NATO Secretary General visits Brunssum and Geilenkirchen

NATO MULTIMEDIA ACCOUNT

Download NATO’s broadcast-quality video content free of charge

Log in

No account?

Create an account

Forgot your password?

Reset password

NATO MULTIMEDIA ACCOUNT

Access NATO’s broadcast-quality video content free of charge

Create an account

First name*

Family name*

Email address*

Password*

Repeat password*

Occupation

Nationality

I accept the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the NATO’s Joint Force Command (JFC) Headquarters in Brunssum, the Netherlands and the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (AWACS) Headquarters in Geilenkirchen, Germany on Thursday (13 November 2025).

In Brunssum, the Secretary General congratulated the Commander, General Ingo Gerhartz on his recent appointment, and recognised the important role played by JFC Brunssum in coordinating military activities on NATO’s eastern flank. The Secretary General noted NATO’s quick and decisive action when Russia violated Allies’ airspace, and stressed the Alliance’s strong presence in the air, at sea and on the ground.

In Geilenkirchen, the Secretary General visited NATO’s fleet of Airborne Early Warning and Control radar aircraft, known as AWACS. At the base he met the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, and the Commander, Major General Andreas Korb. The Secretary General highlighted the significance of NATO AWACS as the Alliance’s “eyes in the sky”, monitoring i.a. Allied airspace, including on NATO’s eastern flank. Mr Rutte also praised the strong contributions that the state of North Rhine-Westphalia makes to Allied deterrence and defence, hosting important defence industry and military installations, including the 1^st German-Netherlands Corps.