European military mobility investment will supercharge freight industry, says new paper

Without the ability to deploy military force quickly and effectively on its eastern flank, NATO’s deterrence against Russian aggression counts for little. Recognising this, European politicians have announced massive investment in transport infrastructure, making up for years of neglect. Not only will this be essential to NATO’s defence strategy but it will transform the economic prospects for some of Europe’s poorest regions.

The paper, entitled “From Tooth to Tail: a new era for military logistics in Europe” examines the challenges of upgrading the region’s transport and supply chain structures, increasing economic connectedness whilst at the same time supporting the needs of military logisticians.

Addressing these systemic weaknesses will involve:

·         Building the right road, rail, air and port infrastructure;

·         Developing visibility systems and cybersecurity;

·         Designing ‘light touch’ regulations minimising bureaucracy and cross-border delays; and

·         Putting in place sufficient and appropriate logistics capabilities.

At the same time as making the deployment of NATO forces more effective, investment will deliver broader economic growth and commercial opportunities. Building new ‘dual-use’ roads, railways and ports fit for both commercial and military use will stimulate economic growth, especially in the central and eastern European countries bordering Russia and Ukraine. The deployment of thousands of NATO troops and the general militarisation of the region will also be a significant driver of local economic development.

According to the author, Professor John Manners-Bell, getting the “hardware” in place is just part of the challenge: trade processes must be reformed, engagement with private sector transport and logistics providers reframed and digitalisation and cyber security strategies developed.

He commented, “Dual-use investment will have ‘dual-benefits’ which will boost the region’s logistics industry whilst creating resilient military supply chains. However, both ambitions can only be delivered if the European Union, its individual member states and other European NATO members move with speed and agility to address existing systemic weaknesses which compromise their ability to deploy and sustain forces on the eastern flank. Only by achieving this will military leaders be able to focus resources on NATO’S ‘tooth’ rather than its ‘tail.”

The paper can be downloaded for free at https://ti-insight.com/whitepapers/from-tooth-to-tail-a-new-era-for-military-logistics-in-europe/