Status: 06/27/2022 1:45 p.m
NATO wants to increase the number of its rapid reaction forces from around 40,000 to more than 300,000 soldiers. This was announced by Secretary General Stoltenberg before the summit meeting in Madrid.
Because of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, NATO wants to put “well over 300,000 soldiers” on increased readiness. This was announced by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. He spoke of the “biggest realignment of our collective defense and deterrence since the Cold War”. According to him, the heads of state and government of the 30 alliance countries want to decide this at the forthcoming alliance summit in Madrid.
Part of the new Forces model
So far, the NATO intervention force NRF has comprised around 40,000 soldiers. The planned restructuring of the NRF is part of a new force model for the entire alliance area. This provides for more forces on high alert.
In addition, forces should also be assigned to certain areas. This means that German soldiers could be scheduled to support Lithuanian troops in the event of a Russian attack.
According to Stoltenberg, the changes should be decided at the summit in Madrid.
Image: REUTERS
Under national command in peacetime
In peacetime, the troops are usually supposed to be under national command, but could then be requested by the supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe in an emergency. The troops would also be given fixed times for operational readiness.
It is being discussed that some units should be ready for laying within ten days at most, others in 30 or 50 days. Details for emergencies are to be defined in new regional defense plans, which should be ready next year.