Air Defense Integration and Interoperability Challenges within the NATO Alliance

Abstract

The ability to defend NATO allies from a regional adversary air attack in the low-medium threat category has become increasingly strained since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992. NATO has a limited capability and capacity to defend itself against the emerging air threats such as ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, and traditional fixed and rotary wing platforms. US and NATO strategic guidance both direct interoperability and discuss the importance of interoperability and integration among the NATO alliance. The benefits of integration and interoperability allow the alliance to share the cost burden of expensive high-tech air defense weapon systems and enhance the alliance's ability to defeat, deny, and disrupt enemy air threats. Though the guidance of integration and interoperability between alliance members is clear at the strategic level, implementation and execution at the tactical and operational levels are extremely problematic. The challenges associated with NATO's challenges to integrate the differing air defense weapon systems among the alliance are attributed to four primary obstacles. They are identified in the areas of technical integration due to diverse weapons systems, limited command and control data architecture, foreign disclosure processes and agreements and finally the national level of commitment to resource material interoperability. The guidance and direction of integration and interoperability between NATO allied countries is a sound concept in theory. The execution of integration and interoperability of differing air defense weapons systems is achievable during a bilateral training exercise through work arounds and ad hoc task organizations. These unique solutions are short lived and not a long-term or strategic solution to a holistic integrated air and missile defense network capable of defeating a regional air threat in an alliance as robust as NATO.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 27, 2021
Accession Number
AD1162310

Entities

People

  • Daniel L. Swanson

Organizations

  • School of Advanced Military Studies

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Alliances
  • Artillery
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Cruise Missiles
  • Defense Planning
  • Defense Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • International Organizations
  • Interoperability
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Strategy
  • National Security
  • Security
  • Short Range Air Defense
  • Surface To Air Missiles
  • Theater Ballistic Missiles
  • Treaties
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Warfare
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - UAVs
  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control