Small European NATO states are too small to build combined arms military capabilities. Should they specialize in holding their ground?
Small frontline countries should become a first layer of defense, focusing their entire defense ecosystem on positional defense. These countries should completely dismantle their current military formations and recreate them with a sole focus on positional defense. Their spending of 5 percent of GDP should focus on infrastructural preparation and fortification of the potential battlefield, both in a physical and virtual sense, including the construction of obstacles, strongpoints, and modern defensive positions. Further investment should be made in camouflage and deception capabilities, deployment of land-, air-, and space-based sensors, early warning systems, antiarmor capabilities, long-range artillery, land, air, and sea drones, and other capabilities that support the effective execution of positional defense. Military formations should be redesigned, and purpose-built for positional defense.
I'd add in the ability to leave stay-behind forces as an invader advances. But armored vehicles have a role in local counter-attacks and as a reserve for bolstering defenses, no? So I'm not sure how specialized a positional role should be. And who does ground-based air defense?
The suggestion is intriguing. But it only really applies to the small Baltic States right now rather than all small NATO states.
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NOTE: Photo of American infantry under fire in World War II.

