Multinational Corps North East
Encyclopedia
Multinational Corps Northeast was formed on 18 September 1999 at Szczecin
, Poland
, which became its headquarters. It evolved from what was for many years the only multinational corps in NATO, Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland (LANDJUT) (in its turn, a part of Allied Forces Northern Europe
). From 1962 LANDJUT had been responsible for the defence of the Baltic Approaches from a headquarters at Rendsburg
, Germany
. It comprised the 6th Panzergrenadier Division and the Danish Jutland-Division.
A tri-national working group was established following the July 1997 decision that Poland was to be admitted to NATO with the aim of establishing the corps as part of NATO’s Main Defence Forces. Its missions are three-fold: to participate in the collective defence of NATO territory, under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, to contribute to multinational crisis management including peace support operations, and to provide command and control for humanitarian, rescue, and disaster relief operations.
Though it is a NATO formation, the Corps Convention is a trilateral agreement between the three nations. The positions of commander, deputy commander, and chief of staff rotate between the three nations. For common purposes of practice and training the corps was assigned to Joint Sub-Regional Command Northeast (JSRC NE), at Karup, Denmark
. For Article 5 common defence purposes, the Corps was to have been assigned either to JSRC NE or the JSRC Centre at Heidelberg
, Germany
. Following the latest reorganisation, it would report if designated for operations to Allied Land Component Command Heidelberg
. The 14th Panzer-Grenadier Division (14 PzGren Div) of the German Army
used to be part of the Corps, but disbanded in the course of 2008.
Due to its geographical location, the only NATO HQ East of the former Iron Curtain
, Multinational Corps North East has a key function in the integration of new NATO member states. This is reflected in the structure of its personnel. Officers and NCO's from the Czech Republic
, Estonia
, Latvia, Lithuania
and Slovakia
are serving at Multinational Corps North East. Furthermore, members of the United States Armed Forces
are also attached to the corps.
From January to August 2007 a considerable number of personnel from Multinational Corps Northeast were put at the disposal of ISAF
's headquarters in Kabul
, Afghanistan
.
(HQ Haderslev)
The organisation from 1997-2005 Mechanised Division
12th Mechanised Division (HQ Szczecin
)
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, which became its headquarters. It evolved from what was for many years the only multinational corps in NATO, Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland (LANDJUT) (in its turn, a part of Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
). From 1962 LANDJUT had been responsible for the defence of the Baltic Approaches from a headquarters at Rendsburg
Rendsburg
Rendsburg is a town on the River Eider and the Kiel Canal in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis of Rendsburg-Eckernförde. As of 2006, it had a population of 28,476.-History:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It comprised the 6th Panzergrenadier Division and the Danish Jutland-Division.
A tri-national working group was established following the July 1997 decision that Poland was to be admitted to NATO with the aim of establishing the corps as part of NATO’s Main Defence Forces. Its missions are three-fold: to participate in the collective defence of NATO territory, under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, to contribute to multinational crisis management including peace support operations, and to provide command and control for humanitarian, rescue, and disaster relief operations.
Though it is a NATO formation, the Corps Convention is a trilateral agreement between the three nations. The positions of commander, deputy commander, and chief of staff rotate between the three nations. For common purposes of practice and training the corps was assigned to Joint Sub-Regional Command Northeast (JSRC NE), at Karup, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. For Article 5 common defence purposes, the Corps was to have been assigned either to JSRC NE or the JSRC Centre at Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Following the latest reorganisation, it would report if designated for operations to Allied Land Component Command Heidelberg
Force Command Heidelberg
Allied Force Command Heidelberg is a unit with the NATO Military Command Structure responsible for providing Deployable Joint Staff Elements in support of NATO operations world-wide. HQ FC HB is garrisoned at Campbell Barracks, Germany and reports to Joint Force Command Brunssum, the Netherlands...
. The 14th Panzer-Grenadier Division (14 PzGren Div) of the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
used to be part of the Corps, but disbanded in the course of 2008.
Due to its geographical location, the only NATO HQ East of the former Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
, Multinational Corps North East has a key function in the integration of new NATO member states. This is reflected in the structure of its personnel. Officers and NCO's from the Czech Republic
Military of the Czech Republic
The Army of the Czech Republic comprise the land forces, the Czech Air Force and support units. From the late 1940s to 1989, the extensive Czechoslovak Armed Forces formed one of the pillars of the Warsaw Pact military alliance...
, Estonia
Military of Estonia
The Estonian Defence Forces is the name of the unified armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian military is a defence force consisting of Maavägi , Merevägi , Õhuvägi and a paramilitary organization Kaitseliit...
, Latvia, Lithuania
Military of Lithuania
The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of ~14,500 active personnel . Conscription was ended in September 2008.Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national Security Strategy...
and Slovakia
Military of Slovakia
The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 14,000 uniformed personnel. Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.-Structure of the Armed Forces:...
are serving at Multinational Corps North East. Furthermore, members of the United States Armed Forces
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
are also attached to the corps.
From January to August 2007 a considerable number of personnel from Multinational Corps Northeast were put at the disposal of ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
's headquarters in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Affiliated Forces
Danish DivisionDanish Division
Danish Division , short DDIV, is the only remaining military land Division in Denmark. It is also the most potent single formation of the Danish armed forces.It was created January 1, 1997 as the successor of Jutland Division...
(HQ Haderslev)
The organisation from 1997-2005 Mechanised Division
- 3d Signal Battalion (support and run Division HQ)
- Three Mechanised Brigades
- 1st Jyske Bde
- 3d Jyske Bde
- 1st Sjællandske Bde
- Armor Battalion
- Reconnaissance Battalion
- Anti-tank helicopter Company
- Patrol Coy (Long range/light recce)
- Division Artillery
- HQ&Target-Acquisition Battery
- Three Artillery Battalions
- Rocket-launch Battery
- 14th Anti-aircraft missile battalion
- 3d Engineering Battalion
- 3d Electronic Warfare Company
- 3d Logistic Support battalion
- Transport Company
- 3d Military Police Company
12th Mechanised Division (HQ Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
)
- 12th Command Battalion (Szczecin)
- 6th Armoured Cavalry Brigade (Stargard Szczecinski)
- 12th Mechanised Brigade, (Szczecin)
- 36th Mechanised Brigade (Trzebiatow)
- 2d Diverse Artillery Regiment, (Szczecin)
- 2d Sapper Battalion (Stargard Szczecinski)
- 3d Anti-aircraft Regiment, (Szczecin)
- 12th Reconnaissance Battalion, (Szczecin)
- 610th Signal Battalion "Holstein" (German) in PrenzlauPrenzlauPrenzlau , a city in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg in Germany, had a population of about 21,000 in 2005.-International relations:Prenzlau is twinned with: Uster, Switzerland Barlinek, Poland Świdwin, Poland...