On 5th October 2021, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer welcomed Vice Admiral Daniel W. Dwyer to NATO HQ, in Brussels, Belgium. The two first met in Norfolk on the 27th September 2021 in the wings of the change of command ceremony for the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
This is the first official visit of Vice Admiral Dwyer to NATO HQ, since he assumed command of Joint Force Command Norfolk in August 2021 – NATO’s newest operational command and the only one located in North America, bringing Europe and North America closer and strengthening shared security.
Building on their previous meeting in Norfolk in September, Admiral Bauer and Vice Admiral Dwyer discussed the growing requirements for NATO to be ready to deter and defend across domains, and underpinned the importance to secure NATO’s strategic lines of communication. “The domains are extensively intertwined and interdependent. This means the strategic lines of communication must be not only be globally monitored over cyber, land, sea, space and in the air but also secured throughout NATO’s zone of responsibility, which is from land to seabed infrastructure, through the sub sea water column, the surface, the airspace above it, and up to space. This ensures NATO’s 360-degree multi-domain battlespace”, highlighted Admiral Bauer. He added that “Norfolk’s coordination of operational effects will not only ensure the continued successful deterrence of any adversary but also provide the ability to act early and improve the responsiveness of NATO”.
Since declaring Full Operational Capability in July 2021 JFC Norfolk has been actively monitoring the Arctic, the GIUK-NOR ¹ Gap, as well as the North Atlantic to ensure NATO’s strategic transatlantic lines of communication remain open in order to support the sustainment of Europe, thus contributing to the 360-degree coverage of SACEUR’s Area of Responsibility. “NATO is resolute in its intent to defend Allies territory, populations and values. Its ability to secure and control the North Atlantic and GIUK-NOR Gap, ensures the movement of personnel and equipment between North America and Europe. The capability to reinforce and enable forces operating in Northern Europe underpins the credibility of the Alliance”, underscored Vice Admiral Dwyer.
JFC Norfolk’s mission and tasks are to deliver multinational and NATO joint effects, maintain readiness, protect the North Atlantic strategic lines of communication, deter aggression, contribute to NATO responsiveness, secure reinforcements and resupply, and if necessary project power to defend its Allies and Partners. JFC Norfolk serves as a link between Allies and partners in the North Atlantic and High North, to ensure activity is aligned within Baseline Activities and Current Operations, to support deterrence and defence of the Euro-Atlantic region.
Vice-Admiral Dwyer also took the opportunity of his visit to meet the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff, Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann as well as other high-ranking officials.
GIUK-NOR Gap is an acronym for the naval choke points in the northern Atlantic Ocean between the landmasses of Greenland, Iceland, the United Kingdom and Norway.