Challenging Nato's Security Operations in Electronic Warfare: The Policy of Cyber-Defence

NATO is evolving. It is changing. It is estimated that in the end of 2009 or 2010, Allied member-states will hold or will have requested a renewed Strategic Concept as the current is considered no longer viable. In 21st century asymmetrical warfare, NATO requires to be technologically updated. This entails NATO to continue its effort to change. In terms of Electronic warfare, NATO is steadily unfolding its policy of Cyber-Defence. NATO needs to be operationally ready to counter all kinds of attacks, whether from the inside or the outside of its operational sphere of influence. It is the aim of this paper to provide the reader with the necessary information to firstly learn what has been done up to this date, in relations to NATO's operational preparations and in relations to its Cyber-Defence policy. In a second part, this paper shall examine and evaluate current policy decisions, if so made by the time of the paper's publication, as to understand whether a) NATO will actually take a major step into becoming involved into a new form of self-defensive or offensive war b) whether a political-military organisation of international members, such as NATO can actually afford working together. C) Whether the unfolding of Cyber-Defence policy will be implemented in NATO's operational environments, as to counter new phenomena of terrorism via the web. An explanation on network preparations and operations shall be made. At the same time an explanation shall be provided, why should the internet be so important to NATO's network centric operations and why does NATO need a Cyber-Defence policy. This paper is part of the author's wider topics of research made on NATO and its policies in the 21st century.