The top U.S. general in Europe said Tuesday he needs more troops and high-tech surveillance platforms to counter an increasingly belligerent Russia, which is using Ukraine as a proving ground for its latest weaponry.
Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, who is both the U.S. European Commander and NATO’s Supreme Commander, told a House committee Tuesday that he needs troops that are based in Europe, and don’t simply rotate in and out.
Scaparrotti says while the U.S. military is the best in the world and is capable of deterring Russia now, he needs to build a more capable force to counter Russia’s growing military might.
“Today, we have about a little over 60,000 of all services stationed in Europe. It provides a force that allows us to deter today,” Scaparrotti said. “We need a greater force there, I think potentially in the land component … a footprint of an armored division, for instance.”
In his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Scaparrotti said he’s looking forward to adding fifth generation F-35s, which are both stealthy and can carry both nuclear and conventional bombs.
Scaparrotti said Russia is not only rebuilding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal, but President Vladimir Putin is also incorporating nuclear weapons in his strategy to intimidate countries along Russia’s periphery.
“They have made the statement openly that they see a use for nuclear tactical capability within what we would consider a conventional conflict, which is very alarming,” Scaparrotti testified. “One of the things you see that is disturbing is the fact that they are using weapon systems that can either be conventional or nuclear, which then makes it difficult for us to clearly understand what they’ve employed.”
Scaparrotti said Russia is using Syria and Ukraine as a proving ground for its newer, upgraded weaponry, and that in Ukraine it’s time to give the government forces fighting Russian-backed separatists more firepower.
“I personally believe that we need to consider lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine,” he said. “They are fighting a very lethal, tough enemy. It’s Russian proxy, really, and the Russians provide some of their newest equipment there in order to test it.”
Among the technologies that Russia has debuted in combat in Ukraine and drones that guide artillery in order to increase accuracy.
“We need ensure we build a force that is relevant to that threat,” Scaparrotti said. “I need intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in greater numbers than I have now because to deter properly I have to be able to have a good base line of Russia, in particular, so I know when things change and can posture my forces properly.”
