Responding to the T-14 Armata

This Info Flash outlines the challenge that Russian main battle tank (MBT) developments, the T-14 Armata now challenges all of NATO’s platforms. With the war in Ukraine signalling that conventional warfare is far from over, NATO must re-evaluate its armoured capabilities. The capabilities of the Russian T-14, the American M1 Abrams, the German Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2, the French Leclerc, the Italian C1 Ariete, the Polish PT-91 Twardy, and the upcoming Turkish Altay are investigated in order to understand why the United States must choose between what it is accustomed to in the Abrams or move on to something entirely new. Simultaneously, the bilateral relationship between France and Germany is taken into consideration for understanding the need for inviting other European states into its Main Ground Combat System project.

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Rheinmetall, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman Sign an F-35 LOI

On February 17th, German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall signed a letter of intent (LOI) with American companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman regarding Germany's freshly procured F-35 fighter jets.

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Third EU-NATO Joint Declaration signed on 10th January 2023

On 10th January 2023, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; the President of the European Council, Charles Michel; and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen signed the 3rd EU-NATO Joint Declaration in Brussels. The first and second joint declarations between the EU and NATO were signed in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

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Progress Made on Leopard 2 Shipments to Ukraine

Several European governments have decided or have seriously been considering sending tanks to Kyiv as more intense fighting is expected with the coming of spring. In particular, there have been discussions regarding the German Leopard 2 main battle tank. Polish President Duda seems to have already determined that “A company of Leopard tanks for Ukraine will be transferred as part of building an international coalition” (Kancelaria Prezydenta, 2023).

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The NATO and EU Missions in Kosovo*: Drawing Lessons From the Past to Face Current

In the aftermath of the war in Kosovo, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1244 (1999), whereby a NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) would be deployed to stabilise the region and prevent further violence. Though initially composed of around 50,000 personnel, NATO’s presence was progressively downsized as the security environment improved. The mission successfully prevented the resumption of hostilities in the Western Balkans and supported the transition towards peace and democracy in Kosovo. However, sporadic incidents of violence have often revived unresolved tensions in the country. The impossibility of reaching a consensus on Kosovo’s international status and its declaration of independence in 2008 led to an extension of KFOR’s presence in the region. As the declaration of independence threatened to trigger another wave of violence, the European Union also established the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), which focused on supporting Kosovo’s authorities in upholding the rule of law and reforming Kosovo’s police, judiciary and customs.

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