All ten member nations of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) have agreed on a new framework for maritime cooperation. The agreement means that the countries will deepen cooperation in areas including training, operational planning, logistics and capability development, in order to increase interoperability between the participating navies.
According to a press release from the British naval service, the Royal Navy, the so-called Maritime Proposition means that JEF nations intend to move from recurring joint activities to a more integrated maritime cooperation. The goal is for naval forces to be assembled and operate jointly more rapidly when required.
The cooperation encompasses Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Under the terms of the agreement, the countries will coordinate doctrine, training, operational planning, logistics and capability development. The ambition also includes increasing opportunities to apply common standards and, in time, to share or exchange equipment, spare parts, ammunition and personnel between the participating navies.
"The proposition that all ten JEF nations have now agreed upon represents a historic change. It is about moving from periodic cooperation to a truly integrated way of working, where our forces can be rapidly assembled and immediately operate together when needed," said the United Kingdom's First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Gwyn Jenkins, in a press release.
According to the Royal Navy, the cooperation will also encompass common standards for training and readiness, improved operational planning, and integrated solutions for maintenance and supply across national borders. The nations will furthermore coordinate the development of future naval capabilities.