NATO Logistics Handbook October 1997

Chapter 9: Production Logistics Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) - AC/259 910. It is under the aegis of the CNAD that most of the effort to identify opportunities for collaboration in the research, development and production of military equipment and weapon systems takes place. The CNAD, which meets in full session twice a year, is chaired by the Secretary General. The permanent Chairman is the Assistant Secretary General (ASG) for Defence Support. It brings together the defence acquisition chiefs of all member nations, representatives from the Military Committee (MC) and Major NATO Commands (MNCs), the Chairmen of its Main Groups, and other civil and military authorities with an interest in production logistics. Four key elements for cooperation for which the CNAD is directly responsible, are: the harmonization of military requirements on an Alliance-wide basis; the promotion of essential battlefield interoperability; the pursuit of cooperative opportunities identified by the CNAD and the promotion of improved transatlantic cooperation; the development of critical technologies, including expanded technology sharing. CNAD Substructure 911. The CNAD substructure currently consists of over 100 groups, subgroups, and working groups. (see Annex A) Directly subordinate to CNAD are : CNAD Main Armaments Groups covering land, sea and air warfare : NATO Naval Armaments Group (NNAG) - AC/141; NATO Air Force Armaments Group (NAFAG) - AC/224; and NATO Army Armaments Group (NAAG) - AC/225. CNAD Main Groups : NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) established to provide advice to the CNAD on industrial, technical, economic, management and other relevant aspects of research, development and production of armaments within the Alliance. The primary focus today is technology advice for programme development efforts under the CNAD. Group on Acquisition Practices - AC/313 created to advise the CNAD on government defence procurement practices and procedures relating to defence trade, armaments cooperative programme arrangements and industrial collaboration within the Alliance. CNAD Ad Hoc Groups dealing with special armaments projects : Alliance Ground Surveillance Steering Committee - AC/259(Surv) Missile Defence Ad Hoc Group - AC/259(MDAHG) CNAD Cadre Groups which undertake activities of general interest to armaments cooperation. These activities are project-independent and of a tri-service nature and often of direct interest to logisticians. They are: Group of National Directors on Codification - AC/135. This Group is concerned with the development, implementation and maintenance of a NATO Codification System (NCS) in support of Allied Forces. It works closely with, and receives secretarial support from, the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) which can be regarded as its executive arm. Group of National Directors for Quality Assurance - AC/250. This Group publishes Allied Quality Assurance Publications (AQAP) as the basic reference for the enforcement of quality assurance standards for weapon systems and other defence equipment entering the inventory of Alliance forces, as well as for the development of reliability and maintainability guidelines. Group of Experts on the Safety Aspects of Trans-portation and Storage of Military Ammunition and Explosives - AC/258. This Group is responsible for advising NATO Authorities on the safety aspects of transportation and storage of military ammunition and explosives. It achieves its task by the means of recommendations collected in Manuals and published as Allied Publications under the cover of NATO Standardization Agreements (STANAGs). Group on Standardization of Materiel and Engineering Practices -AC/301. This Group brings transparency NATO-wide to a complex technical field through its work on standardization which spans electronic/electrical parts, materials, mechanical parts and general engineering. Group on Safety and Suitability for Service of Munitions and Explosives - AC/310. This group is developing a standardized assessment process for the safety and suitability for service of munitions and explosives, and provides a focal point within NATO to assist munition developers to meet the safety requirements. National Armaments Directors Representatives (NADREPS) 912. National Armaments Directors have Representatives (NADREPs) assigned to national delegations to NATO. They carry out the routine tasks of the CNAD and undertake any such additional task as the CNAD may direct. One of their duties is to direct the work of the Cadre Groups on behalf of the CNAD. NATO Conventional Armaments Review Committee (NCARC). 913. The NCARC is composed of national armaments and planning representatives drawn from the staffs of the National Armaments Director and the Chief of Defence, as well as representatives of the NATO Military Authorities (NMAs). This committee is responsible for managing the Conventional Armaments Planning System (CAPS). It meets under the chairmanship of the Assistant Secretary General for Defence Support (ASG/DS) to review the status of work in the CAPS, to validate national inputs into the System, and endorse CAPS-related recommendations addressed to the CNAD which flow from the work of the Main Groups.