Colonel (FRA A) Philippe BAULAIN

NRDC-GR / Assistant Chief of Staff for Training

NATO RESPONSE

FORCE (NRF)

(a Reality & a Priority )

NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Greece

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

NATO Command Structure

NATO Force Structure

Complement

National capabilities

-DEPLOYABLE

- IN PLACE

Provide

- C2 structure- CIS Bns- Awacs

- C2 structure- Declared capacities

Military Forces in NATO

Provide

High Ready Forces

Follow on Forces

Response Forces : NRF

GRADUATED READINESS FORCE RESERVOIR

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

XX

X

X

XX

J4

J2J1

CIMIC

Operational Command level HQ

Operational Command level HQ

Static HQ ElementStatic HQ Element

DJSE

REACH BACK

REACH BACK

NFSNFS

NFSNFS

NFSNFS

Deployable HQDeployable HQElementElement

THEATREOPERATIONAL LEVELOPERATIONAL LEVEL

TACTICAL LEVELTACTICAL LEVEL

HOMEBASE

SHAPESTRATEGIC LEVELSTRATEGIC LEVEL

Conceptual Military Operation

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

Prague Summit Nov 2002• Technologically advanced,• Flexible & deployable,• Interoperable & sustainable,• Including land, sea, air & log elements,• Ready to move quickly,• Wherever needed…

• Catalyst to improve NATO military capabilities• Demonstration of force • Shows the Nations’ common will • Deters from threats against NATO members

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

NATO Response Force Background

Oct 2008: new NRF concept agreed• Jun 2009: implementation of revised NRF• Immediate Response Force and Response Force Pool • Increase to one year rotation and stand-by• Decrease the size of NRF Immediate Response Force

(25.000 to 13.000)• Adjusted readiness • Revised mission statement …

NATO Response Force Evolution

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

The mission of the NRF is : “To provide an immediate military response to an emerging crisis as part of the Alliance's comprehensive crisis management system for both Article 5 and Crisis Response Operations”

Range of tasks in no order of priority:

• Contribute to the preservation of territorial integrity

• Demonstrative force package

• Peace support operations

• Embargo operations

• Disaster relief

• Protection of critical infrastructure

• Security operations

• As part of a larger force the NRF could also be used to conduct initial entry operations

NRF Current Mission Statement

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

Immediate Response Force

Operational C2

Response Force Pool

On NRF stand-by:

- Staff trained and certified

- Readiness at required level for each building block

- Force Packaged and Supported

Not on NRF stand-by:

- Staff being trained during NRF preparation phase

- No specific Readiness requirement

- No Support pre-identified

NATO Response Force Construct

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

Joint Force HQ

NATO RESTRICTED

Land AirMaritime

24/7 Combat Capability

Strategic Enablers• Air and Sea Lift• ISR/AWACS• Psyops• Combat Support

Special Operations

Brigade Special Forces Task Group

NATO Task Force

CBRN JLSG

Coy LogisticCoord

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

IMMEDIATE Response Force

Phase 1: NationalPhase 1: National Preparation Preparation Phase 2: NRF Preparation Phase 3: NRF Standby

Component training Joint training

6 months 12 months

JFC HQ Main

J HQ Fwd (from DJSE)

MARITIMECC HQ LAND CC

HQAIR

CC HQ

HQ Integration during the 3 months preceding the NRF Rotation under JFC Commander responsibility. MARITIME CC

LAND CC

AIR CC

OPD leads Evaluation

with NCS CC support.

Component force integration during the

year preceding the NRF Rotation under the

responsibility of the NRF CC Commander.

NCS / NFS CCs are responsible for the Unit’s Evaluation.

Component

Exercises

Joint Integration CPX

NRF Rotation Cycle Begins

JOINT

ENABLERS

SOF CC

SOF CC HQ

JLSG HQ (core

from DJSE)

6/12 months

NRF Training and Certification

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

The costs : • Constant Force generation• Constant training requirements

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

• So far never in “warring Operations”• but involved in natural disasters• Transformation • Interoperability

The limitations :• Recurrent shortfalls (including logistics…)• Even IRF not quite “immediate”• Default option but “one shot” (reconstitution)

• Ready crisis response agent• Preparation & Execution tool• Dual Political & Military • Permanently evolving

Challenges & Relevance

The achievements :