NATO: A Changing Alliance Faces New Challenges

Abstract

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) provides for Europe and North America's collective defense against armed aggression. Until recently, the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact constituted the primary threat to NATO. However, since the Soviet Union broke up, the Warsaw Pact dissolved, and East and West Germany unified, NATO is changing its strategic concept and force structure to address the evolving security situation in Europe. In response to the challenging security environment, NATO has been defining the security risks to alliance members and developing the strategic concept, military strategic guidance, command and force structures, and operational concept. As part of NATO's defense planning process, members annually submit responses to a questionnaire in which they define theirs defense plans. France does not submit a response, as it withdrew from NATO's integrated military structure in 1966. Although Spain is not in the integrated military structure, it participates in NATO's collective force planning.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA259470

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Airframes
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Defense Planning
  • European Communities
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • International Relations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Personnel
  • National Security
  • Navy
  • North America
  • Strategic Weapons
  • Transport Aircraft
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Strategic Security Studies