A Dilemma of Principles: The Challenges of Hybrid Warfare From a NATO Perspective

Abstract

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has a unique perspective on the many challenges hybrid warfare presents to Europe’s defense. After 12 years of concentrating on collective security (Rowberry, 2012), NATO is altering strategic and operational priorities because of the Russian Federation’s engagement in hybrid warfare. The alliance is investing in the NATO Response Force (NRF), meaning special operations forces (SOF) will provide greater support to European collective defense (NATO, 2015a). Thus, it is valuable for the SOF community to understand the complexities influencing NATO’s position in the current security environment.