Page 110 - North Atlantic and Nordic Defense

North European and North Atlantic Defense: The Challenges Return

The agreement allows relatively free flow of those forces across the territories of the member states as
agreed upon.

FIGURE 35 THE FRAMEWORK FOR NORDIC DEFENSE COOPERATION.

Question: The Nordics have been involved as well in the land wars in the Middle East.

What impact has that had on working together?

Gary Schaub Jr.: Engagements have facilitated more ability to work inter-operably across the board as
NATO standards have been established.

Also, key elements of force specialization have been shaped.

For example, the Danes have built a cell to work within a US or NATO CAOC to learn, empower, and work
within a modern air battle management center.

The Air Expeditionary Squadron can take those skillsets back to working Nordic engagement as well,
particularly given the importance of coordinating air and naval power in the region to shape new deterrent
capabilities going forward.

The Nordics have leveraged these operations as well to shape a more common culture in terms of how to
talk about the use of evolving military power in a joint and combined way.

And, more generally, there is growing European cooperation with regard to air operations.

For example, the Belgians and Dutch have agreed to share air patrols over their territory and to share the
responsibility for protecting sovereignty in their airspace.

The Dutch are negotiating a similar agreement with the Germans; the Belgians are doing the same with the
French.
Second Line of Defense

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