The decisive role of transport infrastructure for military mobility – namely the rapid, reliable and unhindered movement of military personnel and equipment, which constitutes a basic priority of the European Union – was discussed by Manos Moustakas, General Director of Business Development and Executive Member of the Board of Directors of the GEK TERNA Group, during the Annual Greek Defence Industry Compass conference, which was organized recently in Brussels by SEKPY, under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defence.
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As he emphasized, transport corridors operating under concession agreements constitute an ideal tool for implementing European policy on military mobility. This is because “they function as integrated systems and not as isolated infrastructure, with a single responsible entity throughout their entire lifecycle.”
In Southeastern Europe, key transport corridors connect Mediterranean ports with the Black Sea and NATO’s Eastern Flank, already serving the majority of freight traffic. Through targeted interventions – such as increasing load-bearing capacity, strengthening the resilience of bridges, tunnels and overpasses, as well as creating secure rest and parking areas – these corridors can acquire dual-use characteristics without the need for new constructions.
In this context, noted Mr. Moustakas, an interconnected high-capacity network is created that allows shorter response times and force deployment, enhances resilience against disruptions and improves the overall reliability of European transport. From the EU’s perspective, strategic autonomy and cohesion are strengthened, while from NATO’s side, the capability for rapid reinforcement along critical axes is enhanced.
Simultaneously, digital interoperability is of critical importance. Real-time data exchange and the interconnection of civilian and military systems – such as command and control systems and logistics information systems – constitute basic prerequisites for effective operational coordination.
As he further pointed out, existing limitations in military mobility are not due to lack of infrastructure, but to specific technical obstacles within otherwise modern networks. Addressing them requires an approach at the level of unified corridors and targeted, measurable interventions.
For governments and European structural and investment funds, the critical element is that these interventions can be implemented quickly, within budget and with clear accountability, as within the concession framework a single entity bears responsibility for design, licensing, implementation and operation.
In conclusion, Mr. Moustakas emphasized that the European regulatory framework for military mobility already exists and that transport corridors operating under concession agreements allow immediate transition from policy formulation to implementation. “In this way,” he noted, “Europe can move from strategic to operational capability – now, not in the next decade.”
