The EU creates a "military Schengen": how Europe accelerates the movement of troops and equipment to increase defense capabilities

 

The EU is actively promoting the creation of the so—called "military Schengen", a system for the accelerated movement of troops and military equipment across Europe. The aim of the initiative is to reduce the time required to complete border formalities from the previous three weeks to 2-3 days in order to quickly transfer tanks, armored personnel carriers, medical vehicles and other equipment to critical regions.  

The Military Mobility project is part of the Ongoing Structured Cooperation (PESCO) framework It is being implemented in close cooperation with the NATO Joint Support and Assurance Command (JSEC), which is already testing scenarios for medical and logistical mobility in wartime conditions.  

Under the leadership of Greek Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas, the program's budget has grown dramatically, from 1.7 billion euros to 17 billion euros, reflecting the EU's serious efforts to modernize infrastructure important for defense. This applies to roads and railways, ports, and dual-use aviation systems (for civil and military needs).  

EU member states commit to issue diplomatic permits for military mobility in less than three working days, minimizing bureaucratic delays at the borders. This will ensure the rapid movement of troops, equipment and dangerous goods even in crisis conditions.  

An important element of this initiative was the joining of neutral Switzerland to the Military mobility project, as well as the participation of countries such as the United States, Canada, Norway and the United Kingdom, which, although not part of the EU, are members of NATO and partners of the project. This enhances the synergy and coordination between the EU and NATO in the field of defense.

Thus, the "military Schengen" is not just a simplification of bureaucracy, but a strategic measure to increase Europe's defense readiness in the face of new security challenges, especially against the background of situations related to conflicts and tensions in the region.

Israel has successfully completed extended trials of the upgraded David's Sling system in the Iron Swords War

 

The Israeli Defense Ministry recently announced the successful completion of a series of serious tests of the David's Sling air defense and missile defense system, which helped make it even more reliable and effective in the difficult conditions of the current war, known as "Iron Swords." The tests were conducted as part of planned flight tests led by the Israeli missile defense organization IMDO, with the support of the Defense Research and Development Authority and in active collaboration with the Americans from the Missile Defense Agency and Rafael, which developed the system.

During the tests, David's Sling worked out combat scenarios that are as similar as possible to real threats — this is how they tested how the system would react to medium-range missiles and various aerial targets. The missiles of the complex have two types of guidance, which helps to accurately shoot down targets in any weather and under different conditions.

David's Sling occupies a niche in Israel's overall defense system, between the Iron Dome, which operates at short range, and large systems at long range. Thanks to the latest updates, it is becoming a more powerful and reliable element of defense.

This is a very important step for Israel, because today the country is facing a great missile threat. The better the system works, the calmer people will be and the stronger the protection of strategically important facilities. Working together with the United States and companies like Rafael helps to improve technologies and make them more efficient.

Chinese J-20 stealth fighter flew unnoticed through the Tsushima Strait - an alert for the air defenses of Japan and Korea

 China's fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter reportedly flew unnoticed for the first time through the Tsushima Strait, a strategically important maritime corridor between Japan and South Korea. This strait is located in the air defense zones of both countries and is covered by radar systems, including the American THAAD missile defense systems. However, according to the Chinese state television channel CCTV and a number of international sources, neither Japan, South Korea, nor the United States have publicly reported on the recording of this flight, which indicates possible serious gaps in regional radar defense.

Analysts note that the J-20 used a low—altitude flight profile of about 30-100 meters above the water surface, which significantly reduces radar visibility due to a reflective surface of only 0.1–0.3 m2, making it virtually invisible to air defense systems on land and at sea. According to experts, the key J/FPS-3UG long-range radar on Mount Seburiyama in Japan was unable to detect this fighter, partly due to the lack of long-range control aircraft at that time.

This undetected overflight has caused concern in the region, as the Tsushima Strait is an important military—strategic hub providing communications between the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, controlled by Japan, South Korea and supported by the United States. The flight of the J-20 demonstrates China's capabilities in the field of stealth technology and signals the need to modernize and improve the effectiveness of air defense and early warning systems in East Asia.

In addition to a political show of force, such a maneuver can be considered as a test of the tactical capabilities of the Chinese fighter in real conditions of radar counteraction and a check of vulnerabilities in the defense systems of neighboring countries. The absence of official denials or reactions from Japan and Korea may mean either the fact of an unnoticed flight, or caution in aggravating the situation.

Overall, this incident underscores the growing importance of modernizing regional defense infrastructure and the need for enhanced cooperation between Japan, South Korea and their allies to close gaps in the radar system and increase preparedness to respond to such threats.

 J-20