Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Allied Command Atlantic


caption=ACLANT Emblem.
dates= 30 January 1952 - 19 June 2003
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allegiance=NATO
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garrison=Norfolk, Virginia
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battles=Cold War
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The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Mission Objectives

Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT) had the following mission objectives:

* Safeguard NATO’s sea lines of communications (SLOC)
* Support amphibious and land operations
* Protect the deployment of NATO’s sea-based nuclear deterrence

Recognizing the post-Cold War military environment, NATO adopted the Alliance Strategic Concept during its Washington Summit in April 1999 that emphasized conflict prevention and crisis management. [cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb120704.htm |title= Allied Command Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

Area of Responsibilities

The ACLANT Area of Responsibility (AOR) extended from the North Pole to the Tropic of Cancer as well as extending from the east coast of the North America to the west coast of Africa and Europe, including Portugal but not the English Channel, the British Isles, and the Canary Islands. [cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb120704.htm |title= Allied Command Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

Command Structure

The high command of ACLANT comprised the following positions:

* Supreme Allied Commander (SACLANT) - As one of the two principal supreme commanders in NATO's military command structure, SACLANT is responsible for all Alliance military missions withing the ACLANT Area of Rsponsibilities. SACLANT is an American admiral or general who also serves as the U.S. Commander-in-Chief Atlantic (CINCLANT).
* Deputy Supreme Allied Commander (DSACLANT) - The principal deputy to SACLANT held by a British admiral.
* Chief of Staff (COFS) - Directs the SACLANT headquarters staff

SACLANT headquarters was located in Norfolk, Virginia, adjacent to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet headquarters [cite book | last=Key, Jr. | first=David M. | coauthors= | year=2001 | month= | title=Admiral Jerauld Wright: Warrior among Diplomats | publisher=Sunflower University Press | location=Manhattan, Kansas | isbn=978-0897452519 | pages=pp. 299-304 ]

Allied Command Eastern Atlantic (EASTLANT)

The Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic (CINCEASTLANT) was responsible for the administration and operation of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT), on behalf of the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT). CINCEASTLANT was a British four-star admiral based at Northwood, United Kingdom who also served as the Commander in Chief of the Home Fleet (subsequently CINC Western Fleet, and later CINCFLEET). [cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb12070401.htm |title= Regional Headquarters, Eastern Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

Allied Command Western Atlantic (WESTLANT)

The Commander-in-Chief Western Atlantic (CINCWESTLANT) was responsible for:

* The safe transit of critical reinforcement and re-supply from North America to Europe, in support of the full spectrum of NATO forces operating anywhere in or beyond NATO's area of responsibility
* The sponsorship of peacetime joint multinational exercises and Partnership for Peace (PfP) activities, as well as maintaining operational control and providing support for NATO forces assigned to the headquarters

CINCWESTLANT was an American four-star admiral based in Norfolk, Virginia who also serves of the Commander-in-Chief U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT). [ cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb12070403.htm |title= Regional Headquarters, Western Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

Allied Command Southern Atlantic (SOUTHLANT)

The Commander-in-Chief Southern Atlantic (CINCSOUTHLANT) was responsible for military movements and maritime operations across the southeast boundary between the Allied Command European (ACE) and Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT). CINCSOUTHLANT was a Portuguese three-star admiral based in Lisbon, Portugal, and was formerly known as Commander-in-Chief Iberian Atlantic Area (CINCIBERLANT) prior to the standing up of SOUTHLANT. [ cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb12070404.htm |title= Regional Headquarters, Southern Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

triking Fleet Atlantic (STRIKFLTLANT)

The Commander Striking Fleet Atlantic (COMSTRIKFLTLANT) was the major subordinate at-sea commander for SACLANT. The primary mission of Striking Fleet Atlantic is to deter aggression by maintaining maritime superiority in the Atlantic AOR and ensuring the integrity of NATO's sea lines of communication (SLOC). COMSTRIKFLTLANT was an American three-star admiral based in Norfolk, Virginia who also served as the Commander U.S. Second Fleet (COMSECONDFLT). [cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb12070405.htm |title= Striking Fleet Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

Submarine Allied Command Atlantic (SUBACLANT)

The Commander Submarine Allied Command Atlantic (COMSUBACLANT) was the principal adviser to the SACLANT on submarine matters and undersea warfare. COMSUBACLANT was an American three-star admiral based in Norfolk, Virginia who also served as the Comamander Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT). [ cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb12070406.htm |title= Submarine Allied Command Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

tanding Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT)

The Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) was a permanent peacetime multinational naval squadron composed of destroyers, cruisers and frigates from the navies of various NATO nations. Since its creation in 1967, STANAVFORLANT operated, trained, and exercised as a group, providing day-to-day verification of current NATO maritime procedures, tactics and effectiveness, as well as participates in NATO and national naval exercises designed to promote readiness and interoperability [cite web |url= http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb12070402.htm |title= Standing Naval Force Atlantic |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= NATO Handbook |publisher= |date= ]

List of Supreme Allied Commanders Atlantic

Disestablishment

Allied Command Atlantic was decommssioned effective 19 June 2003, and an new Allied Command Transformation (ACT) was established as its successor. This new NATO command is headed by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), an American four-star admiral or general who is dual-hatted as commander, United States Joint Forces Command (COMUSJFCOM), with SACLANT's former military missions folded into NATO's Allied Command Operations (ACO). [cite web |url= http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=28854 |title= New NATO Transformation Command Established in Norfolk |accessdate=2008-09-09 |work= American Forces Press Service |publisher= United States Department of Defense |date= 19 June 2003 ]

ee also

* Exercise REFORGER
* Joint Command Lisbon
* Operation Mainbrace
* Operation Strikeback
* Northern Wedding
* Standing NRF Maritime Group 1

Notes

References

*citation
last = Air Force Association
journal = Air Force Magazine
volume = 89
issue = 5
title = USAF Almanac 2006
url = http://www.afa.org/magazine/may2006/0506structure.pdf
date = May 2006
year = 2006

*citation
last = North Atlantic Treaty Organization
title = Senior officials in the NATO military structure, from 1949 to 2001
url = http://www.nato.int/cv/ace-k-p.pdf

External links

* [http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/ NATO Handbook]