In recent years, NATO exercises have grown in volume, as have Russian annual exercises. Thus, in 2020, the Defender 2020 exercise will be an opportunity to test the capabilities of massive reinforcement of European defenses, with the deployment of 3 armored brigades and an artillery brigade of the US Army, in the most difficult conditions. as close as possible to a crisis scenario.
During the Cold War, the Reforger exercise was held every year, which consisted of bringing to Europe a large number of troops from the United States who used equipment prepositioned in Germany, in particular to hold the famous "Fulda Gap" in the center of Federal Germany, identified as the major axis of progression for an armored attack by the Warsaw Pact. With the end of the Cold War, the Reforger exercise quickly lost its interest, and the costs represented by the equipment pre-positioned in Germany quickly became prime targets for budgetary savings. But since 2008 and the Georgian War, followed in 2013 by the annexation of Crimea and in 2014 by the Donbass War, the risks of having to face a high-intensity armed conflict in Europe reappeared and grew rapidly.
Although Russia is not the Soviet Union, and has neither the economic nor demographic power, the country has managed in less than two decades to reconstitute a first-rate military force, significantly exceeding the capabilities conventional defensive capabilities of European forces, yet 4 times more numerous and 10 times richer than the Russians. With 2500 combat tanks in line, 10.000 tracked armored vehicles, 2000 mobile artillery pieces, 2000 combat helicopters and 1200 combat aircraft, the Russian forces surpass in number, and often in quality, what the Russian forces could effectively implement. together European countries to ensure their own defense. In addition, Russian engineers have managed to provide the country with some weapon systems with very high added value, such as the Kinzhal hypersonic missile, multi-layer air defense systems S400/Buk/Tor ou the Iskander short-range ballistic missile, acting as force multipliers in the face of well-identified Western failures.
From then on, and as during the Cold War, Europe today depends on reinforcements from the United States and Canada within the framework of NATO to achieve a sufficient defensive capacity to deter any military adventurism on the part of the Moscow. The same causes producing the same effects, the Defender 2020 exercise aims, as was the case with the Reforger exercises, to test the smooth running of the reinforcement procedures, but above all to show that Washington has the means, and the will , to defend its European allies, this message being addressed both to Moscow and to the European capitals themselves.
And for this exercise, the US Army will mobilize very large forces, with 29.000 men out of the 37.000 participants in the exercise as well as 33.000 pieces of equipment, 20.000 of which will come from the United States and 13.000 from prepositioned stocks. Unlike the Reforger exercises, the Defender 2020 exercise will not be limited to reinforcing the main axis of attack in Germany, but will be spread over 10 countries, including the Baltic countries, Poland, the Czech Republic and even Georgia, all potential targets to defend. US and European forces will deploy from 14 European ports and airports in 8 countries, via 12 different convoy routes, to reinforce line forces. Finally, the exercise will be held jointly and concurrently with 5 other regionally based NATO exercises.
Defender 2020 will not be the largest NATO exercise since the end of the Cold War, Exercise Trident Juncture 2018 had, for example, brought together 50.000 personnel from 31 nations, 10.000 vehicles, 250 planes and 65 warships. On the other hand, it is undoubtedly the most ambitious for the US Army, which is reviving a scenario long put aside, and which is taking back the reins of European Defense. It is also a sign of a profound change in priority at the Pentagon, with the return of high-intensity issues in Europe, but also in the Pacific, with the Defender 2020 Pacific exercise.
Still, it is difficult to justify that an economic, demographic and political power like the European Union is forced to wait for military aid from the United States to be able to face the military challenge from Russia. , a country whose population is equal to that of the Franco-German couple, and whose GDP is 25% lower than that of France. To be credible and have influence on the international scene, Europe must start by being able to ensure its defense by its own means, which would, very probably, open up new geopolitical perspectives and ensure stable peace in Eurasia.