The Multinational Division Central MND (C), was a multi-national division in
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
for Central Europe and had its
headquarters
Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
at the British
JHQ Rheindahlen
JHQ (Joint Headquarters) Rheindahlen was a military base in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany active from 1954 to 2013. It functioned as the main headquarters for British forces in Germany and for the NATO Northern Army Group. La ...
with its barracks near
Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach (, ) is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany, west of the Rhine, halfway between Düsseldorf and the Netherlands, Dutch border.
Geography Municipal subdivisions
Since 2009, th ...
.
The concept for this first genuine multi-national division in NATO with its four participating nations -
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
originated during the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
. The airmobile MND (C) was to support
Northern Army Group
The Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in western Germany.
The Army Group headquarters was established on 1 November 1952 ...
Central Europe (NORTHAG) as a reserve formation. The MND (C) achieved operational readiness on 1 April 1994. The divisional staff comprised 50 officers, 54 NCOs and soldiers. The headquarters company initially had 154 soldiers from Germany. Its first commander was Major General Pieter Huysman from the Netherlands.
On the full activation of the division each nation was to make available a parachute or airmobile brigade, combat support units and supply units.
Four brigades from the participating nations were under command:
* the
Belgian Para-Commando Brigade (Eversberg)
* the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
31st Airborne Brigade (Oldenburg)
* the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
24th Airmobile Brigade (Colchester), from 1999: the
16 Air Assault Brigade
16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, known simply as 16 Air Assault Brigade from 1999–2021, is a formation of the British Army predominantly based in Colchester, Essex. It makes up the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at high readines ...
* the
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army (, KL) is the Ground warfare, land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised making the Dutch standing a ...
11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
The 11th Airmobile Brigade () is the rapid light infantry brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, focused on conducting air assault operations. Troops of the brigade are qualified to wear the maroon beret upon completion of the demanding training ...
(Schaarsbergen)
MND-C, with a theoretical strength of 20,000 soldiers had the capability of deploying on worldwide military intervention missions. The Division would be placed under command of its superior formation,
Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is a rapid reaction force maintained by NATO. It is capable of deploying a High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters at short notice for operations and crisis response.
History
The ARRC was created on 1 ...
(ARRC), on request.
It was also possible for the MND(C) to be mobilised for military operations under the
Western European Union
The Western European Union (WEU; , UEO; , WEU) was the international organisation and military alliance that succeeded the Western Union (alliance) , Western Union (WU) after the 1954 amendment of the 1948 Treaty of Brussels. The WEU implement ...
(WEU) as
Because NATO became increasingly focused on other crisis reaction forces (the so-called High Readiness Forces (Land)), the headquarters of MND (C) was disbanded on 25 October 2002. Its last commander was Major General Marc Jacqmin.
References
External links
Report of the disbandment
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Military units and formations of NATO
Airborne divisions
Divisions of the Bundeswehr">Airborne divisions">Military units and formations of NATO
Airborne divisions
Divisions of the Bundeswehr
British Army divisions
Military units and formations of Belgium
Military units and formations of the Netherlands
Military units and formations established in 1994
Military units and formations disestablished in 2002