NATO General Pushes for Pipeline Extension Eastwards to Boost Defence Against Russia

NATO Urged to Expand Pipeline Network Eastward for Enhanced Defence

Strategic Importance and Challenges of NATO's Pipeline Expansion

By Sabine Siebold

BERLIN, March 18 (Reuters) - A senior NATO military officer has called on the alliance to extend its Cold War-era fuel pipeline network hundreds of kilometres eastwards to ensure sufficient supplies for NATO troops in case of a future conflict with Russia.

Military Perspective on Pipeline Extension

"From a military operational point of view, it would make a lot of sense to extend the pipeline system further to the east," Lieutenant General Kai Rohrschneider, head of NATO's Allied Joint Support and Enabling Command, told Reuters in an interview.

Background of the NATO Pipeline Network

The 10,000-kilometre (6,215-mile) NATO pipeline network, buried 80 centimetres underground (31 inches), was built during the Cold War to primarily serve western air forces in a conflict with the then Soviet Union.

In wartime, the air forces are expected to account for as much as 85% of total military fuel consumption, according to a study by the Polish Centre for Eastern Studies think tank.

The jet fuel running through the NATO pipelines can also be used by ground vehicles, as mixing it with additives makes it digestible for trucks and tanks that normally run on diesel.

Current Coverage and Calls for Expansion

The pipeline network currently spans 12 countries but ends in western Germany, where it serves military bases such as the U.S. Ramstein Air Base, but also major civilian hubs such as Germany's biggest airport in Frankfurt.

Countries on NATO's eastern flank, including Poland, have long pushed for an expansion of the pipeline system.

Addressing Storage and Supply Shortfalls

Shortfalls in Storage Capacity

SHORTFALLS IN STORAGE CAPACITY

"I would say it is necessary to get the pipeline system clearly to Poland, and I think there should be a solution for the three Baltic states," Rohrschneider said, adding further extensions were needed towards Finland in the north and Romania in the southeast.

Extending the system would also partly address shortfalls in storage capacity as the fuel running in the pipelines comes on top of fuel already stored in tanks, he argued.

Need for Resilient Storage Sites

"What we will need in the end is a network of resilient fuel storage sites of different sizes, at least to some extent mobile, that covers the whole rear of NATO's territory," he said, referring to regions such as Germany, a major logistics hub in any conflict, and western Poland.

Today, the NATO pipeline system includes fuel and lubricant storage facilities with a combined capacity of more than 4 million cubic metres, according to the Polish think-tank study.

Logistical and Financial Challenges

Biggest Supply Challenge

'MAYBE THE BIGGEST SUPPLY CHALLENGE'

Located in the southern German town of Ulm, Joint Support and Enabling Command was set up after Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine to improve NATO's logistical readiness as well as the swift movement of troops and supplies.

Rohrschneider, a German general who has headed JSEC since October 2024, said NATO faced significant hurdles in transporting fuel in bulk and described this as "maybe the biggest supply challenge we face". 

"Fuel and ammunition are probably the two supply items most critical to run an operation. If you run out of ammunition or if you run out of fuel, your operation ends," he said, citing NATO estimates that a full-scale conflict would require hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of fuel per day.

Infrastructure Capacity and Political Decisions

According to the Polish think-tank study, NATO's fuel consumption in the event of a conflict would likely exceed the capacity of the existing infrastructure even before full-scale hostilities, due to the movement of land forces, airlift operations and fighter jet sorties. 

The proposed pipeline extension is still under political discussion, with no timeline set for a final decision, Rohrschneider said.

"I think nations have agreed to the military advice that something needs to be done but the final decision is still pending," he said, adding everything was possible - including a decision before NATO's next summit, in July in Ankara.

Financial Considerations

However, NATO nations would still face the challenge of financing the project - estimated to cost 21 billion euros and take 20 to 25 years to complete, according to Spiegel magazine.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Alex Richardson)