Today (23 March) the Chiefs of Defence of Belgium and Estonia formally opened the first Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative (MAWI) location in Estonia.
Other Allies are also expected to use the warehouse for storing their munitions in the context of their enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) contributions. Additional MAWI locations in support of the eFP as well as the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) could be opened to further strengthen NATO’s battle groups.
The MAWI location in Estonia will save resources and prevent logistical problems by eliminating the need for unnecessarily rotating munitions stockpiles in conjunction with the various deployment cycles.
The long-term ambition is that the MAWI high-visibility project will change the way NATO Allies and partners go about the storing and distribution of munition stockpiles. This will free up resources for other defence purposes.