STUTTGART, Germany – General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, Commander, U.S. European Command, briefed the United States’ Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veteran’s Affairs and Related Agencies, May 2, 2017.
In his testimony, the General discussed issues from force posture, infrastructure, and Russia to the European Reassurance Initiative as the command continues to transition from a command of security cooperation and engagement to that of defense and deterrence.
The General discussed ongoing efforts to replace the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center as “the Command’s highest priority project,” noting it supports service members across three Geographic Combatant Commands, Central Command, Africa Command and European Command.
In the East, a resurgent Russia has turned from partner to antagonist as it seeks to undermine the Western-led international order and reassert itself as a global power, said the General. “In response to these challenges, EUCOM has shifted its focus from security cooperation and engagement to deterrence and defense. Accordingly, we are adjusting our posture, plans, and readiness so that we remain relevant to the threats we face. In short, we are returning to our historic role as a warfighting command.”
The Army four-star general highlighted the Command’s Alliance as an, “Unmatched advantage over adversaries - a united, capable, warfighting alliance resolved in its purpose and strengthened by shared values that have been forged in battle.”
His comments highlighted European Missile Defense in order to “Defend European NATO populations, territory, and infrastructure against ballistic missile threats from threats outside the region,” referring to the Aegis Ashore facility in Romania. Further work on a site in Poland is ongoing. These defensive sites pose no threat to Russia’s strategic forces and are fully consistent with U.S. obligations under the INF Treaty and have no offensive missile capability.
--30--
Delivered statement is at: http://www.eucom.mil/media-library/transcript/35684/u-s-senate-committee-on-appropriations-subcommittee-on-military-construction-veterans-affairs-and
Video testimony is at: https://www.defense.gov/Video/videoid/522164/
See more about Europe here: https://www.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/0514_Atlantic-Resolve/
U.S. European Command is one of the United States’ two forward-deployed Geographic Combatant Commands whose area of focus cover almost one-fifth of the planet, including all of Europe, large portions of Asia, parts of the Middle East and the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The command is responsible for military relations with NATO and 51 countries with a total population of close to a billion people.
