Territorial Defence Forces: Concept, Role and Revival
Dr Paul Latawski Department of War Studies, RMAS Outline of Presentation
Introduction: Definitions, Concepts and Strategies of Territorial Defence (TD) Cold War Territorial Defence Forces in Europe Post Cold War Territorial Defence Forces Conclusion: The Enduring Role of Territorial Defence Forces in the 21st Century Definitions, Concepts and Strategies of Territorial Defence (TD)
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 1. Definitions: Territorial Defence Forces
‘Territorial defence forces are defined as latent (mobilization dependent), relatively lightly armed, locally assigned forces’. ‘The territorial forces are essentially “national forces”, and the integrity of national territory is their proper mission’.
Mendershausen, Territorial Defence in NATO and Non-NATO Europe, p. v, vi.
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 2. Definitions: Territorial Defence Forces
‘Territorial defence is a system of defence in depth; it is the governmentally-organized defence of a state’s own territory, conducted on its own territory’. . . Characteristically, a territorial defence system is based on weapons systems, strategies and methods of military organization which are better suited to their defensive role . . .’
Roberts, Nations in Arms: The Theory and Practice of Territorial Defence, p. 34.
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Key Interfaces: TD Forces
‘In a sense, territorial defence stands between the main battle forces and the civil defence system and, its resources and functions are linked to both’.
Mendershausen, Territorial Defence in NATO and Non-NATO Europe, p. vi.
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Key Interfaces: TD Forces
External Civil Threat / Defence Aggressor Regular Local Govt/ Armed Administration Forces Civil Population TD FORCES
Alliance/ Police and Coalition Security Armed Forces Forces
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Components of Territorial Defence Strategy
1. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM: ‘A manifestly defensive system, unsuited to attack across the country’s borders . . . and unlikely to be perceived as a threat by other states’ 2. TOTAL DEFENSE: ’A military system relying principally on latent rather than standing forces, involving a broad spectrum of citizens . . . and usually projecting a comprehensive or “total” response of the people to war’. 3. SCOPE OF CAPABILITY LIMITED TO DEFENCE: ‘A military system that relies on weapons and technologies different in type and composition from those of outward-reaching intervention and bombardment systems.’ 4. NATIONALLY FOCUSED DEFENCE: ‘A system that relates the military resources of a society so closely to the defence of its own territory and institutions’.
Mendershausen, Reflections on Territorial Defence’, p. 2
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Generic Territorial Defence Model
Land, Maritime and Air Components Peacetime Wartime
Small, professional Regular Force Manoeuvre cadre Force with Conscripts fill reserve units Higher Level Reserves assigned to regular forces Capabilities
Territorial Conscripts at end of service fill Light role Defence Force TD units in geographically forces with bounded localities local tasks
Integration of civil, economic, social and psychological with military Scale and percentage of state’s
TOTAL DEFENCE TOTAL overall population mobilized Volunteers designed to raise cost and hence act a deterrence to an Conscription aggressor
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Generic Military Tasks of TD Forces
Secure mobilization main force Force protection of key installations, communications and infrastructure Disrupt or delay advance of or destroy aggressor forces in locality Defence in depth and protection rear areas Operate under C2 of main manoeuvre forces in area Operate as insurgents if locality overrun Aid to civil authorities during humanitarian and other domestic emergencies
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Generic C2 Arrangements: TD Forces Subordination in Geographical Structure
Regional HQ District Region A HQ
District HQ
District HQ
Regional District HQ HQ
District HQ Region B
District HQ
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Generic C2 Arrangements: TD Forces Subordination to Op Forces
Regional HQ District Region A HQ
District HQ
District HQ Op Forces Formation HQ
Regional District HQ HQ
District HQ Region B
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Generic Features: TD Forces
Locally based forces operating locally Close military integration with society Quickly mobilized force with specific tasks Based on reserve/militia structures Manpower elements: conscripted, volunteer and professional Low tech/light weaponry Limited mobility Individual training basic and collective training at unit level Low costs to raise and maintain territorial defence forces
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Roberts, Nations in Arms, p. 34. Cold War Territorial Defence Forces in Europe
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Cold War Territorial Defence in Europe
1. Neutral States • Finland • Sweden • Switzerland
2. NATO States • Denmark • Norway • West Germany
3. Communist and Non-aligned • Poland • Romania • Yugoslavia
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 1. Neutral Nordic States
Finland Est 1952 Local Defence Troops – Maakuntajoukot Strength 1988 - 300,000-500,000 Sweden Est 1940 Home Guard - Hemvärnet Local Defence Troops – Strength 1988 - 300,000)
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 2. NATO States
Denmark Est 1945 Home Guard – Hjemmeværnet) - HJV Strength 1988 – 58,400 Norway Est 1946 Home Guard – Heimevernet - HV Strength 1988 - 85,000 West Germany Est 1957 Territorialheer Strength 1988 – 41,700
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 3. Communist and Non-Aligned
Poland Est 1959 Defence of National Territory - obrona terytorium kraju Strength 1988 - 65,000 Romania Est 1968 Patriotic Guard - Gărzile patriotice Strength 1988 - 250,000 Yugoslavia Est 1969 Teritorijalna obrana Strength 1988 - 860,000 The Cities of the Homeland are Fighting and Defending Themselves
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS TD Forces Roles during the Cold War
Alliance West Germany Focus
Priority: Force Denmark Protection Poland
National Focus within Mixed an Alliance Norway Priorities Romania
National Priority: Total Focus Finland National Yugoslavia Defence
Sweden
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Post Cold War Territorial Defence Forces
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Drivers of Renewed Interest in TD
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Drivers of Renewed Interest in TD
Russian Threat Counter to Hybrid Strategies Low cost mass to mitigate against reductions in military manpower Insurance policy Forces under national control
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 1. Scandinavia: Finland, Norway and Sweden Post Cold War Developments Reduction in manpower (Finland, Norway and Sweden) TD Forces shrink with qualitative improvements - - rapid reaction elements introduced (Norway and Sweden) Increased armed forces engagement on overseas missions (Sweden and Finland) Neutrals undergoing debate about NATO membership (Sweden and Finland) Russian threat prompting capability enhancements - - e.g. Sweden reintroduction of conscription and deployments to Gotland
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Example: Norway
Norway HV Rapid Reaction Intervention Forces (RRIF) - Innsatsstyrke Home Guard – Heimevernet - HV Manpower c 3,000 Year Manpower Land RRIF units 11 1990 85,000 Naval RRIF 4 2017 45,000 units
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 2. New NATO Member States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland Estonia -Follows Finnish model of Total Defence with conscription based force Latvia and Lithuania - Opted for all-volunteer professional armed forces with TD forces effectively a reserve Lithuania 2015 reintroduced conscription Poland: 1991-2008 revived interest in TD; 2016 TD force recreated as major component of the armed forces
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 2. Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Estonia Latvia Lithuania Defence League – National Guard – National Defence Volunteer (Kaitseliit) Zemessardze – ZS Forces - Krašto apsaugos (Volunteer) (Volunteer) savanorių pajėgos -KASP (Volunteer) Year Manpower Year Manpower Year Manpower 2017 15,800 2017 7,850 2017 4,850
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 2. Baltic States: TD Force Tasks
Estonia Latvia Lithuania ‘Cyber-defence’ Cyber-defence’
‘Deploying units with ‘Providing military and ‘Providing conscripts wartime duties to other technical support appointments in wartime’ branches of the armed to regular forces forces’ ‘Providing host nation ‘Providing host nation ‘Providing host nation support (HNS)’ support (HNS)’ support (HNS)’
‘Sabotage and guerrilla warfare
Source: Szymański, ‘The Baltic states’ Territorial Defence Forces in the Face of Hybrid Threats’, pp. 7-8.
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS 2. Poland: Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej - WOT
2016 launch of WOT Original strength set at 35,000; increased to 53,000 by 2019 Force Structure 17 Brigades provincially based; largest of 16 provinces has two brigades Each bde has 3-4 battalions (1,500-2,500); Coys c100 6-8% of personnel are professional soldiers Territorial Defence Command separate arm under Brigadier General Wiesław Kukuła (SF background)
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Poland: Roll-out of WOT
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS WOT Basic Organization: ‘Magnificent Twelve’
WOT Weapons
• Assault Rifles
• UKM-2,000 MG
• 60mm LM-60 mortars
• MANPADS
• Light disposable AT
• 2,000 m range guided missile AT ‘The spine of the formation will be formed by the light infantry section - the so-called magnificent twelve’. Gen Wiesław Kukuła
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS WOT: TD Force Tasks
WOT Tasks
Military cooperation with operational forces
‘Providing and coordinating Host Nation Support (HNS), in order to enable efficient reception and staging of Alliance elements in Poland’ Operate as insurgents if locality overrun
Aid to civil authorities during humanitarian and other domestic emergencies Cooperation with state institutions particularly at province and district level Protection of local population from effects of cyber attack
‘Conducting counter hybrid and asymmetric warfare’
‘Promoting among the Polish society patriotic values and education’.
‘Their task is to protect the people and infrastructure critical in a specific area. This specificity justifies the existence of WOT as a separate armed force’. Gen Wiesław Kukuła
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS WOT: NATO and National Asset
‘ . . . Territorial defence units, the Military Police, military administration bodies and station logistical units, station medical posts . . . in special situations, it is possible to temporarily subordinate a part of such forces – in the area of direct operations in the territory of Poland – to Allied and coalition commands’. Defence Strategy of the Republic of Poland 2009, p. 20.
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS The Enduring Role of Territorial Defence Forces in the 21st Century
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS What is the utility of territorial defence forces in the 21st century?
Provides mass (numbers) Continuing Deterrence role Relevance to hybrid threats: Force protection and Infrastructure security Base for armed forces expansion (reconstitution?) Low cost Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Future Developments of TD Forces Capability?
Does drone technology provide opportunities to make TD forces more lethal to adversaries at low cost? Do TD forces have a role in digital network dispersal and resilience? What kind of role do TD forces have in cyber defence/cyber warfare?
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Questions and Discussion
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Extra Slides
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Finland
Norway
Sweden Estonia RUSSIAN FEDERATION Latvia
Baltic Sea Lithuania
Poland Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS Generic Command Structures: TD Forces
Dr Paul Latawski, Department of War Studies, RMAS