6-7 May 2004

NATO to enhance defense against terrorism News 27/04/2004 - NATO CNAD exhibition on equipment and technologies for Defence against Terrorism Opinions Speech by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, at the CNAD exhibition Defence Against Terrorism, NATO HQ Multimedia High resolution photos of the CNAD Exhibition At a meeting at NATO on 6 and 7 May, Armaments Directors from the 26 NATO countries launched a package of projects to enhance the Alliance’s capability to protect populations and troops from terrorist attacks. Defense against terrorism was the main theme of this first meeting of the biannual Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) in 2004. Combating terrorism was recognized as the highest priority and a Programme of Work for Defense Against Terrorism endorsed. Protecting against deadly threats The Programme consists of eight priority armaments projects that, once implemented, will give the Alliance the capabilities to counter very real, and very specific threats. These are: reducing the vulnerability of large-body aircraft to portable air-ground missiles; protecting harbors and vessels from surface and subsurface attacks; reducing the vulnerability of helicopters to ground attack; countering improvised explosive devices; precision air drop technology for special operations forces; detection, protection and defeat of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons; new technology for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance of terrorist activities; and explosive disposal and consequence management. “These projects are a major step forward as they aim to counter specific, real-life threats and protect civilians and soldiers from terrorist attacks,” said NATO Spokesman James Appathurai, “Equally important, for the first time ever NATO has a single, co-ordinated programme of work for developing cutting-edge capabilities for combating terrorism.” The Programme of Work will form part of an enhanced anti-terrorism package that is expected to be adopted by Heads of State and Government at the upcoming Istanbul Summit, 28 and 29 June. A special industrial exhibition on Equipment and Technologies for Defence Against Terrorism was held at the same time, co-oganized by the CNAD and NATO’s Research and Technology Organisation. Improving capabilities The CNAD also agreed on 15 projects for addressing key shortfalls in NATO’s operational capabilities, essential to NATO’s future operations and the NATO Response Force. These will focus on areas, which are priorities not just for NATO but to individual national militaries as well. Progress was also achieved in two important programmes, theatre missile defence and ground surveillance. The CNAD is the senior NATO committee responsible for armaments cooperation, materiel standardisation and defence procurement matters. It is at the head of an extensive sub-structure of specialist committees and reports directly to the North Atlantic Council - NATO's senior decision-making body. This was its first meeting following NATO’s enlargement to 26.