The NATO Response Force 2002-2006: Innovation by the Atlantic Alliance
Abstract
Is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) capable of transforming so that it can be an effective military alliance in the early 21st century? Critics often deride NATO as incapable of transformational innovations because of its political, military, technological, and budgetary constraints. Yet NATO's often cumbersome track record contains at least one recent departure that most critics would concede is an important innovation because it promises to strengthen the Alliance's capacity to perform new missions outside Europe. This departure is the creation of the NATO Response Force (NRF), a wholly new NATO force for expeditionary operations that was proposed in late 2002 and is scheduled to reach full operational capability in late 2006. The NRF is planned to be a small but potent force of about 25,000 members distributed among a balanced combination of ground, air, and naval units. It is to be a joint force with the advantages of modern information networks and other assets that enable it to operate with high effectiveness. It is intended to perform a wide spectrum of demanding missions, to be interoperable with technologically sophisticated U.S. forces, and to help stimulate overall defense transformation within NATO. This case study examines the NRF, including the strategic circumstances that gave rise to its birth, the design concept behind it, its evolution during 2002-2006, and its problems and prospects. The NRF is important not only in its own right, but also because it helps illuminate the conditions under which NATO transformational innovation can occur, the leadership strategies that can help bring it about, and the process of implementing it. Thus far, the NRF has been a success in that it is now becoming operational and a usable option at NATO's disposal, yet it still has not acquired all of the information-era capabilities its needs to fulfill its ambitious vision. Building the NRF to full maturity will likely take several years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA463071
Entities
People
- Richard L. Kugler
Organizations
- National Defense University