NATO: the number of troops and weapons

NATO, or the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military-political alliance created in 1949 as a counterweight to the growing danger posed by the Soviet Union, which pursued a policy of supporting communist movements in Europe. First, the organization included 12 states - ten European countries, as well as the USA and Canada. Now NATO is the largest alliance, consisting of 28 countries.

Formation of the alliance

A few years after the end of the war, at the end of the 1940s, the danger of new international conflicts arose - a coup occurred in Czechoslovakia, in the countries of Eastern Europe non-democratic regimes were established. Governments of Western European countries were concerned about the growing military power of the Soviet Union and direct threats to Norway, Greece and other states on its part. In 1948, five Western European countries signed the Treaty of Intent to create a unified system for the protection of their sovereignty, which later became the basis for the design of the North Atlantic alliance.

The main goal of the organization was to ensure the security of its members and the political integration of European countries. Over the years of its existence, NATO has several times adopted new members. At the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, after the collapse of the USSR and the Organization of the Warsaw Treaty countries, the North Atlantic bloc adopted several Eastern European countries and former Soviet republics that increased the number of troops of NATO countries.

The strategy of "containment"

The duration of the treaty between the NATO member states at the time of its signing was determined at twenty years, but its automatic extension was also envisaged. The text of the treaty stressed the obligation not to carry out actions that are contrary to the UN Charter, to promote international security. A strategy of "containment" was proclaimed, which was based on the concept of "shield and sword". The basis of the "deterrence" policy was to make the military power of the alliance. One of the ideologists of this strategy stressed that of the five regions around the world with the possibility of creating military power - this is the United States, Britain, the USSR, Japan and Germany - one is controlled by the Communists. Therefore, the main goal of the policy of "containment" was to prevent the spread of the ideas of communism to other regions.

The concept of "shield and sword"

The stated concept was based on the US supremacy in the possession of nuclear weapons. The retaliatory blow to aggression was the possible use of nuclear weapons of small destructive power. Under the "shield" is meant the land forces of Europe with strong support from aviation and the navy, and the "sword" - US strategic bombers with nuclear weapons on board. According to this understanding, the following tasks were considered:

1. The United States had to carry out strategic bombardments.

2. The main naval operations were carried out by the US and Allied naval forces.

3. The number of NATO troops provided mobilization in Europe.

4. The main forces of short-range air defense and air defense also provided European countries led by Great Britain and France.

5. The remaining countries, which are members of NATO, were to assist in solving special tasks.

Formation of the armed forces of the alliance

However, in 1950, North Korea attacked the South. This military conflict showed the inadequacy and limitations of the "containment" strategy. It was necessary to develop a new strategy that would be a continuation of the concept. It was the "advanced defense" strategy, according to which it was decided to create the United Armed Forces of the bloc - the coalition forces of the NATO member states stationed in Europe under a single command. The development of the united forces of the bloc can be conditionally divided into four periods.

The NATO Council developed a "short" plan, designed for four years. It was built on the possibility of using those military resources that at that time were available to NATO: the number of troops was 12 divisions, about 400 aircraft, a certain number of ships. The plan provided for the possibility of a conflict in the near future and the withdrawal of troops to the borders of Western Europe and the Atlantic ports. Simultaneously, the development of "medium" and "long-term" plans was conducted. The first of them provided for the maintenance of armed forces in a state of combat readiness, and in the event of a military conflict, deterring enemy forces to the Rhine River. The second was designed to prepare for a probable "big war", which provided for the conduct of major military operations already east of the Rhine.

The strategy of "massive retaliation"

As a result of these decisions, in three years NATO strength increased from four million in 1950 to 6.8 million. The number of US regular armed forces has also increased - from 1.5 million people in two years it has grown 2.5 times. Characteristic in this period is the transition to the strategy of "massive retaliation". The United States no longer had a monopoly on nuclear weapons, but they had superiority in means of delivery, as well as in quantity, which gave them some advantages in a probable war. This strategy presupposed the conduct of a total nuclear war against the Soviet Union. Therefore, the United States saw its task in strengthening strategic aviation for delivering nuclear strikes on the enemy's deep rear areas.

The doctrine of limited war

The beginning of the second period of the history of the armed forces of the bloc can be considered the signing of the 1954 Paris Agreements. According to the doctrine of a limited war, it was decided to provide European countries with short-range and long-range missiles. The role of the combined ground forces of the Allies as one of the constituent parts of the NATO system has grown. The establishment of missile bases on the territory of European countries was envisaged.

The total number of NATO troops was more than 90 divisions, more than three thousand means of delivery of nuclear weapons. In 1955, the OVR - the Warsaw Treaty Organization was created , a few months later the first summit was held, devoted to the problems of detente. In these years there was a certain warming in relations between the US and the USSR, nevertheless the arms race continued.

In 1960, NATO had more than five million troops. If we add backup units, territorial formations and the national guard to them, the total number of NATO troops was over 9.5 million, about 500 operational missile systems and more than 25,000 tanks, about 8,000 aircraft, of which 25% Carriers of nuclear weapons on board and two thousand warships.

Arms race

The third period was characterized by a new strategy of "flexible response" and the rearmament of the combined forces. In the 1960s, the international situation deteriorated again. The Berlin and the Caribbean crises took place, then there were the events of the Prague Spring. A five-year plan for the development of the armed forces was adopted, providing for the creation of a single fund for communication systems and other measures.

In the 70s of the 20th century, the fourth period of the development of the united coalition forces began, and another concept of the "beheading strike" was adopted, which set the primary task of destroying enemy communications sites so that he did not have time to make a decision about the retaliatory strike. On the basis of this concept, the production of the newest generation of cruise missiles was launched, with a highly striking accuracy of the set targets. NATO troops in Europe, the number of which increased every year, could not but alarm the Soviet Union. Therefore, he also proceeded to modernize the delivery of nuclear weapons. And after the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan , a new aggravation of relations began. However, with the coming to power in the Soviet Union of the new leadership, a radical turn took place in the country's international policy, and in the late 1990s an end was brought to the end of the Cold War.

Reduction of NATO armaments

As part of the reorganization of NATO forces by 2006, it was planned to create a NATO Response Force with a strength of 21,000 troops representing the Army, Air Force and Navy. These troops were required to possess all the necessary means to conduct operations of any intensity. The Rapid Reaction Force will comprise units of national armies, replacing each other every six months. The bulk of the military force was to be provided by Spain, France and Germany, as well as the United States. It was also necessary to improve the command structure by types of armed forces, reducing the number of control bodies by 30%. If we consider the number of NATO troops in Europe by years and compare these figures, we can see a significant reduction in the number of weapons that the alliance held in Europe. The United States began to withdraw its troops from Europe, part of them were sent home, and some - to other regions.

The expansion of NATO

In the 1990s, consultations between NATO and its partners in the Partnership for Peace programs began, in which both Russia and the Mediterranean Dialogue took part. Within the framework of these programs, the organization decided to admit new members to the organization - former Eastern European states. In 1999, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary joined NATO, as a result of which the unit received 360,000 troops, more than 500 military aircraft and helicopters, fifty battle ships, approximately 7,500 tanks and other equipment.

The second wave of expansion added to the bloc seven countries - four Eastern European, as well as the former Baltic republics of the Soviet Union. As a result, the number of NATO troops in Eastern Europe increased by 142 thousand more people, 344 aircraft, more than 1,500 tanks and several dozens of warships.

The relationship between NATO and Russia

These events were negatively perceived in Russia, but the terrorist attack of 2001 and the emergence of international terrorism again brought the positions of Russia and NATO closer together. The Russian Federation provided its airspace to the aircraft of the block for bombing in Afghanistan. At the same time, Russia opposed the expansion of NATO to the east and the entry into its composition of the former Soviet republics. Particularly strong contradictions between them arose in connection with Ukraine and Georgia. Prospects for NATO-Russia relations are of concern to many today, and different points of view are expressed on this issue. The number of troops of NATO and Russia is almost comparable. No one seriously represents the military confrontation of these forces, and in the future it is necessary to search for options for dialogue and the adoption of compromise solutions.

NATO involvement in local conflicts

Since the 90s of the 20th century, NATO has been involved in several local conflicts. The first of them was Operation Desert Storm. When the Iraqi armed forces entered Kuwait in August 1990, a decision was taken to transfer the multinational forces there and a powerful group was created. The number of NATO troops in Operation Desert Storm amounted to more than two thousand aircraft with a supply of material, 20 strategic bombers, more than 1,700 tactical aircraft and about 500 aircraft. The entire aviation group was transferred to the command of the 9th Air Army of the United States Air Force. After prolonged bombardments, the ground troops of the coalition won a victory over Iraq.

NATO peacekeeping operations

The North Atlantic bloc also participated in peacekeeping operations in the areas of the former Yugoslavia. With the sanction of the UN Security Council in December 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina was introduced to the ground forces of the alliance to prevent military clashes between communities. After carrying out an air operation code-named "Minded Force", the war was ended by the Dayton Agreement. In 1998-1999 years. During the armed conflict in the southern province of Kosovo and Metohija, a peacekeeping contingent was deployed under the command of NATO, the number of troops was 49.5 thousand. In 2001, in the armed conflict in Macedonia, the active actions of the European Union and the North Atlantic bloc forced the parties to sign the Ohrid agreement. The major operations of NATO are also "Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan and Libya.

The new NATO concept

In early 2010, NATO adopted a new strategic concept, according to which the North Atlantic bloc must continue to address three main tasks. It:

• Collective defense - when attacking one of the countries that are members of the alliance, the rest will help it;
• Security - NATO will contribute to strengthening security in partnership with other countries and with open doors for European countries if their principles are in line with NATO criteria;
• Crisis management - NATO will use the full range of available effective military and political means to overcome emerging crises if they threaten its security, before these crisis situations escalate into armed conflicts.

To date, the number of NATO troops in the world is, according to data for 2015, 1.5 million soldiers, of which 990 thousand are American troops. Joint rapid response units are 30 thousand people, they are supplemented by airborne and other special units. These armed forces can arrive on their destination in a short time - within 3-10 days.

Russia and the member states of the alliance are in constant political dialogue on the most important security issues. The NATO-Russia Council has established working groups for cooperation in various fields. Despite disagreements, both sides are aware of the need to seek common priorities in the matter of international security.