The 2003 Istanbul Summit fundamentally reorganized NATO, changing Allied Command Europe to Allied Command Operations and Allied Command Atlantic to Allied Command Transformation. Shortly thereafter, NATO created Allied Command Transformation’s Staff Element Europe as a tenant unit located physically with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (the headquarters building of Allied Command Operations). This facilitated cooperation between both Supreme Allied Commands.
The location also puts Allied Command Transformation’s Staff Element Europe personnel within 80 kilometres of NATO Headquarters, which enables the required engagement with the International Staff, the International Military Staff, and participation in the relevant meetings and committees on behalf of Headquarters, Allied Command Transformation, located in Norfolk, United States of America. Moreover, as the majority of NATO nations are on the European side of the Atlantic, Staff Element Europe’s location is optimal for the many engagements demanded by the NATO Defence Planning Process. There are roughly 110 personnel assigned to Allied Command Transformation Staff Element Europe working in the areas of Capability Development and Defence Planning.
As an integral part of the Allied Command Transformation Headquarters team, Staff Element Europe is engaging Allied Command Operations and NATO Headquarters on a routine basis to advise Allied Command Transformation leadership, and support decision making in the Common Funding Capability Development and Defence Planning Areas.
Brigadier General Frédéric Gauthier, French Army
Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Defence Planning
Allied Command Transformation Staff Element Europe
Allied Command Transformation Staff Element Europe’s Defence Planning branches are responsible for two out of the five steps of the NATO Defence Planning Process and an important supporting role in the conduct of all steps of this high-profile process owned by the Allies:
- For the second step of the NATO Defence Planning Process, the Defence Planning Requirements Determination Branch, within Allied Command Transformation Staff Element Europe, develops the Bi-Strategic Command Minimum Capability Requirements, in close cooperation with Allied Command Operations, and through engagement with experts from around NATO, across the full range of capabilities.
- For the third step of the NATO Defence Planning Process, the Defence Planning Targets and Review Branch takes the Minimum Capability Requirement and begins the work of assigning the requirements as targets for all 32 NATO allies. This not only requires collaboration with the NATO International Staff but also bi-lateral meetings with all allies.
These Defence Planning branches do not merely represent Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation within Europe, but they are the primary offices performing the actual NATO Defence Planning Process work with which the command is tasked.
Additionally, Allied Command Transformation’s Staff Element Europe contributes to Capability Development with presence in three branches:
- The Air Command & Control / Integrated Air and Missile Defence Branch leads the development of NATO Air Command and Control capabilities and manages the portfolio of several programmes. Meanwhile, Integrated Air and Missile Defence remains a priority for NATO. The Alliance’s Military Committee and the Strategic Commands are key stakeholders for the development of this capability.
- The Requirements Forward Branch has two main roles: to support the other Requirements branches (the Federated Interoperability Branch and the Innovation Branch) in the areas of Federated Mission Networking and Digital Standardization, and serve as Requirements Managers on such complex programmes as ARTEMIS, Space, Intelligence, Deployable Communications and Information System, Civil Military Cooperation, and Air Command and Control System. The personnel in this branch advise Allied Command Operations in drafting Operational Requirement Statements, and then transform them into capability requirements.
- The Capabilities Forward Branch consists of Subject Matter Experts supporting the different Capabilities Branches at Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in Norfolk, United States, in the development, management and execution of common-funded Allied Command Transformation Capability Programmes throughout their full life cycle. Their main task is to facilitate coordination between the headquarters in Norfolk, and the stakeholders in Europe (NATO Headquarters, Allied Command Operations, NATO Communications and Information Agency, NATO Support and Procurement Agency, etc.).
Finally, the Resources & Management Directorate has a Staff Element Europe Coordination & Support Cell that deals with issues of human resources, facilities, travel, budget, security, and information technology.
Allied Command Transformation’s Staff Element Europe is an essential part of NATO’s transformation. The men and women in this group do not simply represent the headquarters command to stakeholders in Europe, they are executing the main effort for several high-profile Alliance activities. They are a significant part of Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation’s main effort; the only difference is where their offices are located in order to facilitate engagement, coordination, and cooperation with stakeholders in Europe.