Fernando García Sánchez: Military Easter 2025: renewal?

Military Easter, every January 6, invites us to reflect on the future of the Armed Forces, a path of tradition and renewal. In 1779, Spain and France renewed the Third Family Pact and signed the Treaty of Aranjuez, to support the United States in its fight for independence against Great Britain. One of the objectives of the treaty was the recovery of Spanish sovereignty over the island of Menorca, occupied by the British in 1708 during the War of Succession. The objective was achieved in 1782 and every year, in his memory and as a tribute to the Armed Forces, we celebrate the traditional Military Easter, a tradition that does not consist of maintaining obsolete military decorations or capabilities, but rather values ​​and principles.

It is not about maintaining hats, cocked hats or epaulettes; nor pikes, harquebuses, bayonets or boarding sabers, but the values ​​and principles of the Royal Ordinances of the Armed Forces: unity, hierarchy and discipline, leadership based on preparation and example, initiative, loyalty, critical spirit, austerity, spirit of service and sacrifice, solidarity, “the primacy of ethical principles, which will make [el militar] norm of life…” But above all the courage, to fight, to assume the values ​​that tradition demands of us and to renew oneself.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), revalued by global insecurity, is renewed, essential for the security of Europe, demanding a fair and balanced commitment from its members. The United Nations (UN) faces the challenge of renewing itself or dying. The European Union (EU) seems asleep, without reacting to the global hegemonic struggle that will determine our future. “More Europe” requires more solidarity and generosity between the member states and towards the candidates, an urgent and profound process of renewal. In Spain, the Armed Forces also need a profound renewal or revolution of military affairs.

In the ‘Brief military history of Spain’ (Ministry of Defense, 2023) it is stated that, more than three hundred years ago, King Felipe V, recently arrived in Spain and immersed in the War of Succession, had to “initiate a profound renovation of the Spanish army and fleet (…) The depth of this transformation was of such magnitude that it can be described, without fear of error, as a true military revolution (…) That army replaced the glorious but obsolete thirds. Felipe had received a sarcastic anonymous memorial alerting him to the precarious military situation: “Your Majesty will find more secretaries than captains, more officers of the pen than soldiers with cannons…” The verdict of the anonymous memorial was not far from reality.

The renewal of the Armed Forces, today, must favor their integration into the national security system and develop the necessary capabilities to confront the risks and threats that we identify in our national strategy. Flattery, praise and misleading propaganda lull renewal, which needs a critical spirit, vision of the future and commitment. We need a policy of renewal from the top down, of the State, appropriate, practicable, acceptable and supported by political will and a culture of defense that grows in the field of facts and does not exhaust itself in the swamp of propaganda and self-complacency. . Renewal is not about announcing more budget and personnel; It is to explain to society the mission of the Armed Forces and its higher purpose. So that?

Once the risks and threats in our strategy have been identified, what operational plans do we have in place? What contingency plans do we have planned? What operations do we have committed to with our allies? What quality and quantity of personnel, combat capabilities and financial resources do we need? The combat force is the reason for being of the Armed Forces, and its renewal demands, with urgency and aggressiveness, modifying the structures, capabilities and systems of the last century and obtaining those that ensure its efficiency in 21st century combat. The obligatory and inevitable renewal must ensure an integrated, sustainable force, trained and evaluated to participate in multi-domain, integrated and distributed, national and international operations. An excellent force, with adequately trained, trained and motivated personnel, supported by new technologies with command and control systems based on generative artificial intelligence, quantum programming and secure and resilient links and automated, intelligent and unmanned weapons systems.

The increase in the number of military personnel without explaining why they are needed – and without analyzing the reduction in personnel in the face of a future scenario of greater automation of combat, command, control and operational and administrative management systems – does not help to generate understanding and social support. If the career models and living conditions of the military (salary included) are not improved, nor is there a commitment to intensive use of reservists, the decision of a mere quantitative increase seems superficial and inappropriate.

The increase in spending on materials without a vision beyond the horizon, without a renewal policy, strategy, plan, program and budget in the medium and long term can lead us to waste instead of investing in security. In this renewal policy, the Administration must integrate the industry, the University, the R&D&I network and the renewal policies of our allies with a vision of the future and agile and disruptive plans and programs in the face of the rapid evolution of new technologies. technologies and the way to combat. Only political will and a realistic and flexible medium and long-term programming and financing law, which includes our strategic objectives and those corresponding to the personnel, material and financial areas, will allow renewal. A law that commits, that sets the course and that ensures and makes feasible an integrated and sustainable renewal of our Armed Forces, of everyone and for everyone.

‘Facta, non verba’.

Happy Military Easter.