:''This Wikipedia article uses European spelling because of NATO's historical use of this style as a standard{{fn|1}}. NATO is also an acronym for the National_Association_of_Theatre_Owners.''
Among the many announcements from the 2002 Prague Summit, it was determined that NATO would undergo a Transformation to face the operational challenges of coalition warfare against the threats of the new millennium.
NATO’s military command structure was reorganized with a focus on becoming leaner and more efficient, focusing one Strategic Command, Allied Command Transformation (ACT), on Transforming NATO and focusing the other Strategic Command on NATO’s Operations [ Allied_Command_Operations (ACO/SHAPE)].
As NATO becomes a global entity, ACT will contribute to preserving the peace, security and territorial integrity of Alliance member states by leading the military transformation of Alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force (NRF) in addition to new doctrines in order to improve the military effectiveness of the Alliance.
Reflecting NATO as a whole, ACT has a worldwide presence. As well as being co-located with United_States_Joint_Forces_Command (USJFCOM) in Norfolk, Virginia, there is an ACT command element located at SHAPE in Mons, Belgium. Additional command elements including the Joint_Warfare_Centre (JWC) located in Stavanger, Norway; the Joint_Force_Training_Centre (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland; the Joint_Analysis_and_Lessons_Learned_Centre (JALLC) in Monsanto, Portugal; and the NATO_Undersea_Research_Centre (NURC), La Spezia, Italy, assist in ACT's transformation efforts. Under a customer funded arrangement, ACT places around Euro 30M of research with the NATO_Consultation,_Command_and_Control_Agency (NC3A) each year to support its Scientific Programme of Work (SPOW) and Experimental Programme of Work (EPOW).
==ACT ORGANISATION==
===Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (HQ SACT)===
HQ SACT is the physical headquarters of NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), General Lance L. Smith, and houses the command structure of NATO's Allied Command Transformation (ACT). Located in Norfolk, VA, USA, HQ SACT directs ACT's various subordinate commands including the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC), The Joint Forces Training Centre (JFTC), the NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC), various NATO Schools, the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC), and various Centres of Excellence. HQ SACT itself is organised into a Command Group, the Transformation Directorate, the Transformation Support Directorate, National Liaison Representatives, the Partnership for Peace Staff Element and Reservists responsible to HQ SACT.
HQ SACT is the focus and motivating force that enables Allied Command Transformation's key function of leading NATO’s Transformation.
HQ SACT Functions: Consistent with NAC (North Atlantic Council) priorities and objectives -
* HQ SACT provides the conceptual framework for the conduct of future combined joint operations
* Defines how future operations will be conducted and the capabilities they will need
* Takes new operational concepts, from others or self-generated, assess their viability and value, and brings them to maturity through doctrine development, scientific research, experimentation and technological development
* Then implements them both through persuading nations individually or collectively to acquire the capability, and through providing the education and training, enables the concept to be implemented by NATO forces
===Transformation Directorate===
The Transformation Directorate is headed by the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) Transformation who acts as the Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation’s (SACT) Director for guidance and coordination of the activities of his Directorate Transformation, divided in two divisions: IMPLEMENTATION and CAPABILITIES. Within the full scale of SACT’s transformational responsibilities Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) TRANSFORMATION assist the Chief of Staff (COS) in the execution of his duties with emphasis on deliverables to the Alliance Military Transformation Process in order to enhance NATO’s operational capabilities and to meet NATO’s future requirements.
====Implementation Division====
Implementation Division, lead by Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Implementation, is responsible for guidance and coordination of the activities of two Sub-Divisions, JOINT EDUCATION and TRAINING (JET) and JOINT EXPERIMENTATION, EXERCISES and ASSESSMENT (JEEA) as well as providing guidance for the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) and Joint Analysis Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC), in their efforts to enhance training programs, to path on breaking concept development and experimentation, to develop effective programs to capture and implement lessons learned and to press on common standards.
====Capabilities Division====
Capabilities Division, lead by Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Capabilities is responsible for guidance and coordination of the activities of three Sub-Divisions of STRATEGIC CONCEPTS, POLICY and COORDINATION (SCPI); FUTURE CAPABILITIES, RESEARCH and TECHNOLOGY (FCRT) and DEFENCE PLANNING (Def Plan) in their efforts to staff Capabilities, Concepts and Development products.
==See also==
* Atlantic_Council
* Euro-Atlantic_Partnership_Council
* Headquarters_Allied_Command_Europe_Rapid_Reaction_Corps
* NATO_Medal
* Non-Aligned_Movement
* OSCE
* Partnership_for_Peace
* Peacekeeping
* Silence_procedure
* UN
* Warsaw_pact
* WEU
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_Armies_Officers
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_Armies_Enlisted
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_Air_Forces_Officers
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_Air_Forces_Enlisted
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_Navies_Officers
* Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_Navies_Enlisted
== External links ==
{{commons|North Atlantic Treaty Organisation}}
* Basic NATO Documents
* 'NATO force 'feeds Kosovo sex trade' - The Guardian
* NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) Official Website
* NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) Official Website
* NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC) Official Website
* NATO Official Website
* NATO Response Force Article
* NATO searches for defining role
* Official Article on NATO Response Force
* World Map of NATO Member Countries
* Stop NATO! UK
* Balkan Anti NATO Center, Greece
* NATO Defense College
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Category:International_organizations
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