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Updated: 28-Aug-2001 NATO Publications

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Chapter 12: The Military Command Structure
The Military Structure
  Allied Command Europe (ACE)
    Other Staffs and Commands Responsible to SACEUR
      The ACE Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC)

The ARRC is the land component of the ACE Rapid Reaction Forces. Its role is to be prepared for employment throughout Allied Command Europe (ACE) in order to augment or reinforce local forces whenever necessary. Its peacetime planning structure includes 10 assigned divisions plus corps troops from 14 NATO nations, allowing a rapid response to a wide range of eventualities. Its broad spectrum of capabilities enables forces to be tailored appropriately to multi-faceted and unpredictable risks.

The operational organisation, composition and size of the ARRC would depend on the type of crisis, area of crisis, its political significance, and the capabilities and availability of regional and local forces. The transportability of components, the availability of lift assets, the distances to be covered and the infrastructure capabilities of the receiving member nation also play a significant, determining role. The ARRC Headquarters could deploy up to four divisions and corps troops. The major units available to the ARRC consist of:

  • national divisions from Germany, Greece, Turkey, and the United States, as well as the Spanish Rapid Reaction Division made available under special coordination agreements;
  • framework divisions under the lead of one nation: one British with an Italian component; one British with a Danish component; and one Italian with a Portuguese component;
  • the Multinational Division Central (MND(C)) including Belgian, Dutch, German and British units;
  • the Multinational Division South (MND(S)) (yet to be activated; location to be determined);
  • corps troop units - predominantly British but with significant contributions from other participating Allies.

The Headquarters of the ARRC is multinational. It is located in Rheindahlen, Germany. The Headquarters of the ARRC is under the command and control of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) in peacetime, with the Headquarters of MND(C) under operational command of Commander, ARRC. The remaining divisions and units come under SACEUR's operational control only after being deployed. The commander of the ARRC is a British three-star general.

The Headquarters of the ARRC assumed, for the first time, command of the land component of the NATO-led Peace Implementation Forces (IFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 20 December 1995.

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