MAGAZINE
SPRING 2019
Challenges during Hand Over / Take Over
By Lt . Col . Tamas Kender ( HUN ), LANDCOM G3 Current Operations
In the first five decades of NATO ’ s existence , while nations prepared for a big clash threatening each other with nuclear retaliation , NATO planned “ real ” operations , but did not conduct them . However , the end of the Cold War opened a new era of crises and the strongest organization of defense answered the new challenges of failing countries , ethnic civil wars , international terrorism , etc ., deploying forces outside of the Alliance ’ s collective borders . In these operations where NATO assumed leadership from U . S . -led coalitions 1 , NATO identified important lessons . Although NATO conducted successful transitions , different issues rooted in the complexity of the unstandardized international environment , interoperability and demanding timelines interrupted the operational momentum . Factors and risks arose which needed to be identified , understood and mitigated . Although , NATO publications exist for conducting a “ Relief in Place ” including the Hand Over / Take Over ( HOTO ) between NATO Headquarters 2 , the need for documents to standardize procedures with other , non-NATO entities are necessary . Toward this goal Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe ( SHAPE ) developed a concept 3 more than two years ago , and a Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) Directive 4 followed with the aim of providing SHAPE / U . S . European Command coordinated guidance to facilitate the process of transition .
In this context the HOTO is defined as a transition of an ongoing operation from a non-NATO actor , NATO country or coalition to NATO with continuity of Situational Awareness , communication and effort , while maintaining operational momentum to demonstrate Alliance resolve . It is understood as a two-tiered process that encompasses transfer of Command and Control from non-NATO to NATO , and transfer of authority over forces from national to NATO command .
With these key documents in hand , the Allied Command Operations ( ACO ) commands and services started two years of challenging work and drafted their respective Standard Operating Procedures ( SOP ), while continuously coordinating with their fellow U . S . commands . NATO Allied Land Command ( LANDCOM ), as the Alliance ’ s land advocate , in close coordination with U . S . Army Europe developed the SOP for the land domain to use as a Land Component Command ( LCC ) at any stage of a crisis .
During a SHAPE-led Table Top Exercise ( TTX ), the units further discussed and validated all the service-specific SOPs . The LANDCOM project team brought
07 forth the lessons identified from this work to support Polish Land Forces during REDWOOD TTX as a part of the ANAKONDA 2018 Exercise . After final harmonization amongst the services , ACO and U . S . commands ; all SOPs were finalized and approved in December 2018 . However , the work is ongoing with more to be done . The SHAPE-led HOTO team and service-specific teams will review and revise Allied Directive 080-109 during a HOTO Workshop hosted by LANDCOM in April 2019 . To be a good advocate for the land domain , LANDCOM must also be a learning organization .
Therefore , the newly developed Land SOP needs to be experimented through exercise , then refined and exercised again . Accordingly , LANDCOM will conduct a land-focused HOTO TTX as part of its Battle Staff Training with the aim of enhancing mutual understanding of the staff , and internal coordination for further refinement of the document .
Upon conclusion of this work , the SOP will serve any ground-based , warfighting headquarters taking over the LCC role in a multi-domain conflict .
1 Bosnia 1995 , Afghanistan 2003 , Libia 2011 2 NATO STANAG-2082 – Relief of Combat Troops 3 SH / PLANS / J5 / STP1 / VP / 18-318164 / 3 – Concept for Hand Over / Take Over of an
ongoing operation from non-NATO actor , NATO country or coalition to NATO ( Dated 12JAN2018 ) 4 ACO Directive 080-190 – ACO Operations Hand Over / Take Over Process ( Dated 18JAN2018 )