NATO and Military Alliances

Alliances are a critical part of the Western way of war and an enduring source of strength. Our research examines the detail behind alliances’ success or failure.




Ron Przysucha, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | Inside the Brussels NATO Headquarters


If NATO, the Five Eyes intelligence community, the Five Power Defence Agreement, the Commonwealth and other alliances sit at the heart of any UK defence philosophy, why is so little attention paid to them between periodic defence reviews? And, conversely, if the current set of partnerships are deemed to be sufficient, why has there been a significant growth in new alliance structures and arrangements over the past decade?

Understanding the dynamics of alliances and partnerships is essential if we are to grasp how these agreements, which sit at the heart of national assumptions on defence and security, will need to evolve in the future.

Ron Przysucha, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | Inside the Brussels NATO Headquarters

NATO

Our research and commentary considers the role and impact of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and assesses the effectiveness of such military alliances in the modern world.

European Security in Transformation Programme

The European Security in Transformation Programme analyses perennial and emerging security challenges for the wider Euro-Atlantic region within the context of the UK’s national security.

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