NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Allied Command Operations (ACO)

Allied Command Operations (ACO) is responsible for all Alliance operations. The command is located at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), near Mons, Belgium.

• The current command structure

  

  Strategic level

  SHAPE is a strategic headquarters. Its role is to prepare, conduct and support ACO, as directed in order to contribute to the deterrence of aggression and the preservation of peace, security and the territorial integrity of Alliance

  ACO is headed by Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). SACEUR is dual-hatted as the commander of the US European Command, which shares many of the same geographical responsibilities.

  SACEUR is responsible to the Military Committee, which is the senior military authority in NATO under the overall political authority of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the Nuclear Planning Group (NPG).

  Operational level

  The operational level consists of two standing Joint Force Commands (JFCs): one in Brunssum, the Netherlands, and one in Naples, Italy. Both have to be prepared to conduct comprehensive operational-level campaign planning and deploy into a theatre as a Deployed Joint HQ (DJHQ). They have to be prepared for any NATO operation up to a Major Joint Operation (MJO) for a period of up to one year, including provision of the core elements of a Joint Multinational Logistic Support Group (JLSG).

  Commands at this level are also responsible for engaging key partners and regional organisations in order to support regional NATO HQ engagement, as directed by SACEUR, and support the reinforcement of cooperation with operational partners and prepare partner countries for NATO membership.

  Component or tactical level

  The component or tactical level consists of three Single Service Commands (SSCs), which provide service-specific – land, maritime or air – expertise and support to the operational level.

  • A land command based in Izmir, Turkey. This command will be able to provide robust land competency and the core command and control capability for multi-corps land operations;
  • A maritime command based in Northwood, the United Kingdom; and
  • An air command in Ramstein, Germany. This command will have the additional task of dealing with missile defence; it will be reinforced by component or tactical level elements, which are explained below.

  The new structure includes a static maritime command headquarters and a static air command headquarters that are able to provide C2 (command and control) for the full spectrum of joint maritime or joint air operations and tasks respectively.

  CAOCs and DACCC

  To carry out its missions and tasks, HQ AIRCOM (Ramstein) has two Deployable Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOC) in Torrejon, Spain and in Uedem, Germany, and one Deployable Air Control Centre/ Recognized Air Picture Production Centre/ Sensor Fusion Post (DACCC) in Poggio Renatico, Italy.

  CAOCs are hybrid entities. They include a Static Air Defence Centre (SADC) responsible for air policing and a Deployable Air Operations Centre (D-AOC), which similarly to DACCC, supports operations.

  The NATO CIS Group  

  Additionally, there will be a NATO CIS Group based in Mons, Belgium that will provide deployable communications and information systems support for ACO. The NATO CIS Group is responsible for the provision of all deployable CIS capabilities, as well as CIS operations and exercises planning and control. It will be supported by three NATO Signals Battalions located at Wesel, Germany, Grazzanise, Italy, and Bydgoszcz, Poland; these three will be complemented by various smaller elements (Deployable CIS modules) elsewhere. The functions of this group may evolve once the Communications and Information Agency is set up.

  STRIKFORNATO and NAEW&CF and AGS

  Lastly, Striking Force NATO (STRIKFORNATO), which focuses on maritime operations, has been moved from Italy to Portugal. And final agreement from the North Atlantic Council is awaited for the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF) and Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS).

• Evolution

  The Supreme Allied Headquarters (SHAPE) was established on 2 April 1951 in Rocquencourt, France, as part of an effort to establish an integrated and effective NATO military force. Supreme Allied Command, Atlantic (SACLANT) was created a year later, in April 1952.

  In 1967, after France’s withdrawal from NATO’s integrated military structure, SHAPE was relocated to Casteau, Mons, Belgium.

  The London Declaration of July 1990 was a decisive turning point in the history of the Alliance and led to the adoption of the new Alliance Strategic Concept in November 1991, reflecting a broader approach to security. This in turn led to NATO’s Long Term Study to examine the Integrated Military Structure and put forward proposals for change to the Alliance’s force structures, command structures and common infrastructure.

  In essence, the Cold War command structure was reduced from 78 headquarters to 20 with two overarching Strategic Commanders (SC), one for the Atlantic, and one for Europe; there were three Regional Commanders under the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT) and two under the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR).

  During the 2002 Prague Summit, NATO’s military Command Structure was again reorganised with a focus on becoming leaner and more efficient. The former Allied Command Europe (ACE) became the Allied Command Operations (ACO). The Supreme Allied Commander Europe and his staff at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) situated in Mons, Belgium, were henceforth responsible for all Alliance operations, including those previously undertaken by SACLANT. The reform resulted in a significant reduction in headquarters and Combined Air Operations Centres – from 32 command centres down to 9 – and reflected a fundamental shift in Alliance thinking.

  In February 2010, the decision was taken to conduct a far-reaching reform of the NATO Command Structure as part of an overall reform of NATO. At their meeting in June 2010, defence ministers agreed that a report should be presented to make a consolidated recommendation in time for the Lisbon Summit meeting.

  Subsequently, the recommendation was approved at the Summit as the framework for the new Command Structure.

  The reform was conducted with the development of the Strategic Concept 2010 firmly in mind and has focused on ensuring that the Alliance can confront the security challenges of the 21st century effectively and efficiently. The new Command Structure is forward-looking and flexible, as well as leaner and more affordable. In comparison to the previous structures, it will provide a real deployable, multinational, command and control capability at the operational level. It also offers a more coherent structure that will be understood by other international organisations and partners.