Archive: News & technical articles

Finnland ist seit dem 4. April 2023 das 31. Mitglied der NATO – auf den Tag genau 74 Jahre nach der Gründung des Bündnisses. Der NATO-Beitritt des nordeuropäischen Landes wurde unter dem Eindruck des Angriffskrieges gegen die Ukraine vollzogen. Seit dem Beitritt stehen in den Worten von Verteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius „Deutschland und die Bundeswehr (…) […]

There is a public discussion about how the processes in the Bundeswehr can be accelerated and the proportion of in-house developments can be reduced in favor of products available on the market. Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, head of the armaments department at the BMVg, said in an interview with this magazine (September 2023 issue): “The focus is now clearly on speed in procurement.” The price/performance ratio […]

Shortly before NATO's 75th birthday, the admission of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic defense alliance is seen by the vast majority of commentators as a significant step in the further development of the alliance. It is therefore not surprising that Russian President Vladimir Putin describes the accession as “pointless” and never tires of threatening to send troops […]

Over for FARA: The US Army will stop developing the new combat and reconnaissance helicopter FARA (Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft) at the end of the year. The Pentagon cites the reassessment of operational command on the current and future battlefield as the basis for this decision, announced on February 8th. The ongoing war in Ukraine in particular has […]

In the midst of the ammunition crisis in Ukraine and the uncoordinated rebuilding of military capabilities in the EU member states, the European defense technology base needs a strategic orientation. The European Defense Industrial Strategy (EDIS) can contribute to this strategic direction, although not through a major achievement, which some commentators and political decision-makers see in the form of an EU defense commissioner, but through the […]

It was the second anniversary of Russia's attack on Ukraine. Putin's goal of this brutal invasion of subjugation against a sovereign neighboring country is its destruction and annihilation of state identity. Among other miscalculations, Putin underestimated the Ukrainian people's willingness to resist. But Ukraine can only hold out with the help of Western supplies of weapons and ammunition. This year’s Munich […]

Military cooperation between the Bundeswehr and the Lithuanian armed forces is becoming ever closer. Especially since it has become clear that for the first time in the history of the Federal Republic a combat brigade will be permanently stationed outside its own borders, namely in Lithuania. The Lithuania Brigade's advance command is scheduled to arrive in the Baltic country in April 2024. In an interview with the Lithuanian […]

The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is moving forward, but its path to full integration is not without obstacles. What is the current status of international cooperation within the ESSI? Why might this important initiative not receive the attention it deserves? Russia's attack on Ukraine shocked Europe and […]

The 60th Munich Security Conference was influenced by the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, the tragic death of the Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny and the war in the Middle East. At the same time, Western representatives are striving for better relations with the countries of the so-called Global South, especially with the African continent. Numerous African representatives, including from Burkina […]

The war of aggression in Ukraine, military coups in Niger and Gabon, political tension between states in the Pacific – not only current crises must be managed, but future conflicts must also be countered with prevention. The Center of Intelligence and Security Studies (CISS) and the Competence Center for Early Crisis Detection at the University of the Bundeswehr in Munich are helping. The Center of Intelligence […]

As the German Air Force reported at the beginning of February, its annual rotating readiness as part of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) as an exposed part of the NATO Response Force (NRF) ended last month. The German Air Force took over VJTF responsibility as Air Component Standby from the French Air Force in January 2023. This task force […]

Two years ago, Russia attacked Ukraine in violation of international law. With the counteroffensive that began in June 2023, Ukraine has not yet been able to achieve its goal of interrupting the land bridge to Crimea in the south, cutting the Russian supply lines and dividing the Russian forces in the Ukraine theater of war with an advance to the Sea of ​​Azov. […]

Two topics were particularly pressing in the discussions at the Munich Security Conference: the transatlantic partnership and support for Ukraine. However, two important players did not come to Munich - but they were still very present. The helicopters circled over the center of Munich. This made it clear: high-ranking state guests were in Munich. On Friday Kamala Harris came, […]

The crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border, initiated by Russia, is one of the most significant events shaping the current perception of threats in Poland. Although decisive measures, including the construction of physical barriers, have mitigated the scale of the problem, the risk of a new crisis along Poland's eastern flank remains significant. In times of cold […]

One thing is certain: As in all other domains, the future operational environment in air and space will become increasingly complex. Today we can only imagine what operational challenges we will be confronted with in 2030. But we shouldn't wait, we have to act now. Improved financial resources for the armed forces are coming […]

In recent years, South Korea has become an important defense partner for Poland. Further investments and purchases are planned. However, the new Polish government has announced a review of the signed contracts. This raises legitimate concerns in Seoul that some of the contracts could be revised. At the end of December 2023, the Polish Parliament passed a […]

The European External Action Service (EEAS) is taking a pioneering role in the fight against disinformation and targeted information manipulation by foreign actors. Find out more about this foreign and security policy threat. What measures has the EEAS developed and how is it implementing them together with European and international partners? A current survey by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation shows: 64 percent of people in […]

A long-taboo debate is just tentatively beginning in Germany, which seems to be as far removed from everyday political life as the moon landing is from a flight to Mallorca. Nevertheless, both are actually taking place at the moment: the preparation for a new moon landing and the necessary strategy development for a new era of nuclear deterrence. The old balance of terror was […]

2023 was dominated by the continued Russian war against Ukraine and the new Middle East war. In other parts of the world, too, there is increasing reliance on military conflict resolution, for example in the Caucasus. On September 19, Azerbaijan again attacked the unilaterally declared independent Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), defeating it in just one day. A week later […]

Looking back, the decades since the end of the Cold War have been characterized by peace and stability for Germany. Trouble spots in Europe that were limited in time and region hardly interrupted the feeling of security in this country. This led to a “future laziness”, which the futurologist Florence Gaub describes in her new book, and which in the current period of upheaval […]

In the German debate about the reintroduction of compulsory military service or the creation of compulsory military service, Sweden is repeatedly referred to, not least by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. ES&T spoke to Swedish defense attaché Captain Jonas Hård af Segerstad about conscription in his country. What can it do, what cannot and which [...]