Stacy Cummings delivered a speech at the Defence and Security Committee and the Economic and Security Committee, explaining how NSPA enables the Alliance to respond rapidly to emerging security challenges and maintain its operational readiness through leveraging collaboration and synergy in procurement and logistics.
At a time when Nations are facing the urgent and challenging requirement to rebuild their defence industrial bases in order to maintain legacy platforms, a new war in Europe has boosted the Alliance’s resolve to address defence and security, not only more urgently, but also jointly. This has further highlighted the need for multinational capability coordination. It is vital that we enhance our military capabilities through modernisation, innovation, and most urgently: coordinated multinational procurement along with collective logistics support.
“By pooling resources and expertise, we can optimise Nations’ defence spending, increase efficiency, and ultimately strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities”, she stated adding, “NSPA already provides existing capabilities and capacities that are in place to meet this intent, when tasked and funded.”
Stacy Cummings provided examples of this approach related to the proven Support Partnership (SP) mechanism, a distinctive feature of NSPA, a multinational arrangement established on the initiative of two or more NATO nations wishing to organize common acquisition, support and service activities.
In enumerating the benefits of a coordinated approach to procurement and logistics, Stacy Cummings mentioned:
• The opportunity to leverage economies of scale:: “By consolidating demand and making collective investments in capabilities, we can reduce costs and achieve better value for money. It also avoids competition between customers for scarce industrial resources. This is particularly crucial in an era of constrained, yet increasing defence budgets, where every euro or dollar spent must deliver increased defence capability and capacity.”
• The opportunity to foster technological innovation: “By collaborating on research and development projects, we can pool our intellectual capital, encourage knowledge exchange, and stay at the forefront of technological advancements. This is particularly relevant in the context of emerging threats such as cyber warfare, hybrid warfare, autonomy and artificial intelligence; where antagonist entities are constantly evolving their capabilities.”
“In summary”, she said, “”By investing in and strengthening multinational procurement and logistics, NATO enhances its readiness, operational effectiveness, and interoperability”, adding: “By working together, across nations and with Industry, NATO will be able to build a more robust, agile, and unified alliance capable of effectively countering the challenges of the 21st century.”
NSPA”s participation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session was an important opportunity for the Agency to facilitate awareness and understanding of Multinational Procurement and Logistics to NATO Parliamentarians. Since its creation in 1955, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has provided a unique specialised forum for members of parliament from across the Atlantic Alliance to discuss and influence decisions on Alliance security. Crucially, it helps to strengthen the transatlantic relationship and the values which underpin the Alliance.
