Council on Foreign Relations’ Post

Per the article Defense spending was up 9% last year with a 32% increase from NATO. Interested in your thoughts regarding this level of spending being sustainable. #govcon #defenseindustry #defenceindustry #consulting #connectingsuccess

President Xi Jinping has called on China’s People’s Liberation Army to be ready to take Taiwan by force by 2027. The United States, together with regional partners, must ensure a Chinese invasion can’t succeed. That plan hinges on quickly building and deploying thousands of new drones that would swarm the Taiwan Strait and keep China’s military busy until more help can arrive, according to the top U.S. military official in the Pacific. But time is running out to turn these plans into a reality. #TSICommentaries #TSIWeekly20240609 #TSIPLA #TSIUSChina #TSICrossStrait #TSIMilitaryBalance #TSIUSTaiwan #TSITaiwanMilitary #TaiwanSecurity #USTaiwan #CrossStraitTensions

The Eastern NATO members have the right idea: They will pay for their own defense and provide security for their neighbors. Bravo. "Concurrently, the countries situated on the eastern flank will assume a more prominent role in safeguarding their national sovereignty. These countries already belong to a select group of allies that invest more than 3 percent of national GDP into defense." " The investment will be directed toward increased quantity as well as enhanced quality in order to deny the enemy in the event that deterrence fails. In addition, the eastern flank allies will concentrate on air and missile defense in order to minimize damage to their territories and populations." " Some member states will endeavor to enhance their long-range strike capabilities, contributing to the implementation of conventional punishment. As a result, the allies with the greatest potential will evolve from being security consumers to becoming security providers for their neighbors."

”First, the UK must increase defence spending… Second, the review must get back to basics and deliver capabilities, not concepts. You can have all the digital backbone you want, but if you only have a week’s worth of ammunition, you can only fight for a week. Instead of designing an exquisite idealised future force and doctrine target for 2035, the UK must prepare to fight with the force it has, not the force it wants, by focusing on readiness, with 3rd Division, as a major contribution to NATO, as the main effort – due to be ready for NATO by 2030, already delayed from a target of 2025… Finally … If NATO is truly the cornerstone of UK defence, then the UK should integrate the NATO Defence Planning Process into its national planning from the start, thereby negating uncomfortable future Alliance conversations.”

One logical conclusion is that before taking out its checkbooks, NATO leaders might produce a no-nonsense strategy with key objectives. The first is to construct an affordable force able to defeat Russian military aggression. To accomplish that, the strategy must recognize and integrate the harsh realities and constraints that are presently ignored due to the incorrect belief that more spending by itself is the answer. It is not. https://lnkd.in/gmgfuAdK

Judy Asks: Is Defence a Political Priority Across Europe? 22 expert colleagues offer their views, including three of my former NATO colleagues. My answer is probably a bit less diplomatic: for the past 20 and more years, Europeans have been masters in paying lip service to strengthening their military fire power. But the results remain meager. Russia’s war against Ukraine has moved the train into the right direction, but with too little speed and a full sense of urgency everywhere. Policymakers in some EU capitals may require an external disruptor such as Donald Trump to accelerate their efforts. https://lnkd.in/ecTttXzs

The U.S. is set to revamp its command structure in Japan as defense ties strengthen amid rising regional security concerns. In a significant move, the Pentagon announced plans to establish a new three-star command in Japan, enabling more extensive operational planning alongside the Japanese military. This evolution comes as Japan doubles its defense spending by 2027 and enhances its capabilities with new missile systems. Key Points: ◼ Enhanced Collaboration: The U.S. and Japan will jointly develop weapons and share intelligence more securely. ◼ Bilateral Meetings: For the first time in 15 years, U.S., Japanese, and South Korean defense officials convened together, signaling improved trilateral relations. ◼ Strategic Shift: The reform aims to allow for coordinated responses to threats from China, North Korea, and Russia, reflecting a changing security landscape. As global tensions rise, U.S.-Japan defense ties have never been stronger. How do you see these changes impacting regional security dynamics? 🌏👉 https://buff.ly/3WqDFOk #Japan #US #Defense #Security #InternationalRelations #MilitaryStrategy #AsiaPacific #somrasvc #defensnews

A interesting read in Defense News on the recovery of the Russian military from the early phases of the conflict in Ukraine. Some observations of mine: 1️⃣ Your industrial base matters - this gives you the capacity to fight. If it isn’t within your borders, get in line and wait. 2️⃣ War stocks - the ability to supply the consumables of combat quickly and put quantity into the fight is a huge advantage. 3️⃣ Keep it simple - easy to train, easier to maintain, easier to repair and easier to replace. Avoid Rolls Royce solutions when a Toyota Camry will do. 4️⃣ Innovation - it never stops and doesn’t have to be particularly glamorous (see Turtle Tanks) #futureready #defenceindustry #pacingthreat #geopolitics

How China Will Squeeze, Not Seize, Taiwan A Slow Strangulation Could Be Just as Bad as a War By Isaac Kardon and Jennifer Kavanagh May 21, 2024 Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2021, Admiral Philip Davidson, the retiring commander of U.S. military joint forces in the Indo-Pacific, expressed concern that China was accelerating its timeline to unify with Taiwan by amphibious invasion. “I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact in the next six years,” he warned. This assessment that the United States is up against an urgent deadline to head off a Chinese attack on Taiwan—dubbed the “Davidson Window”—has since become a driving force in U.S. defense strategy and policy in Asia. If the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, the United States and Taiwan should be as focused on developing strategies to prevent Taiwan’s slow subjugation as they are on forestalling outright invasion. If Washington cannot alter its single-minded outlook, it could end up as a bystander as Taiwan slips under creeping Chinese control in a silent fait accompli.

Summary: The recent remarks made by former President Donald Trump regarding NATO defense spending targets have sparked reactions from global leaders. While some suggest that this could spur NATO members to increase military spending, experts argue that the actual drivers behind the recent surge in spending are more closely linked to concerns over Russia's actions. Additionally, Trump's transactional approach to NATO has strained US relations with allies and raised concerns about the future of the transatlantic alliance. Takeaway: The recent discussions around NATO defense spending and Trump's comments highlight the complex dynamics of international alliances and the importance of understanding the underlying motivations behind policy decisions. It also emphasizes the need for effective communication and collaboration within alliances to address global security challenges. Hashtags: #NATO #DefenseSpending #InternationalAlliances #GlobalSecurity #Trump #TransatlanticAlliance