US plans to defend NATO's eastern flank against 22 Russian divisions
NATO's computer-assisted command post exercise ‘Steadfast Duel 2024' was held at the alliance's Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway, and 11 other locations across Europe in October 2024. (JWC)
General Christopher Donahue, commander of US Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF), outlined plans to defend NATO's eastern flank against 22 Russian divisions at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Land Warfare Conference 2025 held in London on 17 and 18 June.
He stated USAREUR-AF's mission as deterring Russia, although it is a global force. If deterrence failed, Gen Donahue said, USAREUR-AF would seek to reduce Russian anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) bubbles in the face of 22 Russian divisions. These include the 47 sq mile (121.729 km²) Kaliningrad exclave in order to secure air operations further eastwards.
He said there would be 24 months to prepare this mission, including joint, not separate, exercises such as NATO's ‘Steadfast Duel' and USAREUR-AF's ‘Avenger Triad' computer-assisted command post exercises.
Regarding procurement, Gen Donahue said USAREUR-AF was not interested in equipment with restricted intellectual property or one-person unmanned aerial vehicles that do not provide data in real time. He still considers artillery to probably be the biggest killer on the battlefield.
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