Finland plans to participate in the EU’s new rapid action force under construction.
The Ministry of Defense reports that the Defense Forces are currently mapping out what kind of troops Finland could deploy there.
It is about the so-called EU rapid deployment capacity, or RDC (EU Rapid Deployment Capacity). Its development was decided about a year and a half ago, when the EU adopted its strategic compass.
The strategic compass is a document that guides the European Union’s security and defense cooperation. For example, the Finnish Ministry of Defense characterizes the strategic compass as the EU’s defense report.
of the RDC group construction and development have taken place quietly. The matter has not been kept a secret, but has been left at the feet of larger news events such as the war in Ukraine.
It’s not about a traditional troop division or combat division, but rather the ability to form the necessary war force.
The new rapid action capability is intended to be used for immediate threat situations or crises outside the EU. According to HS information, Finland hopes that the force could also be used in neighboring regions of the EU.
RDC is the EU’s ability to form a force of about 5,000 troops at most, the exact composition and size of which depends on what it is used for.
Commander of the Defense Forces Timo Kivinen mentioned the passing of the RDC when he spoke at the opening of the National Defense Course on Monday.
According to Kivinen, it is clear that Europe must do more and more for its own security and that this is understood in Europe. However, according to him, there is no time to waste.
General Timo Kivinen brought up the new RDC concept in his opening speech of the national defense course on November 6.
Kivinen said that while NATO is still responsible for collective defense, the EU’s military cooperation focuses on crisis management outside its own territory, the development of military capabilities and the development of the European defense industry.
“The goal is for the new so-called Rapid Deployment concept to be in use in 2025,” Kivinen said.
However, according to HS’s information, Finland does not commit to the operation of the RDC in 2025, but only later.
Stony followed in his speech the EU’s foreign relations leader by Josep Borrell A wish expressed by the European Union’s military committee at a meeting last month.
Borrell hoped that military commanders would convey a message to their countries’ policy makers that they should use more political energy to advance the ambitious goals of the EU’s strategic compass.
The EU Military Committee includes the commanders of the armed forces of the member states. The committee manages all EU military activities.
in the EU has already had two battle divisions on standby since 2007. The strength of a single combat division has varied, but has generally been around 1,500 to 2,000 soldiers.
EU combat units have never been used, which is why they have been criticized as unnecessary and expensive. Finland will participate next time In the EU combat department next year, with the clearing unit set by the Navy.
However, it is not intended to abolish the EU’s combat divisions under the new rapid action force. The new RDC concept is based on the basis of EU combat divisions and their development.
The RDC force will be formed from the current modified EU combat units on standby and from other forces assigned to the RDC by their various member countries.
If necessary, the RDC includes the departments of the land, sea and air forces and their supporting parts, which could be, for example, cyber warfare or long-range transport capabilities.
The RDC is always formed for one year at a time. This also means that the EU’s current six-month holidays will become one year long.
As a purpose is that the RDC regularly organizes so-called Livex war exercises (Live Exercise).
The first Livex exercise was organized in mid-October in Spain. The central location of the exercise was the Rota naval base.
2,800 soldiers from nine EU countries participated in the exercise. Finland was not among them. There were 31 military divisions, 25 aircraft and six ships.
The scenario of the exercise told about the purpose of the new military capability.
In the scenario, a non-EU country asked for military assistance. The EU responded positively to the request and sent a landing party to help, which secured the port and proceeded inland.
The next Livex exercise is planned to be held in the second half of next year.
Finland was not yet involved in the Livex exercise organized in Spain in October. Livex exercises are planned to be held annually in the future.
in the EU various scenarios are currently being prepared, in which situations the new rapid action force could be used and what kind of customization of the force each situation requires. The use could be related to, for example, an evacuation operation, forcing peace or delivering humanitarian aid.
The aim is also to strengthen the EU’s military crisis management planning and management capability, so that it could effectively lead the future rapid action capability.
With regard to the RDC, however, it is still unclear, for example, how its funding will be handled equally among the member countries.
The use of the EU’s current combat units has resulted in the fact that political consensus for their use has not been found, even if there were opportunities.
The same problem also exists with the use of the new rapid response force: the same politicians decide on the use of the RDC.
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