In its 70th year, NATO, the longest-lived military alliance in the international arena, has been questioned by some environmentalists, while the alliance has made an important decision by announcing space as a new field of operations.
NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels, space, air, land, sea and cyber, as well as decided to become a new field of operations.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that this step "gives a clear message that the Alliance is committed to strengthening defense and deterrence in all areas".
The first goal is to improve the ability to collaborate
NATO's first space move came at a time when international countries such as Russia, China and India began developing satellite systems in space.
Secretary General Stoltenberg, who shared information about the decision, said that this move was necessary for NATO not to lag behind while technological advances in the field of space gained serious momentum.
Stoltenberg pointed out that space can be used for peaceful purposes as well as aggression.
Stoltenberg noted that space activities, which began to affect daily life as well as military space, could paralyze navigation, banking and air travel even if they were used for malicious purposes, underlining that space is also key to the deterrence and defense of the alliance.
Stoltenberg stressed that NATO did not aim to develop its own space power in the first place, and that this decision aims to improve the capabilities of joint cooperation among the allies.
NATO will not receive satellite
Having invested in satellite systems from 1970 to 2000, NATO is not planning to purchase satellite again with the new decision.
The 29-member NATO has about 12 satellites. Half of the 2,000 active satellites currently in space are estimated to be NATO allies.
For the period 2020-2034, NATO envisions an investment of 1 billion euros to enable and facilitate the use of satellite among allies.
Stressing that the new resolution is entirely "defense-oriented in accordance with the spirit of the alliance", NATO also stresses that it will not "arm" space.
By transforming space into a new field of operations, the alliance aims to better utilize the space capabilities already available to Allies and to obtain the necessary assistance for missions and operations.
Article 5 discussion
Article 5 of NATO, which pledges collective defense to all allies, is valid for the Alliance's other areas of operation: air, land, sea and cyber.
Following the Alliance's new move, it is being debated whether the commitment to collective defense applies to space.
NATO does not make a clear statement on this issue, noting that the new decision is focused on defense, it is too early to discuss the validity of Article 5, he says.
"NATO is starting to worry"
Bruno Lete, a senior expert in defense and security in Brussels, the German Marshall Fund think-tank, told AA correspondent that space is becoming increasingly important not only in the economy and daily life, but also in the military field.
Lete said that the satellites in space guide the tanks or warships via GPS, adding that the satellites have become an important part of military strategies.
"It is not difficult for malicious actors to target or destroy satellites or disable them. That is why NATO is increasingly concerned about the security of the satellites they need more and more," Lete said. found.
Recalling that some NATO allies, such as the United States and France, who have already attempted to build space forces, have accused Russia and China of targeting satellite systems, Lete argued that it was necessary for the Alliance to proclaim space as an area of operation.
NATO remains a flashlight of stability
NATO's decision does not mean "space force", Lete said, aiming at the first stage to develop policies, improve its resilience and strengthen its deterrence to better understand the opportunities and tests in space.
Lete underlined that recent criticism of NATO was "sad" and said that French President Emmanuel Macron's assessment of "NATO's brain death has taken place" is of concern for domestic politics.
"NATO remains a flashlight of stability in a rapidly changing security environment," Lete said. the alliance should continue to update itself against new threats, the new decision is also important in this context, he said.
