Page 7 - North Atlantic and Nordic Defense

North European and North Atlantic Defense: The Challenges Return

region. The Swedes have just concluded their first major military exercise in more than 20 years; and the
Finns are working more closely with Nordics and allies for regional defense.

At the same time, the UK is in the throes of working out post-Brexit defense plans, and it is clear that Northern
Europe will play a major role in shaping the way ahead. New aircraft are coming to the region – F-35s and
P-8s, tankers and lifters – which will provide for enhanced capabilities to deal with challenge which Russia
presents.

And the US and other NATO forces, such as Canada, which have major strategic interests in the region are
working together to shape a more collaborative and nuanced force structure, to provide for deterrence in
depth.

With the coming of the P-8s and Tritons, the return but in reality, transformation of ASW into a maritime
domain awareness and strike enterprise is being shaped. And Canada is contributing to this with a new
helicopter and significant modifications of its legacy P-3s.

And the coming of the F-35 as a key coalition force could generate significantly greater collaborative
integration to shape an offensive-defensive force necessary to be taken seriously by the Russians.
In this Special Report, we are looking at the evolution of Nordic thinking as well as dynamics of change in the
evolving approach to North Atlantic defense seen in Canadian ASW modernization, and the UK and the US
shaping joint Maritime Domain Awareness and strike aircraft efforts based in the UK and in the region. The
focus on force transformation to deal with the evolving Russian threat and challenge and posing some key
questions about how best to shape the way ahead.

This Special Report picks up the threads if earlier reports, and lays the foundation for continuing work in
addressing innovations in the region and how these innovations might inform transformation if the forces of the
liberal democracies in dealing with enhanced threats and challenges posed by the illiberal forces seeking to
shape the evolving global order to their advantage.

For earlier reports, see the following:

Shaping a Way Ahead for Norwegian Defense

February 26, 2017

http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2017/01/19/mr_trump_the_threat_from_kaliningrad_is_real.html

Visiting RAF Lossiemouth: The RAF Shapes a Way Ahead
January 6, 2017

http://www.sldinfo.com/visiting-raf-lossiemouth-the-raf-shapes-a-way-ahead-2/

The Arrival of a Maritime-Domain Awareness Strike Enterprise: The Impact of the P-8/Triton Dyad

July 11, 2016

http://www.sldinfo.com/the-arrival-of-a-maritime-domain-awareness-strike-capability-the-impact-of-the-p-
8triton-dyad/
The Coming of the F-35: The Services and the Partners Get Ready

Page 6