German and Dutch Patriot Systems to be Deployed in Slovakia

The Associated Press (AP) reports that Germany and the Netherlands will deploy their armed forces’ Patriot Air Defence Systems in Slovakia. Notably, the deployment comes after an official request made by NATO to the two-member states; it is unclear whether Slovakia previously made a request to NATO. The deployment must be understood twofold: First, as conventional deterrence and second, as an exercise in signalling NATO’s commitment to its eastern member states.

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Poland to Bolster Western Presence in the Baltic Sea with Three Additional Mine Countermeasures Vessels

During the last week of March 2022, various sources reported the capture of a Russian advanced electronic warfare system (EWS) by Ukrainian forces. According to Insider and The Time of London, the Ukrainian armed forces identified an abandoned, damaged container covered by tree branches between the town of Makariv and Kyiv. The container was eventually identified as the command post of one of the most advanced Russian EWS, the 1RL257 Krasukha-4.

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Trojan Footprint – a Record-Setting Military Drill for Special Operation Forces

In the mid-May of this year, we are to witness the most significant military exercise for Special Operation Forces (SOF) ever displayed. The second edition of this exercise is set to begin on 9 May 2022. The exercise, named “Trojan Footprint”, will be held in German, Poland, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Slovakian, Hungarian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Greek, North Macedonian, Montenegrin, Georgian, Croatian, and Slovenian territories.

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Electronic Warfare: Between Recent Military Developments and New Strategic Priorities

During the last week of March 2022, various sources reported the capture of a Russian advanced electronic warfare system (EWS) by Ukrainian forces. According to Insider and The Time of London, the Ukrainian armed forces identified an abandoned, damaged container covered by tree branches between the town of Makariv and Kyiv. The container was eventually identified as the command post of one of the most advanced Russian EWS, the 1RL257 Krasukha-4.

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NATO Initiative Seeks to Accelerate Development of Defence Technologies

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) initiative to foster the development of novel defence technologies is taking shape. NATO’s member states approved the charter of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) on 7 April 2022 (NATO, 2022). DIANA, whose launch was announced in 2021, acts as a framework in which governments, academia, the private sector, and non-governmental organisations can come together to develop emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) relevant for security and defence (Machi, 2021).

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