NATO News

Between 7 and 11 April 2019, subject matter experts from NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) at NATO Headquarters and from Professional Military Education institutions of Allied countries conducted a week-long visit of Iraq’s Defence University for Military Studies in Baghdad. The visit was in support of NATO Mission Iraq’s commitment to help the further development of Iraqi professional military education institutions, as part of its broader efforts on the reform of national security structures.

Today (12 April 2019), the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller illustrated NATO’s achievements and priorities for the future, at an international conference entitled “NATO at 70: no time to retire,” organized by the NATO Defense College in Rome (Italy).

Sea Shield 2019, an annual Romanian-led naval exercise, wrapped up in the Black Sea on Friday (12 April 2019). The exercise, which began on 5 April, involved more than 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, the Netherlands and Turkey, as well as Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the United States and Turkey. Five ships from Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) participated in the exercise.

Exercise “Frisian Flag” – one of Europe’s largest annual air force training exercises – ended on Friday (12 April 2019). Over the course of the past two weeks, air forces from across the alliance trained for a variety of combat missions, including simulated air strikes and aerial refuelling. The aim of the exercise was to provide pilots and ground crews a chance to learn from each other and ensure they are ready to conduct a broad range of missions. Fifty aircraft from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Switzerland were involved in the event.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participated in a Commander’s Conference at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) on Friday (12 April 2019). The conference, hosted by Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, provided an opportunity for commanders across Allied Command Operations to discuss priorities, and the adaptation and readiness of the Alliance.

On Tuesday (9 April 2019), two Italian Eurofighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept a civilian airliner that lost contact with civilian air traffic control. The Eurofighter aircraft, who are on alert to protect NATO airspace over Italy, Albania and Montenegro, successfully intercepted the airliner over Montenegro. The airliner was subsequently able to resume contact with civilian controllers. This was NATO’s first air policing mission over Montenegro.

On Friday, 12 April 2019, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will travel to Rome to participate in the anniversary conference organised by the NATO Defense College, entitled “NATO at 70: No time to retire” where she will deliver a keynote speech.

26 NATO Allies and 13 partners are currently participating in exercise Vigorous Warrior 2019, NATO’s largest medical exercise in its history. Held in Romania, the exercise brings together more than 2,500 participants and offers a unique opportunity to test medical responses to military incidents, from small arms fire to radiation exposure.

The bi-annual Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) is being held in NATO HQ in Brussels, today (11 April 2019). The CNAD is the senior committee formed by National Armament Directors and is responsible for enabling delivery of interoperable military capabilities across NATO Allies.

On Thursday (11 April 2019), France joined a multinational effort to cooperate on the development of Maritime Unmanned Systems. At a signing ceremony at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, National Armaments Directors from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States welcomed France to this key multinational initiative.

NATO’s Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defence site in Romania will undergo a long-planned update this summer. This update, which has been taking place across the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence system fleet, will not provide any offensive capability to the Aegis Ashore missile defence system.

Experts from NATO and Ukraine took stock of progress made on several projects and agreed on new areas of cooperation, such as the reintegration of female military personnel into civilian life. This was the subject of discussion at the 16th edition of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Scientific and Environmental Cooperation, held at NATO Headquarters on 28 March 2019.

A team of nearly 40 cyber security experts led by the NATO Communications and Information Agency will compete this week (9-12 April) in Locked Shields 2019, the world’s largest live-fire cyber exercise.

On 3 and 4 April 2019, NATO’s Political Affairs and Security Policy Division hosted a group of journalists from the Arab Republic of Egypt. The visit was part of a long standing programme of public diplomacy activities within the framework of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue.

Meeting in Washington D.C. on Thursday (4 April 2019), NATO Foreign Ministers agreed a package of measures to improve NATO’s situational awareness in the Black Sea region and strengthen support for partners Georgia and Ukraine.

NATO Foreign Ministers are meeting on Thursday (4 April 2019) in Washington D.C. to mark the Alliance’s seventieth anniversary and address key security challenges. Ministers will discuss NATO’s relations with Russia, progress in the fight against terrorism, and efforts to ensure fairer burden sharing in the Alliance.

Foreign Ministers gathered in Washington D.C. on Thursday (4 April 2019) to mark 70 years since NATO’s founding, and to continue adapting the Alliance. “Over seven decades, NATO has stepped up time and again to keep our people safe, and we will continue to stand together to prevent conflict and preserve peace,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

NATO Foreign Ministers gathered in Washington D.C.’s Mellon Auditorium on Wednesday (3 April 2019), to celebrate 70 years of the transatlantic Alliance. The ceremony, hosted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, took place in the same room where the Foreign Ministers of the 12 founding Allies met to sign the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed the Treaty, saying: “its reach is vast, and it has stood the test of time – because we have united around our core commitment to protect and defend one another”.

On the eve of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Washington D.C., a “NATO Engages” conference took place on Wednesday (3 April 2019) to discuss “the Alliance at 70”. Addressing the conference, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pointed to a "paradox": while questions are being asked about the strength of the transatlantic bond, Europe and North America are actually doing "more together than in many decades". Pointing to the “historic success” and enduring value of NATO, Mr. Stoltenberg also stressed the importance of Allied unity in addressing security challenges ranging from terrorism to a more assertive Russia.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressed a joint meeting of the United States Congress in Washington DC on Wednesday (3 April 2019), making him the first leader of an international organization ever to do so. The Secretary General’s speech focused on the bond between Europe and North America, the enduring strength of the NATO Alliance and the importance of unity in an unpredictable world.