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NATO

NATO is a transatlantic alliance of 32 like-minded North American and European countries securing peace since 1949. The alliance promotes democratic values and diplomacy and enables members to consult and cooperate on defense and security-related issues, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.

NATO's 75th Anniversary

A Brief History of NATO

Discover the untold stories of NATO, from its birth onward. Dig deeper, and you will find out what went on behind the scenes.

NATO HISTORY TIMELINE

Use the arrows here or click through the timeline below to discover major milestones in NATO history.

Swipe here or select items in the timeline below to discover major milestones in NATO history.

Stories

Press Products

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Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov

Transcript |

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds a Press Briefing

Transcript |

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Hosted a Bilateral in Honor of His Excellency Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur

Photos

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Watch: Videos

President Joe Biden holds a press briefing at the end of the three-day NATO summit in Washington.

Biden Speaks to Press at NATO Summit

Biden Speaks to Press at NATO Summit

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III gives remarks during the NATO Summit commemorating 75 years of military alliance.

Austin Speaks at NATO Summit

Austin Speaks at NATO Summit

President Biden Hosts an Event on the Ukraine Compact.

Biden Hosts Event on the Ukraine Compact

Biden Hosts Event on the Ukraine Compact

A NATO flag is centered over a paint backdrop of blue and yellow and white tones.

What is NATO? All You Need to Know

What is NATO? All You Need to Know

The North Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, in Washington, D.C. Twelve countries signed the treaty that day: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The North Atlantic Treaty Signing

The North Atlantic Treaty Signing

What are the main responsibilities of the NATO Secretary General?
How and why did Jens Stoltenberg become the head of the Organization?
How has NATO changed over the past decade, and what does its future look like?

In this episode, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reflects on his time at NATO over the past 10 years. He shares the personal motivations that led him to accept the job after serving as Prime Minister of Norway, and how his parents' values and his own political activity as a young man shaped his views of NATO.

He also gives a preview of the main topics that will be on the agenda at the 2024 NATO Summit, taking place in Washington, D.C. in July.

NATO Through Time Podcast - Who Leads NATO?

NATO Through Time Podcast - Who Leads NATO?

NATO is the world’s most successful political-military alliance. Over 75 years, it has managed to withstand challenges, expand its roles and mission and even grow significantly in size. But how has it persisted so long, and how has time and tribulation changed the organisation?
From the day it was founded in 1949 to the reinforcement of Eastern Europe in 2022, this documentary explores the moments that define the Organisation today, through the eyes and personal experiences of people who have witnessed these pivotal moments from the unique perspective of ‘insiders’, as former NATO staff.
During the Cold War, NATO successfully deterred the Soviet Union from aggression against Western Europe. In the 1990s, NATO helped to end ethnic conflicts in the Western Balkans. After the terrorist attacks against the United States on 9/11, it measured up to its purpose, invoking Article 5, the founding treaty’s collective defence clause, for the first time, and mobilising to defend Allies against further terrorist violence. And when Russia launched its brutal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO rushed troops to Eastern Europe, assuring Allies of their safety while deterring further aggression from Russia.
In 2024, NATO is larger and more powerful – politically and militarily – than it was in 1949. Yet for all that has changed, it remains committed to its core goal of collective defence.

NATO Through the Years

NATO Through the Years

Welcome to the NATO Through Time podcast!

This podcast dives deep into NATO’s history, reflecting on how the past influences the present – and future – of the longest-lasting alliance in history.

Our first episode introduces the podcast’s co-hosts: former NATO Spokesperson Jamie Shea, along with young content creators Ben Wheeler, Maciej Musiał and Paulius Mikolaitis, who are helping tell NATO’s story to the next generation.

Join them in this initial episode on a 15-minute whirlwind tour of NATO’s 75-year history – from the creation of the Alliance in 1949, to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, to NATO’s first out-of-area operations and the first wave of post-Cold War enlargement in the 1990s. The following episodes will cover all of these topics, and many more, in greater depth.

NATO Through Time Podcast

NATO Through Time Podcast

For many of NATO’s aspiring fighter pilots, the journey begins in Texas, where the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training programme churns out the next generation of Allied aviators.

SYNOPSIS
There’s something that fighter pilots from Belgium, Denmark, Germany and 11 other NATO Allies have in common: their flying careers started in Texas, USA.
That’s where the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) programme has been training pilots since the early 80s, when a number of countries decided to found the programme at Sheppard Air Force Base. While conceived of as a cost-saving measure, giving Allies the chance to pool resources in the resource-intensive task of training new fighter pilots, this training has since become a place for students and instructors to pass on tactics and form multinational relationships that will span their careers. Allies contributing to this training are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Throughout the course, students learn the fundamentals of flight, progressing from ground school to the prop-driven T-6 Texan trainer - and finally to the T-38 Talon, a supersonic jet trainer that prepares them for the physical and mental strain of flying tactical aircraft. With 12-hour working days and plenty of bookwork to supplement the flying, this course ensures that only the most skilled and most dedicated graduates serve as fighter pilots in their country’s air forces.

This video follows Royal Danish Air Force Lieutenant ”Bun” and Belgian Air Force Lieutenant Jade. Having since completed the programme, ‘Bun’ is now training to fly C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, while Jade is preparing to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Future generations of Belgian pilots will also have the chance to fly the F-35 Lightning II, as Belgium is in the process of adding these assets to its fleet. The first F-35A jet will enter service at Luke Ai

Texas: Where Fighter Pilots Are Born

Texas: Where Fighter Pilots Are Born

What does it take to survive in cold weather environments with barely any equipment? We sent our video producer to Norway to find out.
Synopsis
Cold, snowy environments can be unforgiving, but for Allied armies, the task of collective defence means being ready to operate in any climate. That is why the NATO Centre of Excellence (COE) for Cold Weather Operations, based in Rena, Norway, teaches Allied troops how to survive and thrive in the snowy woods.
To try what it takes to deal with these harsh conditions, we sent one of our video producers to tag along for 24 hours with a group of NATO soldiers participating in one of the Centre’s cold-weather survival courses. Deep into the Norwegian forest, facing freezing temperatures and with only a few essential tools to help fight against the cold, he tested first-hand how demanding – and unforgiving – withstanding such conditions can be.
Survival courses focus on building an experienced core group of cold-weather survivalists, who can then bring their experience back to their armies and teach others. As we face the most serious security situation in decades, ensuring that Allied soldiers are prepared to protect our people in all terrains and weather conditions has become even more essential.
Transcript
TRANSCRIPT (AUDIO AND TEXT ON SCREEN)

--VOICEOVER--
What does it take for soldiers to be able to operate and survive in the cold? I was in Norway to find out from the people who know best.

--SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
ST.SGT. MARIUS HENRIKSEN
Centre of Excellence for Cold Weather Operations

“You have to be disciplined to do the hard work.”

--SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
JAKE TUPMAN
Video producer for NATO

“We are completely off-grid and we are going to find out what it takes to survive in conditions like these.”

--UPSOT Jake Tupman —

“Ok, I can do this. I’m pretty sure I can do this.”

--UPSOT St.Sgt. Marius Henriksen —

“We’ll see.”

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
24 HOURS ON
NATO’S WINTER
SURVIVAL CO

24 Hours: NATO's Winter Survival Course

24 Hours: NATO's Winter Survival Course

Video made as part of a Bomber Task Force mission supported by the Icelandic Coast Guard at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, Aug 25, 2023. BTF missions showcase the Air Force’s ability to continue to execute flying missions, sustain readiness and support our allies through the concept of Agile Combat Employment. (U.S. Air Force video by Airman 1st Class Robert Hicks)

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Arctic Operations

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Arctic Operations

A sailor in a bright green vest stands in front of an aircraft on the deck of a ship.

Colorful Jerseys on Deck

Colorful Jerseys on Deck

Defense and State Department experts discuss the war in Ukraine and assess U.S. policy toward Europe and NATO before next month’s NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee are: Laura K. Cooper, the Defense Department deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, and Douglas D. Jones, the deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the State Department.

Experts Testify About Europe, NATO

Experts Testify About Europe, NATO

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III briefs the news media after a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

Austin Holds Briefing in Brussels

Austin Holds Briefing in Brussels

Synopsis
Logistics is the art of moving supplies and people to where they need to be. Without logistics, armies wouldn’t have fuel for trucks, parts to repair them, or soldiers to drive them. It’s a military fundamental, and that’s why NATO forces regularly practise this crucial discipline with their Allies and partners.
Recently, the US Marine Corps teamed up with the Finnish Navy to practise this crucial discipline – but with a twist. The icy, island-studded waters of the Finnish archipelago are uniquely challenging to supply lines. Working with the Finnish troops, the US Marines learned how to move supplies using helicopters, transport aircraft and small, stealthy boats, as well as the burly transport trucks they brought from the United States in cold weather conditions.
The US Marines deployed to Finland for three months last fall – the longest stint the US military’s amphibious branch has spent in Finland to date. It signals a deepening relationship with Finland, a long-time NATO partner that applied for membership of the Alliance in 2022, together with Sweden. Deployments like this help Finland to continue familiarising itself with Allied tactics and techniques as the country prepares to join the Alliance as a full member.
Transcript
— TEXT ON SCREEN —

WHAT KEEPS ARMIES ON THE MOVE?

LOGISTICS

BUT IN THE NORTH

COLD WEATHER MAKES IT HARDER

TO KEEP NATO AND PARTNER FORCES SUPPLIED

Captain Michael Roeske
US Marine Corps

“A lot of the equipment we have isn’t used to working in the cold. So we’ve had to adapt to make sure the trucks stay up and running in a cold environment. Additionally, a lot of the electronics we use naturally run off of batteries, and the cold siphons the batteries really quick.”

THE US MARINES TRAINED WITH THE FINNISH NAVY

PRACTISING HOW TO KEEP AN ARMY MOVING

NO MATTER THE CLIMATE

—SOUNDBITES IN ENGLISH —

Captain Michael Roeske
US Marine Corps

“One of the big things we’ve taken away from the Finns

U.S. Marines, Finnish Navy Hone Logistics Skills

U.S. Marines, Finnish Navy Hone Logistics Skills

Cpl. Ethan Allen, U.S. Army Reserve Medical Command, reflects on his experience during the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers Military Competition (CIOR MILCOMP). This competition is an annual reserve military competition with NATO member states and other participating nations with 34 countries in total, representing 1.3 million reservists. The MILCOMP, which has been held since 1957, is a military pentathlon testing service members in pistol and rifle marksmanship, land and water obstacles and orienteering.

Soldier Reflects on Interallied Competition

Soldier Reflects on Interallied Competition

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks at a lectern.

Austin Speaks to Media

Austin Speaks to Media

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad hold a joint press conference.

Austin, Slovak Defense Minister Brief Reporters

Austin, Slovak Defense Minister Brief Reporters

NATO ships participate in exercise Dynamic Manta 2019. The annual Allied Maritime Command exercise is meant to develop proficiency between NATO nations in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. Courtesy video by NATO TV

Finding the Invisible

Finding the Invisible

From the essential pre-requisites to the final national bill of ratification, accession into NATO can be summed up in five simple steps.

Built into the very text of NATO’s founding treaty, it has always been possible for new members to join the Alliance with the unanimous agreement of all existing Allies.

The Membership Action Plan (MAP) was created to streamline the process and help countries aspiring to join NATO in their preparations for potential membership.

Now, with the most recent addition of Montenegro, NATO has grown from an original group of 12 to 29 member states.

This animation sums up the series of steps it takes for a candidate country to become a full member of NATO, recognized both nationally and internationally.

How Does a Country Join NATO?

How Does a Country Join NATO?

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