intelligence provides for early warning against security threats, allows their pre-emption, and is the grounds for the activation of the national defence system. 19. Defence industry: The defence industry of the Czech Republic is one of the cornerstones of the national security structure. Supporting the development of the defence industry ensures the highest possible degree of security for military materiel supplies and services, procurement and maintenance of crucial weapon systems to support the operational requirements of the Czech Armed Forces. The Czech government supports the preservation of specific military and otherwise irreplaceable capabilities in industrial production, research and development, particularly through state enterprises. In this regard, the Government ensures its continued development in attainable areas critical to Czech Armed forces. The defence industry and armaments policy is set out in detail in the Armaments and Defence Industry Development Support Strategy. 20. Regional cooperation: The Czech Republic supports the development of bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation, especially with neighbouring countries, and actively contributes to these endeavours. Regional defence cooperation is based on two primary pillars; cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany and developing cooperation within the Visegrad Group. In regard to mutual economic ties and its importance to NATO and EU, Germany is a natural partner for the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic will continue to foster close defence cooperation with Germany, including the creation of multinational larger formations earmarked as follow-on forces for collective defence operations and in compliance with the Framework Nations Concept (FNC) initiative. The premise is that the Czech Republic will assign a brigade to a higher level formation (division) as part of the initiative. Intensive military cooperation will continue among the Visegrad Group countries; the goal being to deepen interoperability (including cooperating in the development of the EU Battle Groups and NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Forces), and identify efficient solutions for the joint acquisition of military capabilities. One way of deepening regional cooperation with Germany and Poland is the Czech Republic’s contribution to the strengthening of capabilities of the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC-NE) headquartered in Szczecin, Poland. PILLAR 2: CAPABLE ARMED FORCES 21. The cornerstone of the armed forces is its personnel. It is the Czech Republic’s goal to have the armed forces fully manned with highly motivated, well trained, universally prepared, and appropriately equipped personnel, provided with all prerequisites for their mission. In the Armed Forces those prerequisites primarily include education, training and other forms of preparation for key missions. To prepare personnel to a high quality and quantity (including training at higher – battalion and brigade – levels), adequate resources will be allocated to ensure that the training and military arts of the Armed Forces service personnel reaches the requisite level. 22. Equipping the Armed Forces with adequate materiel is also imperative. The Czech Republic will take steps to redress shortfalls in this domain in order to be adequately equipped with advanced armaments, 11