{"id":242246,"date":"2025-06-26T17:42:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T07:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=63518"},"modified":"2025-06-26T17:42:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T07:42:13","slug":"not-sexy-why-european-military-struggles-with-rail-logistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=242246","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Not sexy\u2019: Why European military struggles with rail logistics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Europe is looking to boost its capacity to move military equipment and troops in large numbers. No single mode of transportation can do that alone, and therefore rail stands to play a key role in military operations. Yet, a panel discussion at the \u201cFuture of Rail Freight\u201d event in Brussels revealed deeply rooted obstacles to military logistics on rail.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Gert Dobben, Head of Division Resources Support at the EU External Action Service\u2019s Logistics Directorate, cut right to the chase. \u201cThe military can\u2019t operate without the civil world\u201d, he said. \u201cWhat we are concerned about is that, with a large-scale conflict, we will need to move a lot of troops across the continent. How are we going to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Europe needs quite some resources to make that happen. \u201cIf we have to move 150 brigades, between 150,000 and 300,000 troops and their equipment, it won\u2019t be possible to move all of that by road, air, sea or rail only. We will need thousands of 740-metre trains, if using only rail.\u201d That won\u2019t happen, because other transportation modes will also be used. Nevertheless, the point still stands. The military needs capacity on the rails.<\/p>\n

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\"An<\/p>\n

An American armoured battalion on rail, Lithuania, 2019. Image: Shutterstock. \u00a9 Karolis Kavolelis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The four key concerns<\/h2>\n

Dobben highlights four key concerns currently keeping military circles busy. For one, military transport will have to get \u201ca bit more priority\u201d, he says. Second, there is too little equipment, which Europe will need to grow, and preferably fast.<\/p>\n

Then there is the question of bureaucratic hurdles, the so-called red tape. \u201cThis is the reason why rail is not \u2018sexy\u2019 in the military\u201d, explains Dobben. \u201cMilitary trains are always the last kid on the block. For example, when France transported military equipment to Romania after the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, it was riddled with bureaucratic hurdles. A very problematic affair.<\/p>\n

A case in point is the 302-form, which is needed to move military equipment. It is supposed to make transports through NATO countries easier, but it has become a \u201cnightmare\u201d now, explains Dobben. A single custom officer who does not know what to do with the form can stop a whole military convoy. That is something that happened when moving military equipment to the Dutch Caribbean islands, he adds, and he himself had to explain how to process the form to the customs officer.<\/p>\n

Lastly, there is cybersecurity and communications. \u201cThis is also a concern when it comes to rail\u201d, says Dobben. \u201cWe rely on digital solutions more and more, but we need to be realistic that without power, we\u2019ll need to fall back on old-fashioned means of moving forward. Don\u2019t rely only on electrical solutions. We also need diesel locomotives and hybrid solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Europe has plenty of ideas on how to improve rail for military purposes. However, a Ukrainian rail expert<\/strong> is critical of existing plans.<\/p>\n

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