NATO should adopt hybrid warfare trigger: Special Rapporteur
NATO states should modify the alliance’s Article 5 collective defence provision to trigger a response in the event of so-called ‘hybrid warfare’ attacks, a conservative British lawmaker said in a special report on 27 May.
NATO allies have accused Russia of using hybrid warfare techniques, including subversion, propaganda and cyber warfare, to undermine the West without triggering a full NATO military response.
In his special report on countering Russia’s hybrid threats, Britain’s Lord Jopling told lawmakers meeting at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Warsaw that the alliance should consider a new collective defence ‘Article 5B’.
The British lawmaker said in his report: ‘The article would make clear that hybrid attacks would trigger a collective response from the Alliance. The Rapporteur is convinced that the Allied leaders should, possibly at the upcoming summit in July 2018, initiate the drafting of the Alliance’s new Strategic Concept to reflect new global security realities, including the rise of hybrid threats.’
NATO lawmakers are expected to vote on whether to accept his recommendation at the closing session of the assembly on 28 May.
In March 2018, Gen Curtis Scaparrotti, the US commander of NATO forces in Europe, said that NATO countries were working to determine when a cyber attack would trigger the alliance’s Article 5 collective defence provision.
NATO leaders have agreed that a cyber attack against a member state could trigger Article 5, and reaching a specific understanding on the issue would allow ‘greater agility, greater flexibility in determining how to respond,’ he told a US Senate committee.
The alliance ‘recognises the difficulty in indirect or asymmetric activity that Russia is practising, activities below the level of conflict,’ Scaparrotti said.
NATO will hold its next summit on 11 and 12 July in Brussels, with the fight against terrorism and the growing threat from Russia in the areas of hybrid and cyber warfare expected to be high on the agenda.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Global Ordnance and Sparkz disclose plans for 500,000 US-made UAV batteries a year]()
Global Ordnance and Sparkz disclose plans for 500,000 US-made UAV batteries a year
The companies have outlined plans for US$25 million manufacturing lines and initial deliveries in 2027 as Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese UAV components.
-
![Patria OPTIME and ILIAS: Orchestrating operational readiness across every domain]()
Patria OPTIME and ILIAS: Orchestrating operational readiness across every domain
Patria OPTIME is a sustainment concept that integrates MRO and lifecycle services into one solution, powered by the ILIAS digital defence platform
-
![US military seeks common controllers for drones and robotic systems]()
US military seeks common controllers for drones and robotic systems
US Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command initiatives signal demand for interoperable uncrewed systems control, creating opportunities for suppliers of hardware, software and integration services.
-
![“Start planning much earlier”: delivering defence support in an era of disruption]()
“Start planning much earlier”: delivering defence support in an era of disruption
In Conversation… The geopolitical landscape is increasingly uncertain, with the UK and its allies confronting the most unpredictable international environment for decades. To adapt, defence readiness must begin long before assets reach the front line, forging a resilient support enterprise that can thrive in a time of ongoing disruption, argue the partners of Team ORION.
-
![“Communicating at mission speed”: why data security is essential for operational success]()
“Communicating at mission speed”: why data security is essential for operational success
In conversation… Everfox’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Wajsgras and Managing Director, International, Colin McKinty discuss the critical importance of information security in defence, minimising insider risk and the company’s international growth strategy with Shephard’s Andrew White.
-
![“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence]()
“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence
In Conversation… Shephard’s Andrew White talks to Zafer Şen, CEO and co-founder of OBSS, about the future of command-and-control software in the age of artificial intelligence, and his company’s ambitions in the UK defence market.
