HQ NAEW&C FORCE

The NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) is located on NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen. NAEW&CF has two units with operational capability: The NATO E-3A Component in Geilenkirchen, Germany, with 14 E-3A aircraft, and the former E-3D Component of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the United Kingdom. RAF personnel crewed six E-3D aircraft until 2021. The NAEW&CF Headquarters is responsible for providing direction and guidance to the Force, oversees Force policies and delivers leadership support and expertise to the Force Commander.

The NAEW&CF is commanded on a rotational basis by either a US Air Force or a German Air Force Major General. The Deputy Commander is an RAF Air Commodore. The Force Commander reports directly to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

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NAEW&CF Headquarters Structure

The Crest

The crest was designed and originated by the NAEW Force Command staff and also authorized by the three Major NATO Commanders in 1980. The distinctive NATO Airborne Early Warning Force Command insignia is composed of a NATO star on a silver Air Force wing, a golden sword and a golden and silver trident, all on a blue background.

The NATO star symbolizes the multinational personnel in the NATO AEW Force Command. The Air Force wing depicts the Airborne Surveillance and Command and Control duties of the Force.

The golden sword and the golden and silver tridents represent the (at that time) three major NATO Commanders: Supreme Allied Command Europe, Commander-in-Chief Channel and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic.

The blue background symbolizes the sky, the operational element in which the NAEW&C Force serves.