STATUS%20OF%20DEFENSE%20REFORM...

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Communications Aspects of the Hungarian NATO
Integration and the Defence Reform
by Mr. Péter SIKLÓSI, Head of Defence Policy
Department, MoD, HUNGARY 25 February, 2005
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Outline
I.) Political and military aspects of NATO
membership and their communication II.) Major
aspects of the defence review and their
communication
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The Hungarian road to NATO membership

• 1989-90 Change of regime
• 1991 Hungary quits the Warsaw Pact
• 1994 PfP membership
• 1997 Madrid invitation
• 1999 NATO membership

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NATO in a changing world

• A major conventional attack against NATO (Art.
  V) is unlikely
• The role of the asymmetric threats is increasing
• The importance of territorial defence is
  decreasing, the importance of out of area OPS
  is increasing

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Political effects of NATO membership

• Enhanced security (HU regional global)
• NATO enlargement did not create new division
  lines in Europe
• Supported EU membership aspirations

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Military implications of NATO membership

• Security guarantees (Article V)
• Peace Support Operations (Out of Area OPS)
• Team-efforts consensus based
• Strategy-building,
• Defence Planning - Force Planning
• Interoperability Requirements
• HU Integration to RC SOUTH

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Communications aspects of NATO membership

• The communication efforts were lead by the MFA
• The Alliance has no alternative (no possibility
  of neutrality, security requirements, costs
  etc.)
• A successful referendum was a requirement
  (Hungarian internal decision) - 85 Yes
• The decreasing role of territorial defence is
  still unclear (even for some politicians)

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Defence Reform

• Milestones
• Identifying military tasks during defence review
• Determining the necessary capabilities
• Determining financial requirements
• Creating the National Military Strategy
• Integrating the MoD and DS

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Defence Review
Mission
Reasons

• To qualitatively contribute to the Euro-Atlantic
  peace and security
• To balance the new security challenges and
  available resources
• To deliver a properly costed 10 year plan
• To develop realistic, affordable military
  capabilities
• To transform to voluntary based, fully
  professional armed forces

• Changing security environment
• - NATO enlargement
• - 11 September
• Defence and security interests abroad
• Shortfalls, surplus and obsolete capabilities in
  the defence sector
• The current force structure is financially
  unaffordable

Objectives
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Force development considerations

• Collective security requirements
• Retain military capabilities justified by the
  level of ambition
• Operations in Alliance / Coalition
  expeditionary forces
• Modular, multifunctional, flexible forces
• Increase number of deployable combat elements
• Enhance combat support and combat service support
  capabilities
• Focus on Alliance shortfalls (bridging, MP, water
  purification)
• Focus on Niche capabilities (medical, CIMIC,
  NBC, SOF)
• Replace old, obsolete WP equipment with NATO
  compatible ones
• Transition to voluntary based, fully professional
  armed forces

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The long term approach of the HDF transformation
Cost-balanced 10-year Plan (2004-2013)
PHASE I 2004 - 2006
PHASE II 2007 - 2010
PHASE III 2011 - 2013
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Achievements

• Structural changes downsizing the force
• The number of personnel has been reduced
• Quality of training has been improved NCOs,
  contracted soldiers
• Acquisitions
• GRIPEN program, CIS assets, NBC protection
  assets, water purification equipment
• Vehicle program
• Withdrawal of surplus military hardware
• Infrastructure investments
• Garrison reconstructions
• Housing improvements

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New characteristics of HDF

• All volunteer, professional forces new life
  in the barracks
• New ratio of personnel (officer/NCO, rank)
• New career model evaluation, competition,
  retain qualified personnel
• New training concept, improved basic and
  advanced training
• Special skilled personnel from the labour
  market
• Contract soldiers basis for NCO corps
• Outsourcing
• Improve living and working conditions, new
  garrison model reconstruction program

Personnel
Personnel 2006 2008 2014
Units 25 000 23 000 23 500
Integrated MoD and background 4 000 4 000 3 500
S 29 000 27 000 27 000
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Communications aspects of the defence review

• Effects of permanent restructuring and massive
  downsizing since 1985
• The necessity of restructuring and downsizing was
  accepted by the civilian society easier, then by
  the military
• Foreseeable changes, retraining and the
  possibility of early retirement of affected
  personnel can reduce stress

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Thank you for your attention!