Joint armed forces - troops, forces and means, command and control bodies allocated by agreement between two or more states for joint actions in order to ensure their security. The joint armed forces of each state include, as a rule, the most trained and equipped with modern weapons and technical equipment formations and units.

The special forces of the CRRF consist of representatives of the internal affairs agencies or the police, internal troops, security agencies and special services, as well as agencies for the prevention and elimination of the consequences of emergency situations.

The UN armed forces are the joint armed forces of the member states of the United Nations, the procedure for their creation is regulated by Article 43 of the UN Charter. The military contingents provided by the UN member countries to the disposal of the Security Council, under its leadership and command, in essence, constitute the unified armed forces of the UN. Their task is to help prevent hostilities, restore and maintain order, and provide humanitarian assistance. Their functions also include monitoring compliance with the ceasefire agreement, monitoring the withdrawal of troops and patrolling the buffer zones. Traditionally, the armed forces of the Scandinavian countries, Canada, Austria, Ireland, France, Great Britain, as well as Ghana, Nepal, and Fiji took part in the formation of the UN multinational forces. In modern conditions, the military formations of the United States, Russia, Ukraine and other states are also involved in them.

The NATO Joint Armed Forces (NATO Allied Forces) are the coalition armed forces of the states that are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Created in accordance with the decisions of the fifth session of the NATO Council in September 1950.

Currently, 28 states are members of NATO: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal , Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, USA, Spain, UK, Turkey. NATO's primary mission is to protect the freedom and security of its member states through political and military means. NATO adheres to the principle that an attack on one or more members of the organization is considered an attack on the alliance as a whole.

The structure of the NATO Joint Armed Forces in terms of numbers, combat composition and equipment is more focused on military operations of a local scale and peacekeeping operations (including outside the bloc's area of ​​responsibility), solving problems of preventing or eliminating sources of threats associated with terrorism and proliferation weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Allied Forces are composed of theater nuclear forces and general purpose forces. Nuclear forces are assigned the role of a deterrent for potential aggressors. They include tactical aircraft carrier squadrons of the Air Force (Air Force) and the Navy (Navy). The general-purpose forces are the most significant in composition and are represented by formations of the ground forces, air force and navy that are not included in the nuclear component of the bloc.

The project of the European Defense Community was announced by French Prime Minister René Pleven in 1950. Then, in July 1950, North Korea, backed by China, attacked South Korea to unite the country under a communist flag. Fears grew in Europe that a similar scenario could also be implemented here, and then a project was developed according to which the armed forces of France, Italy, West Germany and the Benelux countries were to be united under a common command. , he was not supported by the National Assembly of France.

Attempts to create a unified European army continued further. In 1991, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain formed joint brigades with a single command in Strasbourg and named them "Eurocorps". In 1995, the French, Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese agreed to create the Eurofor (European Operational Rapid Force).

At the Helsinki Conference in 1999, the European Union began to develop a common defense policy, and the concept of rapid reaction forces was developed. The conference participants decided to use the rapid reaction forces only for peacekeeping operations and humanitarian missions. At the same time, the prerogative of the UN was recognized in making decisions on the start of peacekeeping operations, as well as NATO's "right of first refusal", which allowed the use of European troops only if the alliance for some reason refused to participate in the operation. The decision to create the European Union Rapid Reaction Force (EUFOR, European Union Force) was made in September 2000.

The issues of ensuring military security were at the head of the agenda of the EU summit, then British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke out against the creation of a unified EU armed forces.

The German newspaper Welt am Sonntag published an interview with the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who said that the EU needs to create its own unified army as a tool to defend Europe's interests. This idea was approved by German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, and the German opposition criticized Juncker's proposal.

UK, Sweden, Poland. According to EC official representative Margaritis Schinas, this issue will be raised at the EU summit in June.

The countries of the League of Arab States (LAS) approved the creation of inter-Arab joint armed rapid reaction forces, the purpose of which is to eliminate threats in the region.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

NATO, or the Organization of the North Atlantic Bloc countries, is a military-political alliance created in 1949 as a counterbalance to the growing danger posed by the Soviet Union, which pursued a policy of supporting communist movements in Europe. At first, the organization included 12 states - ten European, as well as the USA and Canada. Now NATO is the largest alliance, consisting of 28 countries.

Alliance Formation

A few years after the end of the war, at the end of the 1940s, the danger of new international conflicts arose - there was a coup in Czechoslovakia, and undemocratic regimes were established in the countries of Eastern Europe. The governments of the Western European countries were concerned about the growing military power of the Land of Soviets and direct threats from it against Norway, Greece, and other states. In 1948, five countries of Western Europe signed the Treaty of Intention to Create a Unified System to Protect Their Sovereignty, which later became the basis for the formation of the North Atlantic Alliance.

The main goal of the organization was to ensure the security of its members and the political integration of European countries. Over the years of its existence, NATO has received new members several times. At the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, after the collapse of the USSR and the Organization of the Warsaw Pact countries, the North Atlantic bloc took in several Eastern European countries and former republics of the USSR, which increased the number of troops of NATO countries.

"Containment" strategy

The duration of the treaty between NATO member countries at the time of its signing was set at twenty years, but it was also provided for its automatic extension. The text of the treaty emphasized the obligation not to carry out actions contrary to the UN Charter and to promote international security. A strategy of "containment" was proclaimed, which was based on the concept of "shield and sword". The basis of the policy of "containment" was supposed to be the military power of the union. One of the ideologists of this strategy emphasized that of the five regions in the world with the possibility of creating military power - these are the USA, Great Britain, the USSR, Japan and Germany - one is controlled by the communists. Therefore, the main goal of the "containment" policy was to prevent the spread of the ideas of communism to other regions.

The concept of "shield and sword"

The declared concept was based on the superiority of the United States in the possession of nuclear weapons. The response to aggression was the possible use of nuclear weapons of low destructive power. The "shield" meant the ground forces of Europe with strong support from the air force and the navy, and the "sword" meant US strategic bombers with atomic weapons on board. According to this understanding, the following tasks were considered:

1. The US was supposed to carry out strategic bombing.

2. The main maritime operations were carried out by the American and allied navies.

3. The number of NATO troops was provided by mobilization in Europe.

4. The main short-range and air defense was also provided by European countries, led by Great Britain and France.

5. The remaining countries that are members of NATO were to assist in solving special tasks.

Formation of the armed forces of the alliance

However, in 1950, North Korea attacked South Korea. This military conflict showed the insufficiency and limitations of the "deterrence" strategy. It was necessary to develop a new strategy that would be a continuation of the concept. It was the "forward defense" strategy, according to which it was decided to create the United Armed Forces of the bloc - coalition forces of NATO member states stationed in Europe under a single command. The development of the united forces of the bloc can be conditionally divided into four periods.

The NATO Council has developed a "short" plan, designed for four years. It was based on the possibility of using the military resources that at that time were at the disposal of NATO: the number of troops was 12 divisions, about 400 aircraft, a certain number of ships. The plan provided for the possibility of conflict in the near future and the withdrawal of troops to the borders of Western Europe and to the ports of the Atlantic. At the same time, the development of "medium" and "long-term" plans was carried out. The first of them provided for the maintenance of the armed forces in a state of combat readiness, and in the event of a military conflict, the containment of enemy forces up to the Rhine River. The second was designed to prepare for a probable "big war", which provided for the conduct of major military operations already east of the Rhine.

The strategy of "massive retaliation"

As a result of these decisions, NATO's troop strength rose from four million in 1950 to 6.8 million in three years. The number of regular US armed forces has also increased - from one and a half million people in two years it has grown by 2.5 times. This period is characterized by the transition to the strategy of "massive retaliation". The United States no longer had a monopoly on nuclear weapons, but it did have a superiority in delivery vehicles as well as in numbers, which gave it some advantage in a possible war. This strategy involved waging a total nuclear war against the Soviet country. Therefore, the United States saw its task in strengthening strategic aviation for delivering nuclear strikes deep behind enemy lines.

Doctrine of limited war

The signing of the Paris Agreements of 1954 can be considered the beginning of the second period in the history of the development of the bloc's armed forces. According to the doctrine of limited warfare, it was decided to provide the countries of Europe with short- and long-range missiles. The role of the combined ground forces of the allies as one of the constituent parts of the NATO system was growing. The creation of missile bases on the territory of European countries was envisaged.

The total number of NATO troops was more than 90 divisions, more than 3,000 nuclear weapons delivery vehicles. In 1955, the OVR was created - a few months later, the first summit meeting dedicated to the problems of detente took place. During these years, there was a certain warming of relations between the USA and the USSR, nevertheless, the arms race continued.

In 1960 NATO had more than five million troops. If we add reserve units, territorial formations and the national guard to them, then the total number of NATO troops amounted to over 9.5 million people, about five hundred operational-tactical missile installations and more than 25 thousand tanks, about 8 thousand aircraft, of which 25% - carriers of atomic weapons on board and two thousand warships.

Arms race

The third period was characterized by a new strategy of "flexible response" and the rearmament of the combined forces. In the 1960s, the international situation worsened again. There were the Berlin and Caribbean crises, then there were the events of the Prague Spring. A five-year plan for the development of the armed forces was adopted, providing for the creation of a single fund for communication systems and other measures.

In the 70s of the 20th century, the fourth period of development of the combined forces of the coalition began and another concept of the “decapitation strike” was adopted, which made it a priority to destroy the enemy’s communication centers so that he would not have time to decide on a retaliatory strike. On the basis of this concept, the production of the latest generation of cruise missiles was launched, with high striking accuracy of given targets. NATO troops in Europe, the number of which increased every year, could not but disturb the Soviet Union. Therefore, he also set about modernizing the means of delivering atomic weapons. And then a new aggravation of relations began. However, with the new leadership coming to power in the Soviet Union, a radical turn took place in the country's international politics, and in the late 1990s, the Cold War was put to an end.

NATO arms reduction

As part of the reorganization of NATO forces, by 2006 it was planned to create a NATO Response Force, the number of troops of which would be 21,000 people representing the ground forces, air force and navy. These troops had to have all the necessary means to conduct operations of any intensity. As part of the Rapid Reaction Forces there will be units of the national armies, replacing each other every six months. The main part of the military force was to be provided by Spain, France and Germany, as well as the United States. It was also necessary to improve the command structure by type of armed forces, reducing the number of command and control bodies by 30%. If we look at the number of NATO troops in Europe over the years and compare these figures, we can see a significant reduction in the number of weapons that the alliance kept in Europe. The United States began to withdraw its troops from Europe, some of them were transferred home, and some - to other regions.

NATO expansion

In the 1990s, NATO began consultations with partners on the Partnership for Peace programs - both Russia and the Mediterranean Dialogue took part in it. As part of these programs, the organization decided to admit new members to the organization - former Eastern European states. In 1999, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary joined NATO, as a result of which the bloc received 360 thousand troops, more than 500 military aircraft and helicopters, fifty warships, about 7.5 thousand tanks and other equipment.

The second wave of expansion added seven countries to the bloc - four Eastern European countries, as well as the former Baltic republics of the Soviet Union. As a result, the number of NATO troops in Eastern Europe increased by another 142,000 people, 344 aircraft, over 1,500 tanks and several dozen warships.

Relations between NATO and Russia

These events were negatively perceived in Russia, but the terrorist attack of 2001 and the emergence of international terrorism again brought the positions of Russia and NATO closer. The Russian Federation provided its airspace to the block's aircraft for bombing in Afghanistan. At the same time, Russia opposed the expansion of NATO to the east and the inclusion of the former republics of the USSR into it. Particularly strong contradictions arose between them in connection with Ukraine and Georgia. The prospects for relations between NATO and Russia are of concern to many today, and different points of view are expressed on this issue. The number of NATO and Russian troops is practically comparable. No one seriously imagines a military confrontation between these forces, and in the future it is necessary to look for options for dialogue and the adoption of compromise solutions.

NATO involvement in local conflicts

Since the 1990s, NATO has been involved in several local conflicts. The first of these was Operation Desert Storm. When the armed forces of Iraq entered Kuwait in August 1990, a decision was made to deploy multinational forces there and a powerful group was created. The number of NATO troops in the operation "Desert Storm" amounted to more than two thousand aircraft with a stock of materiel, 20 strategic bombers, over 1,700 tactical aircraft and about 500 carrier-based aircraft. The entire aviation group was transferred to the command of the 9th Air Force of the US Air Force. After a long bombardment, the coalition ground forces defeated Iraq.

NATO peacekeeping operations

The North Atlantic bloc also participated in peacekeeping operations in areas of the former Yugoslavia. With the sanction of the UN Security Council in December 1995, the ground forces of the alliance were introduced into Bosnia and Herzegovina to prevent military clashes between the communities. After the implementation of the air operation, codenamed "Deliberate Force", the war was ended by the Dayton Agreement. In 1998-1999 During the armed conflict in the southern province of Kosovo and Metohija, a peacekeeping contingent was introduced under the command of NATO, the number of troops amounted to 49.5 thousand people. In 2001, in the armed conflict in Macedonia, the active actions of the European Union and the North Atlantic bloc forced the parties to sign the Ohrid Agreement. NATO's major operations are also Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Libya.

New concept of NATO

At the beginning of 2010, NATO adopted a new strategic concept, according to which the North Atlantic bloc should continue to solve three main tasks. This:


Today, the number of NATO troops in the world is, according to data for 2015, 1.5 million soldiers, of which 990 thousand are American troops. The joint rapid reaction units are 30 thousand people, they are supplemented by airborne and other special units. These can arrive at their destination in a short time - within 3-10 days.

Russia and the member states of the alliance are engaged in a constant political dialogue on the most important security issues. The Russia-NATO Council has set up working groups for cooperation in various fields. Despite differences, both sides are aware of the need to find common priorities in international security.

The state of the combined NATO armed forces

The armed forces of the NATO countries are subdivided into joint armed forces and troops remaining under national subordination. The joint armed forces of NATO include part of the armed forces of the member countries of the military organization of the bloc, transferred, allocated and intended for transfer under the operational leadership of the coalition command and control bodies.

Joint commands and staffs have already been created to lead the NATO Allied Forces in peacetime.

The bloc's coalition military strategy introduced a classification of troops (forces) belonging to the NATO Allied Forces according to their operational mission, which was called the "three-component structure". In accordance with it, the united armed forces of the bloc are divided into reaction forces, main defensive forces and reinforcement troops (forces).

The Response Force (SR) is the most combat-ready component of the NATO Allied Forces. They include formations of all types of armed forces of the member countries of the bloc's military organization. Designed to be used mainly in crisis situations and local military conflicts in order to resolve them. At the same time, they can be involved both in the alliance's area of ​​responsibility and outside it. The specific composition of the troops (forces) involved in the operation will depend on the evolving military-political situation in the crisis area and the scale of the alliance's military participation in it.

Depending on the degree of readiness for use, the reaction forces are divided into immediate reaction forces (SNR) and rapid deployment forces (RRF).

The immediate response forces are designed to resolve crisis situations not by force, but by demonstrating unity and readiness to defend collective interests by force of arms. These include: Mobile Ground Forces Command, Air Component, Maritime Component, AWACS-NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Command.

The command of the mobile ground forces includes 12 battalions: 2 from the FRG, one each from the USA, Great Britain, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Poland, a company from Luxembourg and a platoon from Denmark.

The air component includes: ae TA - 17; ae VTA - 2; SAM batteries -14.

The maritime component includes over 45 warships.

There are about 300 combat aircraft of the Air Force and Navy.

AWACS-NATO AWACS Command and Aviation Command has 17 E-3A aircraft.

The Rapid Deployment Forces are designed to be used in operations to resolve crisis situations by force, as well as to ensure the deployment of the main defensive forces of the NATO Allied Armed Forces in the event of a threat of a large-scale war. Their involvement is expected if the scale of the crisis exceeds the capabilities of the immediate response forces to localize it. They include land, air and sea components.

The combat formations of the ground component of the RRF are represented by 8 divisions: 3 mechanized and 1 armored divisions of Great Britain; 1 US armored division; 7 tank division of Germany; 3 mechanized division; 1 mechanized division of Turkey; 2 motorized infantry division of Greece and the national RRF of Spain, consisting of three separate brigades (the equivalent of one division). 5 separate brigades from the Armed Forces of Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy.

The air component of the NATO Rapid Deployment Forces includes 22 tactical aviation squadrons (about 500 combat aircraft) of the US Air Force, Germany, Great Britain, Turkey, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, 11 SAM batteries (63 launchers) of the US and Danish Air Forces, as well as 2 squadrons (about 80 aircraft) of the military transport aviation of the US Air Force, Germany, Great Britain and Turkey.

The maritime component of the NATO Rapid Deployment Force includes aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered multi-purpose submarines equipped with Tomahawk SLCMs, diesel-powered submarines, frigate-class (destroyer) ships, missile boats, security and logistics ships, an amphibious force with a brigade marines on board, basic aviation, marine corps aviation. In total - up to 110 warships and about 500 aircraft of the US Navy, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Turkey.

The Main Defense Forces (MAF) are the most significant part of the three-component structure of the NATO combined armed forces in terms of numbers and combat composition. They are designed to conduct large-scale operations during a general or limited war in Europe and the Atlantic. In peacetime, they can be used together with the bloc's response forces in the course of resolving armed conflicts. They consist of regular and reserve formations of ground forces, air and naval forces of NATO countries, with the exception of France, Spain and Portugal, and are manned by at least 65% of personnel, 100% of military equipment.

GOS in its composition have: divisions - about 40, dep. brigades - over 95, combat aircraft of the Air Force and Navy - up to 4300, warships - over 500.

The formations of the main defensive forces, in accordance with their main purpose, have lower categories of combat readiness than the formations of the reaction forces. At the same time, about 10% of divisions and 40% of individual brigades of the land component of the main defensive forces are supposed to be maintained in a high degree of combat readiness in everyday conditions (staffing - at least 90%, readiness to perform a combat mission - up to 48 hours).

Reinforcement troops (forces) include regular and mobilized formations that were not part of the reaction forces and the main defensive forces.

The ground component of the reinforcement troops is represented by regular formations of ground forces transferred to Europe from the USA and Canada, regular French troops that were not part of the reaction forces, units and formations of the ground forces of Spain and Portugal, as well as newly mobilized formations of the armed forces of the European countries of the bloc.

The reinforcement troops (forces) include: divisions - 20, brigades - over 45, combat aircraft of the Air Force and Navy - up to 1000, warships - about 200.

The state of combat readiness of the NATO Allied Forces. In accordance with NATO requirements, certain categories of combat readiness have been established for various components of the bloc's joint forces (reaction forces, GOS, reinforcement troops (forces).

Formations and units allocated to the ground component of the reaction forces have the following categories of combat readiness: mobile ground forces - A3, rapid deployment forces - A4. The readiness of the formations of the air component of the reaction forces corresponds to categories A1-A3. The ships of the combined navies, allocated to the permanent formations of the unit's joint naval forces, have the combat readiness category A1, and allocated to the marine component of the RRF, -A2-A4.

Formations and units of the ground forces of the main defensive forces of the bloc have combat readiness categories A4-B7, formations of the combined air forces - categories A2-B9, and warships of the combined navies - B5 and B6.

In the troops (forces) of strengthening the formation of the ground forces are in the categories of combat readiness B5-C8, the formations and units of the combined air forces have categories A2-C9, and the ships of the combined navies, depending on the time required for their transition from base areas or combat training to combat mission areas have combat readiness categories B8-C9.

FOREIGN MILITARY REVIEW No. 3/2000, pp. 2-7

GENERAL MILITARY ISSUES

Colonel A. STEPANOV

The military-political leadership of the North Atlantic Alliance, in the interests of bringing the command structure of the joint armed forces in line with the tasks defined by the new strategic concept of the alliance, has concentrated its efforts on improving the command and control system of the coalition troops (forces) of NATO.

The decision to make changes to this structure was preceded by preparatory work, during which several options for reorganization were considered, taking into account military-political and strategic realities. Military experts proceeded from the fact that the NATO command and control system created during the Cold War, designed primarily to repel the threat of "massive aggression" from the former USSR and the Warsaw Pact, had become too cumbersome, preventing the alliance from adequately responding to dynamic changes. environment.

In addition, a number of fundamentally new tasks have emerged. Along with measures to ensure the collective defense of the new NATO members, these are peacekeeping operations, the fight against international terrorism, countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and others. As a result, it became necessary to create a multifunctional, but more flexible structure of the unit's joint commands, which, according to the developers, will allow it to effectively carry out activities not only in the areas of responsibility of these commands, but also beyond them.

The former structure of the NATO Allied Command was focused primarily on the leadership of large groupings of troops (forces) intended for waging a large-scale war, and had four levels (Fig. 1).

Bodies of the highest (strategic) level were the supreme main commands - NATO Allied Forces in Europe and NATO Allied Forces in the Atlantic. They were subordinated to the main commands (GC) of the operational-strategic level. In Europe, there were three of them: the NATO Allied Command in the North-West European, Central European and South European theaters of military operations (NWE, CE and South theater of operations). There were five such commands in the Atlantic (in the Western, Eastern and Iberian Atlantic, as well as the Strike Fleet and NATO Joint Submarine Command Atlantic). They, in turn, were subordinate to the operational level commands (11 in Europe and 15 in the Atlantic), as well as 29 operational-tactical level commands.

The new structure of the alliance (Fig. 2) was first proposed at a meeting of the NATO military committee with the participation of the defense ministers of the bloc member countries on December 2, 1997, and was finally approved at the Washington summit in April 1999. The practical reorganization of the structure of coalition governing bodies began on September 1, 1999.

The adoption of the second reform of the NATO command structure after the Cold War (the first, less radical, was carried out in 1991) required considerable effort and was the result of lengthy bargaining over the geographical distribution of headquarters and the distribution of command positions among participating countries.

In determining the new command and control structure for the armed forces, NATO specialists were guided by the following considerations. First, the directions for adapting the command structure to modern requirements, in their opinion, are determined by three main goals - military effectiveness, the preservation of transatlantic ties, and the provision of a European identity in the field of defense and security. Secondly, the alliance should play a leading role in the European security system, and the new structure of NATO's military command and control should be able to solve the entire range of tasks of the North Atlantic Alliance. In addition, it is necessary that the governance structure has the necessary flexibility to ensure the participation of new NATO members in the bloc's activities.

In accordance with NATO guidelines, commanders at all levels are given greater freedom of action in all types of NATO military activities. At the same time, regional commands should be able to organize the reception of reinforcement troops (forces) and exercise leadership over them in the conduct of large-scale military operations.

The new command structure provides for a special approach to the areas of responsibility of the joint commands. Only the strategic and regional commands (NC and RC) in Europe will have permanently established areas of responsibility. The border between the strategic commands remains the same, with the exception of the area around the Canary Islands and the airspace above them, which, at the urgent request of Spain, are included in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the Allied Strategic Command in Europe. The leadership of aviation and navy activities in Europe is entrusted to the commanders of the combined Air Force and Navy of the regional commands "North" and "South". They will implement it through joint air and sea operations control centers in specific sectors of the zone.

NATO specialists propose to use the term "combination of two posts" for the chiefs of staff who can be combined. In particular, the headquarters of the SC "Vostok" of the NATO Allied Strategic Command in the Atlantic and the headquarters of the command of the Allied Forces Command of the Regional Command "North" of the NATO SC of the Allied Forces in Europe will be transformed into a single body (in Northwood, UK).

Great importance is given to the principle of rotation of the most important command posts. It will appoint, inter alia, commanders at the level of regional commands and below, deputy commanders, and chiefs of staff throughout the command structure, as well as the deputy chief of staff of the Allied Forces Strategic Command in Europe.

Recognizing that multinationality continues to be an important factor in ensuring the solidarity and cohesion of the bloc, NATO experts have developed a number of recommendations for recruiting government bodies:

The share of the country in whose territory the headquarters is located should account for no more than 50 percent. senior officer positions. The remaining positions must be distributed among the officers of other states, mainly those that border on the country on whose territory the headquarters is located;

Each participating country must send its officers to the main staff of the strategic commands;

All states within the regional command are obliged to allocate officers to the main staff of the command headquarters of the corresponding branches of the Armed Forces. Moreover, in order to improve interaction, they should also include specialists from the headquarters of the neighboring regional command;

An equal number of officers from at least five member states of the bloc should be allocated to the core staff of each sub-regional command (SRC) of the NATO Allied Forces.

It should be noted that it is the SRCs that are fundamentally new formations in the newly created NATO command and control structure. In fact, these are multi-service commands, which include representatives of both the ground forces and officers of the Air Force and Navy.

The Sub-Regional Commands will play an important role in implementing the 1994 NATO Multinational Operational Force (MNF) concept. It provides for the creation of multinational joint operational formations (CJTF - Combined Joint Task Forces), designed to solve the problems of resolving crisis situations of various scale and intensity both in the bloc's area of ​​​​responsibility and beyond it with the involvement of troops and forces of countries that are not members of the alliance (at least two in Europe and one in the Atlantic).

The basis for the deployment of the headquarters of these formations in Europe will be the operational groups formed at the headquarters of the regional commands (up to 115 out of 700 people of the staff of the headquarters). Depending on the scale and nature of the upcoming operation, they are supposed to be understaffed with reinforcement and support groups, mainly for ground forces (up to 100,000 corps personnel). The headquarters will be deployed, as a rule, on the basis of the headquarters of the SRK, located close to the place of the conflict (crisis).

Under the NATO Allied Forces in the Atlantic, such a joint formation (CJTF) will be, in essence, a strike fleet (UF), which is planned to be deployed mainly in the Mediterranean region.

The reduction of the NATO command and control bodies from 65 to 20 will occur mainly due to the abolition of the lower levels of command of the operational and operational-tactical levels (according to NATO classification - the third and fourth levels).

The two strategic commands of the Allied Forces of the bloc will continue to function - in the Atlantic and in Europe, carrying out general planning and directing the activities of subordinate command and control bodies and troops (forces) in their areas of responsibility.

The structure of governing bodies will undergo the most significant changes Allied NATO in Europe. Commands and headquarters of three levels - strategic, operational-strategic and operational (the fourth, tactical level of command and control bodies, will be abolished) are being created in its composition. In total, instead of 42, the new structure is planned to have 14 coalition control bodies: one strategic, six operational-strategic (two RK and four specific) and seven operational levels (SRK).

The direct command of the united armed forces of the bloc in Europe will continue to be exercised by the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces Investigative Committee of NATO, whose headquarters will remain in Casteau (Belgium).

The self-proclaimed area of ​​responsibility of the NATO Allied Strategic Command in Europe includes: the territories of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, the waters of the Northern, Irish, Norwegian, Baltic, Mediterranean, Black and the Seas of Azov, the English Channel, the Strait of Gibraltar and approaches to it from the Atlantic, the zone of the Baltic Straits, as well as the Canary Islands, coastal waters and airspace above them.

On the basis of the two main commands of the NATO Allied Forces in the North-West European and Central European Theater of Operations, the Regional Allied Command of NATO is being deployed "North"(Brunsum, the Netherlands), whose area of ​​responsibility includes the territories of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the Czech Republic, the waters of the North, Irish, Norwegian, Baltic Seas, the English Channel and the area of ​​the Baltic Straits. He will be subordinated to two specific commands - the combined air forces (OVVS) and the combined naval forces (OVMS) NATO "North", as well as three sub-regional commands of the NATO Allied Forces ("North", "North-East" and "Center" ).

The NATO Air Force Command "North" (Ramstein, Germany) is deployed on the basis of the NATO Air Force Command in the Central European theater of operations. NATO Allied Command North (Northwood, Great Britain) is also entrusted with the task of commanding the fleet of the NATO Allied Forces RK fleet East of the NATO Allied Strategic Command in the Atlantic. The headquarters of the SRK Allied Forces of NATO "North", "North-East" and "Center" are located respectively in the cities of Yotta (Norway), Karup (Denmark) and Heidelberg (Germany).

The main command of the NATO Allied Forces in the South European theater of operations will be transformed into the Allied Command of the Allied Forces of NATO "South" with the subordination of two specific commands (OVVS and the Allied Forces "South") and four SRCs of the Allied Forces of NATO ("South-East", "South", "South- Center" and "South-West"), two of which ("South-Center" and "South-West") are new. The program for reorganizing the bloc's military structure provides for granting this command broader powers and independence in resolving operational issues, since its area of ​​responsibility includes the main areas of instability (the Balkans, the Middle East).

The zone of responsibility of the NATO Regional Command "South" (Naples, Italy) includes the territories of Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Hungary, the waters of the Mediterranean, Black and Azov Seas, the zone of the Black Sea Straits, the Strait of Gibraltar and approaches to it from the Atlantic, as well as the Canary Islands, coastal waters and airspace above them.

The headquarters of the Allied Commands of the Allied Forces and the Allied Naval Forces of NATO "South" are located in Naples (Italy), and the SRK "South-East", "South-Center", "South" and "South-West", respectively, in the cities of Izmir (Turkey), Larissa (Greece), Verona (Italy) and Madrid (Spain).

As the developers of the new command and control structure note, the organization of the headquarters of these commands is basically identical, which indicates the desire of the leadership of the alliance to create universal command and control bodies capable of effectively managing the necessary forces in the area of ​​responsibility, as well as beyond. They will differ only in the ratio of officers - representatives of various branches of the armed forces included in the structure of the headquarters. It is obvious, for example, that in the NATO Allied Forces "Center", the advantage will be given to the ground forces, since it is formed on the basis of the command of the combined ground forces of NATO in the Central theater of operations. And in the NATO Joint Forces North and North-East, the presence of representatives of various types of armed forces will be balanced, since they are formed on the basis of the NATO Allied Commands in Northern Europe and in the Baltic Straits, respectively.

The need to abolish many command structures is due to military-political reasons, as well as financial considerations. Thus, significant funds were allocated from the NATO budget for the maintenance of commands that represented the interests of individual member countries and were staffed mainly by officers of national armed forces. Therefore, the command of the NATO strike naval forces in the southern theater of operations, which was actually the command and control structure of the US 6th Fleet, is not included in the NATO Allied Command South. It will operate under the auspices of the American command, with its main operational mission unchanged.

IN Atlantic zone instead of a four-level command and control system, coalition commands and headquarters are being created at two levels - strategic and operational-strategic (six command bodies in total): NATO Allied Strategic Command in the Atlantic, three Allied NATO RCs ("East", "West" and "Southeast"), as well as two separate commands (combined underwater strength and strike fleet NATO in the Atlantic). At the same time, 17 control bodies of the third and fourth levels are being abolished, and their functions are being transferred to reorganized command structures.

The area of ​​responsibility of the NATO Strategic Command in the Atlantic includes the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Portugal, as well as the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean (north of the Tropic of Cancer), with the exception of the Canary Islands and the airspace above them.

Direct control of the united armed forces of the bloc in the Atlantic zone will be carried out by the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces of NATO in the Atlantic, whose headquarters will, as before, be located in the Norfolk Military Base (USA). Its main functions are reduced to maintaining troops and forces in the necessary combat readiness, organizing operational and combat training of command and control bodies, providing all-round support for the combined armed forces and developing plans for their use.

According to NATO experts, the NATO command structure in the Atlantic is effective both from a political and military point of view. The absence of intermediate links between the strategic and regional commands in the Atlantic makes it possible to quickly manage subordinate forces and assets in the event of a change in the military-political situation in the Atlantic zone and in Europe.

The NATO Allied Command West (Norfolk) is entrusted with the command of the troops (forces) of the bloc in the western part of the zone of responsibility of the NATO Allied Forces Strategic Command in the Atlantic. The NATO Allied Command "Vostok" (Northwood, Great Britain) exercises control over troops (forces) both in the area of ​​responsibility of the NATO Allied Forces Command in the Atlantic, and the fleet of the NATO Allied Forces Regional Command "North" of the NATO Allied Forces in Europe. Unlike the previous NATO Allied Command in the Iberian Atlantic, the water area of ​​the Canary Islands was excluded from the zone of responsibility of the Allied Forces Regional Command "South-East" (Lisbon, Portugal), which came under the responsibility of the sub-regional Allied Command "South-West" .

The headquarters of the strike fleet in the Atlantic (Norfolk) is mainly represented by the headquarters of the US 2nd Fleet with the inclusion of representatives of the armed forces of at least ten member countries of the alliance. The deployment of the UV will be focused primarily on the Mediterranean Sea, i.e., in the interests of the UK in Europe and the RK "South".

Joint Submarine Command Atlantic (Norfolk) is directly subordinate to the NATO Strategic Command Atlantic. Its headquarters does not have international status, and the staffing table includes only officer positions in the US Navy. It is assumed that the commander of the joint submarine forces will mainly coordinate the actions of the allies in planning the combat use of submarine forces.

In general, since the Atlantic Command will deploy its forces mainly to the European zone (RK Vostok, attack fleet), the positions of the Supreme Command of the Allied Forces in Europe, the commanders of the South RC and the UV will be given to US representatives.

The transition to the alliance's new command and control structure is planned to be carried out in three stages and fully completed by 2003. During first the stage that ended on September 1, 1999, the organizational and staffing structure of the coalition governing bodies was finally determined, the composition, number, deployment were agreed, detailed plans for their formation were approved, and practical measures were begun to implement these plans. At this stage, the main attention was paid to the southern flank, which borders on areas of instability, which, in the opinion of the bloc's military-political leadership, constitute the greatest threat to the security of Western countries.

In particular, the headquarters of the sub-regional commands of the Allied Forces of NATO "South-West" and "South-Center" were formed. For them, complexes of buildings were allocated in the settlements of Retamares (15 km west of Madrid, Spain) and Ternavos (30 km northwest of Larisa, Greece), respectively. In addition, the previously existing commands of the joint ground forces of NATO in the southern theater of operations were reorganized into the corresponding sub-regional commands of the Allied Forces of NATO "South" (Verona, Italy) and "South-East" (Izmir, Turkey). Thus, at the end of this stage, four sub-regional commands of the Allied Forces of NATO began to function in the south of Europe: "South-West", "South", "South-Center" and "South-East".

During second During this stage, which will last until the end of 2000, the formation of the commands of the strategic and operational-strategic (regional) levels, their subordinate sectoral commands of the combined air and naval forces, as well as the NATO Allied Forces SRC in the north and in the center of Europe, will be completed. Thus, measures are currently being taken to create a new regional command of the NATO Allied Forces "North" (Brunsum, the Netherlands) and the subordinate commands of the same name of the Allied Commands of the Allied Forces and the NATO Allied Forces. The bloc's leadership believes that by April 2000 the NATO Allied Commands at the operational-strategic and operational levels will be able to solve the entire range of tasks envisaged by the alliance's new concept of command and control.

During third the stage of reorganization of the command structure of the Allied Forces of NATO, which will last until April 2003, it is planned to solve the tasks of linking all levels of leadership, complete the construction and modernization of infrastructure, equipping bodies and command posts with modern means of automation and communications, as well as training personnel for new commands and headquarters .

As a result of these measures, the leadership of the alliance expects by mid-2003 to complete the creation of a flexible command and control system capable of ensuring the effective use of coalition forces in armed conflicts of varying intensity, including participation in peacekeeping operations both in the bloc's area of ​​responsibility and beyond.

Despite the fact that the number of headquarters is being reduced from 65 to 20, no reduction in the number of their personnel is envisaged. As before, about 14,000 people will be employed in the management structures of NATO. Measures to reorganize the management structure and modernize the communications system, according to Western experts, will require about $500 million.

The new structure of the NATO Allied Forces command and control bodies, according to its authors, has been developed “taking into account the tasks facing the bloc at the present time and an assessment of the prospects for the development of the military-political and strategic situation in the Euro-Atlantic area and ensures the preservation of the leading role of the bloc in the new system of European security. It provides for the possibility of connecting new members of the alliance to it without major reorganization measures. At the same time, it is a developing structure that can be modified and improved.

An analysis of the practical measures and plans of the NATO leadership to reorganize the bloc's command and control structure testifies to the desire of its leadership to adapt the North Atlantic Alliance to the new conditions of the situation and give it the functions of a military-political organization responsible for ensuring stability and protecting "Western values" on a global scale. At the same time, after the elimination of intermediate links of management, according to the leadership of the bloc, it will be able to more quickly respond to changes in the situation, expand the possibilities for resolving crisis situations of various kinds both in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the alliance and beyond.

UNDER THE EU COUNCIL, the Political and Security Committee and the military structure, which will eventually become the military committee of the European Union (EU), as well as a group of military experts - the basis of the future military headquarters of this organization, began to operate.

It is planned that the committee on politics and security will consist of permanent representatives of the EU member states at the level of ambassadors. Its tasks will include the definition of a common foreign and security policy, including the formation of military potential, the creation of a mechanism for consultations with third countries wishing to participate in peacekeeping operations together with the states of the European Union, the development of relations between the EU and NATO. These bodies are still temporary, as they are not provided for by the treaties that form the constitutional basis of the European Union. That is why the intergovernmental conference of the participating countries should develop appropriate amendments to these documents in 2000. L According to Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the EU, the creation of the new bodies was “an important milestone in the formation of the EU's common foreign and security policy. This is the first step towards the formation of a single center in Brussels, which should provide political leadership and strategic planning for a common EU foreign policy.” According to X. Solana, “our goal is for the European Union to be able to effectively respond to international crises using all the levers it has: diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and, finally, military force. We must be ready to take on more responsibility for regional security, especially in the areas bordering the countries of the union, where the immediate interests of the EU are at stake. We must be prepared to use legal means to protect security beyond our borders."

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FOREIGN MILITARY REVIEW No. 5/2002, pp. 2-5

GENERAL MILITARY ISSUES

NATO COALITION GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

Lieutenant Colonel K. KASATKIN

The leadership of NATO, in accordance with the program for reforming the command and control structure of the bloc, continues to carry out a set of measures to reorganize the command and staff structures of the alliance. At present, the formation of coalition control bodies has been basically completed, as a result of which the number of commands and headquarters has been reduced by more than 3 times (from 65 to 20), mainly due to the abolition of links at the operational-tactical and tactical levels.

The new structure of NATO command and control bodies includes three levels of commands and headquarters of the bloc. The first level (strategic) is the strategic commands (SC) of the NATO Allied Forces in the Atlantic and in Europe; the second (operational-strategic) - regional commands (RC); the third (operational) - sub-regional (SRK) and specific (OVVS, OVMS) commands.

All NATO command and control bodies are staffed according to the multinational principle, which has a number of characteristic features: strategic-level command and control bodies are staffed by representatives of all countries of the alliance; the composition of regional and sub-regional commands and headquarters includes representatives of at least five member states of the alliance; the quota of posts of the participating countries in the headquarters of the sub-regional commands is distributed as follows: at least 50 percent. positions are allocated for representatives of the state on whose territory the SRK headquarters is located, the rest are occupied by military personnel sent by countries most actively participating in the activities of a particular command or most closely cooperating with it in the military-technical field.

In accordance with the directive documents of the Allied Forces of NATO, only strategic and regional commands have areas of responsibility. Sub-regional commands perform tasks within the boundaries of the respective regional command.

The dividing line between the strategic commands remained unchanged, with the exception of the area around the Canary Islands and the airspace above them, which, at the request of Spain, were included in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the NATO SC in Europe (previously they were in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the Allied Command Command in the Atlantic).

The formation of the NATO command and control structure is carried out taking into account the concept of "multinational operational forces" (MNOS), which provides for the possibility of using military contingents of countries that are not members of the alliance in operations conducted by the North Atlantic Alliance.

For the deployment of command and control bodies for multinational groupings of troops (forces), operational groups are being formed at the headquarters of the Allied Forces of NATO at various levels, which will become the basis for the deployment of the headquarters of the ONOS. Depending on the scale and nature of the upcoming operation, they are supposed to be understaffed with reinforcement and support groups.

In accordance with the provisions of the strategic concept of the North Atlantic Alliance, the commands and headquarters of the Allied Forces of the bloc should be able to simultaneously deploy two headquarters to lead large groupings of troops (forces), and to control minor formations (one or two formations) - a number of small headquarters. The deployment of MPOS headquarters is supposed to be carried out mainly on the basis of sub-regional commands located near the conflict area (crisis situation).

The NATO Allied Strategic Commands in Europe and the Atlantic are headed by the Supreme Commanders (representatives of the US Armed Forces), who manage the alliance's combined armed forces through the respective headquarters of the strategic commands and are responsible for the overall management of the construction of the bloc's armed forces, planning and implementation of all types of military activities in their areas of responsibility and, if necessary, beyond them.

The commanders-in-chief of the regional commands are entrusted with the task of direct control of the groupings of troops (forces) placed at their disposal. In addition to managing the activities of the troops (forces) of the bloc, NATO commanders at all levels are entrusted with a number of fundamentally new tasks, which include the fight against international terrorism, countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, organizing operational and combat training events under the PfP program.

NATO Allied Commands in Europe. The overall leadership of the united armed forces of the bloc in Europe is carried out by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces of NATO (representative of the US Armed Forces) through the headquarters of the strategic command, which is located in Casteau (Belgium).

The area of ​​responsibility of the NATO SC in Europe includes the territories of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, the waters of the Northern, Irish, Norwegian, Baltic, Mediterranean, Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, the Ionian, Adriatic, Aegean, Marmara, Black and Azov Seas, the zones of the Baltic and Black Sea straits, the Strait of Gibraltar, the English Channel, the Canary Islands, coastal waters and airspace above them.

There are nine directorates at the NATO SC headquarters in Europe: L - personnel, J2 - intelligence, J3 - operational, J4 - logistic support, J5 - current planning, J6 - communications and information systems, J7 - advanced planning and organization of combat training, J8 - budgetary and financial and J9 - military-civilian activities.

NATO Allied Command Europe has two regional commands: Allied Command North and South. The headquarters of these commands have seven similar departments (J3 and J7, as well as J5 and J9 combined).

To the Regional Command of the Joint Forces at TO "North" the functions of the abolished NATO Allied Command Commands in the North-Western European and Central European theater of operations were transferred. The headquarters of the NATO Allied Forces "North" is located in Brunsum (Netherlands). Representatives of the Armed Forces of Germany or Great Britain are appointed to the position of commander-in-chief (on the principle of rotation). The area of ​​responsibility of this command includes the territories, airspace and coastal waters of Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland and the Czech Republic, the waters of the North, partly the Norwegian and Baltic Seas, as well as the zone of the Baltic Straits.

The NATO Allied Command North has two operational commands (the North Allied Command and the North Allied Command) and three sub-regional commands (North, North-East and Center).

In terms of their organizational structure, the headquarters of these commands are basically identical and correspond to the headquarters of the regional command.

At the same time, in the headquarters of sub-regional commands, in the zone of responsibility of which the ground forces predominate, more positions are allocated for representatives of the ground forces; at the headquarters, which can be entrusted with the leadership of the actions of troops (forces) in coastal areas, the number of officers of the naval forces has been increased.

Command of the OVVS ON TO "North"(Ramshtein, Germany) deployed on the basis of the NATO Air Force Command in the Central European Theater of Operations. A representative of the US Armed Forces is appointed to the position of commander, who is an assistant to the commander-in-chief of the North Allied Forces RK on the use of the bloc's air force groupings. In addition, he is entrusted with the functions of air defense commander and head of the regional system for controlling aerospace space in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the NATO Allied Forces "North" and coordinating aviation actions with other commands. Five air operations control centers (CUVO) deployed in the Federal Republic of Germany (the cities of Kalkar and Messhetten), Denmark (the city of Finderud), Great Britain (the city of High Wycombe) and Norway (the city of Reitan) are subordinate to the commander.

Command of the OVMS ON TO "North"(Northwood, UK) is headed by a representative of the British Armed Forces, who is also the commander of the regional command of the Allied Forces of NATO "East" of the strategic command of the Allied Forces of the Atlantic, and the headquarters of these commands are a single body. The command performs the tasks of managing naval groups in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the NATO Allied Forces Regional Command "North".

Sub-regional command of the Allied Forces at TO "North"(Yotta, Norway), headed by a representative of the Norwegian Armed Forces, leads the coalition groupings of troops (forces) in the conduct of hostilities in northern Europe. The same command is entrusted with the tasks of organizing air defense and protecting sea lanes in the Northeast Atlantic.

Sub-regional command of the Allied Forces at TO "North-East"(Karup, Denmark, headed by a representative of the Danish Armed Forces) is intended for command and control of troops (forces) in the conduct of hostilities in the zone of the Baltic Straits and on approaches to them. In addition, the troops (forces) of the SRK "North-East" can be involved in solving problems together with the groupings of the sub-regional command of the Allied Forces of NATO "Center" in Central Europe.

Sub-regional command of the Allied Forces at TO "Center"(Heidelberg, Germany, according to the principle of rotation, representatives of the Armed Forces Germany and the United States) is intended to guide the actions of coalition groupings of troops (forces) in Central Europe.

The Allied Regional Command "South" (headquarters in Naples, Italy, representative of the US Armed Forces) was formed on the basis of the headquarters of the Allied Command Command of NATO in the South Theater of Operations. Its area of ​​responsibility includes the territories, airspace and coastal waters of Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Hungary, the waters of the Mediterranean, Black and Azov Seas. This regional command is entrusted with the task of commanding the troops (forces) of the united armed forces of the bloc in southern Europe through its subordinate sectoral commands (OVVS and OVMS), as well as through four subregional ones (“South”, “South-East”, “South-Center” and Southwest). In terms of their structure and the tasks solved by their headquarters in peacetime and wartime, these commands are similar to the corresponding commands of the NATO Allied Command North.

Air Force Command for TO "South"(Naples, Italy, representative of the US Armed Forces) manages the activities of the combined Air Force within the area of ​​responsibility of the entire regional command. The Commander of the NATO Allied Forces "South" is the assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces of NATO "South" on the use of the air forces of the bloc. In addition, he is entrusted with the functions of air defense commander and head of the regional system for controlling aerospace in the zone of responsibility of the NATO Allied Forces "South" and coordinating aviation actions with other commands. The commander also has five air operations control centers deployed in Italy (Poggio Renatico), Turkey (Eskisehir), Greece (Larissa), Spain (Torrejon) and Portugal (Monsanto).

Command of the OVMS TO "South"(Naples, Italy, representative of the Armed Forces of this country) performs the tasks of managing naval groups in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the regional command of the Allied Forces of NATO "South".

Sub-regional command of the Allied Forces for TO "South-East"(Izmir, Turkey, representative of the Armed Forces of this country) is intended to organize the protection of maritime communications in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, to prevent possible aggression from Libya, Iraq, Iran and Syria, as well as to conduct peacekeeping operations in the Balkans and the Middle East.

Sub-regional command of the Allied Forces at TO "South-Center"(Larisa, Greece, representative of the Armed Forces of this country) performs the tasks of protecting the interests of Western European states in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean Sea and the western part of the Black Sea. Since the NATO Allied Forces South Center is located in an area with an unstable situation, NATO military experts believe that it will actively participate in organizing peacekeeping operations in the Mediterranean region.

Subregional Allied Command for TO "South"(Verona, Italy, representative of the Armed Forces of this country) is responsible for organizing the protection of maritime communications in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea and peacekeeping operations in the Balkans.

Sub-regional command of the Allied Forces at TO "South-West"(Madrid, Spain, representative of the Spanish Armed Forces) is responsible for the protection of maritime communications in the Western Mediterranean (Gibraltar). In addition, it is entrusted with the tasks of organizing and conducting peacekeeping operations in the Maghreb countries, preventing the activities of international extremist organizations in the western Mediterranean Sea and mass migrations of the population.

NATO Allied Commands in the Atlantic. The overall leadership of the united armed forces of the bloc in the Atlantic is carried out by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces of NATO (representative of the US Armed Forces) through the headquarters of the strategic command, which is located in Norfolk (USA). The area of ​​responsibility of this command includes the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Portugal, as well as the North Atlantic north of the Tropic of Cancer, with the exception of the territory of the Canaries and the airspace associated with it. The eastern border of the area of ​​responsibility runs along the coast of Africa, then north along the border of the NATO SC in Europe. The western border of the area of ​​responsibility is the East Coast of North America, excluding Cuba. The maritime border of the zone of responsibility with states that are not members of the alliance actually runs along the border of their national territorial waters. The northern border of the zone of responsibility of the NATO SC of the Allied Forces in the Atlantic stretches to the North Pole.

There are three directorates at the headquarters of the NATO Allied Forces SC in the Atlantic: L - military policy and strategic planning, J2 - resources, J3 - communications and information systems.

The headquarters of the regional commands of the joint armed forces in the Atlantic are deployed at the locations of the former main commands of the Allied Forces, which are similar in their organizational structure to the regional commands in Europe. At the same time, in everyday conditions, regional commands do not have strictly defined areas of responsibility. These zones are assigned by the NATO High Command in the Atlantic in the event of an aggravation of the situation or a crisis in the region.

Regional Command of the Allied Forces at TO "Vostok"(Northwood, UK, representative of the British Armed Forces) manages the activities of the troops (forces) of the bloc in the northeastern and eastern parts of the zone of responsibility of the NATO Strategic Command in the Atlantic, including Iceland. As noted above, the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces RK Vostok is at the same time the Commander of the Allied Forces Command of the Allied Forces Regional Command "North" of the NATO Allied Forces Strategic Command in Europe, and the headquarters of these commands are a single body.

Regional Command of the Allied Forces at TO "West"(Norfolk, USA, representative of the US Armed Forces) manages the activities of the troops (forces) of the bloc in the western part of the zone of responsibility of the NATO Strategic Command in the Atlantic.

Regional Allied Command for TO "South-East"(Lisbon, Portugal, representative of the Portuguese Armed Forces) manages the activities of the troops (forces) of the bloc in the southeastern part of the zone of responsibility of the NATO Strategic Command in the Atlantic, including Portugal.

Strike Fleet Command ON TO in the Atlantic(Norfolk, USA, representative of the US Armed Forces) is directly subordinate to the strategic command of the NATO Allied Forces in the Atlantic, however, if necessary, it is envisaged to be transferred to the operational subordination of the Allied Command in Europe.

Command of the Joint Submarine Forces ON TO in the Atlantic(Norfolk, USA, representative of the US Armed Forces) is directly subordinated to the strategic command of the NATO Allied Forces in the Atlantic. The headquarters of this command does not have international status and its staffing includes only positions for officers of the US Navy.

The Commander of NATO Joint Submarine Forces in the Atlantic is responsible for the NATO Joint Submarine Forces in the Atlantic, which includes submarines of the US Navy, Great Britain and other participating countries. The organization of the use of submarines in the interests of the alliance is entrusted to the commander of the submarine forces of the US Atlantic Fleet, who is also the commander of the joint submarine forces in the zone of responsibility of the NATO Allied Command West and in general in the zone of responsibility of the NATO Joint Forces Command in the Atlantic. The commander of the joint submarine forces is entrusted with the function of coordinating the use of multi-purpose submarines so that they do not hinder the performance of tasks by strategic SSBNs.

The new organization of NATO command and control bodies, developed, according to Western European experts, “taking into account the assessment of the prospects for the development of the military-political and military-strategic situation in the Euro-Atlantic region, ensures the creation of a new European security system within the bloc. It is also designed to "connect" to it the armed forces of new members of the alliance without major reorganization measures.