NORMANDY: NATO nations must increase the production of military equipment to counter the growing threat posed by Russia, stated the alliance’s top general, Christopher Cavoli, in an interview with AFP on Thursday.
Speaking at the 80th-anniversary commemorations of D-Day in Normandy, Supreme Allied Commander Europe Cavoli said that NATO nations need to expand the industrial base for military equipment.
He said that NATO is ready to do collective territorial defense, citing the extensive exercise named Steadfast Defender 24, involving 90,000 allied troops across multiple European countries from January to May.
“We’ve shifted our focus entirely over the last couple of years, we used to do out-of-area operations, and now we’re focused on defending the territory of the alliance,” Cavoli said.
Reflecting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Kyiv’s defense supported by Western nations, Cavoli stressed the significant demand for ammunition and equipment in modern conflicts.
“We need to generate hardware more quickly. I think all the nations in the alliance realise that and are working on it,” Cavoli said. Moreover, Cavoli mentioned NATO’s intent to thoroughly analyze the conflict to inform future development efforts.
He highlighted the importance of studying innovative uses of hardware, such as low-cost drones utilized by both Russia and Ukraine for reconnaissance and attack.
Furthermore, NATO troops will glean insights from Ukrainian battlefields, with plans to establish a “lessons learned” center in Poland to study techniques and tactics used in the conflict.
