Trying to make a new approach at this... from the organisational side.
The below is a guideline from that side, without going into exact procurement goals. I'll probably post something about
that later.
1.0 European Army
1.1.0 European Corps' Commands
In succession of existing NATO and EU Corps commands, the EU implements multiple "European Corps". Each member country contributes combat and support units from its national army to this structure, with the new Corps' capturing all such units under their command.
The "European Corps" would be formed in a classic Corps notion, building on experience from Eurocorps. Each Corps would broadly sweeping consist of the following units as an example:
- one heavy division (3 brigades)
- one medium division (3 brigades)
- one division of either type (3 brigades)
- two infantry brigades, preferably of rapid-reaction type
- one air assault (helicopter) brigade
- various support units
(total 12 brigades + support)
The various Marine forces of member nations would form an additional, separate administrative Corps of the above kind, not necessarily with the above example structure, and perhaps slightly smaller; its subunits, where not Marine in origin, would reflect some care towards their type of equipment for the purpose of the Corps (e.g. preferably light armor, airborne units etc).
In total, the European Union could form about a dozen of the above Corps Commands (or more, probably up to 15 with some expansion).
Like with Eurocorps, member nations generally contribute at at least brigade level. Certain nations (such as France, UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland...) will be represented in Multiple Corps, and would field operational command of at least one such Corps; other nations would be represented in a single Corps with their entire Army. Similar to Eurocorps, at least 3 different member states should be represented within a Corps.
Unlike Eurocorps, these Corps' commands would see a certain cohesion in equipment at the start at least; for example, preferably brigades from various nations with an identical type of tank would be grouped together.
1.1.1 Purpose of the EU Corps
A medium term goal (within say 5 years) should be that each of the above Corps should be able to form three mixed brigade-level battlegroups for
sustained deployment, typically one from each division. The Corps' Infantry Brigades should be able to form two battalion-level battlegroups for rapid-reaction deployment.
Immediate implementation at the start of the scenario would see each Corps fielding at least one, in some cases two brigade-level battlegroups.
This would - on the basis of a dozen Corps - give the EU an example sustainable deployment capacity of roughly 36 brigade combat groups plus 24 rapid-reaction units (together 240.000 men
sustainable capacity).
Taking up the slack from US withdrawal, as well as shifting some troops would likely see about 25% of this above capacity deployed from the start.
1.1.2 Development of the European Corps'
Member nations would strive to harmonize equipment and protocols specifically within their Corps unit. This could include as an example for equipment adopting a unitary SPH type, or the contributing armies forming the Corps-level infantry brigades out of joint units (similar to D/F Brigade).
Over the medium to long term, the above Corps would be grouped into several Armies (the military unit kind of Army), with three to four Corps per Army. Subsequently, the national armies represented within these would start harmonizing at this new, higher level.
At the beginning, likely the national overseas units - such as the Dutch forces in Aruba, French forces in Africa and other places, the Spanish Ceuta and Melilla commands and similar - would not be included within the Corps structures. Such units could in the long term be included in a more or less administrative "EU Overseas Corps".
1.2 Remaining National Army Units
The National Armies, other than maintaining the above units for the European Corps' would of course still maintain further units; these would be primarily territorial support units, as well as reserve formations, administration and perhaps a few guard units and the like.
These units would remain fully under national command and responsibility. Note that these units are rather numerous.
A goal for these units would be to further logistic and strategic cooperation already existing from NATO.
2.0 European Air Force
2.1.0 European Air Divisions
Similar to the above Corps, the Air Forces of member nations would form EU-level "Air Divisions". The number of such air divisions would roughly match the number of Army Corps'.
An Air Division would consist of - for example - about 150 to 200 multirole fighter jets, as well as several squadrons with tactical transport, recon and CSAR aircraft and the like. It would further include two air-defense regiments, as well as a force protection unit at regimental level.
Likely each Air Division would also have an organic AWACS capacity of at least 4-6 aircraft, as well as an organic SEAD/DEAD capacity.
Each Air Division should be able to field an Expeditionary Air Wing consisting of at least a quarter of its aircraft and troops for deployment.
Similar to the Corps, each Air Division would have multiple nations contributing to it, in this case at at least squadron level. Similarly, some cohesion in equipment would be preferable.
2.1.1 Development of the European Air Divisions
Like the Corps, the units involved here would harmonize their equipment to some level.
This would for example pertain to the SAM regiments; a unitary type of equipment would be preferable there. Ordnance carried and deployed by aircraft should increasingly be interchangable, with certain ordnance newly integrated on some aircraft types.
2.2 European Air Logistics Divisions
The heavy transport units of the EU member states, tankers and transport for strategic deployment as well as passenger jets and similar aircraft would be collected within two or three separate Air Logistics Divisions (of similar composition).
These Air Logistics Divisions would pick up from the current EDA EATF initiative, and would take over Joint projects such as SALIS and the NATO Heavy Airlift Wing (C-17s), and develop successor programs for these projects.
2.3 European Pilot Training Divisions
Three joint pilot training divisions would be formed. These would each be sized appropriately to train at least 150-200 pilots for the various air divisions yearly. Over the medium term, preferably all three divisions would switch to typically three aircraft types (prop, jet, lead-in), with each division over the long term using the same aircraft types.
These divisions would pick up from ENJPPT (or whatever that acronym was), and the Eurotrainer initiative.
2.4 National Air Units
Few units would remain under strict national command. Primarily this would affect the French Nuclear Force, but also certain national weapon test centers, as well as units with a civil protection mission such as firefighting.
3.0 Joint Commands
3.1 European Strategic Command
The Strategic Command would primarily be a pool of member nations' global-reach assets - meaning satellite communications, reconnaissance satellites and similar systems.
The systematic goal for the Strategic Command would be two-fold:
- develop an interfacing capacity for its assets, in some cases already implemented
- harmonize new procurement within its field
The Strategic Command would draw from already existing joint initiatives such as the SAR-Lupe/Helios interface or the Athena-Fidus project.
The medium-term goal for the Strategic Command would be to channel the assets of member nations into a global-reaching multi-modal network accessible for the EU Army and the member nations.
[...]
4.0 European Navy
4.1 EU Navy Sealift Command
A straight successor to NATO MSSC. This command would have about 30 national sealift ships under its command at the start.
At EU level, certain goals would be defined for this Command. An example maximum scenario would be projection of forces equal to a full
European Corps within 3 months for defense purposes, requiring a flow of 500.000 tons.
A medium-term solution for this goal could be a small fleet of 6-8 large vehicle cargo ships similar to the the US T-AKRs in addition to keeping the existing sealift fleet, or alternatively at least a doubling of the current sealift fleet, preferably with a unitary sealift ship type.
4.2 EU Navy Littoral Flotillas
The various littoral units of the member nations are grouped into a number of "littoral flotillas".
The littoral flotillas would be primarily assigned specifically to a certain stretch of coastline, or a certain sea area; for example one for the Northern Baltic Sea, one for the Southern Baltic Sea, one for the Channel, one for the Adriatic etc.
These units would be formed by their respective neighboring countries only. A littoral flotilla would consist of specific units for this area, typically guard boats, perhaps a few OPVs and FACs, mine warfare units, coastal support units, but would seek some cohesion within the flotilla especially regarding ordnance (missiles carried).
Each littoral flottila would be able to field one or two units, of any requested type out of its portfolio, to an expeditionary adhoc flotilla.
4.3 EU Amphibious Command
The Amphibious Command would field the about two dozen amphibious ships within the European Union. The primary purpose of the command would be to support the European Marine Corps.
To this end, the Command would field several Amphibious Expeditionary Groups consisting of 4-6 ships each. Cross-training of European Marine Corps units on non-domestic ships is maintained within the command.
The Amphibious Command is primarily an administrative unit coordinating amphibious efforts of the member states.
Apart from the primary purpose, the Amphibious Command can field a number of units to expeditionary adhoc flotillas for other purposes such as disaster relief, adhoc supply ships or as helicopter carriers.
4.5 EU Navy Strategic Force
The Strategic Force would act primarily as a
coordination center between its two subunits - the French and British SSBN groups. The groups themselves would be under strict national command.
4.6 EU Standing Naval Forces
The member states of the EU contribute to nine Standing Naval Forces in peacetime. These Standing Naval Forces would primarily represent a joint presence.
The Standing Naval Forces would be as following:
- two Carrier Battle Groups, with assigned carriers rotating through available units of member states; typically five escorts from various member states, and a submarine.
- two Escort Squadrons, consisting of six frigates or destroyers from the various member states, and perhaps a submarine.
- three Offshore Patrol taskforces, typically consisting of two to three patrol ships, occasionally with a frigate joining in; the purpose of these units would be to maintain a presence within the larger bodies of water around the EU - on the southwest flank, the northwest flank and within the Mediterranean - adding to local national forces of EU members.
- two Littoral Squadrons, consisting of typically four to six mine warfare units with two or three light escorts (corvettes or similar)
4.7 Other EU Navy Units
The rather huge remainder of EU Naval Forces would remain under national command. These units would be rotated into the standing naval forces, but also be available to form adhoc joint groups for EU purposes on demand.
