Based on the 16 April 2003 North Atlantic Council’s decision, NATO has assumed responsibility, from the United Nations, for command, control and coordination of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 11 August 2003.
NATO’s Allied Command Operations (ACO), based at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE), in Mons (Belgium), has the overall command of the operation.
ACO’s subordinate headquarters, Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Headquarters Brunssum (The Netherlands) runs the operation, including the planning and command of the force, as well as the provision of a force commander and headquarters.
The evolution of the ISAF Upper Command Structure
On 3 August 2009, NATO Allies agreed to adjust the ISAF upper command structure. This decision was motivated by a significant evolution in ISAF’s scope and scale of responsibilities since 2006, including the expansion of ISAF’s operations to the whole Afghan territory in 2006, the increase in ISAF global strength from 19,600 to more than 60,000 in August 2009; the establishment of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and the increased need for cooperation with Afghan authorities and other international partners.
The changes aim to better streamline the command structure by separating the strategic and the day-to-day operational functions of ISAF, with a second intermediate headquarters.
A New Intermediate Headquarters
The new ISAF Upper Command Structure, will consist of a higher operational Headquarters, ISAF HQ commanded by a 4 star General, and a subordinate 3 star Headquarters (or Intermediate Headquarters), called ISAF Joint Command (IJC) HQ. Both Headquarters will be located in Kabul, the new IJC HQ being located at Kabul International Airport (KAIA) building on existing facilities. IJC is due to reach Initial Operational Capability on 12 October 2009.
Under this new Command Structure, COMISAF (4 star), in ISAF Headquarters, will focus on the more strategic political-military aspects of the ISAF mission, synchronizing ISAF’s operations with the work of Afghan and other international organizations in the country.
COMISAF will be dual-hatted as the Commander of ISAF and US Forces in Afghanistan (COM USFOR-A) thus coordinating ISAF operations and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). COMISAF will have command responsibility over the IJC Commander, the Commander of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) and Special Operations Forces (SOF).
COMICJ, 3 star, will be responsible for executing the full spectrum of tactical operations throughout the country, on a day-to-day basis. He will take under command the Regional Commands, the Provincial Reconstruction Teams and the theatre enablers. In addition, he will ensure the co-ordination of ISAF and ANSF operations.
COMICJ will be exclusively a NATO Commander, as opposed to Com NTM-A who will be double-hatted as NATO/ISAF Commander and Commander of the US-led Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A).
The United States will act as framework nation for the first manning of the ICJ HQ with a balanced representation of US and NATO personnel at both Headquarters.
