective of almost doubling its budget is not unrealistic, however unproblematic. According to Jens Ringsmose, the head of the Danish Defense Academy's Institute for Military Operations, a "bag of money this size" would inevitably put the Danish defense under pressure. However, he argued, with creative thinking, the Danish Armed Forces would easily find ways of spending 2 percent of the GDP.

According to Ringsmose, the future defense investments should be governed by two guidelines: putting more emphasis on flexible units that are capable of multitasking and units that not particularly resource-intensive in terms of crew, since recruitment remains one of the major challenges facing Danish defense. Therefore, the extra money should be spent on new combat aircraft, an upgrade of frigates and more flexible combat units.

However, Peter Ernstved Rasmussen, the editor of the online media Olfi with focus on defense and security, a larger budget could just be used to solve the defense's crew problems.

"In the first place, the military is in need of more robustness and weight, and that implies personnel. And with more personnel, you also need more materiel: more guns, more uniforms, more vehicles," Peter Ernstved Rasmussen told Danish Radio.

However, Ernstved Rasmussen also recalled former Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt's 2014 pledge to acquire a radar array capable of locating enemy missiles heading towards NATO member states. So far, it remains high on the Danish government's shopping list alongside an air defense system capable of shooting down those missiles.

From a slightly longer perspective, Ernstved Rasmussen recommended buying more combat aircraft, as the 27 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters that Denmark decided to buy to replace its aging stock of F-16s are not enough, especially if the Danish government wants to continue its international missions.

In recent years, Denmark has contributed proportionally to NATO's international missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

https://sputniknews.com/europe/201705301054116215-us-europe-intelligence/

13:30 30.05.2017(updated 13:32 30.05.2017)
The US government is looking for a private contractor ready to provide intelligence technical support services throughout the US Army Europe area of responsibility, which includes Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Africa. Sputnik considers whether this means that the US is going to be upping its spy game.

The opening appeared on the US government's website for contract opportunities Federal Business Opportunities FBO.gov.

"This requirement is for US Army Europe/7th Army for a non-personal services contract for intelligence technical support services (ITSS) throughout the US Army Europe (USAREUR) Area of Responsibility (AOR) which includes but is not limited to Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Africa," says the description.


USAREUR has its headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany and its area of responsibility covers 51 countries, according to its official website.


Among the specified places of performance of the contract are German Wiesbaden, Grafenwoehr and Darmstadt, Italian Vicenza and Kosovan Camp Bondsteel, the main base of the US Army under the Kosovo Force (KFOR) command in Kosovo. The base also s as the NATO headquarters for KFOR's Multinational Battle Group East (MNBG-E).


"Additional locations may be added at any time and can span the entire USAREUR Area of Responsibility in accordance with the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS)," the document says.


The purpose of the contract is "to provide timely intelligence for Army in Europe activities to enhance conduct of operations and support Force Protection of forces in Germany and Italy, and to deployed contingency operations in the Balkans."

The contract is in the end stages of the procurement process and is anticipated to be awarded in May of 2017.

Intelligence analysis work under the ITSS contract includes All-Source and single disciplines, such as Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence (CI/HUMINT) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) as well as specialized skills such as counter terrorism, criminal intelligence, insider threat, and other areas.

"Support to intelligence operations includes security services; and personnel screening support, Operation, maintenance, and sustainment of Information Technology (IT) networks and systems include System Engineering and Network Engineering," reads the request.

Interestingly enough, shortly after the opening of the opportunity, Hoyt Brian Yee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs urged Balkan nations to guard against efforts by Russia to increase its influence in the region and undermine ties with the West.

"We, of course, remain hopeful that Russia will play a constructive role in the Balkans, as it has in the past, but we must remain vigilant, all of us…in watching what Russia is attempting to do," Hoyt Brian Yee said after meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on May, 24.

 

[Hindustani78]

A Romanian explosives specialist handles a suspicious package during a bomb alert drill held at the main railway station, Gara de Nord, in Bucharest, Romania.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201705301054128628-poland-georgia-nato/

Poland is supporting the efforts taken by Georgia on the way to its membership into NATO, Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), at the plenary session held in the Georgian capital, adopted a declaration of support of Tbilisi's Euro-Atlantic integration.

"I agree with the statements of NATO that its doors are always open. NATO is not an aggressive alliance, it is the alliance that permanently defends. Georgia is always in the focus of NATO's attention and is its partner. I support Georgia in NATO," Duda said.

The Polish president added that NATO accession was not an easy process and stressed that Georgia would become a member of the alliance and that the international organization had been moving toward it.

Duda is currently paying a working visit to Georgia. The Polish official and his wife have already been received by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and are to meet the country's prime minister and the speaker of its parliament.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201706011054206524-nato-baltic-operations/

The US Air Force is contributing 900 airmen, eight F-16 fighter jets, four KC-135 Stratotanker and an E-3 AWACS aircraft to the annual two-week Baltic Operations (Baltops) exercise, according to a US Department of Defense press release on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the Polish Defense Ministry announced that the maritime drill involving 14 NATO nations had begun in Poland’s northern port city of Szczecin.

"The exercise is designed to enhance flexibility and interoperability, to strengthen combined response capabilities, as well as demonstrate resolve among Allied and Partner Nations' forces to ensure stability in, and if necessary defend, the Baltic Sea region," the release stated.

NATO has stepped up operations in response to tensions with Russia that developed following a US-backed coup that ousted an elected government in Ukraine — a government which had sought closer ties with Moscow.

This year’s Baltops exercise is slated to end June 16.