A New Command Structure for a Transformed Alliance
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NATO Military Structure NATObriefing Allied Allied Command APRIL 2007 Command Trans- Operations formation A new command structure for a transformed Alliance ATO’s new military command structure is leaner, more Nflexible, more efficient, and better able to conduct the full range of Alliance missions. This structure is a major compo- nent of the transformation of NATO. Closely related is the “NATO’s new military creation of a robust, rapidly deployable NATO Response Force command structure is (NRF). These are two major commitments made by Allied leaders at NATO’s November 2002 Prague Summit. leaner, more flexible, more efficient, and As before, there are three tiers of 13 headquarters have been reduced to command: strategic, operational, and only six. Coupled with reductions at the better able to conduct the tactical or component level. The second tier or operational level, there the full range of greatest reductions have been at the has been a total reduction from 20 to Alliance missions” third tier or component level, where 11 command headquarters. n Photo by P. Rasmussen, PhotoP. FOV by Strategic commands The new command structure is Command Atlantic. The latter has Both commands are headed by dual- based on functionality rather than now become Allied Command hatted US commanders. SACEUR geography. At the first tier or strate- Transformation (ACT). Commanded continues to be dual-hatted as the gic level, there is now only one by Supreme Allied Commander commander of the US European Com- command with an operational func- Transformation (SACT), it is respon- mand, which shares many of the same tion, Allied Command Operations, sible for promoting and overseeing geographical responsibilities. SACT commanded by Supreme Allied the continuing transformation of is dual-hatted as the commander of Commander Europe (SACEUR). Alliance forces and capabilities, the US Joint Forces Command, which It performs the operational duties especially through training and devel- is responsible for US military transfor- previously undertaken by Allied opment of concepts and doctrine. mation, thereby linking NATO to US Command Europe and Allied efforts in this area. n Allied Command Operations level consists of standing joint headquarters for NATO operations in “The new force commands in Brunssum, the the Balkans. command structure Netherlands, and in Naples, Italy, simplifies command both of which can conduct operations The third tier or component/tactical arrangements for from their static locations or provide level consists of six joint force compo- a land-based Combined Joint Task nent commands, which provide NATO operations” Force (CJTF, see separate section) service-specific – land, maritime or headquarters, and a robust but more air – headquarters to the operational Allied Command Operations at limited standing joint headquarters, level. Although these component Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Lisbon, Portugal, from which a commands are routinely subordinated Europe (SHAPE), near Mons, Belgium, deployable sea-based CJTF head- to the joint force commanders, they is responsible for all Alliance opera- quarters capability can be drawn. The can be allocated to operations under tions, ranging from the Straits of joint force command in Brunssum another commander as the need Gibraltar to Afghanistan. The com- now provides the headquarters, dictates. The joint force command in mand structure beneath SHAPE has minus the maritime component, for Brunssum has an air component been significantly streamlined, with a the International Security Assistance command in Ramstein, Germany; a reduction in the number of headquar- Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and the maritime component command in ters. The second tier or operational joint force command in Naples the Northwood in the United Kingdom; 2 and a land component command in support Allied air operations from operations are commanded from the Heidelberg, Germany. The joint force their fixed locations, while the operational level headquarters, with command in Naples, Italy, has an air deployable CAOCs will move where strategic direction from SHAPE. component command in Izmir, Turkey; they are needed. Thus, the Stabilisation Force which a maritime component command replaced IFOR in December 1996 in Naples; and a land component The new command structure simpli- (and was replaced by a European command in Madrid, Spain. fies command arrangements for Union force in December 2004) was NATO operations. While under the controlled operationally by the Joint Supporting the air component com- previous command structure, the Force Command in Naples and the mands are static and deployable Implementation Force (IFOR) in International Security Assistance Combined Air Operations Centres Bosnia and Herzegovina was com- Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan by the (CAOCs) to direct NATO air opera- manded directly by SHAPE from Joint Force Command in Brunssum. n tions. The static CAOCs can Mons, under the new structure, Allied Command Transformation planning issues. There is a Joint focused on transformation in specific Warfare Centre in Norway, a Joint military fields will support ACT. They Force Training Centre in Poland, cover such areas as air operations and the Joint Analysis and Lessons analysis and simulation, tactical air Learned Centre in Portugal (see sepa- operations, command and control, rate sections). ACT Headquarters also civil-military cooperation, cold weather supervises the NATO Undersea operations, combined operations from Research Centre in La Spezia, Italy. the sea, cyber defence, defence There are direct linkages between ACT, against terrorism, explosive ordnance ACT, with its headquarters in Norfolk, NATO schools and agencies,as well as disposal, humanitarian demining, Virginia, is leading at the strategic the US Joint Forces Command, with mountaineering, naval mine warfare, command level the transformation which ACT Headquarters is co-located nuclear, biological and chemical of NATO’s military structure, forces, and with which it shares its double- defence, Partnership for Peace capabilities and doctrine. It is enhanc- hatted commander. This gives it a link training, and policing operations. n ing training, particularly of command- into US transformation initiatives and ers and staffs, conducting experi- fosters a two-way street between the ments to assess new concepts, and United States and Europe. “There are direct promoting interoperability throughout linkages between the Alliance. A NATO Maritime Interdiction ACT, NATO schools Operational Training Centre in Greece, and agencies, as well ACT has a number of elements out- associated with ACT, is also envisaged. side Norfolk, including a Staff Element as the US Joint at SHAPE, which is responsible In addition, a number of national and Forces Command” primarily for resource and defence multinational centres of excellence JFTC PIO © Joint Warfare Centre Allied Command Transformation’s section) train in the JWC before officers and civilian staff with Iraq’s Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in taking command of the NATO-led Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Stavanger, Norway, formerly Joint International Security Assistance the Interior specially selected by the Headquarters North, provides a new Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The Iraqi authorities. n capability to conduct collective battle JWC also performs collective staff staff joint training for Combined Joint training for new NATO nations and Task Forces, the NATO Response Partnership for Peace members. Force (NRF), component command headquarters, and other NATO The Centre is training Iraqi security headquarters before they deploy for personnel in support of the Alliance’s operations. High Readiness Force training mission for Iraq. Iraqi (Land) Headquarters (see separate participants include senior military Joint Force Training Centre Whereas the JWC is responsible for One of its priorities is to support The JFTC aims to ensure that each operational-level training, the Joint NATO Response Force (NRF) joint NRF rotation becomes a truly Force Training Centre (JFTC) in and component commanders in integrated joint force, at a high state Bydgoszcz, the first NATO command training and exercising the force. It of training and able to deploy at short structure element in Poland, provides seeks to help ensure that each six- notice. This is intended to raise the combined joint training of Alliance and month rotation of the NRF achieves standards set for the NRF by SHAPE Partner forces at the tactical level to a high level of interoperability, in each cycle as new concepts and achieve joint tactical interoperability. flexibility and training as a combined lessons learned are continually fed It cooperates with national and and joint force in order to be fully back into training, thereby acting as Partnership for Peace training centres, combat ready. a catalyst for the transformation of as well as centres of excellence. all NATO forces. n 1 International Military Staff * NATO Headquarters Brussels, Belgium 12 2 ACO ACT Commander SHAPE Norfolk, Virginia, USA USEUCOM Mons, Belgium Dual-hatted 3 7 8 JFC HQ Brunssum Joint HQ Lisbon JFC HQ Naples The Netherlands Portugal Italy 4 CC-Air HQ 5 CC-Mar HQ 6 CC-Land HQ 9 CC-Air HQ 10 CC-Mar HQ 11 CC-Land HQ Ramstein Northwood Heidelberg Izmir Naples Madrid Germany United Kingdom Germany Turkey Italy Spain * The International Military Staff supports the Military Committee, which provides military advice to and answers to the North Atlantic Council. 1 International Military Staff