Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (
SHAPE) is the central command of
NATO militaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
forces. It is located at
CasteauCasteau is a village of Belgium in the French-speaking region. With the others villages Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies , and Thieusies, they compose the municipality of Soignies....
, north of the
BelgianBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
city of
MonsMons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
. From 1951, SHAPE was the headquarters of operational forces in the European theatre (
Allied Command Europe, ACE), but since 2003 SHAPE has been the headquarters of
Allied Command Operations (ACO) controlling all allied operations worldwide.
SHAPE retained its traditional name with reference to Europe for legal reasons although the geographical scope of its activities was extended in 2003. At that time, NATO's command in Lisbon, historically part of the Atlantic command, was reassigned to ACO. The commanding officer of Allied Command Operations has also retained the title "Supreme Allied Commander Europe" (SACEUR), and continues to be a U.S.
four-starFour-star rank is a term used to describe a very senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO OF-9 code. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members...
general officer or
flag officerA flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
who also serves as Commander, U.S. European Command.
History
An integrated military structure for NATO was first established after the
Korean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
raised questions over the strength of Europe's defences against a Soviet attack. The first choice for commander in Europe was U.S. Army General
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, as he had successfully directed the Allied landings and subsequent march into Germany during World War II, amid many inter-Allied controversies over the proper conduct of the campaign in the western theatre. On December 19, 1950 the North Atlantic Council announced the appointment of General Eisenhower as the first SACEUR.
Field MarshalField Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Bernard Montgomery moved over from the predecessor
Western Union Defence OrganizationThe Western Union Defence Organization was the defence arm of the Western Union, the precursor to the Western European Union . The WUDO was also a precursor to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , and its headquarters, personnel, and plans provided the nucleus for NATO's military command...
(WUDO) to become the first Deputy SACEUR, who would serve until 1958. Volume 3 of Nigel Hamilton's
Life of Montgomery of Alamein gives a good account of Montgomery's exacting, tireless approach to improving the command's readiness, which however caused a good deal of bruised feelings in doing so. In establishing the command, the first NATO planners drew extensively on WUDO plans and personnel.
General Eisenhower arrived in Paris on January 1, 1951 and quickly set to work with a small group of planners to devise a structure for the new European command. The Planning Group worked in the Hotel Astoria in central Paris while construction of a permanent facility began at
RocquencourtRocquencourt is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is mostly known for:* hosting a research unit of INRIA ;...
, just west of the city, at Camp Voluceau.
In December 1950 it was announced that the forces initially to come under General Eisenhower's command were to be the Seventh United States Army in Germany, the
British Army of the RhineThere have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, with 2nd & 7th Armoured Divisions, to be bolstered by 11th Armoured Division and a further infantry division, three French divisions in Germany and Austria, the Danish, Belgian, and the
Independent NorwegianThe Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany was a Norwegian expeditionary force stationed first in the Hanover area and from 1948 to 1953 in the Schleswig Holstein area of Germany as part of the British occupying force after World War II.-Background:...
Brigades in Western Germany, and the American and British garrisons in Austria,
TriesteThe Free Territory of Trieste was to be a city-state situated in Central Europe between northern Italy and Yugoslavia, created by the United Nations Security Council in the aftermath of World War II and provisionally administered by an appointed military governor commanding the peacekeeping United...
, and Berlin. Four days after Eisenhower's arrival in Paris, on 5 January 1951, the Italian defence minister, Signor Pacciardi, announced that three Italian divisions were to be formed as Italy's 'initial contribution to the Atlantic army,' and that these divisions would also come under Eisenhower's control.
Initial command structure 1951
On April 2, 1951 General Eisenhower signed the activation order for Allied Command Europe and its headquarters at SHAPE. Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) was activated in
FontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, France in 1953. On the same day ACE’s subordinate headquarters in Northern and Central Europe were activated, with the Southern Region following in June.
By 1954 ACE's forces consisted of
Allied Forces Northern EuropeAllied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
, at
OsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Allied Forces Central Europe (
FontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
), Allied Forces Southern Europe (
ParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
/
NaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
) and Allied Forces Mediterranean at
MaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
The commanders and commands in 1957 were:
- Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) – General
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Lauris NorstadLauris Norstad was an American General in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force.-Early life and military career:...
, USAF
- Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) – Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
, British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
- Chief of Staff (COFS) – General
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Courtlandt Van R. SchuylerCortlandt Van Rensselaer Schuyler was a United States Army four star general who served as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe from 1953 to 1959.-Military career:...
, USAThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
- Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
(AFNORTH) – Lieutenant-General Sir C.S. Sugden, British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
- Allied Forces Central Europe
Joint Force Command Brunssum is the NATO military command based in Brunssum, Netherlands. JFC-B reports to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe based at Casteau, Belgium. It is one of three operational level commands in the NATO command structure, the others being Joint Force Command...
(AFCENT) – Général d'ArméeA Général d'Armée is the highest active military rank of the French Army.Officially, Général d'armée is not a rank , but a position and style bestowed on some Généraux de division in charge of important commands, such as chief of staff of the army...
Jean-Étienne ValluyJean Etienne Valluy was a French general .He was born in Rive-de-Gier, Loire, on 15 May 1899 to Claude Valluy and Jeanne, Adrienne Cossanges. In 1917 he entered the military academy of Saint-Cyr...
, French ArmyThe French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
- Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe was the headquarters for NATO air forces in Central Europe from 1951 to 1967 and from 1974 to 1993.-History:It was first based at Fontainebleau , and originally activated in April 1951...
(AAFCE) – Air Chief MarshalAir chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir George MillsAir Chief Marshal Sir George Holroyd Mills, GCB, DFC, RAF was a senior Royal Air Force commander. After his retirement from the RAF, Mills served as Black Rod in the Houses of Parliament until 1970...
, RAF
- Northern Army Group
The Northern Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in the Federal Republic of Germany.- History :...
(NORTHAG) – GeneralGeneral is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Richard Nelson GaleGeneral Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
, British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
- Central Army Group (CENTAG) – General
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Henry I. HodesHenry Irving Hodes was a United States Army four star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group from 1956 to 1959.-Military career:...
, United States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
- Allied Forces Southern Europe
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
(AFSOUTH) – AdmiralIn the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
R.P.M. Bristol, United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (STRIKFORSOUTH) – Vice Admiral
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
Charles R. Brown, United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- Allied Forces Mediterranean (AFMED) – Admiral
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
Sir Ralph EdwardsAdmiral Sir Ralph Edwards KCB CBE was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet.-Naval career:...
, RNThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
The initial plans saw the defence of Western Europe from a Soviet invasion resting heavily on nuclear weapons ('
Massive retaliationMassive retaliation, also known as a massive response or massive deterrence, is a military doctrine and nuclear strategy in which a state commits itself to retaliate in much greater force in the event of an attack.-Strategy:...
'), with conventional forces merely acting as a 'tripwire.' The policy enunciated in Military Committee document MC14/1, issued in December 1952, saw the defence of Germany as principally a delaying action, to allow a line of resistance to be established along the lines of the IJssel and Rhine rivers. The conventional forces would attempt to hold this line while the allied strategic air forces defeated the Soviets and their allies by destroying their economy and infrastructure.
What this strategy meant for the land battle in the central region was described for publicity purposes in January 1954 by then-Supreme Allied Commander Europe
GeneralIn the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Alfred GruentherAlfred Maximilian Gruenther was the youngest World War II Major General and after the war, as a four-star General, served as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe from 1953 to 1956.-Biography:...
as:
In 1957, SACEUR
GeneralIn the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Lauris NorstadLauris Norstad was an American General in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force.-Early life and military career:...
, USAF, noting the numerical superiority of Soviet and
Warsaw PactThe Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
forces over NATO ground forces, called for "about 30 divisions” to augment NATO’s central European front. That year Allied Command Europe carried out Operation Counter Punch, which involved AFCENT forces on the European mainland, and two other major military exercises in September 1957.
Operation StrikebackOperation Strikeback was a major naval exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that took place over a ten-day period in September 1957....
was a series of multilateral naval exercises that concentrated on NATO's eastern Atlantic/northern European flank. Operation Deep Water involved NATO carrier and amphibious assault forces operating along NATO's southern flank in the Mediterranean Sea.
To improve alliance military readiness and integration, NATO continued to hold annual alliance-wide military exercises each autumn (
FALLEX) that was jointly planned and executed by SACEUR and SACLANT forces.
From 1967 however, under '
flexible responseFlexible response was a defense strategy implemented by John F. Kennedy in 1961 to address the Kennedy administration's skepticism of Dwight Eisenhower's New Look and its policy of Massive Retaliation...
,' the aim became to build up conventional forces so that, if possible, nuclear weapons might not be needed. However it was made clear that first use of nuclear weapons might be necessary if the conventional defences were being overwhelmed. Eventually SACEUR was allocated planning control of a small number of US and all the British ballistic missile submarines, and some 7,000
tactical nuclear weaponA tactical nuclear weapon refers to a nuclear weapon which is designed to be used on a battlefield in military situations. This is as opposed to strategic nuclear weapons which are designed to menace large populations, to damage the enemy's ability to wage war, or for general deterrence...
s were deployed in Europe.
Relocation to Belgium
One of the most significant events in the history of Allied Command Europe (ACE) was France’s withdrawal from NATO’s integrated military structure. This move forced SHAPE and several other ACE headquarters to leave French territory. France's resentment over NATO’s military structure had been brewing for a number of years, as successive French governments had become increasingly incensed with
AngloThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
domination of the command structure and insufficient French influence. In February 1966 President
Charles de GaulleCharles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
stated that the changed world order had "stripped NATO of its justification" for military integration, and soon afterward, France stated that it was withdrawing from the NATO military structure. SHAPE and all the other NATO installations, including NATO Headquarters and Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), were informed that they must leave French territory by April 1967.
Belgium became the host nation for both NATO's political headquarters and SHAPE. General
Lyman LemnitzerLyman Louis Lemnitzer was a United States Army General, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1960 to 1962. He then served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO from 1963 to 1969.-Biography:...
, SACEUR at the time, had hoped that SHAPE could be located near to NATO Headquarters, as had been the case in Paris, but the Belgian authorities decided that SHAPE should be located at least 50 kilometres from
BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, NATO’s new location, because SHAPE was a major wartime military target. The Belgian government offered Camp Casteau, a 2 km² Belgian Army summer training camp near
MonsMons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
, which was an area in serious need of additional economic investment. In September 1966, NATO agreed that
BelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
should host SHAPE at
CasteauCasteau is a village of Belgium in the French-speaking region. With the others villages Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies , and Thieusies, they compose the municipality of Soignies....
. SHAPE closed its facility at
RocquencourtRocquencourt is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is mostly known for:* hosting a research unit of INRIA ;...
near Paris on 30 March 1967, and the next day held a ceremony to mark the opening of the new headquarters at Casteau.
The drawdown of the British
Mediterranean FleetSeveral countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
, the military difficulties of the politically-decided command structure, and the withdrawal of the French from the military command structure forced a rearrangement of the command arrangements in the southern region. Allied Forces Mediterranean was disbanded on 5 June 1967, and all forces in the south and the Mediterranean assigned to AFSOUTH in Naples. This left SHAPE and Allied Command Europe with three commands: AFNORTH covering Norway and Denmark, AFCENT most of Germany, and AFSOUTH Italy, Turkey, Greece, and the rest of the southern region.
The 1970s and After
The headquarters' new home in Mons, Belgium, was the center of international attention from time to time as new Supreme Allied Commanders came and went, with one of the more notable being General
Alexander M. HaigAlexander Meigs Haig, Jr. was a United States Army general who served as the United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House Chief of Staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...
, Jr. Haig, who had retired from military service in order to serve as
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
Chief of Staff for President
Richard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
during the depths of the Watergate crisis, was abruptly installed as SACEUR after Watergate's denouement. A creature of habit, Haig took the same route to SHAPE every day – a pattern of behavior that did not go unnoticed by terrorist groups. On June 25, 1979, Haig was the apparent target of an
assassinationTo carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempt in Mons, Belgium. A land mine blew up under the bridge on which Haig's car was traveling, narrowly missing Haig's car, but wounding three of his bodyguards in a following car. Authorities later attributed responsibility for the attack to the
Red Army FactionThe radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
(RAF). Haig's successor, General
Bernard RogersBernard William Rogers was an American general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and later as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander in Chief, United States European Command....
, became somewhat of an institution in Europe as the former U.S. Army chief of staff occupied the office for nearly eight years; a brief outcry arose from the other NATO capitals when Rogers was slated for retirement by the U.S. administration in 1987.
Command Structure 1982
Source: IISS Military Balance 1981-82, p. 25
ACE in 1986 had three major subordinate commands (MSCs), one each for Northern, Central, and Southern Europe, as well as smaller commands.
- Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
HQ Kolsås, Norway
- Allied Forces North Norway (Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
)
- Allied Forces South Norway (Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
)
- Allied Forces Baltic Approaches
Allied Forces Baltic Approaches was the NATO command with responsibility for the Baltic Sea area. It was in existence from 1962 to 2002.The NATO command Baltic Approaches was created on 8 January 1962, with headquarters in Karup, Denmark...
(Karup)
- Allied Land Forces, Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland
- Allied Land Forces, Zealand
- Allied Air Forces, Baltic Approaches
- Allied Naval Forces, Baltic Approaches
- ACE Mobile Force HQ Seckenheim, Germany
- United Kingdom Air Forces
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
HQ High Wycombe, UK
- NATO Airborne Early Warning Force
NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen is located near Geilenkirchen, Germany. It is the Main Operating Base of the NATO E-3A Component, one of two operational elements of the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force.- Location and history :...
, Maisieres, Belgium
- Allied Forces Central Europe HQ Brunssum, Netherlands
- Northern Army Group
The Northern Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in the Federal Republic of Germany.- History :...
(NORTHAG)
- Central Army Group (CENTAG)
- Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe was the headquarters for NATO air forces in Central Europe from 1951 to 1967 and from 1974 to 1993.-History:It was first based at Fontainebleau , and originally activated in April 1951...
Ramstein, Germany
- Second Allied Tactical Air Force
- Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force
- Allied Forces Southern Europe
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
HQ Naples, Italy
- Allied Land Forces Southern Europe Verona, Italy
- Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe Izmir, Turkey
- Allied Air Forces Southern Europe Naples, Italy
- Naval Striking and Support Forces, Southern Europe Naples
- Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe Naples, Italy
- Maritime Air Forces Mediterranean
- Submarine Force Mediterranean
- Naval On-Call Force Mediterranean
- Commander Western Mediterranean
- Commander Central Mediterranean
- Commander Eastern Mediterranean
- Commander Northeastern Mediterranean
After much discussion within the Alliance, ACE's three-command system was reduced to two commands after 1996, one for north of the Alps and one for south of the Alps. The United States had wished to retain three commands, arguing that 'the span of control might be excessive.'
It was feared by Pentagon officials at the time that if the two-command structure was adopted, some functions at the MSC level would have had to be moved 'downward' in the new structure. But while the United States eventually had to give in on a reduction to two commands, it was successful in that a European officer was not placed in charge of the new southern command (now
Allied Joint Force Command NaplesAllied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
), a move which France and Germany supported. Despite French President
Jacques ChiracJacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
exchanging letters with
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
personally over the issue in September–October 1997, the United States stood firm and today an American admiral remains in charge of the Naples command.
An early retirement again disrupted the Mons headquarters in 2000 as General
Wesley ClarkWesley Kanne Clark, Sr., is a retired general of the United States Army. Graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at West Point, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and later graduated from the...
was shunted aside in favor of Air Force general
Joseph RalstonJoseph W. Ralston is currently the United States Special Envoy for Countering the Kurdistan Workers Party and holds senior positions in various defense related corporations. He was the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.-Military career:Ralston has served in the military since 1965...
. Although the move was publicly characterized as a purely administrative move necessitated by Clark's approaching retirement and the lack of an open four-star slot for the highly respected Ralston [a reality which would have compelled him to either accept a temporary demotion to two-star rank or retire from the service], Clark's relief has been often seen as a slap at the general on the part of a Pentagon leadership that had been very much at odds with him during the
Kosovo warThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
the previous spring.
In 2003, a French flag was set up in the SHAPE headquarters in Mons following the return, after almost forty years, of French military officers to the HQ. Fifteen French military officers, including General Jean-Jacques Bart, work there, of a total amount of 1,100 personnel. They are however considered as "inserted," and not as "integrated," as they can not be ordered to move without previous French approval.
Structure today
Today Allied Command Operations (ACO), is one of the two supreme commands of NATO (the other being
Allied Command TransformationAllied Command Transformation is a NATO military command, which was formed in 2003 after North Atlantic Treaty Organisation restructuring....
, ACT).
There are three main headquarters under Allied Command Operations:
- Joint Force Command Brunssum, Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
- Allied Joint Force Command Naples
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
, ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- Joint Command Lisbon
Allied Joint Force Command Lisbon or JFC Lisbon is one of the three main subdivisions of NATO's Allied Command Operations. It is based in Oeiras, near Lisbon, Portugal...
, PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Between 2003 and 2006, a new category of forces, the NATO Force Structure, was created, principally to improve the flexibility and reach of land forces. The structure incorporates six "NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters," and two lower readiness land headquarters. Three naval headquarters are also part of this structure, with two other naval headquarters, contributed by France and the USA, also affiliated. Formed from October 2003, the NATO Rapidly Deployable Corps are designated High Readiness Forces (HRF), designed to be able to react on short notice. Although these forces can not deploy on five days warning like the
NATO Response ForceThe NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...
(NRF), they have a longer than 30 days sustainment capability in combat than the NRF.
- Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, based at Imjin Barracks, Innsworth
Innsworth is a suburb of Gloucester, it is a civil parish and forms part of the borough of Tewkesbury.It contains Imjin Barracks, the home of HQ ARRC, which moved from Germany in 2010...
, GloucesterGloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which is rapidly deployable within five days, but lacks sustained capability, limited to 30 days in combat. It would serve as an advance force for follow on NATO forces.
- I. German/Dutch Corps
1 German/Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation consisting of units from both the Royal Dutch Army and German Army. It is also part of NATO's Response Force, a military force consisting of approximately 25,000 troops. The Corps' headquarters are situated in Münster , formerly the...
based in MünsterMünster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, Germany
- NATO Rapid Deployable Italian Corps
The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy is a corps headquarters of the Italian Army. It was established in November 2001 as a High Readiness Force of NATO. The staff of NRDC-IT is located in Solbiate Olona, a few kilometers northwest of Milan...
, Ugo Mara Barracks HQ in Solbiate Olona near MilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
- NATO Rapid Deployable Turkish Corps, HQ near Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey (NRDC-T 'NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Turkey')
- NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Spain in Valencia, Spain
- NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Greece
The NATO Deployable Corps - Greece, abbreviated NDC-GR, is an operational headquarters of the Hellenic Army, intended for the direction of international operations undertaken by the European Union and NATO...
based on the "C" Corps HQ in ThessalonikiThessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece (now redesignated as a Force of Lower Readiness (FLR))
The Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) headquartered in
SzczecinSzczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, Poland, is seen along with the downgraded Greek NRD, as the third echelon deployable force in the NATO rapid deployment capability. The
EurocorpsEurocorps is a multinational standing army corps available for the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance.Headquartered in Strasbourg, France, the force was created in May 1992, activated in October 1993 and declared operational in 1995....
HQ, in
StrasbourgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, France, is nominally an EU force with a technical agreement linking it to NATO.
Certification of the following High Readiness Forces (Maritime) Headquarters took place in 2004:
- Headquarters Commander Italian Maritime Forces on board Italy’s INS Garibaldi;
- Headquarters Commander Spanish Maritime Forces (HQ COMSPMARFOR) on board SPS Castilla
The Galicia class is a class of two 13,900 t landing platform dock ships, belonging to the Spanish Navy. Built in Ferrol, their mission is to carry amphibious warfare by transporting the bulk of the Infantería de Marina....
;
- Headquarters Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces
Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces or COMUKMARFOR is a senior post in the Royal Navy. The post is the highest sea-going command in the Royal Navy and is part of the Fleet Battle Staff based in Portsmouth, part of Commander-in-Chief Fleet's staff...
(HQ COMUKMARFOR)
Naval Striking and Support Force NATO (STRIKFORNATO), homeported at Gaeta, Italy, whose lead nation is the USA, is commanded by Commander United States Sixth Fleet, and is also part of the NATO Force Structure. STRIKFORNATO is the only command capable of leading an expanded maritime task force. The final formation is Commander French Maritime Forces, initially aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle but now aboard the amphibious ship
Mistral. The French naval component is drawn from the
Force d'Action NavaleThe Force d'action navale is the 12,000-man and about 100-ship strong backbone of the French Navy. As of 2006, it is commanded by Vice-Amiral d’Escadre Philippe Sautter.The ships are divided into seven categories:...
, the French Navy's surface fleet.
Island Commander, IcelandThe Iceland Defense Force was a military command of the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006. The IDF, created at the request of NATO, came into existence when the United States signed an agreement to provide for the defense of Iceland, which does not, and did not, have its own unified...
, remains in existence as a detachment of HQ ACO, as does Allied Submarine Command, a NATO command based on the
United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's
ComSubLantCommander, Submarine Force Atlantic is the type commander for U.S. submarines in the Atlantic Fleet. Established on 7 December 1941, Rear Admiral Richard S. Edwards was assigned as the first Force Commander. U.S. submarine operations in the Atlantic, however, go back to before the First World War...
. A special operations coordination centre and an intelligence fusion centre have also recently been formed within SHAPE.
As more capable rapid reaction forces were established, earlier 'fire brigades,' including the Allied Command Europe (ACE) Mobile Force - Land (AMF(L), were disbanded; AMF(L) was disbanded on 30 or 31 October 2002.
In addition to this Allied Command Operations has at its disposal standing forces such as:
- NATO Airborne Early Warning Force (NAEWF)
- Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1)
- Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2)
- Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1)
- Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2)
Airlift support for SACEUR's travels is provided by the USAF's 309th Airlift Squadron at
Chièvres Air BaseChièvres Air Base is a United States Air Force airfield located in the Belgian town of Chièvres and about 12 miles from Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe , in Casteau. It is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE...
, Belgium.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR)
Since 2003 the Supreme Allied Commander Europe has also served as the head of Allied Command Europe and the head of Allied Command Operations.
| | Name | Photo | Branch | Term began | Term ended |
| 1. |
General of the ArmyGeneral of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
April 2, 1951 |
May 30, 1952 |
| 2. |
General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Matthew RidgwayMatthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
May 30, 1952 |
July 11, 1953 |
| 3. |
General Alfred GruentherAlfred Maximilian Gruenther was the youngest World War II Major General and after the war, as a four-star General, served as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe from 1953 to 1956.-Biography:...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
July 1, 1953 |
November 20, 1956 |
| 4. |
General Lauris NorstadLauris Norstad was an American General in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force.-Early life and military career:...
|
 |
U.S. Air Force |
November 20, 1956 |
January 1, 1963 |
| 5. |
General Lyman LemnitzerLyman Louis Lemnitzer was a United States Army General, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1960 to 1962. He then served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO from 1963 to 1969.-Biography:...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
January 1, 1963 |
July 1, 1969 |
| 6. |
General Andrew GoodpasterAndrew Jackson Goodpaster was an American Army General. He served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe from July 1, 1969 and Commander in Chief of the United States European Command from May 5, 1969 until his retirement December 17, 1974...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
July 1, 1969 |
December 15, 1974 |
| 7. |
General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. |
 |
U.S. Army |
December 15, 1974 |
July 1, 1979 |
| 8. |
General Bernard W. RogersBernard William Rogers was an American general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and later as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander in Chief, United States European Command....
|
 |
U.S. Army |
July 1, 1979 |
June 26, 1987 |
| 9. |
General John Galvin |
 |
U.S. Army |
June 26, 1987 |
June 23, 1992 |
| 10. |
General John Shalikashvili |
 |
U.S. Army |
June 23, 1992 |
October 22, 1993 |
| 11. |
General George Joulwan George Alfred Joulwan is a retired United States Army general, and is now a businessman. Joulwan, of Lebanese origin, studied at the United States Military Academy and Loyola University Chicago....
|
 |
U.S. Army |
October 22, 1993 |
July 11, 1997 |
| 12. |
General Wesley ClarkWesley Kanne Clark, Sr., is a retired general of the United States Army. Graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at West Point, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and later graduated from the...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
July 11, 1997 |
May 3, 2000 |
| 13. |
General Joseph RalstonJoseph W. Ralston is currently the United States Special Envoy for Countering the Kurdistan Workers Party and holds senior positions in various defense related corporations. He was the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.-Military career:Ralston has served in the military since 1965...
|
 |
U.S. Air Force |
May 3, 2000 |
January 17, 2003 |
| 14. |
General James L. JonesJames Logan Jones, Jr. is the former United States National Security Advisor and a retired United States Marine Corps General....
|
 |
U.S. Marine Corps |
January 17, 2003 |
December 7, 2006 |
| 15. |
General Bantz J. CraddockBantz John Craddock is a retired United States Army four-star general. His last military assignment was as Commander, U.S. European Command and the NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe as well as the commanding officer of Allied Command Operations from December 2006 to June 30, 2009. He also...
|
 |
U.S. Army |
December 7, 2006 |
July 2, 2009 |
| 16. |
Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
James G. StavridisJames G. Stavridis is a United States Navy admiral who serves as the current Commander, U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe . The first Navy officer to hold these positions, he assumed command in early summer 2009. He previously served as Commander, U.S...
|
 |
U.S. Navy |
July 2, 2009 |
Present Present is a time that is neither past nor future.Present may also refer to:- Time and timing :* Present tense, the grammatical tense of a verb* Before Present, radiocarbon dates relative to AD 1950* Presenting, a medical term* Presenteeism...
|
|
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (Deputy SACEUR)
The position of deputy head of Allied Command Europe, since 2003 deputy head of Allied Command Operations has been held by the following officers. From January 1978 until June 1993 there were two Deputy SACEURs, one British and one German, but from July 1993 this reverted to a single Deputy SACEUR.
| | Name | Photo | Branch | Term began | Term ended |
| 1. |
Field Marshal Viscount MontgomeryField Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
|
 |
British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
|
April 2, 1951 |
September 23, 1958 |
| 2. |
General Sir Richard GaleGeneral Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
|
 |
British Army |
September 23, 1958 |
September 22, 1960 |
| 3. |
General Sir Hugh Stockwell General Sir Hugh Charles Stockwell GCB, KBE, DSO & Bar was a British soldier, most remembered for commanding the Anglo-French ground forces during the Suez Crisis and his service as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1960 to 1964.-Early life:Stockwell was born in Jersey, but spent...
|
|
British Army |
September 22, 1960 |
January 1, 1964 |
| 4. |
Marshal of the RAF Sir Thomas Pike Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Geoffrey Pike GCB CBE DFC & Bar DL RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force.-RAF career:...
|
|
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
|
January 1, 1964 |
March 1, 1967 |
| 5. |
General Sir Robert Bray General Sir Robert Napier Hubert Campbell Bray, GBE, KCB, DSO and bar was a British soldier, deputy Supreme Commander Europe of NATO's Allied Command Europe from 1967 to 1970.-Education:...
|
 |
British Army |
March 1, 1967 |
December 1, 1970 |
| 6. |
General Sir Desmond Fitzpatrick General Sir Geoffrey Richard Desmond Fitzpatrick, GCB, GCVO, DSO, MBE, MC was a senior British Army officer who served as commander of the British Army of the Rhine and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe...
|
|
British Army |
December 1, 1970 |
November 12, 1973 |
| 7. |
General Sir John MoggGeneral Sir Herbert John Mogg GCB CBE DSO & Bar was a senior British Army officer who also held the NATO position of Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe .He has been described as a popular and affable man...
|
|
British Army |
November 12, 1973 |
March 12, 1976 |
| 8. |
General Sir Harry TuzoGeneral Sir Harry Craufurd Tuzo, GCB, OBE, MC was a British Army officer who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and GOC of the British Army in Northern Ireland during the early period of the Troubles.-Early life:...
|
|
British Army |
March 12, 1976 |
November 2, 1978 |
| 9. |
General Gerd Schmückle |
|
German ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
|
January 3, 1978 |
April 1, 1980 |
| 10. |
General Sir Jack Harman General Sir Jack Wentworth Harman GCB, OBE, MC is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces. He began his military career in 1940, serving in The Queen's Bays for the majority of his early career and saw service with them during Second World War in the Middle East, Europe and Africa...
|
|
British Army |
November 2, 1978 |
April 9, 1981 |
| 11. |
Admiral Günter Luther |
|
German Navy The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
|
April 1, 1980 |
April 1, 1982 |
| 12. |
Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Peter TerryAir Chief Marshal Sir Peter David George Terry GCB is a retired senior Royal Air Force commander.-Royal Air Force career:...
|
|
Royal Air Force |
April 9, 1981 |
July 16, 1984 |
| 13. |
General Günter Kießling Günter Kießling was a German general in the Bundeswehr, who became famous as the subject of what became known as the Kießling Affair....
|
|
German Army |
April 1, 1982 |
April 2, 1984 |
| 14. |
General Hans-Joachim Mack |
|
German Army |
April 2, 1984 |
October 1, 1987 |
| 15. |
General Sir Edward Burgess General Sir Edward Arthur Burgess KCB OBE is a British Army General who served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:Educated at Bloxham School, Edward Burgess was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1948....
|
|
British Army |
July 16, 1984 |
June 26, 1987 |
| 16. |
General Sir John Akehurst General Sir John Bryan Akehurst KCB CBE was a British Army General who rose to be Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:...
|
|
British Army |
June 26, 1987 |
January 17, 1990 |
| 17. |
General Eberhard Eimler |
|
German Air Force |
October 1, 1987 |
October 2, 1990 |
| 18. |
General Sir Brian Kenny General Sir Brian Leslie Graham Kenny GCB CBE is a British Army General who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:Educated at Canford School, Brian Kenny was commissioned into the 4th Queen's Own Hussars in 1954....
|
|
British Army |
January 17, 1990 |
April 5, 1993 |
| 19. |
General Dieter Clauss |
|
German Army |
October 2, 1990 |
July 1, 1993 |
| 20. |
General Sir John WatersGeneral Sir Charles John Waters GCB CBE is a former Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces.-Army career:Educated at Oundle School, John Waters was commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment in February 1956. He was made Commanding Officer of 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regiment in 1975...
|
|
British Army |
April 5, 1993 |
December 12, 1994 |
| 21. |
General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie General Sir John Jeremy Mackenzie GCB, OBE, DL is a former British Army General who became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:...
|
|
British Army |
December 12, 1994 |
November 30, 1998 |
| 22. |
General Sir Rupert Smith General Sir Rupert Smith KCB, DSO & Bar, OBE, QGM was an officer in the British Army until his retirement in 2002. He was educated at the Haileybury and Imperial Service College and later at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.- Military career :...
|
|
British Army |
November 30, 1998 |
September 17, 2001 |
| 23. |
General Dieter Stöckmann Dieter Stöckmann is a retired German general of the Bundeswehr. He was Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe from 1996-98.- Biography :Stöckmann was born in Stolp, Pomerania...
|
|
German Army |
September 17, 2001 |
September 18, 2002 |
| 24. |
Admiral Rainer Feist Admiral Rainer Feist was an officer in the German Navy until his retirement in 2004.-Military career:Feist was born in Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony. He enlisted in the Bundeswehr in 1966 as an officer cadet and graduated from Naval Academy Mürwik in 1968. After that he served onboard Fast Attack Crafts...
|
|
German Navy |
September 18, 2002 |
October 1, 2004 |
| 25. |
General Sir John Reith |
|
British Army |
October 1, 2004 |
October 22, 2007 |
| 26. |
General Sir John McCollGeneral Sir John Chalmers McColl KCB, CBE, DSO is the current Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. He was sworn in on 26 September 2011. He was formerly Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Army career:...
|
|
British Army |
October 22, 2007 |
March 2011 |
| 27. |
General Sir Richard Shirreff General Sir Alexander Richard David Shirreff KCB CBE is the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Early and personal life:Educated at Oundle School and Exeter College, Oxford, Richard Shirreff was commissioned into the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 1976.He is married to Sarah-Jane and has two...
|
|
British Army |
March 2011 |
Incumbent |
Further reading
- Jordan, Robert S. Norstad: Cold War NATO Supreme Commander—Airman, Strategist, Diplomat St. Martin's Press, 2000. 350 pp.
- Lt. Col. William A. Knowlton, Early Stages in the Organization of SHAPE, International Organization, Volume 13, No.1, Winter 1959
- Jane's NATO Handbook Edited by Bruce George, 1990, Jane's Information Group ISBN 978-0-7106-0598-6
- Jane's NATO Handbook Edited by Bruce George, 1991, Jane's Information Group ISBN 978-0-7106-0976-2
External links