EU Battlegroup (NBG)
Concept
The Battlegroup (BG) is a specific form of the EU’s rapid response elements and is one possible answer to the timely provision of the necessary capabilities for an EU rapid response operation.
In this context a BG
- is the minimum militarily effective, credible, rapidly deployable, coherent force package
- capable of stand-alone operations, or for the initial phase of larger operations;
- is based on a combined arms, battalion sized force and reinforced with Combat Support and Combat Service Support elements;
- will be based on the principle of multinationality and can be formed by a Framework Nation or a multinational coalition of Member States. In any case, interoperability and military effectiveness have to be the key criteria;
- must be associated with a (F)HQ and pre-identified operational and strategic enablers, such as strategic lift and logistics.
Characteristics
- Designed for a range of possible missions
- Generic composition of a BG = +/- 1500 troops
- All deployment assets & capabilities will be associated with it
- Sustainability: 30 days initially, extendable to 120, if re-supplied appropriately
- Close relation between the core of the BG (Infantry Battalion) and the (F)HQ; prior training and interoperability required
Requirements
- Utility across all Treaty + ESS tasks; full potential best in tasks of combat forces in crisis management, bearing in mind their limited size
- Could be on request of the UN or under UN mandate
- Potential area: outside EU (possibly for long range operations)
- Concurrency: 2 single BG ops
- Number on standby: minimum 2
- Readiness: 5 - 10 days
- Assured deployability
- Training and certification is MS responsibility
BG provision
- Different ways of construction of BG-Package; tailoring by the OpCdr possible
- MS indicate stand-by time and recurrence of BG-Package
- MS to offer complete BG-Packages, which may be different the next time they are offered
- BG needs to be both militarily effective and based on the principle of multinationality
- Battle Group Co-ordination Conference twice a year.
