a8.90 D 14974 E D European & Security ES & Defence 9/2020 International Security and Defence Journal COUNTRY FOCUS: POLAND ISSN 1617-7983 • Dutch-Belgian www.euro-sd.com • Naval Cooperation • Logistic Trucks • Multinational Corps Northeast • Armoured Vehicles from • Equipping Medical Responders Eastern Europe for CBRN Scenarios September 2020 • The Art of Electronic Eavesdropping • European 8x8 Vehicles Politics · Armed Forces · Procurement · Technology ELCAN SPECTER® WEAPON SIGHTS Long range. Close up. One sight. Only the ELCAN Specter® DR dual role weapon sight can instantly switch between close-combat battle mode and precision ranged fire mode. It delivers superior capabilities to protect troops – and provide a trusted advantage – across any domain, any challenge, and every mission. RTX.com/ELCAN ©2020 Raytheon Company, a Raytheon Technologies company. 20RIS013_ELCAN_ADLO_210x297.indd 1 8/20/20 3:09 PM Editorial Eastern Mediterranean: Paris Shows Impatience – with Ulterior Motives? In view of Turkey's actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, France announced that it would increase its mili- tary presence there. On closer inspection, Paris is using units of the French armed forces on the ground to take a stand. Two RAFALE B of the 4th Fighter Wing, sent to Cyprus for an exercise from 10 to 12 August, Photo: author made a stopover in Crete on 13 August. A French C-130FR HERCULES tanker aircraft is also present at the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos (Cyprus), also in connection with the exercise. The helicopter carrier (PHA) TONNERRE with support material on the way to Beirut was temporarily joined by the frigate LA FAYETTE, which was in Larnaca (Cyprus) as part of a bilateral exercise with the Hellenic Navy. The thick air that has been prevailing for several weeks between Greece and Turkey, this time caused by the Turkish search for gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean, has worsened in recent days following Ankara's dispatch of a research vessel. On Friday, 7 August 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted immediately to a maritime agreement signed the day before between Athens and Cairo by an- nouncing the resumption of exploration. It is intended to regulate the maritime borders between the two countries. And it seems to be a deliberate replica of the agreement concluded last November between Turkey and the official Libyan Government (Tripoli), which in turn serves Ankara as the legal basis for its research and exploration projects in the Eastern Mediterranean. The agreement provoked opposition not only from Greece and Cyprus, but also from Egypt and Israel. On 10 August, by means of a navigation notification, Turkey informed of the resumption of its research projects with the research vessel ORUC REIS and her remaining in the sea area until 23 August. The dis- puted zone is the sea area between Cyprus and Crete. The research will take place in one of the Exclusive Economic Zones, either Greece or Cyprus. Pictures from the Twitter account of the Turkish Ministry of De- fence show the research vessel accompanied by naval vessels. The Elysée urged Turkey to stop its unilateral prospecting and to allow peaceful dialogue between NATO members and neighbours. A telephone conversation took place between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and French President Emmanuel Macron. Paris further states that the French President described the situation as worrying. On Twitter he announced his decision to temporarily increase the French military presence in the coming days in cooperation with European partners, including Greece. Earlier, the French President used the dispute with Turkey as an opportunity to question the value of NATO. In the framework of the EU operation IRINI, an unpleasant incident occurred between a Turkish and a French frigate, in which the Turkish unit behaved in an unduly aggressive manner for a NATO partner. Although NATO is reluctant to comment, Brussels is following developments closely. On 9 August, the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell invited all parties to dialogue. "Maritime borders must be defined through dialogue and negotiation, not through unilateral action and the mobilisation of naval forces. Disputes must be resolved in accordance with international law. The European Union is determined to contribute to the settlement of such disputes and disagreements in this area of vital security interest". says the communiqué of the External Action Service. On the morning of 13 August an extraordinary video conference of EU Foreign Ministers was convened for 14 August. Besides discussions on the Eastern Mediterranean, the agenda includes Belarus, Lebanon and Venezuela. French Ulterior Motives? On the surface, Paris may be concerned with "reaffirming France's commitment to the free movement of persons, the safety of shipping in the Mediterranean and respect for international law". There may also be solid reasons why France is taking Greece's side. Paris has been working for some time on a structured and long-term partnership with the Greek maritime industry. It was launched earlier this year. The cooperation plan provided for the creation, with French support, of a centre of excellence for innovation in naval war- fare in Greece, the collaboration of over twenty Greek companies with Naval Group, Thales and MBDA, partnerships between universities. An intergovernmental agreement should be finalised before the end of the year. An arms deal, the purchase of two frigates for the Greek Navy, was also part of the discussions. All this seems to be in question following American advances. This will give a different look to the French involvement in the Eastern Mediterranean, side-by-side with Greece. Hans-Uwe Mergener 9/2020 · European Security & Defence 1 Contents Photo: Heiming Photo: Michał Jarocki In modern combat, the logistics element – Page 50 In the first phase of the WISLA programme, Page 94 based on efficient trucks – is one of the Poland plans to procure two PATRIOT-based guarantors of successful mission accomplishment. batteries. SECURITY POLICY ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY 12 The True Nature of Sino-Russian Relations 42 Europe Builds up Fleets of 8x8 Eugene Kogan Christopher F. Foss 14 The COVID-19 Saga Features of Modern Military Logistic Trucks Global Implications, Geopolitical Trends and 50 Gerhard Heiming the Balance of Power Andreea Stoian Karadeli 56 Belgian and Dutch Naval Replacement Programmes 18 How China Used the Pandemic for its Jaime Karremann Expansionist Pursuits Suman Sharma 62 The Art of Electronic Eavesdropping Doug Richardson 22 Pivot to Asia Europe's Declining Significance from a 68 European Infantry Fighting Vehicle Armament Geo-Strategic Perspective Christopher F. Foss Ludolf von Löwenstern 74 Equipping Medical Responders for CBRN Scenarios 26 “I would like to see the EU to take full Dan Kaszeta responsibility for its maritime dimension” Interview with Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, Director General of the European Union Military Staff (DGEUMS) ARMED FORCES and Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (Dir MPCC) 79 Protecting NATO’s Northern Approaches Bo Leimand 83 Light Infantry: a New Tool for the Danish Army INDUSTRY & MARKETS Michael Johnsson Armoured Vehicles from Eastern Europe 28 87 Enforcing the Arms Embargo: Operation IRINI Alex Horobets Interview with RADM Fabio Agostini, Commander, 34 EURONAVAL 2020 and the “New Normal” Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI Interview with with Hugues d’Argentré, 91 From Political Symbol to Regional Responsibility Director, SOGENA LTC (GS) Ulrich Pfützenreuter 36 Post-COVID-19 Europe: a New Security Environment With New Challenges Interview with Bear Midkiff, COUNTRY FOCUS: POLAND Vice President Sales and Marketing, John Cockerill Defense 94 Major Polish Procurement Programmes Michał Jarocki 38 Limitations on Defence Imports to India Suman Sharma 102 Another Decrease in Polish Defence Exports Michał Jarocki 107 Poland’s Aviation Procurement Programmes Michał Jarocki 2 European Security & Defence · 9/2020 VIEWPOINT FROM … 25 New Delhi Suman Sharma Photo: Audun Rikardsen 61 Tel Aviv Tamir Eshel IMU TACTICAL GRADE COLUMNS 1 Editorial 4 Firms & Faces NEW PRODUCT 5 ESD Spotlight 30 Exhibition Update 71 Masthead 1:1 scale Index of Advertisers AM General 17 STIM318 – the latest Sensonor tactical Arquus 73 Autoflug 29 grade Inertial Measurement Unit, IMU. 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