The Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) is the operational arm of the multinational Strategic Airlift Capability consortium (SAC). HAW operates a fleet of three C-17 Globemaster III long-range cargo jets and it is stationed in Pápa Air Base, Hungary. The Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) consists of ten NATO nations Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and the United States joined by two Partnership for Peace nations, Sweden and Finland.

NATO maintains standing maritime Immediate Reaction Forces in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) is organized and operates along similar lines to STANAVFORLANT, with destroyers and frigates provided by Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

It is composed of destroyers and frigates contributed by those nations operating naval forces in Allied Command Europe (ACE)

This flag was used for the Commander of the Standing Naval Force Channel (STANAVFORCHAN).

The Netherlands navy uses a similar flag, but with two shades of blue. According to Dutch navy regulations (VVKM 19 bijlage O, p.65), this is the commander ensign of STANAVFORLANT or STANAVFORCHAN.

Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) is a maritime formation, its headquarters is located in Naples. This command originally was established in 1953 as a Principle Subordinate Command under CINCSOUTH.

NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) is the world's first permanent peacetime multinational naval squadron. STANAVFORLANT was established in January 1968. Flying the NATO flag continuously for over 30 years, some 150,000 men and women have served aboard 600 STANAVFORLANT ships. Each year the Force steams more than 50,000 miles, participating in a series of scheduled NATO and national exercises and making goodwill visits.

The Commanders of the Standing Naval Forces are naval officers from the participating nations, normally of the rank of Commodore in the case of the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean and the rank of Commander for the Standing Naval Force Channel.

The Allied Command Europe Mobile Force - Land (ACE Mobile Force-Land or AMF-L) was a small NATO quick reaction force, headquartered at Heidelberg, Germany, active from 1960 to 2002. It formed part of Allied Command Europe, headquartered at SHAPE at Casteau, Belgium.

The RF(A)S was created to facilitate detailed planning for Reaction Forces Air. The staff of approximately 80 personnel is located at Kalkar, Germany and is headed by a three-star German Air Force general as Director.

The NATO Airborne Early Warning Force was established following a NATO Defence Planning Committee decision in 1978 to acquire a NATO-owned Airborne Early Warning air defence capability to provide air surveillance and command and control for all NATO commands.

The new NATO Response Force (NRF) was formally inaugurated at Brunssum (the Netherlands) on 15 October 2003. The NRF is a tri-service rapid response force with contributions of Spain, France, Germany and U.S.A.

These are the flags of the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, in Afghanistan. This force, also known as the International Security Assistance Force 10, is a multinational peace keeping force supervised by NATO. The ISAF is a NATO led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council in 2001.

In 2003, NATO took command of the 5,000-strong international peace keeping force in the Afghan capital, a historic move that marks the alliance's first operation outside Europe since it was created 54 years ago.

  ISAF Flag (Type 2)

In 2012, a new variant (Type #2) of the ISAF flag (A smaller green badge placed on a white field) was in use in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Kabul International Airport (KAIA) Multinational Force covers practically the full spectrum of tasks involved in the control and management of the Kabul airport, ranging from logistic tasks to EOD support and Force Protection duties. To illustrate the variety of their roles, on a most ordinary weekday, the volume of air traffic at KAIA is comparable to that of Ferihegy Airport, Budapest. Moreover, the Hungarian staff is also tasked with providing accommodation, catering and security on a daily basis for thousands of co-located units and guests in transit.

The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a NATO-led international force responsible for establishing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, the self-proclaimed, independent and partially recognized landlocked country in the Balkans, which has been under United Nations administration since 1999. As of 2007, KFOR consisted of approximately 16,000 troops.

The KFOR troops entered Kosovo in 1999 under a United Nations mandate, because Kosovo was being invaded by military and paramilitary forces from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). Nearly one million people had fled Kosovo as refugees. According to some international organizations Kosovo has become a major destination country for women and young girls trafficked into forced prostitution. According to Amnesty International, most women trafficked into Kosovo from abroad are from Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine.

KFOR Flag 1999		KFOR Flag 2008-2009

Regarding the flags, KFOR has always used the standard NATO flag outdoors at any NATO installation. Until the mid-2008, the one with the two compasses could only be seen indoors in some offices. A slightly different KFOR flag was used between 2008 and mid-2009. The two compasses were removed, and only the white-blue shield placed on it.

Interestingly enough, in 2007, KFOR had already adopted a new badge replacing the former one, but its use on a flag only began somewhere in mid-2009 replacing the previous flag. Since then this flag is the official KFOR flag, but is only used on ceremonial occasions, and is not hoisted on any permanent outdoor flagstaffs except in front of the KFOR Headquarters in Prishtina. Four flagpoles stand in front of the headquarter's building displaying in order, the UN flag, the KFOR flag, the HQ flag, and the Commander's three-star rank flag.

The Flag of the Headquarters of KFOR is blue with a large centered emblem representing the headquarters. In this case, it is a circle with a Kosovo map, an off-centered NATO compass, and a red flag, with three stars, representing the rank of the commander. The inscription around the disk is the current motto of KFOR "Moving Forward" and "Kosovo Force." The Crest of HQ Flag is modified with any change of KFOR commander, because it represents the actual commander of KFOR himself.

A new commander of KFOR was inaugurated in September of 2010. Next day a new HQ KFOR emblem was introduced and a new HQ KFOR flag was hoisted in front of the main building. It is blue (as previous one), but the new emblem is placed in the center of the flag. It shows Kosovo map, NATO compass, two-star (new commander is a German two-star general) and new motto for commanders mission

With the arrival of a new commander to KFOR also came the unveiling of a new KFOR HQ logo and flag. The new logo incorporates the motto "Together as One," which identifies KFOR's dedication to provide safety and security for all the people of Kosovo by close cooperation with local authorities and international organizations. The two stars represent the rank of the new COM KFOR commander, Major General Erhard Drews, and has the NATO symbol (the four pointed compass rose) symbolically embedded within the boundary of Kosovo.

The New logo was also placed on new flag of KFOR HQ, and has been used since September of 2011.

The Joint Logistics Support Group (JLSG) is the newest KFOR unit and is going to establish a new position in the logistic support for KFOR. While in all areas adjustments to the KFOR structure are being prepared, the JLSG starts building up its logistics capabilities in and outside Kosovo. In KFOR the JLSG will bring new transportation units, an engineer unit, a Reception Staging and Onward Movement (RSOM) with the capabilities to support all the deployments and redeployments. KFOR-JLSG was established in January of 2010.

NATO troops (called Implementation Forces, with the task to implement the agreement) were part of the United Nations International Forces in Bosnia, deployed according to the Dayton agreement. This flag is interesting because both the dark blue (as in NATO flag), and light blue (as in UN flag) was used. In 1996, this flag with this emblem was reported being used, together with the UN flag and the national flags of the respective countries providing troops.

The Stabilization Force (SFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR. The SFOR operated under the code names Operation Joint Guard (1996-1998) and Operation Joint Forge (1998-2004).

Allied Rapid Reaction Corps is a multinational NATO Headquarters, currently located in Rheindalen, Germany. But headquarters of ARRC and its intimate supporting elements are going to move to Innsworth, UK in the summer of 2010.

NRDC-ITA is a multinational HQ based in Solbiate Olona (Varese Province), close to Milan, with Italy as the framework nation. It is one of NATO designated corps could be formed as a NRF formation. It is involved in ISAF mission in Afghanistan.

The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Turkey, is one of the NATO high readiness force HQ. It is to be prepared to deploy to an area of operation designated by SACEUR, and assume command of assigned units to conduct combined, joint military operations across NATO's entire mission spectrum including NRF and Combined Joint Operations (CJFLCC) in order to support crisis management options or sustain extant operations. It is located in Ayazaga, north from Istanbul.

NATO Deployable Corps-Greece (NDC-GR) is one of the NATO certified Readiness Forces. The C Army Corps (parent HQ of NDC-GR) is a historic Hellenic Army formation. It was first established in 1913 in the city of Ioannina and in the same year moved its HQ to Thessaloniki. Since then it has successfully participated in all national campaigns, including World War I, World War II, etc. In recent times, C Corps units have participated in NATO, United Nations, and European Union peace operations in the Balkans.

Multinational Corps Northeast was founded in 1999 in Szczecin, Poland. There were many factors that contributed to the establishment of a new NATO Corps and its headquarters in Poland. Apart from geographical and military reasons, the Corps was also to serve as a political symbol that would significantly accelerate the integration of the Armed Forces of Poland and other new partners into the multinational NATO structure, thus fostering the stability in Europe.

Eurocorps is a multinational army corps within the framework of the Western European Union common defence initiatives. Eurocorps comprises approximately 1,000 soldiers stationed in Strasbourg and up to 60,000 troops pledged for deployment in EU or NATO rapid-response missions. The nucleus of the force is the Franco-German Brigade established in 1987. Headquartered in Strasbourg, France, the force was established in 1992 and declared operational in 1995, though it draws from European defence initiatives as far back as the 1960s.

The 1st German-Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation with 12 participating countries. The leading participants are the German and Dutch armies. The Corps headquarters, which developed partly out of the I Corps of the Bundeswehr, is located in Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany).

The Rapid Deployable Spanish Corps HQ based on the Spanish Corps HQ in Valencia (Spain), is kept in a high state of readiness and availability, one of the so-called High Readiness Forces (HRF) ready to react on short notice. The Spanish Rapid Deployable Corps is actually based in Bétera near to Valencia and was first activated at the beginning of the year 2000. The Full operational capability has achieved in November of 2002.

The Headquarters Allied Forces North Europe was established in 1994 in the same location where Vikings defended themselves against aggressors hundreds of years earlier. Following numerous efforts to reshape NATO's command structure, in 2000, the Command was renamed the Joint Command North (JCN) to reflect its new role as a third level headquarters, subordinate to Allied Forces North Europe (AFNORTH) in Brunssum, the Netherlands.

The Joint Force Training Center (JFTC) is NATO's focal point for tactical level training and transformation. JFTC is part of Allied Command Transformation's (ACT) training network together with the Joint Warfare Center (JWC) in Norway and the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Center (JALLC) in Portugal.

The NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center was established in 2007 to lead the efforts of NATO to improve the Alliance's capability to conduct interdiction operations at sea. NMIOTC’s mission is: "To conduct the combined training necessary for NATO forces to better execute surface, sub-surface, aerial surveillance, and special operations activities in support of Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO)"

The NATO Undersea Research Center (NURC), based in La Spezia, Italy, is a research organization under NATO's Allied Command Transformation, which is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. NURC conducts research and develops products to support NATO maritime operations and to support the continuous improvement of NATO military capabilities. Its focus is on the undersea domain and on solutions to maritime security problems. NURC maintains a strong reputation for bringing the best and brightest researchers together through rotational scientific staffing and through extensive partnering with NATO member nations. NURC also collaborates with other NATO organizations and with institutions from the 28 NATO member nations, such as universities and research centers.

NURC was formerly known as the SACLANT ASW Research Center from 1959 to 1986 and as the SACLANT Undersea Research Center from 1987 to 2003. The name change reflected a change in role, from a research center focused primarily on antisubmarine warfare (ASW) to a broadening emphasis on underwater research. NURC’s role continues to expand and evolve. New areas of research include the development of tools and processes to counter new threats in the maritime environment from rogue nations or radical individuals.

The NATO School is located in Oberammergau, Germany. It is NATO's primary training and education Center on the operational level, the only one of its kind in the world. The school started with two courses in 1953 and now offers over 90 different courses to Alliance members and partners on subjects related to NATO's policies, strategies, missions and operations.

The Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Center (JALLC) is NATO's lead agency for the analysis of operations, exercises, training and experiments, and for the collection and communication of lessons learned. JALLC deploys teams worldwide to support NATO, analysing all aspects of the Alliance's work at the operational and strategic levels. JALLC's base in Monsanto, near Lisbon in Portugal. It is a subordinated agency of Joint Warfare Center - JWC.

The main focus of the Command and Control (C2) COE is improving joint and combined interoperability. It offers several seminars, workshops and conferences to transfer knowledge to NATO member countries and Supporting Nations. Other focus areas include assisting NATO exercises and assessment processes, supporting HQ SACT with policy, doctrine, strategy and concept development, providing C2 and NNEC training, investigating and authenticating C2-related NATO concepts through testing and simulation, and stabilizing and sustaining C2-focused relationships. In order to achieve its aims, C2 divides its responsibilities between several branches: the Operations Assessment Branch, the Analysis and Concepts Branch, the Expertise Management Branch and the Support Branch.

A major cyber attack in Estonia that hit banks, the government, national ministries, the media, the police and emergency services in 2007 highlighted the importance of cyber security. To address this need, several countries came together to establish the Cooperative Cyber Defence (CCD) COE. Based in Tallinn, Estonia, CCD´s mission is to foster cooperation, capabilities and information sharing between NATO countries regarding cyber security. Composed of experts from several NATO member countries, CCD also conducts research and training on several areas of cyber warfare. In particular, CCD focuses its research on four key areas: Legal and Policy, Concepts and Strategy, Tactical Environments and Critical Information Infrastructure Protection.

The Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) COE focuses on improving civil-military interaction and cooperation between NATO, sponsoring Nations and other military and civil groups. CIMIC offers basic courses on civilian-military cooperation, a course geared towards staff who work in civilian-military cooperation, training for liaison officers and a course for functional specialists. The CIMIC is available not only to NATO members, military and civil groups, but also to other international organizations, such as the European Union, non-governmental organizations and scientific institutions.

The Defence Against Terrorism (DAT) COE provides subject matter expertise on how best to defend against terrorism. It also provides training on how best to counter terrorism, assists in the development of doctrine and helps improve NATO´s capabilities and interoperability. The Defence Against Terrorism school holds conferences, workshops, symposiums and advanced training courses relating to defence against terrorism.

The Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) COE provides training and expertise in the field of explosive ordinance disposal for NATO and Partnership for Peace countries Like other COEs, EOD will also work with NATO in the areas of standardization, doctrine development and concepts validation. It will support NATO operations in the field of explosive ordinance disposal by improving interoperability and cooperation between NATO member countries, partner countries, international organizations and the NATO command structure.

The Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC) seeks to improve the space, land and maritime air power operations of the Alliance. JAPCC has several branches to help it achieve its goals, including Combat Air, Combat Support, Combat Service Support, Policy and Concept Development, Future Capabilities and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance. It is also responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with external agencies and educational institutions that specialize in their field of expertise, in addition to giving advice regarding JAPCC support of NATO, Partnership for Peace (PfP), and European Union relationships.

The Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear (JCBRN) Defence COE develops defence doctrines, standards and knowledge with the goal of improving interoperability and capabilities. It also provides education and training opportunities, assists and advises NATO, Supporting Nations and other international organizations and institutions in the area of CBRN defence. In addition to developing and circulating lessons learned, JCBRN also trains and certifies the CBRN Defence Task Force of the NATO Response Force.

The Military Medical (MILMED) Center of Excellence purpose is to improve military medical practices through multinational interoperability and standardization. MILMED focuses on several areas of military medical practices, including medical training and evaluation, standards development and lessons learned in handling emergency medical treatment. To achieve these goals the Medical Center of Excellence not only gives medical courses, it also supplies the necessary certification process for mobile training teams of the sponsoring nations to aid in the certification process for deployable multinational medical units.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly serves as the consultative inter-parliamentary organization for the North Atlantic Alliance. Bringing together legislators from all the member states of the Atlantic Alliance, the NATO PA provides a link between NATO and the parliaments of its member nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies, and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance. The Assembly is institutionally separate from NATO, but serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations.

The NATO PA consists of 257 delegates from the 28 NATO member countries. Delegates from 14 associate countries; the European Parliament; 4 regional partner and Mediterranean associate member countries; as well as parliamentary observers from 7 other countries and 3 inter-parliamentary assemblies also take part in its activities. It was founded in 1955.

NATO Air Command and Control System Management Agency (NACMA) is an independent NATO Agency whose principal task is to conduct the central planning, system engineering, implementation and configuration management for the NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Program. The Program is intended to replace the existing air defence systems in NATO Europe, with a single system which, at the tactical level, will provide the capability to plan, task and execute defensive, offensive and support air operations.

The NATO Communication and Information Systems Services Agency, (NCSA) is a service provider to its NATO and national customers. Wherever NATO deploys on operations or exercises, NCSA is there, providing communication and information systems (CIS) services in support of the mission. Equally important, NCSA supports NATO's ten major headquarters in Europe, North America, and Asia.

NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency is NATO's principal logistics support management agency. It was established in 1958.

The NATO Programming Center (NPC) is responsible for system support and maintenance of NATO's Air Command and Control Systems. Amongst these systems is also the NATO Air Command and Control System ACCS. Its mission is to provide efficient and effective system and advisory support to ensure maximum operational capability of the Air Command and Control (C2) assets entrusted to the NPC. In the past the NPC mission was limited to software maintenance of in-service NATO Air C2 systems, it was expanded in 2006 to permit provision of all activities required for system support for these systems. This includes the following areas: system engineering, obsolescence management, Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) software management and technical training.

The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council was a political, advisory, consultative body of NATO members and non-NATO countries that met in 2002 in Prague, where expansion of NATO was discussed.