Switzerland, a neutral nation, has joined Europe’s Military Mobility project, intended to remove obstacles during military movements and to speed up travel times within the EU.
The PESCO project, formed in 2018, functions as an active forum among 29 nations, led by the Netherlands, for the exchange of information and best practices regarding improvements on military mobility.
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This applies to transport by road, rail, air and inland waterways.
Moving equipment and troops can prove to be a monumental task. These logistical missions are often delayed by administrative and infrastructural problems: customs formalities or narrow roads and bridges.
Moreover, there are other forms of threats to cross-border logistical movements, for example, the Western intelligence community has previously warned of growing Russian cyber threats to the critical flow of allied security assistance bound for Ukraine.
Removing these obstacles is usually the responsibility of each individual country. However, the PESCO project helps participating countries to coordinate and exchange information about their national efforts.
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By GlobalDataIn joining the project, Switzerland aims to improve administrative processes through more ‘standardisation’. This should benefit the unity around the defence apparatus of the Alpine country.
Transatlantic military mobility
In 2024, a new military transport corridor also formed, spanning the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland born out of concern for the smooth supply of troops and equipment to Eastern Europe. Particularly in the Baltic States, where Nato allies exercise a persistent collective forward presence.
In Nato’s northern reaches – spanning Norway, Sweden, and Finland, from the North Sea to the Baltic – another military transport corridor was established in June 2024. It is worth noting that the three northern partners are members of both the PESCO Military Mobility project and Nato.
“Previously, we have thought in terms of north-south when planning the transport of military personnel and equipment,” stated Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre. “Now we will also be thinking west-east to a greater extent.”
Transportation exercises are also taking place besides the alleviation of cross-border movements. One notable convoy rehearsal took place on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea – a major grey-zone region of contention between Nato and Russia.
The US Sixth Fleet and the Danish military coordinated a convoy transporting a modular containerised missile launcher. The portable, shore-based system is said to increase the Navy’s flexibility to move and deploy weapon systems to support maritime security along sea lines of communication.
