2022 Confederate Memo on Defence

The 2022 Confederate Memo on Defence was a White Paper that consisted of a major review of Arcerion's defense policy initiated by the newly formed government under Prime Minister Iain Donnegal. The review was led by the Right Honourable Clark Hart, AS, MP, AMM, a retired infantry officer who had previously served with the Arcer Army. The document itself centred on the requirement to create a new, more flexible and responsive defence force, capable of conducting peackeepeing operations in the wake of an ongoing Varshan conflict, as well as support to civil authority missions (ie. CIMIC, Civil-Military-Cooperation) with the influx of Varshani refugees. This was coupled with the overall assessment that the armoured forces of Arcerion must be divested and turned over into lighter and more effective motorized forces.

It also had the specific point of emphasizing that Arcerion "would only undertake major expeditionary operations that are provoked by a grave threat to the national interest." The 2022 announcement of the review and the publication of its findings were intended by PM Donnegal to reinforce Arcerion's position in Southern Crona.

The paper was also coupled during an increased time of tension between Arcerion and the Cape, specifically over the diplomatic maneuverings of Arcerion in forming the Southern Crona Congress, aimed at increasing cooperation. This was seen as a diplomatic and potential military challenge to the Cape's control over the Songun Straits, a key economic and strategic chokepoint in Crona.

Contents

Summary Findings

The principal findings that the Arcer Army was well equipped for a future conflict against a peer actor or a near-peer actor, as its participation in the Varshan War, specifically Operation Pullman would highlight. However, the continued investment into heavy mechanized forces was a critical error considering Arcerion's position in Southern Crona. To the North, the nations of Kelekona, Telekona, and Titechaxha posed to true peer threat towards Arcerion's interests. The New Archduchy also was an economic and diplomatic ally, with close political ties including the Arcer Agreement on Aerospace patrolling for the small Levantine nation. To the South, the nation of Paulastra was one of Arcerion's closest allies and a major trading partner, and Washakara was neglibigble in terms of military strength. This meant that major mechanized and armoured formations focusing on capital equipment such as heavy self-propelled artillery and main battle tanks should be divested in order to ensure the Army met a cost efficient solution for its actual requirements.