Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

This study evaluates the implementation of NATO environmental protection requirements across operational phases using a checklist-based gap analysis. Eight environmental domains within the Czech Armed Forces were assessed by comparing current and target states of compliance. Results indicate overall high to full implementation, with full compliance achieved in waste management, POL handling, HAZMAT and water management. Higher implementation gaps persist in air quality, energy management, and infrastructure planning, reflecting sensitivity to operational constraints. The findings confirm that environmental compliance is phase-dependent and influenced by infrastructure, logistics, and resource availability, highlighting the need for scalable and early integrated environmental measures.

Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) have become central to NATO’s approach to future warfare, requiring the integration of military effects across Land, Sea, Air, Cyberspace, and Space. This article analyses whether the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP) adequately reflects the capability requirements generated by the MDO concept. Drawing on unclassified NATO documents and open sources, the study identifies structural misalignment between domain‑centric capability planning and the integrative, data‑centric demands of MDO, and outlines implications for the adaptation of NATO defence planning.

This paper examines the role of training programme accreditation in enhancing interoperability within NATO. A case study of the Slovak JTAC programme supported by SWOT analysis and document review was applied. In this paper we have found that accreditation improves procedural standardisation, technological compatibility and operational performance, while revealing resource and organisational challenges. The study expands understanding of interoperability through a multi-layered framework as a research implication. Recommendations support optimisation of training, resource use and capability development which is a clear practical implication. Originality and value have been achieved by providing a unique empirical view of accreditation as a key tool for strengthening NATO's interoperability.

This paper analyses projections of defence expenditure in the Bucharest Nine (B9) countries in the context of NATO’s new commitment from the 2025 Hague Summit. Based on historical data and national declarations, we model two scenarios for development through 2035: the baseline trend and national ambition. The results show significant polarization within B9 countries. While the countries of the northeastern flank (Poland, the Baltic states) are accelerating toward 5.5% of GDP, the countries of Central Europe and the Balkans are converging more toward the baseline level of 3.5%. The study identifies the fiscal limits of this transformation and structural differences in the implementation of the new alliance goals.).

This study evaluates the role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in demining operations and environmental monitoring under wartime and post-conflict conditions. A structured literature review (2015–present) assessed UAV-enabled detection, mapping, and environmental sensing capabilities. The results indicate that UAVs significantly enhance reconnaissance efficiency, reduce suspected hazardous areas, and improve safety, yet cannot independently meet humanitarian clearance standards. While wartime use prioritises rapid risk mitigation, post-conflict deployment supports systematic clearance, environmental monitoring, and land restoration. The study highlights a gap in doctrinal integration and underscores the need for standardised UAV-based demining and environmental workflows.

Military expenditures represent an important component of government spending devoted to the provision of national defense as a core public good. Despite their importance, no universally accepted definition of military expenditure exists, as national governments and international organizations apply differing conceptual and methodological approaches. This paper examines the evolution of defense burden, measured as military expenditure as a share of gross domestic product across NATO member countries from 2010 to 2025, with particular attention to NATO spending commitments adopted at the Wales Summit in 2014, all within the context of the current defense spending commitment adopted during the Hague Summit in 2025. Using SIPRI military expenditure data, defense burden trends are analyzed in three periods: pre-2014, post-2014 and pre-2022, and post-2022 following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The results reveal a long-term shift from declining defense burdens prior to 2014 toward a sustained increase across most NATO members after the Wales Summit, with a pronounced acceleration after 2022. While the NATO-wide average defense burden rose above 2% of GDP by 2025, significant disparities among member states persist. A detailed case study of the Czech Republic demonstrates a broadly similar but lagging trajectory, with defense spending consistently remaining below NATO average and median values and failing to reach the 2% GDP threshold by 2025. The findings underscore structural differences in burden sharing within NATO and highlight the relevance of past spending behavior for assessing the credibility of current and future defense commitments.

This article examines the political responses of NATO member states to the 2025 Hague Pledge, which combines a 3.5% core defence target with a 1.5% resilience component. Based on structured qualitative coding of official statements, government documents, and media reports, it develops the Hague Negotiation Score (HNS) for 25 member states. The findings show that formal consensus masks significant differences: strong support is concentrated among allies on the eastern flank and the United Kingdom, while others accept, reinterpret, postpone, or resist this commitment. The article adds an ex-ante perspective to debates on burden-sharing within NATO.

Growing maritime activity, climate driven changes, and geopolitical competition are increasing the strategic importance of the Arctic and raising new security concerns for NATO. This study examines how defence and security professionals in Lithuania perceive Arctic geopolitical risks, NATO maritime preparedness, regional threats, and future security scenarios. A quantitative survey was conducted using a five point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlation, the Kruskal Wallis test, and K-Means cluster analysis. Three distinct respondent opinion clusters were identified: Manageable Situation, Lowest Perceived Threat, and Growing Threat. The results showed that stronger perceptions of geopolitical competition were associated with higher perceived escalation risk. Perceived Russian threat was positively associated with support for increased NATO investment in long term Arctic capabilities. In contrast, assessments of NATO preparedness and respondents' professional experience were not significantly associated with perceived escalation risk. The findings indicate that support for stronger NATO engagement in the Arctic is mainly shaped by perceptions of specific security threats rather than general assessments of NATO capabilities. The study supports continued attention to long term maritime capability development, regional cooperation, and changing Arctic security conditions.

This paper analyzes one-way attack UAV saturation and air defense adaptation using open-source attack data recorded by Shahed-136/131 UAVs in Ukraine. Descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and non-parametric tests indicate rapid growth in UAV volume, partial saturation effects, and a clear distinction between kinetic destruction and broader neutralization. The study contributes a measurable counter-UAS assessment model that links attack volume, defensive performance, and small-state air defense planning.

The increasing weight and technological complexity of modern main battle tanks (MBTs), particularly the Leopard 2 series, impose substantial demands on military transport systems and supporting infrastructure. This study evaluates the logistical and infrastructural constraints associated with the transport of heavy armoured vehicles within the Czech Armed Forces (CAF) in the context of NATO military mobility requirements. The analysis focuses on both road and rail transport systems, with emphasis on technical compatibility, regulatory compliance, and operational feasibility. The methodological approach combines comparative analysis of vehicle and transport system parameters, empirical axle load measurements, and assessment of compliance with national legislation and NATO transport standards. The study further integrates infrastructure-oriented evaluation to capture systemic constraints affecting mobility performance. The results indicate that road transport operations frequently exceed permissible axle load limits defined by national legislation, while rail transport is constrained by insufficient wagon load capacity and limitations in vehicle securing systems. These constraints collectively reduce the operational flexibility of heavy armoured vehicle deployment. The findings demonstrate that current transport capabilities within the CAF are only partially sufficient for the deployment of Leopard 2 MBT without operational restrictions or reliance on external logistical support. These limitations negatively affect strategic mobility and rapid deployment capability, particularly within multinational operational frameworks. The study therefore highlights the need for continued modernisation of transport assets, adaptation of transport infrastructure, and closer alignment with NATO standardisation and European military mobility initiatives.