New challenges of the Host Nation Support in the light of the NATO 2022 Strategic Concept

Abstract

Host National Support (HNS) is one of the fundamental pillars of logistical support, which, with the infrastructure, materials and services it provides, is indispensable for NATO's collective defense efforts. Therefore, as a form of allied logistic support, it is to be taken into consideration primarily, besides the logistics support by a Logistic Lead Nation, a Logistic Role Specialist Nation, a Multinational Integrated Logistic Unit, and through Contractor Support to Operations. However, this form of support is not just a logistical function, but rather an approach that mobilizes the entire government of a given host nation, which raises the responsibility of the given country to a higher level, but also opens up new opportunities for the creation of multinational solutions. The BNT is able to reduce the pressure on the logistics system of the sending nations, which basically arises from the volume of demands from the combatants and the deadlines defined by the operational plan. As a result of the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 and the civil war situation in Eastern Ukraine, the role of support to be provided by host nations for possible European operations has come to the fore. However, the new NATO Strategic Concept created after the Russian attack on Ukraine launched in February 2022, together with the NATO New Force Model, has now presented the future host nations with unprecedented challenges, especially those located at the eastern flank of the alliance. The author tries to present these challenges in this article.