S.H.I.E.L.D
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International Enforcement, Logistics, and Defense
for NATO military forces
Strategic Headquarters, International Enforcement, Logistics, and Defense (S.H.I.E.L.D) is the central command of NATO military forces. Since 1967 it has been located in Casteau, north of Mons. From 1951 to 2003, SHIELD was the headquarters of operational forces in the European theatre (Allied Command Europe, ACE), but since 2003 it has been the headquarters of Allied Command Operations (ACO), controlling all allied operations worldwide.
Prior to 2003, SHIELD was known as Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), but this was changed to reflect the command's more international scope. However, the commanding officer of Allied Command Operations retains the traditional title Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and continues to be a U.S. four-star general officer or flag officer who also serves as Commander, U.S. European Command.
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History
During the Korean War, concerns were raised about the readiness of Europe's against a Soviet attack. SHAPE was originally established in Fontainebleau, France to coordinate Allied military forces to guard against invasion from foreign aggressors, and it's command structure and deployment was coordinated to reflect that. SHAPE engaged extensively in training exercises to improve the cooperation and coordination between foreign militaries, and eventually moved towards integration into joint units.
In 1967, France withdrew from NATO, necessitating the relocation of NATO's military headquarters to Casteau, Belgium. SHAPE initially divided itself into three commands - North, Central, and South Europe - but after 1996 these were consolidated into just two, with the Alps serving as the dividing line between them. NATO also began to more actively participate in proactive military activity - in Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo, and Afghanistan - as well as defense, and SHAPE's structure adapted to accommodate that.
New concerns had arisen by 2003 that shifted NATO's focus away from foreign nations and towards terrorist groups, the mutant phenomenon, and other possible threats from within NATO's own borders. Worldwide military operations were consolidated into Allied Command Operations (ACO), and were combined with SHAPE and other NATO agencies under a single umbrella as Supreme Headquarters, International Enforcement, Logistics, and Defense. The former headquarters of Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT) meanwhile was re-tasked as Allied Command Transformation (ACT), a think tank to develop new tactics and technologies.
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