NATO Response Force

The NATO Response Force (NRF; German NATO Response Force ) is a NATO Response Force, which can be used in time of high availability through its modular structure in a wide range of potential operations.

History

What is remarkable about the history of the NRF politically dominated the pace of the first decisions is up to the implementation. The starting shot was fired at the informal meeting of NATO defense ministers in Warsaw on 23 - 25th September 2002. Suggested here the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, before the establishment of a Rapid Reaction Force. At the NATO summit in Prague on 21-22. November 2002, the Heads of State and Government to build the NRF announced the development of a comprehensive approach in order. Just five months later by the NATO Military Committee ( Military Committee ) established the most important military framework for the preparation and use of the NRF in policy documents. The overall approach followed at the Spring meeting of NATO defense ministers on 12-13. June 2003. Among other criteria for installation, training and certification and the further implementation steps have been inserted.

In the following, the concept development and implementation phase went almost seamlessly into each other or overlapped partially. On 15 October 2003 officially began the "Implementation Stage NRF ," nor with limited capabilities and a 30-day installation readiness as the first test for the NRF procedures and structures. Just one year later, on 13 October 2004, the provisional (conditional) NRF operational capability ( Initial Operational Capability ) was explained by about 17,000 soldiers after performing the exercise DESTINED GLORY in Sardinia. In 2005, parts of the NRF were to disaster relief, particularly for transporting relief supplies in the United States ( Hurricane Katrina ) and in Pakistan ( earthquake relief ) are used. At the NATO summit in Riga in November 2006, finally was the declaration of " full operational capability ", ie their full commitment, after it was detected with NRF forces in June 2006 through the exercise STEADFAST JAGUAR in Cape Verde.

In July 2007, the operational readiness of the NRF by the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR ) U.S. General Craddock was put into question, as are due to lack of willingness to deploy forces in the NRF CJSOR much-needed skills of the NRF or insufficiently available. At the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Noordwijk end of October 2007 it was decided to adapt the NRF concept. The implementation is still pending.

In March 2008, the NATO non-member Finland decided to be supportive participate in the NRF, but not participate in the troop rotation.

Idea

With the creation of the NRF had two objectives:

• On one hand, a highly efficient force posture should be put together in a very high temporal availability ( deployable within 5 to 30 days). With the ability for worldwide use possible emerging crises are in their early stage through deterrence - will be reduced or eliminated - even before an actual military use. The range of possible missions of the NRF includes the full spectrum of NATO operations, such as humanitarian aid, evacuation operations, enforcing embargoes, support for terrorist attacks, the fight against terrorist forces, to combat operations as "Initial Entry Force".

• The NRF is used as part of the transformation of improving the operational capability of NATO forces, mainly of European shares. Declared objective is, by the NRF to improve the capabilities of the national armed forces increasingly Posts. The focus is mainly the ability of strategic forces laying and improving interoperability to joint forces and multinational perform inserts can. This will be achieved primarily through joint exercises and the development of common standards.

NRF forces in the structure of NATO

The NRF is not an independent re-launched item. It attacks rather back to the existing forces of the NATO force structure. These are alternately displayed as part of a preparatory phase for each exercises and inspections, and ( currently) for a year held in increased willingness of NATO. This procedure is intended to ensure, among other things, that as many organizations participate in the improvement process.

At the same time but this is the biggest challenge for many nations: In parallel inserts an NRF - assignation means an additional, possibly too high a burden on the armed forces. In addition, the exercise participation and the required material resources mean huge financial burdens for the troop, which are often not afford against the background overstretched defense budgets.

Composition

The NRF has a strength of about 25,000 soldiers. It is made up of land forces to brigade strength, naval forces to the strength of a " NATO Task Force" ( an aircraft carrier battle group ), air forces for up to 200 uses per day and necessary support staff. It is self-sustaining for up to 30 days.

The operational management of the NRF is done by headquarters of the NATO command structure ( JFC Brunssum / JFC Naples / JHQ Lisbon ) for twelve months.

Fundamentals of use

The decision to use the NRF meet the NATO North Atlantic Council unanimously principle (North Atlantic Council). If it occurs, the necessary skills are identified as part of the surgical planning. Member States which have provided these skills in CJSOR available, show an official confirmation on whether they release or detach reported their forces for this use. This release in Germany is subject to review by Parliament.

NRF in the exercise Steadfast Jaguar

In Cape Verde tested from 1 June to 12 July 2006, the NATO operational capability of the NRF for the first time with a big maneuver. In the exercise Steadfast Jaguar participated 6,500 soldiers, including 2,000 German soldiers. The German contingent included, among other soldiers of the Franco-German Brigade and Battalion 292 from Donaueschingen, also the frigate Augsburg, the task force supply Berlin and other units of the Navy.

The coordination of this NATO United maneuver took over in accordance with the principle of rotation for the Navy forces ( MARFOR ), the Spanish base in Rota, for the air forces of the Ramstein Air Base and as a lead ship and mobile command post operated the amphibious lead ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC -20), at the same time flagship the U.S. 6th fleet. Supreme Commander of the NRF exercise was the German General Gerhard W. Back.