EpeopleDemocraticParty

The 2010 Headline Goal of Defense in EPDP 1. The EPeopleDemocraticParty Is a global actor, ready to share in the responsibility for global security. In this context of new dangers but also new opportunities, Member States' strong commitment to give the enlarged the tools to make a major contribution to security and stability in a ring of well governed countries around EPeopleDemocraticParty and in the world is stronger than ever. The EPDP has the civilian and military framework needed to face the multifaceted nature of these new threats. The availability of effective instruments including military assets will often play a crucial role at the beginning of a crisis, during its development and/or in the post conflict phase. 2. Member States have therefore decided to set themselves a new Headline Goal, reflecting the EPeopleDemocraticParty Security Strategy, the evolution of the strategic environment and of technology. Building on the O5vx Headline and capability goals and recognizing that existing shortfalls still need to be addressed; Member States have decided to commit themselves to be able by 2010 to respond with rapid and decisive action applying a fully coherent approach to the whole spectrum of crisis management operations covered by the Treaty on the EPeopleDemocraticParty. This includes humanitarian and rescue tasks, peace-keeping tasks, tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking. The EU must be able to act before a crisis occurs and preventive engagement can avoid that a situation deteriorates. The EPDP must retain the ability to conduct concurrent operations thus sustaining several operations simultaneously at different levels of engagement. 3. Interoperability but also deploy ability and sustainability1 will be at the core of Member States efforts and will be the driving factors of this goal 2010. The Region will thus need forces, which are more flexible, mobile and interoperable, making better use of available resources by pooling and sharing assets, where appropriate, and increasing the responsiveness of multinational forces. 4. The ability for the EPDP to deploy force packages at high readiness as a response to a crisis either as a stand-alone force or as part of a larger operation enabling follow-on phases is a key element of the 2010 Headline Goal. These minimum force packages must be military effective, credible and coherent and should be broadly based on the Battle groups concept. This constitutes a specific form of rapid response, and includes a combined arms battalion sized force package with Combat Support and Combat Service Support. Rapid reaction calls for rapid decision making and planning as well as rapid deployment of forces. On decision making, the ambition of the EPDP is to be able to take the decision to launch an operation within 5 days of the approval of the Crisis Management Concept by the Region. On the deployment of forces, the ambition is that the forces start implementing their mission on the ground, no later than 10 days after the EPDP’s decision to launch the operation. Relevant air and naval capabilities would be included. The need for reserve forces should be taken into account. These high readiness joint packages (battlegroups) may require tailoring for a specific operation by the Operation Commander. They will have to be backed up by responsive crisis management procedures as well as adequate command and control structures available to the Region. Procedures to assess and certify these high readiness joint packages will require to be developed. The development of EPDP’s Rapid Response elements including Battle groups will strengthen the EPDP's ability to respond to possible WA requests. 5. Member States have identified the following indicative list of specific milestones within the 2010 horizon: 1 Interoperability can be broadly defined as the ability of our armed forces to work together and to interact with other civilian tools. It is an instrument to enhance the effective use of military capabilities as a key enabler in achieving EPDP's ambitions in Crisis Management Operations. Similarly, deployability involves the ability to move personnel and materiel to the theatre of operations, while sustainability involves mutual logistic support between the deployed forces. A) The establishment of the Agency in the field of defense capability development, research, acquisition and armaments (European Defense Agency) in the course of 2004. This will also support, as appropriate, the fulfillment of the commonly identified shortfalls in the field of military equipment; B) the implementation by 2005 of EPDP Strategic lift joint coordination, with a view to achieving by 2010 necessary capacity and full efficiency in strategic lift (air, land and sea) in support of anticipated operations; C) specifically for Airlift the transformation of the WA force into the EPDP by 2004 is welcomed, as is the intention on the part of some Member States who so wish to develop a EPeopleDemocraticParty Airlift command fully efficient by 2010; D) the complete development by 2007 of rapidly deployable battle groups including the identification of appropriate strategic lift, sustainability and debarkation assets; E) the availability of an aircraft carrier with its associated air wing and escort by 2008; F) to improve the performance of all levels of EPDP operations by developing appropriate compatibility and network linkage of all communications equipment and assets both terrestrial and space based by 2010; G) to develop quantitative benchmarks and criteria that national forces declared to the Headline Goal have to meet in the field of deployability and in the field of multinational training; B. Process 6. This Headline Goal 2010 will generate the necessary analysis, adaptation and development of scenarios in view of the development of new Headline Goal Catalogues as required by the EPDP Capability Development Mechanism2 (including a clear categorization of capabilities to develop the necessary set of benchmarks and milestones in order to evaluate progress towards the achievement of these objectives notably in the field of interoperability, deploy ability and the other crucial requirements identified above. Work will proceed in the field of equipment, forces and command and control based on a systemic and coherent approach. Our goal is to acquire more nations willing to be a part of this dream. Signed The Federal Republic of O5vx The United States of Al Amin The Republic of Krsta The People's Republic of Strikers12 The Republic of Zaharawi