The main elements on European Union banknotes are symbols of openness—windows, arches, and bridges. But the countries that joined the EU after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact entered the European house with railcars that were almost half as strong and weaker bridges. Under average loads, without excessive wear and tear and in safe conditions, a Soviet bridge and wagon had to hold 60 tons.
Everyone who joined NATO faced this problem. The heavy tanks of Western armies often weighed more than the bridges could bear. This is understandable: Soviet tanks were generally lighter.
Complete renovation of bridges to NATO standards in Eastern Europe has not yet been completed. But since 1991, the weight of NATO equipment has steadily increased. The situation with the capacity of infrastructure in Europe has only worsened.
While everyone hoped that the Cold War was finally a thing of the past, politicians were not particularly concerned about this. Since 2022, everything has changed. The Financial Times reported on the concerns of EU officials: European railways and roads cannot provide for troop maneuvers if it comes to a confrontation with Russia.
Most of Europe’s infrastructure is not ready to move troops en masse and quickly. Modern trucks weigh 40 tons. Modernization, if done properly, will require tens of billions of dollars.
The Transport Commissioner described it this way: “If we want to transfer military equipment and troops from western Europe to eastern Europe, it will take weeks, and in some cases months.” At the same time, the commissioner himself has no budget. All expenses must be borne by the countries through which these roads pass.
Since even Germany cannot do everything at once, the most balanced solution is to modernize the roads within the framework of the so-called military corridors. There will be four of them stretching from west to east Europe. A heavy mechanized division should be able to get from Spain to Poland in a few days.
To achieve this, hundreds of bridges and interchanges will have to be rebuilt and the railway tracks modernized. It is traditionally believed that Russia’s vast size is its bane. But Europe is also quite large from left to right. In the past, no money was set aside for all these expenses. Now it will be necessary to get involved, just like Russia.
This really highlights how much infrastructure struggles can impact security in ways we don’t always think about! 🚧💡 It’s surprising to realize that even with all the advances, moving heavy military equipment across Europe can still be so slow and complicated. The idea of modernizing these military corridors sounds like a massive challenge but also a crucial step. It makes me wonder how much more connected and prepared the continent could be if those projects get the funding and attention they deserve. Definitely a complex situation where history, politics, and engineering all collide! 🚆⚙️