The Joint Expeditionary Force and its contribution to European security
Think tank: RUSI
Author(s): Ed Arnold
December 9, 2024
This report from UK think tank RUSI this paper provides recommendations for the UK to strengthen the Joint Expeditionary Force.
As the new UK government undertakes its Strategic Defence Review, this paper provides recommendations for the UK to strengthen the Joint Expeditionary Force to increase its value to NATO and best contribute to European security.
The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a UK-led, 10-member defence framework focused on northern Europe. In September 2014, at the NATO Wales Summit, the JEF signed its founding Letter of Intent to develop a rapidly deployable force to operate across the full spectrum of operations. During its first decade, the JEF has made an important contribution to European security.
Owing to its design and development, the JEF exhibits several comparative advantages over other European defence and security frameworks: it has political and military leadership, it is flexible and better able to respond to crises, and it has regional expertise and a combined military heft which is increasingly valuable to NATO.
