Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps
Encyclopedia
The Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, (HQ ARRC or ARRC) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters ready for deployment worldwide within five to thirty days.
based on the former British I Corps (or I (BR) Corps). It was originally created as the rapid reaction corps sized land force of the Reaction Forces Concept that emerged after the end of the Cold War, with a mission to redeploy and reinforce within Allied Command Europe (ACE) and to conduct Petersberg missions
out of NATO territory.
Since 2002 however the HQ has been re-roled (with five other corps HQs of other NATO nations) as a High Readiness Force (Land) HQ (HRF(L)) with a broader mission. The formation HQ is under Operational Command of Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
(SACEUR). The ARRC has a notional Force Pool of Combat, Combat Support and Combat Service Support units with which to train and execute its mission. However in reality COMARRC commands no forces until he receives an Activation Order from SACEUR. On receipt of ACTORD, forces from troop contributing nations, generated through the NATO Force Generation process are passed into his Operational Command for the duration of the operational deployment.
Although the corps
is commanded by a British Army
lieutenant-general, the corps
is no longer a purely British formation HQ. The UK
is the 'framework nation' and provides about 80% of the funding and 60% of the staff for the HQ, which, from 1994 to 2010, was based in the Rheindahlen Military Complex
, Germany
. The remaining 40% of the staff are made up of a further 14 Partner Nations.
ARRC took command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan
on 4 May 2006. Previously, it was deployed as the headquarters commanding Land Forces during the Kosovo War
in 1999 and, prior to that, commanded the Land Forces of NATO's first ever deployment as part of the IFOR
operation in Bosnia
in 1995/6.
ARRC relocated to Imjin Barracks, outside Gloucester
in England, in 2010. and will deploy to support the ISAF Joint Command Headquarters in Afghanistan in 2011.
The first commander, appointed in 1992 was General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie
.
History
HQ ARRC was created on 2 October 1992 in BielefeldBielefeld
Bielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
based on the former British I Corps (or I (BR) Corps). It was originally created as the rapid reaction corps sized land force of the Reaction Forces Concept that emerged after the end of the Cold War, with a mission to redeploy and reinforce within Allied Command Europe (ACE) and to conduct Petersberg missions
Petersberg tasks
The Petersberg tasks are a list of military and security priorities incorporated within the European Security and Defence Policy, now called the CSDP as of the Treaty of Lisbon, of the European Union....
out of NATO territory.
Since 2002 however the HQ has been re-roled (with five other corps HQs of other NATO nations) as a High Readiness Force (Land) HQ (HRF(L)) with a broader mission. The formation HQ is under Operational Command of Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
(SACEUR). The ARRC has a notional Force Pool of Combat, Combat Support and Combat Service Support units with which to train and execute its mission. However in reality COMARRC commands no forces until he receives an Activation Order from SACEUR. On receipt of ACTORD, forces from troop contributing nations, generated through the NATO Force Generation process are passed into his Operational Command for the duration of the operational deployment.
Although the corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
is commanded by a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
lieutenant-general, the corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
is no longer a purely British formation HQ. The UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
is the 'framework nation' and provides about 80% of the funding and 60% of the staff for the HQ, which, from 1994 to 2010, was based in the Rheindahlen Military Complex
Rheindahlen Military Complex
JHQ Rheindahlen, latterly also called the Rheindahlen Military Complex, is a British forces base in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. JHQ stands for Joint Headquarters and the base has functioned as the main headquarters for British forces in Germany since being built in the 1950s...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The remaining 40% of the staff are made up of a further 14 Partner Nations.
ARRC took command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
on 4 May 2006. Previously, it was deployed as the headquarters commanding Land Forces during the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
in 1999 and, prior to that, commanded the Land Forces of NATO's first ever deployment as part of the IFOR
IFOR
The Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour. Its task was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for...
operation in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
in 1995/6.
ARRC relocated to Imjin Barracks, outside Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in England, in 2010. and will deploy to support the ISAF Joint Command Headquarters in Afghanistan in 2011.
The first commander, appointed in 1992 was General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie
Jeremy Mackenzie
General Sir John Jeremy Mackenzie GCB, OBE, DL is a former British Army General who became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:...
.
Recent Commanders
Recent commanders have included:- 1992-1994 Lieutenant General Jeremy MackenzieJeremy MackenzieGeneral Sir John Jeremy Mackenzie GCB, OBE, DL is a former British Army General who became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:...
- 1994-1997 Lieutenant General Michael Walker
- 1997-2000 Lieutenant General Mike JacksonMike JacksonGeneral Sir Michael David "Mike" Jackson, is a retired British Army officer and one of its most high-profile generals since the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he transferred to the Parachute Regiment, with whom he served two of his three tours of...
- 2000-2002 Lieutenant General Christopher DrewryChristopher DrewryLieutenant General Sir Christopher Francis Drewry KCB CBE was Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.-Military career:Chris Drewry was commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1969...
- 2002-2005 Lieutenant General Richard Dannatt
- 2005-2007 Lieutenant General David Richards
- 2007-2011 Lieutenant General Richard ShirreffRichard ShirreffGeneral Sir Alexander Richard David Shirreff KCB CBE is the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Early and personal life:Educated at Oundle School and Exeter College, Oxford, Richard Shirreff was commissioned into the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 1976.He is married to Sarah-Jane and has two...
- 2011-Present Lieutenant General James BucknallJames BucknallLieutenant General James Jeffrey Corfield Bucknall, CBE, OW is a British Army officer and currently Deputy Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.-Military career:...