Page 80 - North Atlantic and Nordic Defense

North European and North Atlantic Defense: The Challenges Return

The air-defense systems currently in service, namely RBS-70, Mistral, Stinger and Grom man portable air defense
systems (MANPADS),do not reach higher than 4-5km and have a range of just 6-8 km.

The three Baltic nations do not need a high-end long-range system like the SAMP/T or the MIM-104 Patriot.

http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/04/03/the-baltic-states/

What the core Nordic states (Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland) can do is create a more integrated air
and naval defense.

If the Russians believed that the Nordics most affected by a Baltic action could trigger what other NATO
nations can do, there is little incentive for them to do so.

This means leveraging the Baltic Air Patrol to shape a Northern region wide integrated air operations
capability that the US, France, Germany and the UK can work with and plug into rapidly.

It is about modular, scalable force with significant reachback that would kill a Russian force in its tracks, and
be so viewed from the outset by the Russians.

And because it is not based in the Baltics, but the air controllers could well be, it is part of the overall
defensive defense approach.

Naval forces are crucial as well, not only to deal with Russian naval forces, but to support the Baltic operation
as well. Modern amphibious forces are among the most useful assets to provide engagement capabilities,
ranging from resupply, to air operations, to insertion forces at key choke points.

By not being based on Baltic territory, these forces are part of the overall defensive defense approach, and
not credibly part of a forward deployed dagger at the heart of Russia argument that the Russian leadership
will try to use if significant NATO forces were to be forward deployed upon Baltic territory itself.
Shaping an effective defensive template, leveraging collaborative Baltic efforts, with enhanced integrated air
and naval forces will only get better as Western naval and air transformation occurs in the period ahead.

Figure 26 The Finnish ship FNS Pohjama (01), right, sails next to the Royal Danish Navy ship HDMS Absalon
(L16) during exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2013. Navy Media Content Services, 6/11/13.

There are a number of key developments underway which can reinforce such a template.

Second Line of Defense

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