The DPC was a former senior decision-making body on matters relating to the integrated military structure of the Alliance. It was dissolved following a major committee review in June 2010 under Secretary-General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Its responsibilities absorbed by the
North Atlantic Council and the
Defence Policy and Planning Committee (DPPC).
Civilian structure In
NATO: The First Five Years,
Lord Ismay described the civilian structure as follows: The ..Office of the Secretary General [is] directed by an Executive Secretary, Captain R.D. Coleridge (UK), who is also Secretary to the Council. He is responsible for supervising the general processing of the work of the Council and their committees, including provision of all secretarial assistance, as well as supervision of the administrative services of the Staff/Secretariat itself. Thus the Secretariat provides secretaries to all the Council's principal committees and working groups - apart from those of a strictly technical nature - and ensures co-ordination between them. .. On the Staff side there are three main divisions corresponding to the three principal aspects of NATO's work, each under an Assistant Secretary General. Ambassador Sergio Fenoaltea (Italy) heads the Political Affairs Division, M. Rene Sergent (France) the Economics and Finance Division, and Mr. Lowell P. Weicker (USA) the Production and Logistics Division. The Divisions' tasks are to prepare, in close touch with delegations, proposed action in their respective fields for consideration by the appropriate committee or by the Council. In addition to the main divisions there are three other offices working directly to the Secretary General. These are the Office of Statistics (Mr. Loring Wood of the USA), the Financial Comptroller's Office (M. A. J. Bastin of Belgium), and the Division of Information (Mr. Geoffrey Parsons, Jr. of the USA). The Information Division, besides providing material about NATO for the use of member governments, (it does not engage in independent operations), is also the press and public relations branch of the civilian authority.
Military structure The Strategic Commanders are the former 'Major NATO Commanders', who sat atop a command hierarchy consisting of Major Subordinate Commanders (MSCs), Principal Subordinate Commanders (PSCs) and Sub-PSCs. The Military Committee had an executive body, the Standing Group, made up of representatives from France, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The Standing Group was abolished during the major reform of 1967 that resulted from France's departure from the NATO Military Command Structure.
Beginnings A key step in establishing the NATO Command Structure was the North Atlantic Council's selection of General
Dwight D. Eisenhower as the first
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) in December 1950. They quickly decided to divide Allied Command Europe into three regions:
Allied Forces Northern Europe, containing Scandinavia, the North Sea and the Baltic;
Allied Forces Central Europe, and
Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH), covering Italy and the Mediterranean. SHAPE was established at
Rocquencourt, west of Paris. The British post of Commander in Chief
Mediterranean Fleet was given a dual-hatted role as
NATO Commander in Chief of
Allied Forces Mediterranean in charge of all forces assigned to NATO in the Mediterranean Area. The British made strong representations in discussions regarding the Mediterranean NATO command structure, wishing to retain their direction of NATO naval command in the Mediterranean to protect their
sea lines of communication running through the Mediterranean to the Middle East and Far East. In 1952, after Greece and Turkey joined the Alliance,
Allied Land Forces South-Eastern Europe (LANDSOUTHEAST) was created in Izmir, Turkey, under a U.S. Army General. This was due to the two states' geographic distance from the LANDSOUTH headquarters, as well as disagreements over which nation should be the overall commander for their ground forces. With the establishment of
Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT) on 30 January 1952, the
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic joined the previously created
Supreme Allied Commander Europe as one of the alliance's two Major NATO Commanders. A third was added when
Allied Command Channel was established on 21 February 1952 to control the
English Channel and
North Sea area and deny it to the enemy, and protect the sea lanes of communication. The establishment of this post, and the agreement that it was to be filled by the British
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, was part of the compromise that allowed an American officer to take up the SACLANT post. Previously Commander-in-Chief Portsmouth had controlled multinational naval operations in the area under
WUDO auspices. In due course the CINCHAN role was assumed by the British
Commander-in-Chief Fleet. In 1966, when French president
Charles de Gaulle withdrew French forces from the military command structure, NATO's headquarters was forced to move to Belgium. SHAPE was moved to
Casteau, north of the Belgian city of
Mons. Headquarters
Allied Forces Central Europe was moved from the
Chateau de Fontainebleau outside Paris to
Brunssum, in the Netherlands.
Structure in 1989 •
NATO Military Committee, led by the
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, in
Brussels, Belgium •
Allied Command Europe (ACE), led by
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), in
Mons, Belgium •
ACE Mobile Force, in
Seckenheim, Germany •
United Kingdom Air Forces, in
High Wycombe, United Kingdom •
NATO Airborne Early Warning Force, in
Maisieres, Belgium •
Allied Forces Northern Europe (AFNORTH), in
Kolsås, Norway •
Allied Forces North Norway (NON), in
Bodø, Norway •
Allied Forces South Norway (SONOR), in
Stavanger, Norway •
Allied Forces Baltic Approaches (BALTAP), in
Karup, Denmark • Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland (LANDJUT), in
Rendsburg, Germany • Allied Land Forces in Zealand (LANDZEALAND), in
Ringsted, Denmark • Allied Air Forces Baltic Approaches (AIRBALTAP), in Karup, Denmark • Allied Naval Forces Baltic Approaches (NAVBALTAP), in Karup, Denmark •
Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), in
Brunssum, Netherlands •
Northern Army Group (NORTHAG), in
Rheindahlen,
West Germany •
Central Army Group (CENTAG), in
Heidelberg, West Germany •
Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE), in
Ramstein, West Germany •
Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF), in Rheindahlen, West Germany •
Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF), in Ramstein, West Germany •
Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH), in
Naples, Italy •
Allied Land Forces Southern Europe (LANDSOUTH), in
Verona, Italy •
Allied Land Forces South-Eastern Europe (LANDSOUTHEAST), in
İzmir, Turkey •
Allied Air Forces Southern Europe (AIRSOUTH), in Naples, Italy • Fifth Allied Tactical Air Force (5 ATAF), in Vicenza, Italy • Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force (6 ATAF), in İzmir, Turkey •
Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe (NAVSOUTH), in Naples, Italy • Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (STRIKFORSOUTH), afloat, centered around
US Sixth Fleet •
Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT), led by
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT), in
Norfolk, United States •
Eastern Atlantic Area (EASTLANT), in
Northwood, United Kingdom • Northern Sub-Area (NORLANT), in
Rosyth, United Kingdom • Central Sub-Area (CENTLANT), in
Plymouth, United Kingdom • Submarine Force Eastern Atlantic (SUBEASTLANT), in
Gosport, United Kingdom • Maritime Air Eastern Atlantic (MAIREASTLANT), in Northwood, United Kingdom • Maritime Air Northern Sub-Area (MAIRNORLANT), in Rosyth, United Kingdom • Maritime Air Central Sub-Area (MAIRCENTLANT), in Plymouth, United Kingdom •
Island Command Iceland (ISCOMICELAND), in
Keflavík, Iceland •
Island Command Faroes (ISCOMFAROES), in
Tórshavn, Faroe Islands • Western Atlantic Area (WESTLANT), in Norfolk, United States • Ocean Sub-Area (OCEANLANT), in Norfolk, United States • Canadian Atlantic Sub-Area (CANLANT), in
Halifax, Canada • Island Command Bermuda (ISCOMBERMUDA), in
Hamilton, Bermuda • Island Command Azores (ISCOMAZORES), in
Ponta Delgada,
Azores •
Island Command Greenland (ISCOMGREENLAND), in
Grønnedal,
Greenland • Submarine Force Western Atlantic (SUBWESTLANT), in Norfolk, United States •
Iberian Atlantic Area (IBERLANT), in
Oeiras, Portugal • Island Command Madeira (ISCOMADEIRA), in
Funchal,
Madeira • Striking Fleet Atlantic (STRIKFLTLANT), in Norfolk, United States • Carrier Striking Force (CARSTRIKFOR), in Norfolk, United States • Carrier Striking Group One (CARSTRIKGRUONE), in Norfolk, United States • Carrier Striking Group Two (CARSTRIKGRUTWO), in Plymouth, United Kingdom • Submarines Allied Command Atlantic (SUBACLANT), in Norfolk, United States •
Allied Command Channel (ACCHAN), in
Northwood, United Kingdom • Nore Sub-Area Channel Command (NORECHAN), in Rosyth, United Kingdom • Plymouth Sub-Area Channel Command (PLYMCHAN), in
Plymouth, United Kingdom • Benelux Sub-Area Channel Command (BENECHAN), in
Den Helder, Netherlands • Allied Maritime Air Force Channel (MAIRCHAN), in Northwood, United Kingdom • Maritime Air Nore Sub-Area Channel Command (MAIRNORECHAN), in Rosyth, United Kingdom • Maritime Air Plymouth Sub-Area Channel Command (MAIRPLYMCHAN), in Plymouth, United Kingdom • Standing Naval Force Channel (STANAVFORCHAN), afloat
Badges of the majors NATO commands in 1989 This is a gallery of the badges of the major NATO commands in 1989. File:NATO SACLANT badge.jpg|NATO SACLANT badge File:NATO ACLANT badge.jpg|NATO ACLANT badge File:NATO SHAPE badge.jpg|NATO SHAPE badge File:NATO CINCHAN badge.jpg|NATO ACCHAN badge File:NATO Command AFNORTH badges.jpg|NATO Command AFNORTH badges File:NATO Command AFCENT badges.jpg|NATO Command AFCENT badges File:NATO Command AFSOUTH badges.jpg|NATO Command AFSOUTH badges
After the Cold War By June 1991, it was clear that Allied Forces Central Europe (a Major Subordinate Command) could be reduced, with the Soviet threat disappearing. Six multinational corps were to replace the previous eight. Announcements in June 1991 presaged main defensive forces consisting of six multinational corps. Two were to be under German command, one with a U.S. division, one under Belgian command with a pending offer of a U.S. brigade, one under U.S. command with a German division, one under joint German-Danish command (LANDJUT), and one under Dutch command. The new German
IV Corps was to be stationed in Eastern Germany, and was not to be associated with the NATO structure. On 1 July 1994, the Alliance disestablished
Allied Command Channel, through retaining many of its subordinate structures after reshuffling. Most of the headquarters were absorbed within ACE, particularly within the new
Allied Forces Northwestern Europe. flying with
United States Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons in a NATO exercise. From 1994 to 1999 ACE had three Major Subordinate Commands, AFNORTHWEST, AFCENT, and AFSOUTH. In 1995 NATO began a Long Term Study to examine post-Cold War strategy and structure. Recommendations from the study for a new, streamlined structure emerged in 1996. The European and Atlantic commands were to be retained, but the number of major commands in Europe was to be cut from three to two, Regional Command North Europe and Regional Command South Europe. Activation of the new RC SOUTH occurred in September 1999, and in March 2000 Headquarters AFNORTHWEST closed and the new RC NORTH was activated. The headquarters of the two Regional Commands were known as Regional Headquarters South (RHQ South) and RHQ NORTH respectively. Each was to supervise air, naval, and land commands for their region as well as a number of Joint Subregional Commands (JSRCs). Among the new JSRCs was
Joint Headquarters Southwest, which was activated in Madrid in September 1999.
Organizations and agencies Prior to the reorganization, the NATO website listed 43 different agencies and organizations and five project committees/offices as of 15 May 2008. They included: • Logistics committees, organisations and agencies, including: •
NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency •
Central Europe Pipeline System •
NATO Pipeline System • Production Logistics organisations, agencies and offices including the
NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency • Standardisation organisation, committee, office and agency including the NATO Standardization Agency which also plays an important role in the global arena of standards determination. • Civil Emergency Planning committees and centre • Air Traffic Management and Air Defence committees, working groups organisation and centre including the: •
NATO ACCS Management Agency (NACMA), based in Brussels, manages around a hundred persons in charge of the
Air Control and Command System (
ACCS) due for 2009. •
NATO Programming Centre • The
NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Programme Management Organisation (NAPMO) • NATO Consultation, Command and Control Organisation (
NC3O) •
NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A), reporting to the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Organization (NC3O). This agency was formed when the
SHAPE Technical Centre (STC) in
The Hague (Netherlands) merged in 1996 with the NATO Communications and Information Systems Operating and Support Agency (NACISA) based in Brussels (Belgium). The agency comprises around 650 staff, of which around 400 are located in The Hague and 250 in Brussels. •
NATO Communications and Information Systems Services Agency (NCSA), based in
Mons (BEL), was established in August 2004 from the former NATO Communications and Information Systems Operating and Support Agency (NACISA). • NATO Headquarters C3 Staff (NHQC3S), which supports the North Atlantic Council, Military Committee, International Staff, and the International Military Staff. •
NATO Electronic Warfare Advisory Committee (NEWAC) •
Military Committee Meteorological Group (MCMG) • The
Military Oceanography Group (MILOC) •
NATO Research and Technology Organisation (RTO), • Education and Training college, schools and group • Project Steering Committees and Project Offices, including: • Alliance Ground Surveillance Capability Provisional Project Office (AGS/PPO) • Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) • NATO Continuous Acquisition and Life Cycle Support Office (CALS) • NATO FORACS Office •
Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) •
Committee of Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO (
COMEDS) •
Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) ==Civilian structure today==