There are two strategic commands in NATO: Allied Command Transformation and Allied Command Operations.
Both are part of the NATO Command Structure and composed of permanent multinational headquarters distributed geographically across Allied territory. The NATO Command Structure offers the opportunity to all Allies to participate in, and contribute to, the command and control of all Alliance operations, missions and activities across all military domains.
Allied Command Transformation is NATO’s Strategic Warfare Development Command. Its mission is to contribute to preserving the peace, security and territorial integrity of Alliance member states by leading the strategic warfare development of military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines.
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From its inception in 2003, Allied Command Transformation has demonstrated the importance of transformation and development as continuous drivers for change – change that will ensure the relevance of the Alliance in a rapidly evolving and complex global security environment.
Allied Command Transformation is organized around four principal functions:
- Strategic Thinking;
- Development of Capabilities;
- Education, Training and Exercises; and
- Cooperation and Engagement.
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Allied Command Operations is NATO’s Strategic Warfighting Command. It is responsible for the planning and execution of all NATO military operations. Allied Command Operations’ mission is to contribute to Alliance defence and security by maintaining the integrity of Alliance territory, safeguarding freedom of the seas and economic lifelines, and to preserve or restore the security of its members.
Allied Command Transformation and Allied Command Operations complement each other in shaping the current and future operating environment, equipping the warfighter to face any security challenge in support of NATO’s principles and interests.
History
Allied Command Transformation was preceded by Allied Command Atlantic, established in 1952 under the command of Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. For 51 years, Allied Command Atlantic’s purpose was to guard the sea lines of communication between North America and Europe, to allow for reinforcement of North American troops and supplies to European Alliance members in the event of a Soviet/Warsaw Pact invasion of Western Europe.
A Post-9/11 NATO Command Structure
After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, NATO leaders recognized the need for a new military command structure to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The Alliance agreed to reorganize its command structure and establish Allied Command Transformation.
The 2002 Prague Summit Declaration reaffirmed the need for a “leaner, more efficient, effective and deployable” command structure to meet the operational requirements of NATO missions. The new command structure was adopted the following year, with the inauguration of Allied Command Transformation occurring on June 19th, 2003.
With the creation of Allied Command Transformation and its counterpart, Allied Command Operations, the logic underpinning the Alliance’s command structure shifted from one based on geography to one based on function.
Allied Command Transformation would act as a forward-looking command focused on fostering change, developing future capabilities required by the Alliance and improving interoperability. Allied Command Operations would become the command responsible for all Alliance operations, including the maritime operations previously undertaken by Allied Command Atlantic.
The declaration from the Prague Summit states:
The strategic command for Transformation, headquartered in the United States, and with a presence in Europe, will be responsible for the continuing transformation of military capabilities and for the promotion of interoperability of Alliance forces, in cooperation with the Allied Command Operations as appropriate.
In 2023, Allied Command Transformation celebrated its 20th anniversary.
ACT’s Contributions to the Alliance
In a complex and rapidly changing international security environment, Allied Command Transformation’s aim is to enable NATO forces to be strong and agile, ready and mobile, and interoperable. Specifically, Allied Command Transformation:
- Ensures maximum interoperability of Alliance members and Partners including through the biggest interoperability event of its kind in NATO, the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise – or CWIX;
- Develops concepts that describe new ways of dealing with emerging challenges;
- Identifies opportunities and constraints in the adoption of new technologies through experimentation and analysis;
- Leverages a vast network of military and civilian expertise in member and partner countries, industry, academia, Joint Commands, NATO agencies and NATO-accredited Centres of Excellence to promote the exchange of ideas;
- Contributes to the NATO Defence Planning Process, leading the transformation of political guidance into capability commitments by all NATO members;
- Defines individual training standards and ensures connectivity of equipment and security protocols, including driving Federated Mission Networking;
- Defines and manages new programmes to modernize NATO’s capabilities;
- Educates and trains thousands of military and civilian personnel each year, delivering large- and small-scale exercises and pre-deployment training;
- Supports Allied Command Operations, enabling Allied warfighters to maintain a decisive edge.
By allowing Forces to understand better and decide faster, Allied Command Transformation ensures the Alliance’s warfighters are able to deter, defend and fight – today and tomorrow.
