USA wollen NATO-Speerspitze verstärken (Update)

Die USA haben zugesagt, die neue Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) der NATO, die Speerspitze, mit Waffen, Gerät und teilweise auch Soldaten zu unterstützen. Die Zusage machte US-Verteidigungsminister Ashton Carter am (heutigen) Montag bei einem Besuch des Deutsch-Niederländischen Korps in Münster, wo er sich gemeinsam mit seinen Kolleginnen aus Deutschland, den Niederlanden und Norwegen über die jüngste VJTF-Übung Noble Jump informierte.

Update: Aus dem Transkript der Aussagen Carters bei der Pressekonferenz in Münster:

I am pleased to announce that the United States will provide many enabling capabilities to the VGATF [Offensichtlich ein Transkriptionsfehler, gemeint ist VJTF. T.W.] . Our support will include ISR, strategic and inter-theater lift, command and control, special-operations capabilities, logistical expertise and assets, and precision joint fire capabilities among others.

We’re doing so following the discussion NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg had with President Obama in the Oval Office a few weeks ago, and I look forward to discussing the specifics with my colleagues further. We’ve discussed it earlier today among the three of us — four of us, but I look forward to discussing it in detail at the defense ministerial in Brussels later this week.
We’re making this commitment to the VJTF because the United States is deeply committed to the collective defense of Europe, as we’ve been for decades and always will be. And we welcome the contributions of NATO allies are making also.

 

Dazu die  Meldung von AP:

The US will contribute weapons, aircraft and forces, including commandos, for Nato’s rapid reaction force, the defense secretary, Ash Carter, said on Monday, to help Europe defend against security threats, including Russia from the east and violent extremists from the south.
Under the plan, the US will contribute intelligence and surveillance capabilities, special operations forces, logistics, transport aircraft, and a range of weapons support that could include bombers, fighters and ship-based missiles. It would not provide a large ground force.

Bei der Übung Noble Jump, die vom Korps aus Münster gesteuert wurde, waren die USA bereits mit Blackhawk-Hubschraubern beteiligt (Foto oben).

Nachtrag: Von Carter gibt es auch Transkripte seiner Rede und der anschließenden Pressekonferenz in Berlin.

(Foto: Dutch Airmobile soldiers train the specific skills and drills that come with working together with Blackhawk helicopters of the US Army. Zagan training area, 15 June 2015 – Deutsch-Niederländisches Korps/Evert-Jan Daniels)