American aircraft B-52 Stratofortress. Credit: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia
The United States will give up two NATO commands but gain another, as US President Donald Trump calls for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security, diplomatic sources told AFP on Monday.
The United States will cede to Italy the Allied Joint Force Command (JFC), based in Naples (in southern Italy) and focused on operations in the southern Euro-Atlantic area.
They will also give up the JFC command based in Norfolk (in the eastern United States), focused on operations in the northern area, in favor of Great Britain, according to these sources.
The third JFC, focused on the eastern part of the North Atlantic Alliance, is based in Brunssum in the Netherlands. A German officer is currently at the head of this Allied command.
JFCs are operational commands, responsible for the planning and coordination of potential NATO operations.
Instead, US forces will take over the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), based at Northwood, UK.
These changes, revealed by the French publication La Lettre, should not be implemented before several months, two NATO diplomats told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“It's a good sign of a handover in practice,” one of them said.
The United States, however, confirms the central military role it has occupied within NATO since the organization's founding in 1949.
The US will now lead the central command of three branches of NATO: land forces (Landcom), naval forces (Marcom) and air forces (Aircom).
The Americans also maintain their command of the supreme command of Allied forces in Europe (Saceur), a strategic position held since the founding of NATO by an American officer.
The more “political” post of NATO Secretary General is traditionally held by a European.
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