NATO Logistics Reform: Central to NATO Response Force (NRF) Success

Abstract

Abstract : The period after the end of the Cold War marked significant changes for NATO, as formally recognized by both the 1999 NATO Strategic Alliance and the 2002 NATO Summit in Prague. Although the alliance remains primarily a unified defense accord, the current strategic and operational environment has necessitated the creation of a NATO Response Force (NRF) capability for crisis response expeditionary missions throughout the world. NRF Logistics is the most critical enabler of future NATO operations, and as such, NATO logistics must be reconfigured and NATO logistics organizations reorganized to meet the challenges of the new operating environment. Although NATO has made some progress to improve logistics, significant changes are still needed to ensure logistics doctrine, organization, structure, capabilities and vision can adequately support NRF operations. This document provides background on the NATO Response Force and examines and assesses its current logistics doctrine, vision, and objectives. It concludes with four recommendations for significantly improving NRF logistics.