Currently, NATO members dictate the rules on how and where national special weapons can be used. Under the terms of the new proposal, Grynkewich would have greater power to change assets in the coalition and set military equipment readiness standards without seeking formal approval, officials said.
The proposal would also formalize NATO’s air defense systems in its combat air defense mission in the countries of the Eastern Front and elsewhere, they added, and transfer them to the air defense mission.
Some NATO allies have long complained that these so-called national caves create a patchwork of disparate rules across the alliance and hinder Grynkewich’s ability to quickly eliminate air threats.
Country have discussed raising these restrictions amid drone strikes since at least October, and launch of Iranian ballistic missiles to Turkey earlier this year injected more urgency into the debate for adopting an alliance-wide approach, a NATO official said.
“Nations always look to NATO when a drone enters their airspace,” the official added, but NATO also “requires nations to do their part” by lifting their sanctions.
According to the official, Grynkewich presented his proposals to strengthen the flexibility of the country’s 32 ambassadors earlier this year.
