NATO's Forward 'Layer Cake' Defense-An Outdated Concept

NATO ASTRACT (Contiue on reverse if fleceflafy and identify by block number)This paper looks at NATO's current defensive concept of a forward, "layer cake" deployment to see if it is adequate for NATO's future.It focus' on NATO's Central Front.Using a post CFE,five Corps NATO force it analyzes the "layer cake's" adaptability to the SACEUR, Genera Galvin's, future planning principles and to the Airland Battle tenets of agility, initiativ depth and synchronization.The "layer cake" concept is found to be lacking in mobility and crisis response and does not incorporate the extended warning time or posses a visual and timely deescalation capability.It inhibits agility and initiative at a time when the futur force demands them.NATO's current defensive concept I f a,"'layer cake" defense is inadequat A orecommendation is made of a Flexible Readiness co p"t-that incorporates General Galvin's principles and maximizes the Airland Battle tenets.