NATO

NATO – the beginning

The Treaty of Brussels, signed on 17 March 1948 by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and the United Kingdom, is considered the precursor to the NATO agreement.

These talks resulted in the North Atlantic Treaty, created by Lester B. Pearson, which was signed in Washington, DC on 4 April 1949. It included the five Treaty of Brussels states, as well as the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

NATO

Expansion during the Cold War

Three years later, on 18 February 1952, Greece and Turkey also joined.

West Germany entered into the organization on 9 May 1955

On 30 May 1982, newly democratic Spain joined the alliance

NATO

Expansion after the Cold War

On 12 march 1999 Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland entered NATO.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (see Baltic Air Policing) and also Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. They were first invited to start talks of membership during the 2002 Prague Summit, and joined NATO on 29 March 2004.

NATO – bases location

It operates a fleet of E-3A Sentry AWACS airborne radar aircraft based out of Geilenkirchen Air Base in Germany, and is establishing the NATO Strategic Airlift Capability through the planned purchase of a number of C-17s.

NATO – bases location

OTAN's Naval Forces' headquarters will be relocated from London to Napoli (Italy), where NATO's Joint Force Command (headed by a US general) is also based

NATO inaugurated a new base in 2004 in Chiapparo nel Mar Grande Taranto

The enlargement of a base in Vicenza is previsioned for 2007

NATO – bases location

In Spain, Zaragossa is expected to host the new Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system of NATO, produced by the Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) consortium with the goal of having an initial operational capability in 2010

List of NATO operations

During the Cold War:

* Operation Gladio

In Yugoslav Wars (1991–2001):

* Operation Sharp Guard (June 1993 - October 1996)

* Operation Deliberate Force ( August - September 1995)

* Operation Joint Endeavour (December 1995)

* Operation Allied Force (March - June 1999)

* Operation Essential Harvest (August - September 2001)

Other:

* Baltic Air Policing (since March 2004)

* International Security Assistance Force