NATO STANDARD

AJP-4.3

ALLIED JOINT DOCTRINE

FOR HOST-NATION SUPPORT
Edition A Version 1

APRIL 2021

NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION

ALLIED JOINT PUBLICATION

Published by the
NATO STANDARDIZATION OFFICE (NSO)
© NATO / OTAN
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 NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO)

NATO STANDARDIZATION OFFICE (NSO)

NATO LETTER OF PROMULGATION

27 April 2021

1. The enclosed Allied Joint Publication AJP-4.3, Edition A, Version 1, ALLIED

JOINT DOCTRINE FOR HOST-NATION SUPPORT, which has been approved by the
nations in the Military Committee Joint Standardization Board, is promulgated
herewith. The agreement of nations to use this publication is recorded
in STANAG 2234.

2. AJP-4.3, Edition A, Version 1, is effective upon receipt and

supersedes AJP-4.5, Edition B, Version 1, which shall be destroyed in accordance
with local procedure for the destruction of documents.

3. This NATO standardization document is issued by NATO. In case of

reproduction, NATO is to be acknowledged. NATO does not charge any lee for its
standardization documents at any stage, which are not intended to be sold. They can
be retrieved from the NATO Standardization Document Database
(htts://nso.nato.int!nso/) or through your national standardization authorities.

4. This publication shall be handled in accordance with C-M(2002)60.

I
7, ,Ifä’n GULYAS
Brigadier General HUN(AF)
Director, NATO Standardization Office
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Reserved for national promulgation letter

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RECORD OF NATIONAL RESERVATIONS

CHAPTER RECORD OF RESERVATION BY NATIONS

Note: The reservations listed on this page include only those that were recorded at time of
promulgation and may not be complete. Refer to the NATO Standardization Document
Database for the complete list of existing reservations.

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RECORD OF SPECIFIC RESERVATIONS

[nation] [detail of reservation]

BEL Taxes, duties, state tolls, fees and similar charges will not be levied
in BEL insofar as existing national laws, regulations and international
arrangements permit.
FRA - The present STANAG shall be understood as a joint procedures
manual and the attached templates as purely informative.
- France does not develop national support capabilities catalogue.
- The free loan of French equipment is subject to an Armed Forces
Minister’s agreement.
- This STANAG does not grant any remits to the NATO/HQs for
negotiating and signing SOFA, which remains exclusively under the
authority of the SecGen.
- A HNS MoU (Paris MoU) was signed on the 6th of October 2008
with SHAPE. This MoU is applicable to NATO exercises performed
on the French territory.
- Fiscal and customs arrangements laid down within this STANAG,
see Chapter 1, Section 1, paragraph 1.4.c (p. XVII) and Section 3,
paragraph 1.14 (page XXII), annex B (Section 6, § 6-1 à 6-3, Section
7, §7.3) and annex D (article 2-giv and article 2-j) are part of the
Minister of Economy and Finance’s remits. They are not applicable
to the case of MoU projects in which France would be hosting
Nation, as the dispositions go far beyond the privileges granted by
the ratified international treaties (NATO SOFA).
HRV Due to the importance of environmental protection in the Republic of
Croatia as a tourist country in the development of Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) and Technical Agreements (TA) for the host
nation support, each of the participants in the process is obliged to
request a separate article in these agreements in accordance with
all applicable positive legal regulations governing the environmental
protection area in the Republic of Croatia.
USA Reservation 1. The United States rejects glossary/lexicon terms and
definitions and shortened word forms (abbreviations, acronyms,
initialisms) that are neither NATO Agreed, quoted verbatim from
NATOTerm, correctly cited IAW AAP-47 Allied Joint Doctrine
Development, correctly introduced/revised IAW AAP-77 NATO
Terminology Manual, nor have terminology tracking forms
submitted. This reservation will be lifted when the relevant terms,
definitions, and shortened word forms are corrected (see matrix for
any specificity with terms).
Reservation 2. The United States rejects content that is not
harmonized with capstone and operations keystone AJPs.

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United States personnel are directed to use national joint doctrine to

overcome variances. This reservation will be lifted when relevant
frameworks and constructs are corrected [see matrix for specifics
(ex. creation of joint operation areas or domains)].
The following reservation details are provided in the uploaded memo
as well as other details for consideration/ future revisions.

Note: The reservations listed on this page include only those that were recorded at time of
promulgation and may not be complete. Refer to the NATO Standardization Document
Database for the complete list of existing reservations.

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Table of contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction to host-nation support 1

Section 1 – Introduction 1

Definition 1
Host-nation support principles 1
Host-nation support customary practices 3
Sources of support 3
Host-nation support to permanent international headquarters and
similar entities 4

Section 2 – Legal considerations and authorities 4

Introduction 4
General principles 6
Relevant NATO legal authorities 6
Specific legal issues in host-nation support 7

Section 3 – Financial considerations 8

General 8
Reimbursement and funding 8
Financial arrangements 8
Tax exemptions 8

Section 4 – Other considerations 9

Contractor support to operations 9

Civil preparedness 9
Civil-military cooperation / civil-military interaction 9
Strategic communications 9

Chapter 2 – Roles, responsibilities and coordination 11

Section 1 – Introduction 11

Section 2 - National roles and responsibilities 11

Sending nations 11
Host nation 12

Section 3 – NATO roles and responsibilities 13

NATO commander 13
NATO Headquarters 13
Allied Command Operations / Allied Command Transformation 13
Joint force command / joint task force 14

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Standing Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters 15

Theatre component level / Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters 15
Other entities 15

Chapter 3 – Host-nation support planning process 17

Section 1 – Introduction 17

Coordinating the planning process 17

Products 17

Section 2 – Host-nation support and NATO planning process 18

NATO defence planning process 18

Operations planning process 18
Host-nation support planning for single service commands 19
Host-nation support in functional planning 19

Section 3 – Host-nation support arrangements 22

Introduction 22
Host-nation support request 22
Memorandum of understanding 23
Technical arrangement 23
Note of accession / statement of intent 24
Final financial arrangements 24
Joint implementation arrangements 24
Capability catalogues 24

Section 4 – Development of host-nation support requirements 25

General 25
Concept of requirements 25
Statement of requirements 26

Chapter 4 – Host-nation support implementation 28

Section 1 – Introduction 28

Section 2 – Host-nation support organizations and structures 28

Host-nation support coordination 28

Host-nation support joint steering committee 28
Host-nation support coordination cells 29

Section 3 – Reporting 29

Host-nation support reporting 29

Assessments 29

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Lessons learned 29

Section 4 – Host-nation support information management systems 30

Background 30
Capability catalogues 30
The capability catalogues process 30
Geolocations 30
Main supply routes 30

Section 5 – Movements and border crossing 31

General 31
Transiting 31
Redeployment 31

Annex A – Template for a host-nation support request letter A-1

Annex B – Template for a memorandum of understanding B-1

Annex C – Template for a note of accession / statement of intent C-1

Annex D – Guidance to develop a host-nation support technical

arrangement D-1

Annex E – Template for a joint implementation arrangement E-1

Annex F – Guidelines to develop concepts of requirements F-1

Annex G – Template for host-nation support statement of requirements G-1

Lexicon I – Acronyms and abbreviations Lexicon-1

Lexicon II – Terms and definitions Lexicon-4

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Related documents
Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters set up pursuant to the
North Atlantic Treaty (Paris Protocol)
NATO Agreement on the Status of the NATO, National Representatives and
International Staff (Ottawa Agreement)
C-M(2001)44 NATO Policy for Cooperation in Logistics
MC 133 NATO’s Operations Planning
MC 319 NATO Principles and Policies for Logistics
MC 326 NATO Medical Support Principles and Policies
MC 327 NATO Military Policy for Non-Article 5 Crisis Response Operation
MC 334 NATO Principles and Policies for Host-nation Support
MC 336 NATO Principles and Policies for Movement and Transportation
MC 343 NATO Military Assistance to International Disaster Relief
MC 411 NATO Military Policy on Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) and Civil-
Military Interaction (CMI)
MC 469 NATO Military Principles and Policies for Environmental Protection
MC 560 Military Committee Policy for Military Engineering
AJP-1 Allied Joint Doctrine
AJP-3 Allied Joint Doctrine for the Conduct of Operations
AJP-3.8 Allied Joint Doctrine for Comprehensive CBRN Defence
AJP-3.12 Allied Joint Doctrine for Military Engineering
AJP-3.13 Allied Joint Doctrine for Deployment and Redeployment of Forces
AJP-3.14 Allied Joint Doctrine for Force Protection
AJP-3.19 Allied Joint Doctrine for Civil-Military Cooperation
AJP-3.21 Allied Joint Doctrine for Military Police
AJP-4 Allied Joint Doctrine for Logistics
AJP-4.4 Allied Joint Doctrine for Movements
AJP-4.6 Allied Joint Doctrine for the Joint Logistic Support Group
AJP-4.10 Allied Joint Doctrine for Medical Support
AJP-5 Allied Joint Doctrine for the Planning of Operations
ALP-4.1 Multinational Maritime Force Logistics
ALP-4.2 Land Forces Logistic Doctrine
ALP-4.3 Air Forces Logistic Doctrine and Procedures
AFLP-1135 Interchangeability of fuels, lubricants and associated products used
by army forces
STANAG 2034 CSS NATO Standard Procedures for Mutual Logistic Assistance

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STANAG 3113 ASSE Provision of Support to Visiting Personnel, Aircraft and

Vehicles
STANAG 3430 ASSE Responsibilities for Aircraft cross-servicing (ACS)
ATP-3.13.1 Reception, Staging, Onward Movement (RSOM) Procedures
AJMedP8 Allied Joint Medical Doctrine for Military Health Care
AMovP-1 Road Movements and Movement Control1
AMovP-2 Procedures for Surface Movements Across National Frontiers
AMovP-3 Movement and Transport Documents and Glossary of Terms and
Definitions
AMovP-4 Technical Aspects of the Transport of Military Materials by Railroad
AMovP-6 Allied multi-modal transportation of dangerous goods
AFinP-1 Financial Principles and Procedures for the Provision of Support and
the Establishment of Multinational Arrangement
Bi-SC Directive 15-3 Preparation of International Agreements
Bi-SC Directive 75-3 Collective Training and Exercise
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)
ACO Directive AD 080-104 NATO Force Integration Units
ACO Comprehensive Operations Planning Directive (COPD)
NATO Precautionary System (NPS) Manual

1 AMovP-1 to 5 will merge into AMTP-1 Allied Movement & Transportation Publication

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Preface
Scope

1. Allied Joint Publication (AJP)-4.3, Allied Joint Doctrine for Host-Nation Support’,
is the NATO level 2 doctrine for the conduct of host-nation support from
preparation to termination. AJP-4.3 builds on the principles described in AJP-
4, Allied Joint Doctrine for Logistics.

Purpose

2. Although every operation is unique, their execution can be approached in a

consistent manner. AJP-4.3 provides joint commanders and their staffs with a
common framework for the planning, coordination, and execution of host-nation
support for military activities.

Application

3. AJP-4.3 provides guidance primarily for joint NATO commanders and staffs.
However, the doctrine is instructive and provides a useful reference for NATO
members, partners, and non-NATO entities.

Structure
4. AJP-4.3 describes the sequence of host-nation support (HNS) activities,
through the stages of the planning process, the allocation of responsibilities and
authority, and its implementation. It contains the following key elements:

a. Chapter 1 describes the Alliance's principles for HNS and deals with
legal and financial considerations;

b. Chapter 2 outlines the responsibilities and authorities exercised by the

different stakeholders;

c. Chapter 3 outlines the planning process;

d. Chapter 4 covers the transition from planning to the practical realities of

operational implementation; and

e. The annexes consist of templates for a HNS request letter, a

memorandum of understanding, a note of accession / statement of
intent, a statement of requirements and a joint implementation
arrangement. Additionally, one annex provides guidance for writing a
technical arrangement and another for developing the concept of
requirements.

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Introduction to host-nation support AJP-4.3

Chapter 1 – Introduction to host-nation support

Section 1 – Introduction

1.1 Sending nations2 (SNs) are responsible for planning and executing the
deployment and sustainment of their forces. SN obligations extend to medical,
engineering and infrastructure requirements. They are responsible for providing
this support by: national organic capabilities and capacities, or by negotiating,
funding and establishing host-nation support (HNS) through a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) or technical arrangement (TA); contracted support or
multinational solution; or through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency
for single nation or collective contracts, using national funding. HNS is a means
to enable SNs to operate for extended periods away from national sources of
support. It provides effective support to NATO military activities and achieves
efficiencies and synergies through the best use of all of a Host nation’s3 (HN’s)
resources in accordance with the principles of HNS detailed below in paragraph
1.3. Sources of HNS are organic military resources and supplies and services
from other government agencies or commercial entities that are contracted,
coordinated and controlled by the HN. Host-nation support arrangements
(HNSA) aim to reduce deployment timelines and simplify sustainment activities
by pre-arranging financial and legal matters. However, HNS is dependent on
cooperation and coordination between NATO, SNs and HNs and should be
considered in the operations planning process4 (OPP) at the earliest
opportunity. Moreover, HNSAs are instrumental when determining the status of
forces when a status of forces agreement (SOFA) is not in place.

1.2 Definition. HNS is civil and military assistance rendered in peace, crisis or war
by a HN to NATO and / or other forces and NATO organizations that are located
on, operating on / from or in transit through the HN’s territory. As HNS may not
be limited to military assistance, the appointed HN authority remains
responsible for the internal HN coordination to ensure that HNSA are endorsed
at the required level.

1.3 HNS principles. Several principles must be observed if NATO-led forces are
to fulfill their responsibilities for HNS efficiently. These principles are consistent
with the logistic principles established in Allied Joint Publication-4, Allied Joint
Doctrine for Logistics, and are developed from the HNS policy presented in
Military Committee (MC) 0334, NATO Principles and Policies for Host-Nation
Support. They also reflect the experience gained in a wide variety of NATO-led
military activities. Incorporation of these principles into HNS planning will not
guarantee success, but will set the conditions for the successful development
of a HNS plan. These principles are as follows:

2 NATOTerm: A nation deploying its forces, supplies and/or national components of multinational
forces and requesting the use of host nation logistic and other support during transit through or
employment on the host nation's territory.
3 NATOTerm: A nation which, by agreement: a. receives forces and materiel of NATO or other nations

operating on/from or transiting through its territory; b. allows materiel and/or NATO organizations to be
located on its territory; and/or c. provides support for these purposes.
4 AJP-5 Allied Joint Doctrine for the Planning of Operations. The operations planning process is

described in the Allied Command Operations Comprehensive Operations Planning Directive (COPD).

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a. Responsibility. C-M(2001)44, NATO Policy for Cooperation in Logistics

and MC 0334 establish the principle of collective responsibility of nations
and NATO authorities for HNS across the spectrum of NATO-led
operations. The NATO commander5 responsible for the activity identifies
HNS requirements for the force, establishing the HNS planning process
in consultation with nations, and prioritizing and coordinating the
provision of HNS. However, each nation is ultimately responsible for
ensuring the provision of support to its forces and for submitting HNS
requests as required;

b. Provision. Nations must ensure individually, or by collective

arrangements, the provision of adequate resources to support the forces
identified or committed to NATO during peace, crisis and conflict. HNS
is a significant source of support for deployed forces but must be based
on the actual capabilities of the HN. Full account should be taken of the
national priorities and requirements of the HN. While respecting national
regulations, HNs are encouraged to aid planners by providing
information on national capabilities before, during, and after the OPP.
However, in many locations that NATO may deploy, this may not be
possible;

c. Authority. MC 0334 provides the strategic commands (SCs) and the

NATO commander with the appropriate authority for HNS planning and
the development and execution of arrangements. This authority does not
affect the rights of SNs to negotiate and conclude bilateral HNSAs with
the HN. However, a multinational approach will help avoid competition
for limited resources. Authority must be aligned with responsibility and
applies equally to non-NATO commanders participating in a NATO-led
military activity;

d. Cooperation. Cooperation amongst the HNs, SNs, and NATO

authorities creates a unity of effort in the provision and use of HNS. Good
cooperation will avoid competition amongst Allies for limited resources
and will make efficient use of the resources provided by the HN;

e. Coordination. Coordination of HNS planning and execution is essential

for the prioritization, synchronization, and integration of effort between
the NATO-led forces and national authorities. It must be conducted at
appropriate levels and may include non-NATO nations as well as
international, government, and non-government organizations where
appropriate. The appointment of national representatives or liaison
officers to work with the NATO commander responsible for coordinating
HNS is necessary;

f. Economy. Operational planning must minimize the requirement for

logistic support through the most effective and efficient use resources.

5 Any commander in the NATO chain of command, including NATO Command Structure and NATO
force structure.

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Economy of HNS is achieved by planning and execution that

emphasizes cooperation and coordination between the HNs and SNs;

g. Visibility. The NATO commander must have full visibility of all HNS,
whether coordinated by NATO or provided as a result of bilateral
arrangements, to prioritize the provision of HNS when its availability is
limited. They must understand existing legal arrangements and have
access to the HN capability catalogues which are current and available
in the logistics functional system; and

h. Reimbursement. The HN, SNs, and / or NATO authorities as

appropriate will establish reimbursement of HNS through either national,
shared multinational, or NATO common funding in advance. These
procedures will be developed according to the accepted principle that
each party can obligate only itself, and no other. A multinational
approach will help ensure that the HN applies costs fairly to all recipients
for the services provided.

1.4 Host-nation support customary practices. The following practices are

commonly accepted when addressing HNS in NATO-led activities:

a. The HN should deliver supplies and services at the same rate and
standards as those available to the HN forces;

b. The HN should only claim reimbursement of the incremental cost of the

service provided;

c. The HN should not profit from NATO military activities. Following the
spirit of NATO treaties governing the cost of serving abroad, no taxes,
duties, state tolls or governmental fees should be levied on supplies and
services supplied to Allied forces; and

d. HNS requires a comprehensive approach because it usually exceeds

the authority of the military. Although the military authorities are, by
default, the entry point for HNS requests, HNSA involve other
government agencies. The HN determines the right level of signature for
the HNSA and ensures that coordinating protocols are in place to
execute HNS.

1.5 Sources of Support. Military activities are usually supported by a mix of the
following sources:

a. HNS. Civil and military capabilities of the HN, including commercial

solutions, which could be accessed by the SN through the HN; and

b. Non-HNS.

i. Organic supplies and enablers owned by the SNs which impact

the deployed footprint;

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ii. The procurement and employment of service support capabilities

contracted by the SN directly from the local economy,
independently of the HN;

iii. Mutual support agreements in which a SN is supported by another

nation, for example, a logistics lead nation or a logistics role
specialized nation; 6 and

iv. NATO common-funded capabilities (e.g. communication and

information systems).

1.6 Host-nation support to permanent international headquarters and similar

entities. Although AJP-4.3 doctrine is focused on providing guidance to the
operational commander, the permanent presence of NATO personnel must
also be considered with regard to HNS. A distinction must be made between
HNS rendered to NATO Command Structure (NCS) and NATO force structure
(NFS) entities. The support provided by a NATO nation to NCS entities
headquartered in their territory is defined in a separate policy; the 2011 NAC-
adopted “Host-Nation Support – Policy and Standards” (HNS P&S). The policy
applies to all NCS entities and their HNs and is further detailed in a base support
concept. For each NCS entity, a garrison support arrangement is concluded
between the HN and the appropriate supreme headquarters. The garrison
support arrangement respects the HNS P&S consistent with the base support
concept. Additionally, the arrangement references any active HNS MoU
concluded with that HN pursuant to AJP 4.5, as these remain applicable to
activities of the respective NCS entity. The HNS P&S and the base support
concept apply only to NCS entities. NFS international military headquarters
(IMHQs) and other similar non-NCS entities are sponsored by a framework
nation or a group of nations. The funding, manning, support, administration and
operation is provided by the participating nations under a separate arrangement
(MoU). A supreme headquarters may become a signatory or participant to such
an arrangement.

Section 2 – Legal considerations and authorities

1.7 Introduction. This section provides a brief description of the treaties and
international agreements which govern NATO activities. These treaties are the
legal authority permitting NATO forces and NATO IMHQs to undertake
obligations, exercise rights, and to receive privileges and immunities.
Consequently, all HNSAs must be consistent with the principles in these
treaties and international agreements. Additionally, HNSA may include limited
and preliminary provisions on the status of the forces to facilitate the stationing
or the prompt and unimpeded movement of a force. These agreements provide
the framework for many of the express and implied provisions within the HNS
MoU and TA. A SOFA is a treaty defining the status of personnel deployed in a
HN for a military activity. For NATO forces transiting or located in another NATO
nation their status is defined by the NATO SOFA. The Paris Protocol defines

6 AJP-4, Allied Joint Doctrine for Logistics, explains the principles of mutual support agreements,
logistics lead nation or logistics role specialized nation.

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the status of personnel assigned to an IMHQ in a HN. A complete

understanding of the relevance of these documents is imperative when drafting
and negotiating HNSA:

a. North Atlantic Treaty. The North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington

D.C. on 4 April 1949, was created within the framework of Article 51 of
the charter of the United Nations;

b. NATO Status of Forces Agreement. The NATO SOFA, the agreement

between the parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the status of
their forces, was signed in London on 19 June 1951 and entered into
force on 23 August 1953. This agreement determines the status of
NATO forces and provides a uniform legal standard for treatment of
forces serving or transiting through the territory of another member of
the alliance. Specifically, the NATO SOFA sets forth provisions for the
resolution of jurisdictional issues and claims, customs, and importation
matters;

c. Paris Protocol. The Paris Protocol defines the status and authority of
NATO’s IMHQ and their personnel established pursuant to the North
Atlantic Treaty. The Paris Protocol establishes the SCs as legal entities
in international law. It confers legal rights and obligations to each SC and
grants individual legal authority to enter into binding agreements with
nations, organizations, or individuals. The Paris Protocol also grants
NATO’s IMHQs the authority to acquire and dispose of property and
provides for the exemption of taxes and duties on their expenditures;

d. Partnership for Peace status of forces agreement. The Partnership

for Peace (PfP) status of forces agreement (SOFA) is an agreement
regarding the status of forces between the parties to the North Atlantic
Treaty and the states participating in the PfP. The PfP SOFA was signed
in Brussels on 10 January 1994. This agreement provides the status of
PfP nations’ forces within the territory of Alliance nations and the status
of Alliance nations’ forces within the territory of PfP nations. This
agreement incorporates the conditions and provisions of the NATO
SOFA by including it as a reference;

e. Further additional protocol to the Partnership for Peace status of

forces agreement. The Further Additional Protocol (FAP) to the PfP
SOFA was signed on 19 December 1997. The FAP extends the
provisions contained in the Paris Protocol to PfP nations;

f. Supplementary agreements. Supplementary agreements are bilateral

agreements between the supreme headquarters and the HN of an
IMHQ, where the HN is a signatory to the Paris Protocol or the FAP.
These agreements are treaties that respect the principles established in
the Paris Protocol for the functioning of IMHQs;

g. Transit or basing agreements. These agreements apply to the

temporary stationing of personnel necessary for the transit of NATO-led

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forces through the territory of another nation. They focus specifically on

the transit of personnel, equipment, and supplies through a territory and
do not normally incorporate HNS into their provisions. They incorporate
the NATO SOFA and PfP SOFA, as well as the Paris Protocol and the
FAP, by reference and relevant language provisions. In the event that
HNS is necessary, a HNSA should be incorporated by reference if one
already exists; and

h. Other legal agreements / arrangements. The supreme headquarters

or nations may be party to other relevant agreements or arrangements
that govern the operation or transit of NATO-led forces within a foreign
territory. This includes HNSA. It is imperative that planners be familiar
with the various authorities affecting HNS for a particular military activity.

1.8 General principles. There are many legal considerations, both national and
international in relation to the law of visiting forces. Therefore, there is a need
for active legal participation in HNS planning to identify areas where the office
of legal affairs / legal advisor must assist in negotiation and to identify nation-
specific issues that require significant lead-time to address properly in a HNSA.
This set of documents codifies responsibilities, principles and procedures that
are applicable to HNS, as well as incorporating elements for the status of forces
when a SOFA does not exist.

1.9 Relevant NATO legal authorities. NATO HQ has the authority to negotiate
and conclude SOFAs and any other Treaty level documents. The Supreme
Headquarters have the legal authority to conclude supplementary agreements
to the Paris Protocol as well as to conclude HNSAs. Supreme Headquarters
Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), acting also on behalf of Headquarters
Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation (HQ SACT), will normally
negotiate and conclude any standing HNSA in the form of a MoU or a TA.
Standing HNSAs are encouraged but where there is no standing HNSA, an
exercise or operation specific HNSA will need to be created. Additionally, NATO
commanders from subordinate headquarters may formally request and
subsequently be designated responsibility for negotiating and concluding an
activity specific HNSA on behalf of the concerned supreme headquarters. SNs
will be encouraged by the NATO commander to accede to these HNSAs as a
condition of receiving HNS. The NATO commander will develop and conclude
TAs supplementary to the HNSA (standing or exercise specific) to implement
the principles of the HNSA. For certain NATO-led military activities, this
responsibility may be further delegated from the supreme headquarters to other
IMHQs.

1.10 Specific legal issues in host-nation support. The implications of

international law concerning visiting forces are broader than HNS. These
implications may require, at a minimum, clauses in HNSAs to establish (subject
to the appropriate approval and agreement) the legal status of visiting forces, if
no SOFA pre-exists. These clauses address immunity from jurisdiction and
execution, claims, tax exemptions, transit of forces, the carrying of weapons,
uniforms and markings, and the like. Such clauses would not take precedence
over subsequent status of forces agreements (e.g. general, specific, bilateral)

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if the states involved decide to apply different legal standards as part of that
agreement. Additionally, there are specific legal elements directly related to
HNS, such as:

a. Preparation and control of international agreements. The Bi-SC

Directive 15-3 “Preparation of International Agreements” is the directive
applicable to all IMHQs and establishes the procedures and
responsibilities for the drafting, negotiation and conclusion of
international agreements and arrangements to which the strategic
headquarters and its subordinated elements are a party.
Correspondingly, the HN with whom a HNSA is concluded will ensure
that the HNSA is coordinated and approved at the appropriate national
level in order for the HNSA to be effective;7

b. Repository of agreements and arrangements. The SHAPE office of

legal affairs maintains a central repository for all international
agreements and arrangements signed by, or on behalf of, SHAPE and
subordinated Allied Command Operations commands. LAWFAS is the
platform to consult such documents. It is accessible at
http://lawfas.hq.nato.int in the unclassified or classified networks as
applicable; and

c. As a principle, disputes regarding the interpretation or implementation of

HNSAs, implementing arrangements or statements of requirement
(SOR) will be settled only by consultation between the relevant
participants at the lowest possible level and will not be referred to any
national or international tribunal or third party for settlement. Therefore,
specific plans for dispute resolution should be developed as part of IAs
and SORs. This does not impede the settlement of claims under the
pertinent status agreement(s) nor does it pertain to disputes which are
subject to treaty dispute resolution clauses such as the NATO SOFA.
This includes the settlement of third-party non-contractual claims as
defined in the NATO SOFA, Article VIII, paragraphs 5, done in the
performance of official duty as well as third-party claims settled by the
HN consistent with the NATO SOFA, Article VIII, paragraphs 6 and 7.

Section 3 – Financial considerations

1.11 General. Nations experience direct strategic, military, and political benefit from
hosting NATO military activities. In return, they are expected to contribute to the
associated financial, manpower, and logistical support burdens. NATO military
activities are not to be used as a means of subsidizing the operating costs of
national forces or to fund national infrastructure. The financing of operational
infrastructure is normally decided by the North Atlantic Council. Furthermore,

7States have different internal rules and / or instructions regarding the status of international
administrative agreements and the authority to conclude or approve of such agreements. The
authority and related requirements to obtain governmental approval or parliamentary ratification of
HNSA and related agreements or arrangements remains an internal HN responsibility.

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HNs should not profit from NATO Headquarters or forces conducting or

participating in NATO military activities.

1.12 Reimbursement and funding. Nations remain ultimately responsible for

sustaining both their forces and their personnel assigned to allied forces. HNS
provided to allied forces or a SN may be subject to reimbursement.8 The funding
involved may be national, shared multinational or NATO common funding. The
reimbursement procedures should be detailed in the appropriate HNSA.
Financial aspects are to be agreed upon before forces deploy. In case a formal
agreement cannot be concluded in time, the request for HNS should be
specified using Annex A to this publication to provide a basis for subsequent
reimbursement of eligible expenses. A reimbursement conference may be
convened before redeployment to settle all standing invoices. NATO does not
normally pre-finance national costs or relieve nations of their responsibilities for
paying for HNS. Where the allied forces manage centralized support, the
approval of any NATO pre-financing must first be obtained by the concerned
SC from the appropriate funding committee.

1.13 Financial arrangements. The general financial principles for HNS must be
clarified in the HNS MoU. They must be consistent with financial provisions in
international treaties such as the NATO SOFA, Paris Protocol and other
applicable NATO governing treaties. Any exemptions established by such
treaties, agreements and mutual arrangements must be recognized as
exemptions and implemented as such. The detailed arrangements for
reimbursement and cost sharing, including costing formulae, should be
registered in the subordinate TAs or joint implementation arrangements (JIA)
as described in chapter 3. SN accession to a HNS MoU does not obligate the
SN financially, nor does it imply any financial responsibility on the part of the
HN to support the operation plan (see chapter 3). The TA or JIA(s) are the
means for clarifying financial arrangements. The NATO commander leads
the development of the TAs and the concept of requirements to ensure a
coordinated approach is taken. Thereafter the SNs are responsible for
submitting their signed and funded SOR. The NATO commander will submit a
SOR for the personnel of its IMHQ.

1.14 Tax exemptions. Tax exemptions apply to HNS and contracted solutions.
Ideally such exemptions should be provided to the visiting forces up front to
avoid lengthy and complex procedures. In those cases when direct exemptions
cannot be provided, the procedure for tax reimbursement will be described in
the relevant HNSA.

Section 4 – Other considerations

1.15 Contractor support to operations. Contractor support to operations is a
solution that may be employed to access significant additional supplies and
services from the commercial sector. The HNS concept of requirements must
identify shortfalls early enough in the planning process to provide sufficient time

8STANAG 2034 Annex A, NATO Standard Procedures for Mutual Logistic Assistance, provides the
basis for reimbursement when no other formal arrangements are in place.

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to procure the missing supplies and services. Throughout the HNS planning
process, the NATO commander must be able to provide guidance to the
contracting officers on the applicable regulations and constraints in the HN.
Contracting officers will account for these restrictions at the time of
procurement.

1.16 Civil preparedness. Civil preparedness is a national responsibility and

supports HNS planning by increasing the resilience of the HN capabilities and
decision-making processes. HNS planners could call upon NATO's civil
preparedness community to provide support and advice to the NATO military
authorities. NATO and allies implement measures to improve the status of
preparedness across the critical civilian sectors: continuity of government, the
ability to deal with large population movement and mass casualty events, and
resilience in the areas of energy, food and water, civil communications and
transport. HNS contributes to this by providing fundamental inputs to these
defined and agreed civil preparedness baseline requirements.

1.17 Civil-military cooperation / civil-military interaction. Civil-military

cooperation (CIMIC) is a joint function comprising a set of capabilities integral
to supporting the achievement of mission objectives and enabling NATO
commands to participate effectively in a broad spectrum of civil-military
interaction (CMI). It supports the efforts of the logistics staff in implementing
HNS by establishing and maintaining cooperation with diverse non-military
actors. CIMIC contributes to military planning on HNS by assessing the
implications of military involvement on the local economy and mitigate negative
effects that compromise the needs of the local population or other non-military
actors. CMI is a group of activities founded on communication, planning and
coordination with non-military actors that can be shared and conducted by all
NATO military bodies. It mainly supports NATO military activities in HNs by
promoting key leader engagement.

1.18 Strategic communications. Strategic communications is the integration of

communication capabilities and information staff function with other military
activities to understand and shape the information environment in support of
NATO aims and objectives. This is achieved through the delivery of information
in the form of actions, images and words that seek a specified effect on the
perceptions, attitudes or behaviour of audiences. Mission narratives will be
developed by NATO HQ, in conjunction with the joint force commander, as an
essential component of the planning process for any operation seeking to
establish and sustain the moral authority for NATO’s actions and undermine
support for its adversaries and enemies. It should include the strategic
attributes, state why and how NATO forces are conducting operations, towards
what objectives, and what success looks like. This limits adversaries and
enemies from exploiting differences in competing narratives and reduces the
potential confusion among HN population, thereby increasing the likelihood of
HN civilian support for the mission.

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Chapter 2 – Roles, responsibilities and coordination

Section 1 - Introduction
2.1 Within the NATO military staff, the logistic (J4) staff has the lead for host-nation
support (HNS) planning. They develop host-nation support arrangements
(HNSAs) in close cooperation with the office of legal affairs / legal advisor,
financial and other relevant stakeholders internally, within the host nation (HN)
and the sending nations (SN). The NATO commander may tailor their
organization to support the planning and execution of HNS which may include
establishing a host-nation support joint steering committee9 (HNS JSC). Each
nation will have a dedicated point of contact for HNS coordination.10

Section 2 – National roles and responsibilities

2.2 Sending Nations. Sending nations (SN), including elements of the NATO
Command Structure (NCS) and NATO force structure (NFS) that also deploy
to the HN11:

a. Inform the NATO commander and the HN of their appropriate point of

contact (POC) at the earliest opportunity;

b. Participate in the planning process with appropriate subject matter

experts (SME) and ensuring that adequate and cross-functional reach
back expertise is available;

c. Provide the NATO commander with their HNS concepts of requirements

(COR);

d. Prepare and signe the agreed statement of requirements (SOR) and

communicating subsequent changes as they occur;

e. Review the memorandum of understanding (MoU) and / or technical

arrangements (TA) developed by the NATO commander and respond
with a note of accession or a statement of intent (SOI);

f. Nominate and send authorized representatives to participate in the HNS

JSC / host-nation support coordination cells12 (HNS CC) to develop the
TA and joint implementation arrangements (JIAs) as appropriate;

g. Provide visibility to the NATO commander of any arrangements under

development or in force that may affect the HNSAs being developed;

h. Provide liaison personnel to the NATO commander as required;

9 See para 3.8.

10 The most updated list of points of contact is available in the HNS page at the LOGNET portal.
11 In some cases, the NATO commander may act as a SN.
12 HNS CC are dedicated structures established in the HNs, composed of NATO, SN, and HN staffs to

manage the routine aspects of HNS (also see para 4.2).

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i. Respect, upon entry in the HN territory, the HN’s laws, rules and
regulations;

j. Adhere to all applicable environmental regulations; and

k. Reimburse the HN for support received according to the provisions of

HNSA and signed SORs.

2.3 Host nation. The HN, within its means and when possible:

a. Considers and replies to the formal HNS Request from the NATO
commander, thereby initiating the HNS planning process;

b. Ensures that the provisions of the HNS MoU have been implemented in
advance of military activities / exercises;

c. Ensures that the necessary internal protocols for whole-of-a-government

approach are in place;

d. Informs the NATO commander and the SNs of the appropriate POC at
the earliest opportunity;

e. Participates in the planning process with appropriate SMEs and ensures

that adequate and cross-functional reach back expertise is available;

f. Provides early identification of their capabilities for use by allied forces

through capability catalogues;

g. Informs SNs and NATO of relevant national laws, rules and regulations,
including border crossing and biological border protection;

h. Facilitates site surveys of military activity areas with corresponding SN

responsibility to participate with relevant SMEs;

i. Approves, controls and coordinates movements in its territory;

j. Contributes to the operational-level recognized logistic picture according

to the NATO commander’s requirements;

k. Provides advice to SNs and the NATO commander of significant

changes in their capabilities as they occur;

l. Advises the NATO commander and SNs of all support arrangements in

force that may be of relevance and thus impact on the HNSAs being
developed;

m. Facilitates and expedites access to civil resources;

n. Provides liaison at the request of the NATO commander;

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o. Co-chairs the HNS JSC with NATO commander;

p. Retains control over its own HNS resources, unless control of such
resources is released to the NATO commander;

q. Supports chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defence;

r. Provides force protection to allied forces as agreed;

s. Provides explosive safety and munitions risk management (ESMRM)

expertise to NATO planning, training and operations;

t. Provides access to the radio-frequency spectrum;

u. Provides medical support; and

v. Provides military engineering support.

Section 3 – NATO roles and responsibilities

2.4 NATO commander. The NATO commander is any commander in the NATO
chain of command, including NCS and NFS. A summary of NATO commander’s
responsibilities is detailed below.

2.5 NATO Headquarters. NATO HQ is responsible to conclude status of forces

agreements (SOFA) and other treaty-level documents.

2.6 Allied Command Operations / Allied Command Transformation. The

strategic commands (SC):

a. Establish the HNS POC network at the earliest opportunity to ensure a

flow of communication through national military representatives (NMRs);

b. Provide advice and guidance to non-NATO nations who may not be

familiar with the HNS planning process;

c. Initiate HNS planning and submit the NATO HNS Request to the HN
POC;

d. Negotiate with the HN and conclude a MoU. Prior to the conclusion of

negotiations, the SC shall consult SNs to facilitate their accession to the
MoU;

e. Ensure financial reimbursement to the HN for that portion of HNS, which

is to be funded through common funding;

f. Act as the requirement authority for the HNS capability catalogues and
main supply routes;

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g. Together with the office of legal affairs / legal advisor, maintain a

repository of all current and relevant HNSAs; and

h. Provides, with the financial directorate, the framework and guidance on

financial and contractual matters, respecting NATO’s financial rules and
regulations.

2.7 Joint force command / joint task force. The joint force command (JFC) / joint
task force (JTF) shall:

a. Provide advice and guidance to non-NATO nations who may not be

familiar with the HNS planning process;

b. If necessary, formally request authority to negotiate the HNS MoU with

the HN on behalf of the concerned SC if a standing MoU for HNS does
not already exist;

c. Negotiate and conclude TAs to ensure the implementation of principles

contained in the HNS MoU;

d. Coordinate the completion of the COR;

e. Form and co-chair, in conjunction with the HN, a HNS JSC and any other
ad-hoc HNS coordinating body;

f. In consultation with the HN, establish the format, content, and frequency
of reports and returns for HNS assets designated to support forces under
NATO command;

g. Redistribute HNS assets and services among forces under their

command. Redistribution authority is governed by the policy laid down
in MC 319 ‘NATO Principles and Policies for Logistics’;

h. Prioritize and de-conflict the provision of NATO-coordinated HNS during

implementation;

i. Maintain visibility over national and multinational HNS requirements

through the development of concepts of requirement, including the
coordination of transit support in cooperation with the Allied movement
coordination centre (AMCC);

j. Ensure that the HNS plan contributes to the service support concept;

k. When deployed, undertake the responsibilities of a SN, including

submitting SOR for the real-life support of its international military
headquarters;

l. When not done at the strategic level by ACO / ACT, ensure timely
financial reimbursement to the HN for that portion of HNS which is to be
funded through common funding. Ensure timely reimbursement of HNS

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provided to JTF deployed elements; and

m. When delegated by the strategic level, the JFC / JTF will consult with
SNs prior to concluding HNSAs. Early coordination will address national
concerns and will facilitate accession to HNSA by all nations.

2.8 Standing Joint Logistic Support Group Headquarters. The Standing Joint
Logistic Support Group Headquarters (SJLSG HQ) is focused on the
preparation and execution of logistics to promote unity of effort across Supreme
Allied Commander Europe’s area of responsibility. As logistics functional
advisor, the SJLSG HQ communicates and collaborates with all other
stakeholders to coordinate the projection and sustainment of NATO forces.
SJLSG HQ coordinates HNS functional activities by co-chairing the necessary
HNS JSC to provide coherence. The AMCC, as part of SJLSG HQ, coordinates
and de-conflicts the development of multinational detailed deployment plans.

2.9 Theatre component level / Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters.

The component commander:

a. Provides advice and guidance to non-NATO nations who may not be

familiar with the HNS planning process;

b. Provides SN requirements to the NATO commander to build the COR;

c. Submits and signs the SOR;

d. Guides and supports the JIA negotiation process; and

e. Ensures timely payment for reimbursable HNS.

2.10 Other entities. The NCS adaptation process created new entities, both within
NCS and NFS, each providing its contribution to HNS planning and execution.
A summary of their responsibilities is provided below:

a. Joint Support and Enabling Command. The Joint Support and

Enabling Command (JSEC) plans, prepares and conducts NATO
military activities within the assigned area. Naturally, this area will consist
of a multitude of HNs. JSEC is a joint command and therefore the
responsibilities assigned to the JFC / JTF mentioned above apply in full.
In a multi-JOA environment, HNS coordination is necessary across joint
multi-domain and concurrent missions. In its designated area, JSEC will
synchronize HNS to ensure unity of effort and protection of supply chains
in coordination with respective HNs;

b. NATO force integration units. The NATO force integration units

(NFIUs) are to enhance NATO responsiveness by assisting NATO and
its respective HN in developing the ability to deploy and support allied
forces. NFIUs are to facilitate the expeditious deployment, reception,
staging and onward movement and sustainment of allied forces by
providing continuous liaison between NATO and the HN; and

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c. Multinational HQs. When designated, these HQs will assume different

roles within the C2 construct and their contribution to HNS planning and
execution will be tailored to meet the responsibilities of their assumed
role.

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Chapter 3 – Host-nation support planning process

Section 1 – Introduction
3.1 Host-nation support (HNS) planning is part of logistics planning within the larger
operations planning process (OPP). HNS planning contributes to the overall
service support concept and identifies logistic requirements that can be
addressed through host nation (HN) capabilities. The HNS planning process is
undertaken from the strategic to tactical level and at each level, generates
products that are listed below in section 3.3. The synchronization of the
products within the OPP is presented in subsequent sections of this chapter.

3.2 Coordinating the planning process. To be effective, the planning process

must commence early, be managed proficiently, and involve all nations and all
levels of command. Effective planning will harmonize effort to avoid duplication
and save time, create a clearer understanding of NATO plans, and allow for
economies of scale and better resource allocation. The NATO commander
therefore invites the host nation, sending nations (SNs), and Allied Forces to
logistic planning conferences. Each nation should have a single point of contact
for all HNS matters, which must be sufficiently empowered to speak on behalf
of their nation. Host-nation support arrangements (HNSAs) are non-binding
arrangements that translate treaties and policies into agreed terms, conditions
and procedures. Creating greater participation through coordinated HNS
planning encourages SNs to participate in HNSAs concluded by the NATO
commanders.

3.3 Products. The following products, described in detail in sections 3 and 4, are
developed within the HNS area of expertise:

a. Host-nation support request;

b. Memorandum of understanding (MoU);

c. Technical arrangement (TA);

d. Note of accession / Statement of intent;

e. Final financial arrangement;

f. Joint implementation arrangement (JIA);

g. Capability catalogue;

h. Concept of requirements (COR); and

i. Statement of requirements (SOR).

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Section 2 – Host-nation support and NATO planning processes

3.4 NATO defence planning process. HNS planning provides valuable
information to the NATO defence planning process through the Defence
Planning Capability Surveys and the subsequent bilateral meeting with Nations.
Generic requirements for HNS are stated in the capability targets.

3.5 Operations planning process.13 During the OPP the following should be
considered for HNS:

a. Information about the HN(s) is required for a basic understanding of the

relevant political, military, economic, social, infrastructure, information
systems (PMESII)14 and to provide continuous support to the lead office
/ division should it be necessary to expand the initial crisis estimation;

b. HNS capabilities, including main supply routes (MSR), depicted in the

capability catalogues will be made available. An understanding of the
legal agreements / arrangements will contribute to developing the
Supreme Allied Commander Europe’s (SACEUR) strategic assessment;

c. The HNS staff assists in identifying the main support requirements and
advises on HNS implications for the initial logistic estimate. SHAPE J4
and the office of legal affairs submit HNS requests to the HN respecting
legal requirements. Joint force command / joint task force (JFC / JTF)
should prepare for a potential site survey;

d. HNS staff contributes to the logistic picture by providing HN capabilities

in a database from the NATO logistics information management system.
The staff presents the strategic / theatre MSR and an initial estimate on
the characteristics and status of ports of debarkation. The COR will
reveal potential HNS, which contributes to the service support concept.
An outline of follow-on arrangements should also be presented;15

e. Once the Allied disposition list or equivalent is published, the NATO

commander coordinates further development of the COR. The NATO
commander determines if the HN resources meet the allied forces
consolidated requirements, identifies the shortfalls, and presents this
information in the planning conference. The NATO commander ensures
that HNS and movement planning are aligned. Movement forecasts16
should be submitted to the HN with a HNS request. The finalized HNS
COR populates the logistics support matrix and the outcome of this
phase is published in the HNS appendix to Annex R of the operation plan
(OPLAN). SN and HN should then finalize bilateral statements of
requirements;
13 MC 133 NATO’s Operations Planning, AJP-5 and ACO COPD.
14 The PMESII model is a way to explain the inter-related elements or systems of a complex
operations environment.
15 By this phase, a signed HNS MoU is recommended to provide a solid legal framework.
16 AMovP-3, Movement and Transportation Documents and Glossary of Terms, (AMovP-1 to -4 soon

merged into AMTP-1 Allied Movement and Transportation Publication).

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f. During the execution phase, the HNS joint steering committee and HNS
coordination cells adjust HNS requirements and manage issues in the
ever-changing operational environment. They also influence the
operation’s battle-rhythm and support the commander’s decision-making
process; and

g. In the transition phase, the stakeholders coordinate HNS to enable

redeployment and support the transition including the re-evaluation of
the situation to produce SACEUR strategic assessment or military
response options (MROs) as required. The stakeholders also facilitate
the settlement of HNS claims through a reimbursement conference and
ensure that disposition of SN and NATO property is performed in
accordance with HN laws and regulations.

3.6 Host-nation support planning for single service commands. Each

component command (CC) will have unique HNS requirements. Therefore,
subject matter experts should advise the joint level when initiating the HNS
planning process. During the planning of joint military activities, each CC may
have their own specific HNS coordination meetings.

3.7 Host-nation support in functional planning

a. Battlespace management. The physical battle will take place within the
boundaries of one or more HN. At the operational level, battlespace
management focuses on issues such as competing demands for HNS
across all operating areas. Therefore, very close cooperation with the
HN is required to coordinate the different areas of functional planning. A
non-exhaustive summary of such areas is presented below.

b. Movement planning. HNS and movement planning must be

synchronized as depicted in figure 3.1. A movement request must be
associated with the respective HNS request to ensure in-transit support.

c. Allied Command Operations (ACO) HNS staff will prepare, map, and
maintain the database with HNS geolocations and MSRs to be employed
during the movement planning. The ACO HNS staff develops HNSAs to
support the movement of forces.

i. The Allied movement coordination centre will release the

LOGBASE database, including the HNS data, to the SNs in the
initial movement planning conference. The availability of HNS will
influence the strategic deployment;

ii. Early coordination of HNS and movement planning will identify

potential constraints. HNS must be coordinated with the release
of the national detailed deployment plans (NDDP). Stakeholders
should have sufficient information to prepare the following:

(1) movement forecasts;

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(2) customs forms;

(3) HNS SORs;

(4) passage of dangerous goods; and

(5) management of oversize and overweight cargo.

iii. HNS and movement planning will support refinement of the

NDDPs before the final movement planning conference, after
which the multinational detailed deployment plan is released to
develop the RSOM plan; and

iv. The multinational detailed deployment plan will require further

adjustments during the execution phase.

Figure 3.1 HNS and movement planning

d. Medical planning. The medical plan must provide the necessary

medical capability through a balance of a deployed medical force
structure and HNS.17 The plan must account for the size of the deployed
force, the assessed risk, and the capabilities of the HN. HNS may be
requested by the NATO commander’s Medical Advisor to support the
deployed medical facilities, its personnel, and medical force-protection
efforts. The approving authority is the NATO commander. Medical staff
must be actively involved throughout HNS development to ensure their
requirements met. Coordination between HNS and medical planners
ensures sufficient medical care including medical evacuation and access
to the HN national health system when required. Further medical HNS
considerations, including veterinary services, are contained in AJP-4.10,

17
For political, ethical and legal reasons, the provision/acceptance of medical HNS is subjected to
many technically specialized and highly sensitive considerations.

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Allied Joint Doctrine for Medical Support.

Medical resources obtained through HNS may include:

i. Patient evacuation assets (air, land, and maritime) for intra-

theatre and inter-theatre medical evacuation;

ii. Treatment across the continuum of care but particularly, hospital

response capability (Role 3 medical treatment facility);

iii. Medical logistics support, including the provision of drugs,

consumables, disposables, and medical gases; and

iv. Essential non-medical support, including for example buildings,

water, power, waste disposal, laundry, labour.

HNS capability should be assessed by medical intelligence analysis,

reconnaissance, and by the political will of HNs to make resources
available to incoming forces. Medical staff must be directly involved in
the assessment of medical HNS capabilities and in the development of
HNS agreements for medical support. A key consideration is the medical
care available in the HN compared to NATO standards.

e. Infrastructure planning. Operational planning for infrastructure

evaluates logistic requirements on the strategic, operational, and tactical
levels against available infrastructure. The capabilities and capacities of
HN infrastructure must be evaluated to identify shortfalls in meeting the
operational requirement. The data is captured in the HNS capability
catalogues where information about infrastructure and main supply
routes (such as ports, bridges, tunnels, roads, railways, and waterways)
is maintained. A more detailed explanation is found in Chapter 4,
Section 3.

f. Environmental protection planning. The aim of environmental

protection (EP) planning is to identify and mitigate potential
environmental impacts while meeting operational or training objectives.
Strong NATO EP practices help gain and maintain support from HN and
international audiences and avoid lengthy liability claims for impacts to
human health (e.g. NATO personnel, local populations) and the
environment (e.g. remediation costs, remuneration to landowners). EP
planning must be part of the OPP from the outset and throughout all
phases of planning. Effective EP planning requires active liaison with HN
authorities and populations to understand local environmental conditions
and EP regulations. Thus, cooperation between NATO forces and the
HN concerning EP should be encouraged for the successful conduct of
military activities.

g. Force protection planning.18 The HN, in concert with the JFC / JTF

18 AJP 3.14, Allied Joint Doctrine for Force Protection.

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may be responsible for the force protection of SN forces located within

their sovereign borders according to supplementary agreements, TA,
OPLANs, contingency plans, and operational orders. Additionally, the
HN may provide force protection for NATO elements and attached
personnel within their operational areas under a separate SOFA.

Section 3 – Host-nation support arrangements

3.8 Introduction. Due to the long lead time required to conclude international
arrangements, the NATO commander and nations identified as potential HNs
are encouraged to develop HNSA(s) at the earliest opportunity. Standing HNSA
may also be concluded in advance, to develop useful generic frameworks in
anticipation for future HNS. The HNS arrangements and their position within
the HNS process is shown in figure 3.2.

Figure 3.2 Host-nation support products

3.9 Host-nation support request. When the need to conduct a military activity
arises, the NATO commander will draft a HNS request (Annex A) and submit it
to the potential HN. The request is required even if there is a standing HNS
MoU in place to invite the HN staff to the planning process. The HNS request
will summarize the need for HNS and outline the scope of the desired
arrangement. Less formal notification of the HNS request may be adopted for
minor activities. The NATO commander and HN will then begin discussions to
develop the appropriate HNSAs.

3.10 Memorandum of understanding. The MoU is the overarching document for

the HNS planning process. It codifies NATO treaties and policies into actionable
principles for the provision of HNS and establishes the basis for follow-on HNS
documents. If a standing MoU is in effect, the NATO commander will notify SNs
and concerned international military headquarters (IMHQs). If a MoU does not
exist, the strategic command (SC) office of legal affairs should be consulted. If
a MoU cannot be put in place, another form of legal instrument must be

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developed. A template for a HNS MoU is given in Annex B. The steps below
outline the development of an activity-specific HNS MoU:

a. The MoU will be negotiated between the concerned strategic command

and HN authorities. The NATO commander will notify SNs and
concerned IMHQs that MoU negotiations have been initiated for a
specific NATO military activity;

b. Following signature, participating SNs must be invited by the NATO

commander to accede to the MoU. Until this step has been completed,
only the HN and the concerned SC are bound by the provisions of the
MoU. A SN willing to fully accept the MoU’s provisions will sign a note of
accession. Should a SN have difficulties with certain provisions of the
MoU, it may submit a signed statement of intent (SOI), which will contain
its reservations. In the case of the SOI, the HN will either sign to confirm
its willingness to accept the reservations or otherwise indicate its
reluctance;

c. Should any SN not desire to participate in the MoU by providing a note

of accession or SOI, it may use an existing bilateral arrangement or
negotiate with the HN to develop a new one. The HN should notify the
NATO commander of all separately negotiated arrangements; and

To save time and resources, SHAPE has concluded standing HNS MoUs with
NATO Allies in SACEUR’s area of responsibility and with several other
partners. The standing HNS MOUs are accessible on logistics information
systems and are archived by the SC office of legal affairs. The MoUs are
shaped to remove the requirement for a specific HNS MoU to be developed for
each activity.

3.11 Technical Arrangement. A (TA) will be developed to amplify the concept and
procedures for the provision of HNS common to all participants for a specific
military activity and / or OPLAN. A standing TA may be developed to support
contingency plans, standing defence plans, or a combination of both. The TA
should contain a list of the multinational forces participating in the military
activity to ensure they are all considered as NATO-led forces19. The draft TA is
sent to the SC for approval, before being signed by the operational commander.
The final product is a TA with associated annexes that explains how the HN will
provide the requested support as well as the general procedures and
arrangements for doing so. The TA should not duplicate information in other
documents such as the MoU, OPLAN, or exercise operation orders. Certainly,
a TA should be in place before the promulgation of the OPLAN. Guidance to
develop a TA is at Annex D.

The TA is signed between the HN and the NATO commander. SNs should be
present in the discussions through the HNS JSC. Following signature of the TA,
the NATO commander should invite SNs to accede to the TA through a note of

19It is recommended that national support elements (NSE) are included from the outset in this list to
avoid potential issues regarding their status.

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accession / SOI. SNs should inform the NATO commander if they choose to
conclude separate arrangements with the HN.

3.12 Note of accession / statement of intent. A note of accession / SOI from each
SNs indicates their readiness to comply with the provisions of the MoU or TA
and identifies any reservations to be negotiated with the HN. Annex C presents
a proposed template for a note of accession / SOI.

3.13 Final financial arrangements. A final financial arrangement between the HN

and SNs / NATO commander is contractually binding and commits resources
for the provision of specific HNS. It could be in the form of the final version of
the SOR or in a JIA. Consequently, these arrangements are signed on a
bilateral basis even though they may have been developed collectively.
Because JIAs / SORs create contractual commitments and financial obligations
for the NATO commander, SNs, and the HN, signing these arrangements
requires sufficient authority to undertake such commitments. A template of the
JIA is at Annex E.

3.14 Joint implementation arrangement. The following steps are involved in

developing JIAs:20

a. Following site surveys, the SNs and HN representatives should complete

JIAs to identify and clarify HN procedures, terms, and conditions. The
JIAs should clearly state each SN’s requirements and the HN’s ability to
meet those requirements, including the detailed terms of provision. The
NATO commander will guide this process; and

b. The host-nation support coordination cells (HNS CC) or in their absence

the NATO commander, will acknowledge the POCs authorized by the
nations to sign JIAs.

3.15 Capability catalogues. Capability catalogues provide information about a

HN’s capabilities that are available to NATO. The requirement authority for this
product lies at the strategic level.

Section 4 - Development of host-nation support requirements

3.16 General. Effective consolidation of deliveries is only possible when planners
have a comprehensive view of the total demand by location. The consolidation
of HNS requirements permits collective support planning to achieve synergies,
reduce competition and potentially achieve economies of scale.

3.17 Concept of requirements. The concept of requirements (COR) should provide

the HN with a clear idea of the scope and scale of all Allied Forces
requirements. The COR contributes to the development of the concept of
operations. A COR addresses support requirements by functional area
including all classes of supply and services such as force protection, medical,
billeting, and other real-life support. The COR enables the NATO commander
20 In some cases, a final and signed SOR may be used instead of a JIA.

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to consolidate and quantify all Sending Nation’s (SN’s) requirements during the
planning phase. Based on the HN’s ability to provide the support requested in
the COR, the NATO commander can prioritize and redistribute resources
according to operational needs, avoiding a first-come-first-served or highest
bidder distribution. The COR can be used as a basis to pursue other
multinational sourcing solutions.

a. The process. During the logistics planning conferences, the NATO

commander will direct SNs to quantify their requirements identified within
the COR. The HN will assess its ability to meet the requirements in time
to be reflected in the movement conferences and in the development of
the concept of operations. The NATO commander will then identify
potential shortfalls in sufficient time for alternative multinational
solutions. Internal coordination between a nation’s sustainment and
movement planners is essential. Figure 3.3 demonstrates the process
for determining HNS availability for any given requirement.

Figure 3.3 Requirements planning and host-nation support21

b. Clarity of purpose. The aim of the COR is to provide sufficient

information for decision making regarding HNS planning, therefore
management of the COR is crucial. To de-conflict national HNS
requests, the format of assembling and presenting the collective
requirements will vary depending on the number of participating nations
and the scale and complexity of the military activity. It is advisable to
divide the development of COR into the need for reception, staging,
onward movement (RSOM), sustainment at the final destination
(continuous resupply), and rearward movement, staging and dispatch
(RMSD). Usually, the final destination requirements are likely to be

21The service support matrix reflects the agreed concept of support where each class of
supply/service is matched against one of the sourcing options depicted in paragraph 1.5.

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known prior to the RSOM requirements. The Allied disposition list

provides valuable information such as the SN flag, the commander’s
required date (CRD), and the final destination. Annex F provides
guidelines to develop a multinational COR.

3.18 Statement of requirements

a. Development of the statement of requirements. Each SN is ultimately

responsible for submitting its SOR, which constitutes an official request
for HNS. The planning process benefits from the HN assessment in the
COR which articulates information about HNS availability, thereby
enabling the SN to develop an accurate SOR. The SN designated
authority, previously identified in the TA, submits the signed SOR.
Detailed SORs are clarified through site surveys that should be
conducted on a combined and joint basis, organized centrally by the
NATO commander. The SN ensures the allocation of sufficient funds for
the HNS requested in the SOR. By the means of mutual support
arrangements, distinct from the HNSA, logistics lead nations may
provide services to other SNs. By agreeing to such support, SNs are
considered to have accepted the terms, conditions, prices, and invoicing
procedures established by the provider.

b. Site surveys. Preliminary site surveys, when required and authorized

by the HN, should be conducted by allied forces to support the
preparation of the SOR. A comprehensive and collective approach to
site surveys is paramount to coordinate, synchronize and prioritize
requirements. They reduce the administrative and manpower burden on
both the SN and HN. They also enable tactical synergies among SNs
and ensure that valuable information about capabilities is retained within
NATO for long-term decision-making purposes.

c. Final product. The final product will be a set of SORs from each SN
deploying to or transiting through the HN. The SOR format will be used
to develop Annexes to JIAs outlining the HNS requested. The SOR
format may also be annexed to the TA when JIAs are not produced. For
the TA, planning will be conducted in one of two ways:

i. under the immediate direction of one or more HNS CC,

established and operated under the direction of the HNS JSC.
This approach is more likely to be adopted for contingency
planning; or

ii. with the HN and SNs, supported by the HNS JSC. This approach
is more likely to be adopted for military activities where time
constraints preclude the more methodical approach above.

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Figure 3.4 Concept of requirements

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Host-nation support implementation AJP-4.3

Chapter 4 – Host-nation support implementation

Section 1 – Introduction
4.1 Effective implementation and execution of host-nation support (HNS) relies on
coordination across all levels of command. Proper planning and coordination
requires a high degree of situational visibility for commanders and nations.
Steering committees and coordination cells ensure visibility with timely and
relevant reporting and proper management of information systems. Effective
HNS enhances the freedom of movement of sending nations. Chapter 4
describes the implementation of HNS in more detail taking these requirements
into account.

Section 2 - Host-nation support organizations and structures

4.2 Host-nation support coordination. HNS is usually coordinated through:

a. The host-nation support joint steering committee (HNS JSC) permits

operational-level coordination among all the HNS stakeholders;

b. The host-nation support coordination cells (HNS CC) are dedicated

structures composed of NATO, sending nations (SN) and host nation
(HN) staffs established in the HNs to coordinate the provision of HNS at
the tactical level according to the HNSA; and

c. Liaison officers may be required in the HNS CCs to oversee the

execution of HNS. Nations that cannot provide a representative, must
advise the HNS CC as to how HNS issues are to be addressed.

Additionally, a HN may already have a NATO force integration unit or national

HNS coordination cells established. These offer access to local expertise in the
coordination and provision of HNS.22 Similarly, other NATO force structure
international military headquarters may have expertise in the operational area
to coordinate HNS.

4.3 Host-nation support joint steering committee. The NATO commander

should establish a HNS JSC, in conjunction with the HNs whenever possible,
to coordinate the HNS. The HNS JSC is co-chaired by the NATO commander
and the HN. It should include representation from the NATO commander’s staff,
SNs, and all other relevant HN military and civil authorities. The HNS JSC:

a. Consolidates the HNS requirements and confirms the HNS availability;

b. Facilitates the development of the technical arrangement (TA);

c. Coordinates planning undertaken by HNS JSC sub-committees and

provides guidance and policy advice to those directly responsible for

22 Also see AD 080-104, NATO Force Integration Units.

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development of statement of requirements (SOR) / joint implementation

arrangements (JIAs);

d. Monitors the progress of planning, particularly the development of the

concept of requirements (COR), the submission of national SORs, the
signing of JIAs, and the facilitation of the reimbursement conference; and

e. Identifies courses of action for issues that cannot be resolved by the

HNS JSC or any of its sub-committees, which may require elevation to
higher commands or government authorities.

4.4 Host-nation support coordination cells. When required the HNS JSC may
establish host-nation support coordination cells (HNS CCs) to address
elements of tasking within functional areas. HNS CC may be the most
appropriate entity to address the development of the SOR / JIA for every aspect
of the operational area. SNs may collocate their liaison officers in the HNS CC.

Section 3 – Reporting
4.5 Host-nation support reporting. During the execution of the military activity,
the NATO commander will request reports from the HNS JSC and HNS CC on
the status of HNS requests and HNS assets made available. SNs must inform
the NATO commander of changes to their HNS requirements through the HNS
CC. HNS information and reports will contribute to the recognized logistic
picture and should be submitted through the logistic reporting system, ideally
through the use of logistic functional area systems – LOGFAS.

4.6 Assessments. A plan that enables performance to be assessed, permits

improvements to future planning. Therefore, a number of qualitative and
quantitative metrics must be developed. HNS specialists can provide expertise
when developing measures of performance (MOP) and measures of
effectiveness (MOE).

4.7 Lessons learned. Subject matters experts at each level of command are
directed to capture, collect, and report observations and best practices
concerning the implementation of doctrine. By following the lessons learned
process in each individual command, commanders address lessons learned by
implementing remedial actions within their area of responsibility. Commanders
at each level decide which lessons are entered into the NATO Lessons Learned
Portal and therefore, shared throughout NATO. The Joint Analysis and Lessons
Learned Centre and similar entities may support a commander’s request to
provide additional or specific analysis for the commander’s internal lessons
learned process. At the start of the HNS planning process, HQ staff members
are highly encouraged to access the lessons learned portal for best practices.

Section 4 – Host-nation support information management systems

4.8 Background. In accordance with MC 319 NATO Principles and Policies for
Logistics, NATO and the nations should develop and implement information

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systems and structures that support the operations planning process. The use
of information systems is essential for the planning and execution of complex
logistic activities. NATO staff may best exploit the vast amount of information
from numerous HNs through current information management systems.23

4.9 Capability catalogues. These catalogues assist NATO and national planners
by identifying HNS capabilities and limitations. The HNS capability catalogues
database is available to the NATO Command Structure planners in the
Logistics Functional Service platform. The capability catalogues contain
information on geolocations and main supply routes which reduces the number
of requests for information to national staffs. The capability catalogues are
neither legally binding, nor real time, nor a collection of supplies and services.
HN capabilities and resources will only be formally available through the SOR
process.

4.10 The capability catalogues process. Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers

Europe (SHAPE) / J4 is the requirements authority and holds the staff
responsible for managing the platform and the associated reporting policy.
Nations are invited to update their capability catalogue annually. The
information sent to SHAPE is imported into a single database for planning
purposes.

4.11 Geolocations. Geolocations contain relevant information such as ports of

debarkation, reception, staging, and onward movement facilities, training areas,
border crossing points, and convoy support centres.

4.12 Main supply routes. All the main supply routes provide lines of communication
which can be used for the production of multinational detailed deployment
plans. In addition, relevant information on movement infrastructure such as
bridges, tunnels, airfields, ports, rail lines and inland waterways is collected to
provide a complete picture to the planners. The submission of MSRs to ACO is
understood as a formal declaration of the HN’s designated transit routes.
Declaration and assessment of the transit routes allows the SN to develop an
initial set of NDDPs with recognized constraints. Lead-times to obtain a
movement credit are reduced because SN bids are based on pre-agreed HN
criteria. In-transit service support is also facilitated when the NDDPs are based
on the convoy support centres and other transit facilities depicted in the HNS
capability catalogues.

Section 5 – Movements and border crossing

4.13 General. The deployment of Allied forces has two distinct but complementary
aspects. The first aspect is HN consent and the associated legal formalities,
which are necessary but not sufficient for a deployment. The second aspect is
the logistics of service support, movement coordination, force protection, and
access to HN infrastructure, which enable the actual deployment. Therefore,
the availability of HNS influences movement and deployment / redeployment
planning.

23 E.g. LOGFAS

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4.14 Transiting. Transit nations are HNs, consequently the HNS planning process
applies fully. The two fundamental prerequisites to grant border crossing of
forces are diplomatic clearances and movement credits. While a status of
forces agreement or a transit treaty regulates the status of visiting forces,
approval is still necessary to enter a sovereign nation. Crossing borders may
require a formal invitation or direct consent from the HN for each military activity.
Such consent is granted via diplomatic clearances. The actual approval for
convoys to cross borders is granted in a movement credit, once the HN national
movement coordination centre or equivalent authority has authorized the
transit. Effective communication of the deployment plan through logistics
information management systems will facilitate border crossing and transit.

4.15 Redeployment. A HNS concept of requirements and subsequent SOR may be

prepared according to the redeployment plan. Site surveys may be necessary
to identify redeployment nodes, such as disposal or de-contamination sites, for
the operation.

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Annex A - Template for a Host-Nation Support Request Letter

SUBJECT: Request for host-nation support

TO: [Host Nation Military Representative]

SUBJECT: Standing memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Republic /

Kingdom / Government of __________ regarding the provision of host-nation support
for the execution of NATO operations or exercises.

DATE:

REFERENCE: AJP-4.3 Allied Joint Doctrine for Host-Nation Support

[When a standing MoU is in place]

1. Under the concept of NATO multinational logistics and host-nation support
(HNS), considerable benefits are achieved by organizing HNS well in advance. A
Standing HNS arrangement is in place between NATO and __________ [HN].

2. This letter initiates the use of this Standing arrangement for HNS planning for
the operation or the exercise known as __________.

………OR………

[When a MoU is not in place]

1. Under the concept of NATO multinational logistics and host-nation support
(HNS), considerable benefits are achieved by organizing HNS well in advance.
Notwithstanding the existence of previous arrangements between NATO and
__________ [HN], the SHAPE staff seek to develop a standing HNS MoU.

2. According to the reference, SHAPE / HQ SACT wishes to initiate the HNS

process to conclude a mutually beneficial standing HNS MoU between SHAPE / HQ
SACT and __________ [HN]. A proposed HNS MoU is enclosed.

3. I would be most grateful if you would establish contact with the following
personnel to start negotiations:
- [List of POCs]

Strategic Command Representative ____________________

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Annex B – Template for a Memorandum of Understanding24

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC / KINGDOM OF [HN]

AND

HEADQUARTERS, SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER

TRANSFORMATION

AS WELL AS

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE

REGARDING

THE PROVISION OF HOST-NATION SUPPORT

FOR

THE EXECUTION OF NATO OPERATIONS / EXERCISES / SIMILAR

MILITARY ACTIVITIES

24This is a template and will require adjustments to take due account of internal HN instructions and
guidelines on terminology and level of signature / approval or ratification; the HNS however follows the
standards as defined in this AJP and, unless caveated here or in the ratification, will remain the
expected standard to be represented in an HNSA.

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INTRODUCTION
The Government of the Republic / Kingdom of __________ [HN], represented by the
ministry of defence (MoD) as well as the Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander
Transformation (HQ SACT) and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
(SHAPE), hereinafter referred to as the participants:

HAVING REGARD to the provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty, dated 4 April 1949,
and in particular Article 3 thereof;

HAVING REGARD to the Partnership for Peace (PfP) framework document issued by
the heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic
Council (Framework Document), dated 10 January 1994; [Only for an MoU with a
PfP nation.]

HAVING REGARD to the provisions of the agreement between the parties to the North
Atlantic Treaty regarding the status of their forces (NATO SOFA), dated 19th June
1951, the protocol on the status of international military headquarters set up pursuant
to the North Atlantic Treaty (Paris Protocol), dated 28 August 1952, the agreement
among the states parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other states participating
in the PfP regarding the status of their forces (PfP SOFA), dated 19 June 1995,
the additional protocol to the agreement among the states parties to the North Atlantic
Treaty and the other states participating in the PfP regarding the status of their forces
(additional protocol to the PfP SOFA), dated 19 June 1995, and including the Further
Additional Protocol to the agreement among the states parties to the North Atlantic
Treaty and the other states participating in the PfP regarding the status of their forces
(Further Additional Protocol to the PfP SOFA), dated 19 December 1997;

HAVING REGARD to the concept of deploying NATO forces and coalition forces
under NATO command and control to or through the territory of the Republic / Kingdom
of __________ [HN] during periods of peace, crisis, emergency, and conflict in support
of NATO military activities;

HAVING REGARD to the concept of exercises and operations anticipated to take

place with NATO, Partnership for Peace (PfP), and other NATO-led forces;

AND IN CONSIDERATION of the needs of the Republic / Kingdom of __________

[HN], hereinafter called the host nation (HN), and the needs of the Allied Command
Operations (ACO) and the Allied Command Transformation (ACT) hereinafter referred
as the Strategic Commands (SCs);

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THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE REACHED THE FOLLOWING UNDERSTANDING:

SECTION ONE

1. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this MoU and its follow-on documents the
following definitions apply:

1.1 Forces. All components of a NATO-led force including all personnel,

animals, material and provisions, and any civilian components of such
forces as defined in the NATO SOFA, Paris Protocol, and PfP, and of all
other participating nations led by NATO. The term also includes all ships,
aircraft, vehicles, stores, equipment, and ammunition, as well as all sea, air,
and land movement resources and their support services including
contractors.25

1.2 NATO military activities. All activities of NATO military forces including
exercises, training, experimentation, and strategic, operational, tactical,
combined, joint, or administrative missions; the process of conducting
combat including attack, movement, supply, and manoeuvres needed to
gain the objectives of a battle or campaign; and all similar activities.

1.3 NATO commander. A military commander in the NATO chain of command.

1.4 NATO organizations. Headquarters and organized units of forces under

NATO command and control.

1.5 International military headquarters. International military headquarters in

the NATO integrated command structure or that have been granted that
status by the North Atlantic Council / Defence Planning Commitee. This
includes structures that may be temporary detachments or units of the
headquarters.

1.6 National headquarters. The headquarters of national forces under NATO

command and control.

1.7 Multinational headquarters. The headquarters with personnel from more

than one nation formed by agreement of the participating nations and under
NATO command and control.

1.8 Host nation (HN). A nation which, by agreement:

a. receives forces and materiel of NATO or other nations operating on /

from or transiting through its territory;

b. allows NATO organizations or material to be located on its territory; or

c. provides support for these purposes.

25 Republic of Poland does not recognise contractors as part of the force in the meaning of ‘armed
forces’ definition in NATO and PfP SOFAs.

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For the purpose of this MoU, the HN is the Republic / Kingdom of ________.

1.9 Strategic commands (SCs). The Supreme Allied Commander Europe

(SACEUR), the commander of Allied Command Operations (ACO), and the
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), the commander of
Allied Command Transformation (ACT).

1.10 Host-nation support (HNS). The civil and military assistance rendered in
peace, crisis, or conflict by a host nation to NATO or other forces and NATO
organizations that are located on, operating on / from, or in transit through
the host nation's territory.

1.11 Force protection (FP). All measures and means to minimize the vulnerability
of personnel, facilities, equipment, and operations to any threat and to
preserve freedom of action and the operational effectiveness of the force.

1.12 Expenses. Those expenditures associated with the establishment, support,

and sustainment of national, multinational or international headquarters,
forces, or NATO organizations. For the purposes of this MoU and its
subsequent documents:

a. NATO common costs. Those expenses agreed in advance to be the

collective responsibility of the Alliance;

b. Shared costs. Those expenses agreed in advance to be the shared

responsibility of more than one nation. Shared Cost arrangements
are usually based on a formula detailed in a Technical Arrangement or
Joint Implementation Arrangements; and

c. Direct national costs. Those expenses considered to be the

responsibility of a single SN

1.13 NATO common funding. Funds contributed by all NATO nations and made
available, upon approval, through NATO budgets for common costs
incurred during the conduct of a NATO military activity.

1.14 Note of accession. A document indicating the intent of a SN to participate

in arrangements for HNS under the provisions of this MoU for a specified
NATO-led military activity.

1.15 Statement of intent (SOI). A document indicating a SN’s intent to participate

in arrangements for HNS under the provisions of a MoU subject to certain
specific reservations. The HN may or may not accept the reservations for
the provision of HNS.

1.16 Technical arrangement (TA). A follow-on bilateral arrangement for a

specified NATO military activity. It details the responsibilities and
procedures for the provision of HNS by the HN to the NATO commander
and SN(s).

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1.17 Joint implementation arrangement (JIA). A follow-on bilateral arrangement

to establish a commitment between the signatories concerning the provision
and receipt of HNS. It includes detailed information on the requested and
offered support, site-specific procedures for implementation, and
reimbursement or payment terms.

1.18 Host-nation support joint steering committee (HNS JSC). A committee

established on an ad-hoc basis and co-chaired by the HN and NATO
commander. The committee, comprised of representatives from all SNs, the
HN, and NATO commander(s), coordinates amplifying arrangements for
HNS, such as a TA and JIA(s), as appropriate.

1.19 Operational sites. Sites within the HN providing operational or logistics

support to the force during NATO-led military activities. These sites are
detachments of a strategic command under the command and control of the
NATO commander.

1.20 NATOTerm. Unless a meaning is specified within this MoU, the NATOTerm
database will apply.

SECTION TWO
2. PURPOSE.

2.1 The purpose of this MoU is to establish policy and procedures for the
establishment of operational sites and the provision of HNS to NATO forces
in, or supported from the HN, during NATO military activities.

2.2 This MoU and its follow-on documents are intended to serve as the basis
for planning by the HN and NATO commanders anticipating HNS
arrangements for a variety of NATO military activities, regardless of whether
deploying forces have yet been identified.

SECTION THREE
3. SCOPE AND GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS.

3.1 The provisions of the NATO or PfP SOFA, the Paris Protocol and the Further
Additional Protocol, and any other relevant agreements in force between the
Supreme Headquarters and the HN, will apply to all NATO-led military
activities.

3.2 The HN recognizes operational sites established through this MoU to be

detachments of the Supreme Headquarters and the activities of such
detachments to be undertakings of the Supreme Headquarters. The sites to
be established will be identified in follow-on documents. Command and
control arrangements will be codified in operational plans.

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3.3 This MoU intends to adhere to NATO policy and doctrine and provides the
general structure and process for HNS.

3.4 The HN will provide support to NATO-led forces to its fullest capacity,
subject to availability and the practical limitations of the current situation.
The details of the support will be specified in follow-on documents.

3.5 The provisions of this MoU apply in all circumstances from peace to crisis,
emergencies, and conflict unless specifically excluded by the HN and
NATO.

3.6 While SNs participating in NATO-led military activities are encouraged to

accept the provisions of this MoU, separate bilateral agreements for HNS
may be established with the HN.

3.7 The HN and SCs may negotiate follow-on documents that support and
amplify this MoU.

3.8 NATO military activities supported by this MoU may include multinational
maritime and air operations. The HN acknowledges that the movement of
military and merchant aircraft, ships, and their crews within and through HN
territory requires general authorization for the duration of the NATO military
activity. The HN agrees to manage all aspects of this authorization.

SECTION FOUR
4. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS. Reference documents that may be applicable to
this MoU are contained in Appendix A.

SECTION FIVE

5. RESPONSIBILITIES. Within the provisions of this MoU:

5.1 Host nation.

a. Upon completion of this MOU, the HN will notify the appropriate

commander regarding the availability or deficiency of HNS capabilities
as changes occur. The HN recognizes that NATO planners require
timely notification of changes to the HN’s national establishment and
capabilities;

b. When providing support, the HN will make the necessary arrangements

with civil and commercial sources. Commercially procured support will
be obtained via a competitive bidding process from the lowest compliant
bidder;

c. The HN will retain the administrative and financial records necessary for
reimbursement of supplies and services supplied by the HN. Records of
all transactions funded by NATO shall be made available to NATO for

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audit purposes upon request;

d. The standard of supplies and services supplied by the HN will be

established in follow-on documents;

e. The HN will retain control over its resources unless the HN explicitly
agrees to release control of specific resources to NATO;

f. Prior to any NATO military activity, the HN will provide the cost of
requested and associated HN support;

g. The HN will invite SNs to accept the provisions of this MoU through a
note of accession or a statement of intent;

h. The HN will coordinate with the NATO commander for the provision of
medical and dental support. The support provided by the HN shall be
of the same standard as that provided to HN personnel;

i. During the development of follow-on documents, the HN will provide

the NATO commander with regulations in English concerning health,
safety, security, environment, and agriculture relevant to the military
activity and to the storage, movement, and disposal of hazardous
materials; and

j. The HN accepts that a copy of a SN’s cargo manifest will be sufficient

documentation for customs purposes and that military and personal
use of supplies and equipment will be according to the NATO SOFA.

5.2 NATO Commander.

a. The NATO commander will ensure that follow-on documents specify the
type, quantity, and quality of support required. A mission and its force
structure cannot be specified before an operation plan (OPLAN), an
operation order, or an exercise operational order has been received.
Consequently, the NATO commander will provide supplementary
information necessary for HN planning as soon as possible;

b. The NATO commander inform the HN of any changes in circumstances

that affect the HN and will propose modifications to follow-on documents
as appropriate;

c. The NATO commander will determine the availability of common

funding and eligibility of supplies and services for common funding;

d. The NATO commander will define and prioritize the requested HNS
and will approve the cost when using common funding;

e. The NATO commander will ensure that the HN is reimbursed for HNS
received when paid through common funding. Additionally, the NATO
commander will facilitate the resolution of financial obligations between

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the HN and SNs;

f. If a SN’s support request conflicts with the NATO commander’s

resource allocation, the NATO commander will resolve the conflict with
the SN;

g. The NATO commander will identify personnel and resources necessary

to establish operational sites within the HN;

h. The NATO commander will promote the standardization of support

requests and costs during negotiations and at the HNS JSC; and

i. The NATO commander will ensure personnel possess sufficient

expertise and experience and that they consult appropriate civilian staff,
when creating documents such as HNS statement of requirements, TA,
and JIA.

5.3 Sending nations.

a. SNs can accept the provisions of this MoU through a note of accession
or by issuing an SOI for a specific NATO military activity;

b. SNs will request HNS from the HN and copy the NATO commander;

c. SNs will usually participate in the HNS JSC or negotiate directly with the
HN if a HNS JSC is not established. SNs will reimburse the HN for
supplies and services received through HNS. Contractual
arrangements between a SN and commercial or civilian sources,
independent of the HN, will be paid directly by the SN;

d. SNs will immediately inform the HN and the NATO commander of

changes to HNS requirements and shall submit revised HNS requests
and status reports;

e. SNs are responsible for the costs of medical, dental, and veterinary
services rendered by the HN; and

f. As prescribed by the NATO SOFA, Article II, it is the duty of SNs to

respect the law of the HN, and in particular SNs must follow HN
regulations and procedures concerning health, safety, environment,
and agriculture relevant to the military activity and to the storage,
movement, and disposal of hazardous materials.

SECTION SIX
6. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS.

6.1 By mutual agreement and international convention, activities of international

military headquarters, operational sites, NATO-owned or chartered vessels,

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AJP-4.3

aircraft, vehicles, and petroleum, oil and lubricants provided to forces will be
free from all taxes, duties, state tolls, fees, and all similar charges.

6.2 The Paris Protocol, Further Additional Protocol, and customary international
law, which provide immunities and privileges for international military
headquarters, will apply to all headquarter elements and detachments that
deploy to the HN for a NATO military activity.

6.3 Logistics support, supplies, and services imported to and exported from the
HN for a NATO military activity, are exempt from all duties, taxes, and fees.
Other customs procedures will be determined according to the NATO or PfP
SOFA, the Paris Protocol, or the Further Additional Protocol as applicable.

6.4 Where complete exemption from taxes, duties, fees, and similar charges is
not possible, namely for purchases from the HN domestic economy,
charges will not be higher than those paid by the HN’s armed forces. The
administrative requirements of these charges should be minimized.

6.5 Financial transactions, including the transfer of funds and creation of

accounts, at private or government financial institutions are to be free of fees
and charges.

6.6 Financial arrangements, particularly those related to NATO common

funding, will likely be finalized just before a NATO military activity. Any
arrangements negotiated beforehand must respect the financial limits set by
NATO. NATO common funding will only apply to expenses specified prior
to the expense being incurred.

6.7 Follow-on documents will provide initial cost estimates and will categorize
expenses as NATO common costs, shared costs, or direct national costs.

6.8 When the NATO commander determines that an expense is eligible for
NATO common funding and within the approved budget, the appropriate SC
will authorize reimbursement to the HN or direct payment of the expense.

6.9 Expenses attributable to more than one nation may be identified as shared
costs and, with the mutual agreement of the nations involved, be shared
through a formula in the TA or other follow-on documents.

6.10 The cost of supplies and services received from the HN will not be higher
than that paid by the HN’s armed forces and will not include administrative
or overhead surcharges but may be adjusted for delivery schedule, location,
or similar considerations. Support received from military personnel will not
be reimbursed.

6.11 The NATO commander and SNs may contract for supplies and services
directly from the HN economy.

6.12 NATO-owned vehicles and SN military vehicles are self-insured and may
operate without commercial insurance.

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6.13 The HN will not incur financial liabilities on behalf of SNs or the NATO
commander, unless agreed in advance. Additionally, funds will not be
committed until SNs or the supreme headquarters implement appropriate
follow-on documents.

6.14 This MoU does not allocate funding nor represent an obligation on the part
of SNs or the NATO commander. Detailed financial arrangements and
reimbursement procedures will be specified in follow-on documents.

6.15 Establishing operational sites for NATO military activities does not
guarantee the construction or rehabilitation of infrastructure.

SECTION SEVEN
7. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS.

7.1 The Supreme Headquarters or its delegate will manage the legal
requirements for missions including contracting, judicial or administrative
proceedings, and acquiring and disposing of property.

7.2 The status of the forces deployed within the HN will be determined
according to the NATO or PfP SOFA, Paris Protocol, or Further Additional
Protocol.

7.3 Logistics support, supplies, and services imported into and exported from
the HN for a NATO military activity, are exempt from all duties, taxes and
fees. Other customs procedures will be determined according to the NATO
or PfP SOFA, the Paris Protocol, or the Further Additional Protocol as
applicable.

7.4 Non-contractual claims, arising from or in connection with the execution of

this MoU, will be resolved according to the NATO or PfP SOFA.

7.5 Contractual claims against a SN or the NATO commander will be

administered and adjudicated by the HN according to HN law and the
process governing public contracts.

SECTION EIGHT
8. FORCE PROTECTION.

8.1 Comprehensive FP for NATO installations and military activities will be

detailed in OPLANs, exercise plans, or supplementary agreements. FP will
be implemented according to NATO policy and procedures and consistent
with the NATO or PfP SOFA. Under no circumstances will the FP requested
or provided contravene HN laws or the NATO or PfP SOFA.

8.2 The HN will inform SNs and the NATO commander of proposed FP

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measures, limitations, and restrictions as appropriate.

8.3 Each SN is responsible for identifying FP requirements to the HN and the

NATO commander.

8.4 In addition to the FP responsibilities in NATO FP policy and procedures, the

NATO commander has the overall responsibility for the FP of HN and SN
forces, including the coordination of requested and provided FP.

SECTION NINE
9. SECURITY AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION.

9.1 Classified information generated, stored, handled, transmitted, or shared by

allied nations as a result of this MoU will be treated according to the most
recent edition of CM (2002) 49: Security within the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, dated 17 June 2002, including supplements and amendments
and according to any other security agreements and arrangements in effect,
whichever is most restrictive.

9.2 Information shared between allied nations in confidence will retain its
original classification or be assigned a classification that ensures the same
degree of protection against disclosure.

9.3 Allied nations will use all lawful means to prevent disclosure of information
received in confidence, unless consent for disclosure has been received.

9.4 Allied nations will mark information with a legend indicating its origin, the
security classification, the conditions of release, and the specific activity to
which the information relates.

9.5 Visits by personnel will be arranged according to the latest edition of CM

(2002) 49.

9.6 All classified information relating to this MoU continues to be protected even
after a participant withdraws or this MoU is terminated.

SECTION TEN
10. INITIATION, DURATION, AND TERMINATION.

10.1 This MoU becomes effective on the date of the last signature and remains
in effect until terminated by a participant by giving six months’ notice in
writing to all other participants.

10.2 Provisions of sections 6, 7, and 9 remain in effect until all obligations are
met even when a participant withdraws or the MoU is terminated.

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AJP-4.3

SECTION ELEVEN
11. MODIFICATION AND INTERPRETATION.

11.1 This MoU may be amended or modified in writing by the mutual consent
of all participants.

11.2 Conflicts in the interpretation and application of this MoU will be resolved
by consultation among the participants at the lowest possible level and will
not be referred to a national or international tribunal or a third party for
settlement.

11.3 This MoU is signed in three copies, each one written in English and ______
[HN language].

11.4 The English version of this MoU takes priority in its interpretation and
application, unless the MoU is signed both in the French and the English
languages in which case both those versions are equally authentic.

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Template for a memorandum of understanding Annex B to
AJP-4.3

The foregoing represents the understandings reached between the Government of

the Republic / Kingdom of [HN], and the Headquarters, Supreme Allied
Commander Transformation as well as the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
Europe, upon the matters referred to herein.

SIGNED:

For the Government of the Republic / Kingdom of [HN]

NAME TITLE / RANK

Dated:

For the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and

for the Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation

NAME RANK TITLE

Dated:
Mons, Belgium

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Annex B to Template for a memorandum of understanding
AJP-4.3

APPENDIX A
(To the MoU Template)

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
1. The North Atlantic Treaty, dated 4 April 1949.

2. Partnership for Peace Framework Document Issued by the Heads of State and
Government Participating in the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council
(Framework Document), dated 10 January 1994. [Only for a MoU with a PfP
nation.]

3. Agreement among the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and Regarding the
Status of their Forces, (NATO SOFA), dated 19 June 1951.

4. The Protocol on the Status of International Military Headquarters established

Pursuant to the North Atlantic Treaty, (Paris Protocol), dated 28 August 1952.

5. Agreement among the States parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and other
States Participating in the Partnership for Peace regarding the Status of their
Forces (PfP SOFA), dated 19 June 1995.

6. Additional Protocol to the Agreement among the States Parties to the North
Atlantic Treaty and the Other States Participating in the Partnership for Peace
regarding the Status of their Forces (Additional Protocol to the PfP SOFA),
dated 19 June 1995.

7. Further Additional Protocol to the Agreement among the States Parties to the
North Atlantic Treaty and the other States Participating in the Partnership for
Peace regarding the Status of their Forces (Further Additional Protocol), dated
19 December 1997.

8. MC 319 - NATO Principles and Policies for Logistics.

9. MC 334 - NATO Principles and Policies for Host-nation Support (HNS).

10. Applicable NATO STANAGs and Policy Directives for Logistics Support, Force
Protection and Financial Reimbursement.

11. CM (2002) 49 - Security within NATO, dated 17 June 2002.

12. BI-SC Directive 15-3 Preparation of International Agreements.

13. AJP-4.3, Allied Joint Doctrine for Host-Nation Support.

14. CM (2002) 50 - Protection Measures for NATO Civil and Military Bodies,
Deployed NATO Forces and Installations (Assets) Against Terrorist Threats.

15. BI-SC Force Protection Directive 80-25, 22 January 2018.

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16. BI-SC Functional Planning Guide for Force Protection.

17. NATO Term.

18. NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations, Annex XIV and CM (2005) 0041.

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AJP-4.3

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Template for a note of accession/statement of intent Annex C to
AJP-4.3

Annex C – Template for a Note of Accession

or Statement of Intent26

NOTE OF ACCESSION / STATEMENT OF INTENT

TO PARTICIPATE IN HOST-NATION SUPPORT AND

FINANCIAL AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS ESTABLISHED

WITHIN THE REPUBLIC / KINGDOM / GOVERNMENT OF _______________ [HN]

FOR OPERATION / EXERCISE ____________________

The Republic / Kingdom / Government / Minister of _______________ [SN],

represented by _______________,

Having decided that its armed forces will participate in operation / exercise
_______________,

Considering the overall NATO / PfP operation / exercise concept within NATO
doctrine, and desiring to participate in the arrangements with respect to host-nation
support and the financial and other arrangements of _______________ [Host Nation],
the NATO Commander _______________ [Insert appropriate name], and the other
sending nations relating to the support of such armed forces during the operation /
exercise.

ELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN, AND TO ABIDE BY, THE PROVISIONS ARRANGED

IN:

The "Memorandum of understanding between the _______________ [HN] and the

NATO commander _______________ [Insert appropriate name], concerning the
provision of host-nation support during Operation / Exercise _______________, which
entered into effect on the _____ day of __________ as follows:

As a sending nation for the operation / exercise planning, preparation and exercise
play through the above-mentioned MoU. [Where reservations need to be stated, the
following wording might be added to the sentence: "subject to the following
reservations:” then list reservations if appropriate]
For the Government of _______________ [SN]
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Date: ____________________.

26The Note of Accession or Statement of Intent is signed in three copies, each one written in English
and SN and HN language. The English version takes priority in its interpretation and application,
unless it is signed both in the French and the English languages in which case both those versions
are equally authentic.

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AJP-4.3

NOTE: THIS PART IS ONLY NECESSARY IF THE SN PROVIDES A SOI WITH

RESERVATIONS. THE HN MUST AGREE TO THOSE RESERVATIONS BY
SIGNING THE SOI AND RETURNING IT TO THE SN AS CONFIRMATION.

The host nation will / will not provide support to the armed forces of the Government
of _______________ [SN] participating in the operation / exercise under the provisions
of the HNS MoU and the reservation(s) of _______________ [SN]

For the Republic / Kingdom / Government of _______________ [HN]

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Date: ____________________.

Edition A Version 1 C-2

Guidance to develop a host-nation support technical arrangement Annex D to
AJP-4.3

Annex D – Guidance to Develop a Host-Nation Support

Technical Arrangement
1. A technical arrangement (TA) should be developed for each military activity.
Previous TAs are available in the Allied Command Operations agreements and
arrangements repository (http://lawfas.hq.nato.int) and in the host-nation support
(HNS) page of the LOGNET portal. These documents serve as examples for
drafting an arrangement tailored to the specific activity.

2. The TA should contain at least the following elements:

a. Purpose and Scope. The purpose of a TA is to define the HNS provided to

allied forces and to document the general arrangements and procedures for
implementing the HNS memorandum of understanding (MoU). The scope
details the activities and personnel subject to the arrangement, including
national support elements, as applicable;

b. Definitions. Terms which are new or specific to the TA and which are not in
the parent MoU;

c. References. This section lists documents applicable to the TA, which provide
additional or supplemental information;

d. Situation, mission and execution. This section describes the concept of HNS
activities and provides an outline of the approach for supporting the deployed
forces during the military activity. Emergency actions or legislation invoked to
support the military activity will be identified here;

e. Coordination, communication and reporting. This section describes the

coordination mechanisms and reporting relationships between HNS elements.
The aim is to clarify the relationship between stakeholders providing and
receiving HNS. The TA does not establish the command and control
relationship, which is described in the applicable operation plan (OPLAN);

f. SN, HN, and NATO responsibilities. This section clarifies the commitments
of the participants, individually and collectively. It describes specific activities
and responsibilities within the concept of HNS. The activities and
responsibilities must relate to the applicable parent arrangement and concept
of operations or OPLAN;

g. Financial provisions. TAs are subordinate to a treaty and/or a MoU which

contains financial arrangements that are implemented or supplemented
through the TA. This section may include:

i. Reimbursement for supplies and services. SNs or NATO will reimburse

the HN for supplies and services accepted from the HN, except for
those which were loaned or provided at no cost;

ii. STANAG 2034. The procedures in STANAG 2034: NATO Standard

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Procedures for Mutual Logistic Assistance will generally apply unless

otherwise agreed;

iii. Cost formulas. Nations may agree to cost formulas to share the burden
of the military activity. Direct involvement of the financial department
would be appropriate to determine the most appropriate formula for a
given activity;

iv. Tax exemption. This sub-section describes the procedure for tax
exemption. Direct exemption is preferred whenever possible. However,
the procedure for the reimbursement of taxes paid shall also to be
explained; and

v. Contracting guidelines. This sub-section describes the procedures to

contract from commercial sources;

h. Legal aspects. This section presents the treaties and arrangements under
which the TA is being developed. This section also includes specific
considerations, status of forces, carriage of arms, settlement of claims,
methods of accessions to the TA, disclosures, and signature blocks;

i. Movement and border crossing procedures. According to NATO status of

forces agreement Article XI, special arrangements would be developed to
facilitate the rapid movement of forces. This section describes how procedures
in the applicable Allied movement publications would be tailored to the military
activity;

j. Customs. This section outlines the NATO F-302 procedure to import and
export supplies free of taxes and fees. It also indicates whether simplified
formalities, such as pre-clearance or checks at the final destination, are
applicable to the military activity;

k. Sections for functional areas. This section develops provisions necessary for
relevant functional areas such as environmental, medical, force protection, CIS
and investigations;

l. Supplies and services free of charge. This section enumerates the supplies
and services to be rendered free of charge and those to be reimbursed;

m. Points of contact. This section lists of all points of contact, preferably through
a functional mailbox rather than an individual’s email address;

n. Administration. This section describes the initiation, amendment, termination,

and other managerial provisions of the TA; and

o. Supporting annexes. This section presents any relevant supporting annexes.

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Template for a Joint Implementation Arrangement Annex E to
AJP-4.3

Annex E – Template for a Joint Implementation

Arrangement
____________________ Detachment - ____________________ [Location]

PLAN SUMMARY

1. Purpose. To describe the requirements of the _____________________ [NATO

Forces] for HNS from ____________________ [HN] for Operation / Exercise
____________________ [Name] at ____________________ [Location].

2. Authority. This JIA is concluded pursuant to the MoU _____________________

dated _______________.

3. Conditions of Execution. This JIA is in effect for the duration of Operation /

Exercise _______________ [Name].

4. Operations to be conducted. The _______________ [NATO forces] will deploy

to _______________ [Location] to undertake missions outlined in the EXOPORD
for Operation / Exercise ____________________ [Name].

5. Key Assumptions.

a. That once initiated, HNS will continue until mutually agreed that such
support is no longer required;

b. Upon arrival, the HN, _______________ [HN], will provide pre-positioned

equipment / material to the _______________ [NATO Forces] detachment
(Det); and

c. The ____________________ [NATO Forces] Det advance party will arrive

at __________________________ [Date / Time].

6. Command Relationships. [Detail any relevant command relationships].

7. Concept. The _________________________ [Relevant military authorities] will

provide HNS and facilities as detailed in annexes to this arrangement. [As
appropriate, describe broad features of the HNS to be provided and general
terms of its provision. Also describe the contribution of HNS relative to the overall
support requirements of the Detachment].

8. Limiting Factors / Shortfalls. [As appropriate, detail limiting factors and

shortfalls identified in annexes to this JIA].

9. Co-ordination / Control.

a. Task Organization. [For NATO forces];

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b. Key Personnel. [Detail local points of contact and organizations responsible

for the request and provision of HNS]; and

c. Co-ordination Particulars. [Detail additional coordinating arrangements for

the site];

10. Customs Arrangements. [Detail where these can be found e.g. EXOPORD].

11. Financial Procedures. [Detail site specific procedures for bill payment].

12. Environmental Protection. [Detail where procedures related to environmental

protection can be found e.g. EXOPORD].

13. Contractual Guidelines. [As appropriate].

14. Initiation, Amendment, and Termination. This JIA comes into effect on the date
of the last signature of the NATO commander or the HN representative. The JIA
can be amended by mutual consent at any time in writing. The provisions of this
JIA remain in effect until all obligations are met.

15. This JIA comes into effect when signed by the designated representatives:
____________________ [NATO Commander] and ___________________ [HN
Representative]. This JIA may be terminated by:

a. either participant, following a mission change that makes following the JIA
either impossible or unnecessary; or

b. the mutual consent of both participants.

Signatures:

_________________________ _________________________
[HN Representative] [NATO Commander]

ANNEXES

SORs

Edition A Version 1 E-2

Guidelines to develop concepts of requirements Annex F to
AJP-4.3

Annex F - Guidelines to Develop Concepts of Requirements

1. The aim of a concept of requirements (COR) is to provide information for
decision-making during planning. Developing a COR may be a demanding
process depending on the scale and complexity of the military activity.

2. When using an information technology (IT) solution, COR development will

follow the process prescribed by the system. If no IT solution exists, numerous
templates are available to organize the collection of information.

3. The templates presented in this annex are for reference only. HNS staff will
need to adjust the requirements and the approach for gathering information.
The most current templates are available through the host-nation support
(HNS) portal in LOGNET (NS) at https://lognet.nato.int.

4. Concept of requirements development when a concept of operations or

an operations plan has been promulgated.

a. Force element list (FEL). The FEL acts as a reference to guide the
development of the COR. The FEL should contain at least the following
information:

i. Serial number. The serial number is a unique reference number

provided in the concept of operations (CONOPS). A description of the
capabilities required in the combined joint statement of requirements
is also included. During the force generation process, sending nations
will offer to fill these requirements;

ii. Final destination. The final destination is coordinated with the host
nation (HN) during the planning process. The final destination should
correspond to a geolocation in the HNS capability catalogue;

iii. Entry points. Entry points are coordinated with the HN and the M&T
community. The entry point should correspond to a geolocation in the
HNS capability catalogue; and

iv. Manning. Actual manning levels are found in the Force Profiles and
Holdings, which is available through the NATO Logistics Functional
Service software.

FORCE LIST [Plan Name]

Serial Requirement Name Final Destination Nation (TCN) CRD Entry Point Actual Manning
1.1.1.1 [HQ/Force Name]
1.0.0.0.0 HQ … [FD Geoloc] [NAT] G+x [BCP Geoloc] YYY
1.1.0.0.0 Unit 1 … [FD Geoloc] [NAT] G+x [BCP Geoloc] YYY Not present directly in the ADL, but available in the
1.2.0.0.0 Unit 2 … [FD Geoloc] [NAT] G+x [BCP Geoloc] YYY SOR (Estimated Personnel), or better the total
1.1.1.0.0 Subunit 1.1 … [FD Geoloc] [NAT] G+x [BCP Geoloc] YYY personnel in the force inventory/DDP/ADAMS.
1.1.2.0.0 Subunit 1.2 … [FD Geoloc] [NAT] G+x [BCP Geoloc] YYY

Figure F.1: Example of a force element list

b. Once the FEL is prepared, a number of tabs will be produced to gather and
consolidate HNS requirements:

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Annex F to Guidelines to develop concepts of requirements
AJP-4.3

i. Force serials tabs. Each force serial will have a dedicated tab where
contributions from each SN are itemized; and

Figure F.2 Example of a multinational force element aggregation by location.

ii. Consolidation tab. The consolidation tabs presents all requirements in

a single figure. For example: From the charts above, the total number
of personnel in Location 2 comes from serial XX.1.3.2.3 in the first chart
and XX.1.4.2 in the second chart, specifically 600 + 100 = 700.

Figure F.3 Example of a consolidation table.

5. The result of the COR process is a product that presents the following
information:

Edition A Version 1 F-2

Guidelines to develop concepts of requirements Annex F to
AJP-4.3

HNS Availability and Estimated Costs per Locations (further detailed per SNs and Forces)
HN Nation *
HN Location X HN Location Y
Availability

Availability
SN Nation A SN Nation B SN Nation A SN Nation B

Total
HNS

HNS
Total

Total
SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR …

Total

Total

Total

Total
SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 3 SN Force 4 SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 3 SN Force 4
Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total
HNS Availability and Estimated Costs per SNs (further detailed per Locations and Forces)
HN Nation *
SN Nation 1 SN Nation 1
HN Location X HN Location Y HN Location X HN Location Y
Availability

Availability

Availability

Availability

Total
Total

Total
SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR …
HNS

HNS

HNS

HNS
Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total
SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 1 SN Force 2
Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total
SN Requests and Associated HNS Costs per HNs (further detailed per Locations and Forces)
SN Nation A
HN Nation * HN Nation **
HN Location X HN Location Y HN Location Z HN Location W
Availability

Availability

Availability

Availability

Total
Total

Total
SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR … SOR …
HNS

HNS

HNS

HNS
Total

Total

Total

Total
SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 1 SN Force 2 SN Force 1 SN Force 2
Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total Day1 Day2 Total
SN Requests and Associated HNS Costs per Forces (further detailed per Days, HNs and Locations)
SN Nation A
SOR … SOR …
SN Force 1 SN Force 2
Day1 Day2 Day1 Day2
HN Nation * HN Nation ** HN Nation ** HN Nation *** HN Nation * HN Nation ** HN Nation ** HN Nation ***

Total
HN Location W

HN Location W

HN Location W

HN Location W
HN Location X

HN Location X
HN Location Q

HN Location Q
HN Location Y

HN Location Y
HN Location Z

HN Location Z

HN Location Z

HN Location Z
HN Location K

HN Location K
Total

Total
Total

Total

Total

Total
Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total
Figure F.4 Example of a COR report

6. Concept of requirements development when no concept of operations

has been promulgated. If no CONOPS is available, the COR will mirror a
request for information. A very general COR will be forwarded to the HN for an
initial assessment.

7. Host nation response to the concept of requirements. Once prepared, the

COR is sent to the HN for assessment. A typical response will be as follows:

a. Full. HNS is available through HN organic or public sector means;

b. Full. HNS is available through commercial contracts already in place with

the HN;

c. Full. HNS can be available through commercial contracts to be put in

place by the HN;

d. Assist. The HN will facilitate commercial contracts for the SN to procure

supplies or services directly from the local economy; or

e. None. HNS is not available.

*Example of a requirements list for LAND forces at LOGNET.

*Example of a requirements list for AIR forces at LOGNET.
*Example of a requirements list for MARITIME forces at LOGNET.

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Template for HNS statement of requirements Annex G to
AJP-4.3

Annex G – Template for HNS statement of requirements27

HNS STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS Operation: Page 1 of ____ pages
Initial Final Change Administrative Data
INITIATOR HOST NATION RESPONSE ACCEPTANCE
1. Request Number and Date: 5a. Payment to be received by: 8.a. Payment to be made by:

2. Support Agreement:
5.b. Account Number:
3a. Type of Support Required:
5.c. Address 8.b. Address:

5.d Tel/Fax: 8.c. Tel/Fax:

6.a. Supplying Party/Unit: 9.a. Receiving (user) Party/Unit:
3.b. Likely Timeframe From:
To: 6.b. POC authorized to accept changes to SOR: 9.b. POC authorized to request changes to SOR:
3.c. Requested Location:
Name/Rank: _________________________________ Name/Rank: _________________________________

Address: _________________________________ Address: _________________________________

Tel/Fax: Tel/Fax:
4.a. From (Receiving/Initiating Party) 4.c. Nation: 7.a. To (Supplying Party): 7.c. Nation: 10.a. For (Requesting/Accepting 10.c. Nation:
Party):
4.b. Receiving Official (Initiator): 7.b. Supplying Official: 10.b. Requesting Official (Authorizer):
Name/Rank: Name/Rank: Name/Rank:

Address: Address: Address:

Tel/Fax: Tel/Fax: Tel/Fax:

Signature & Date Signature & Date Signature & Date

SUPPORT REQUIRED SUPPORT OFFERED
11. Number 12. Requirement (includes start and end 13. Qty 14. Unit of issue 15. Unit Cost 16. Total cost 17. Method of 18. Qty received 19. Remarks
date if different from 3.b.) estimate reimbursement
1
2
3
4

27 This template can be adapted by staff to properly match the needs of each situation.

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Block Content Block Content

no no
1 Unique identification number, to be filled in by the receiving party 8a Financial office responsible for payments
2 HNS Technical Arrangement which authorizes the support 8b Address of the financial office responsible for payments
requested

3a Brief description of the general type of support (i.e. lodging, 8c Telephone and fax number of the financial office responsible for
meals, fuel) Payments

3b Duration of the requirement for support 9a Unit/agency that will receive/use the services/supplies
3c Preferred location/area where support is needed 9b POC of the receiving unit/agency authorized to request changes
to the SOR

4a Office authorized to request support from a Host Nation 10a Official agency authorized to submit HNS requests to a Host
Nation

4b Contracting Officer's representative 10b Official POC authorized to make commitments

4c State requesting support 10c Committed state
5a Financial office that will receive payments (usually the Ministry of 11 Line item number
Defence)

5b Account number of the receiving financial office 12 Detailed description of required support
5c Address of the receiving financial office 13 Quantity
5d Telephone and fax number of the receiving financial office 14 Unit of Issue (i.e. litres, boxes, items, days)
6a Host Nation unit or organization that will provide the actual 15 Estimated cost per unit
service/supplies
6b Host Nation representative authorized to accept changes to the 16 Total estimated cost per line item
SOR (identified by Host Nation POC)
7a Official agency authorized to receive HNS-requests 17 Method of reimbursement (i.e. cash, replacement in kind or
equal value exchange)
7b Official POC authorized to receive HNS requests 18 Quantity of support received (to be identified after the support
operation has ended)
19 Remarks

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STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST

(Other than for airfields which are included in ALP-4.3 SUPPLEMENT 1)

FUNCTION PROVISIONAL AGREEMENT

A TRANSPORTATION
1 Reception of Personnel & Cargo
a. Total Quantity of Personnel Arriving
b. Total Bulk / Weight of Cargo
(To / From)
2 Movement
a. Internal (From Billeting Areas to
Work Areas)
b. Movement To / From Airfield
c. Rail transport
d. Inland Waterway transport
e. Movement control
3 Port Operations (Re-supply)
a. Capacity (Size of Port Required)
b. Capability to Use Light Rafts
c. Material Handling Equipment at Port
4 Rental Vehicles
a. Total Number
b. Sedans
c. Trucks (By Type)
d. Mopeds
5 CIS

B ACQUISITION OF MATERIEL & SERVICES

1 Office Equipment
a. Computers / Laptops
b. Desks
c. Copy Machines
d. Tables
e. Chairs
f. Safes
g. Filing Cabinets
h. Information Technology System
Equipment
2 Maintenance Services
a. Contracts
b. Vehicles
c. Generators
d. Marine
e. Office Equipment
f. Buildings & Grounds
g. Electrical

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h. CIS Equipment
i. Garbage / Recycling disposal
j. Soil Remediation
k. Solid / liquid waste treatment or
disposal
l. HAZMAT disposal
m. Cleaning for dangerous goods tanks
n. Other
3 Catering & Rations
a. Total Required
b. No of Meals Per Day
c. Prep, Serving, & Dining Eqpt
d. Messing facilities (Buildings)
e. Tables & Chairs
4 Furniture
a. Living Quarters
b. Beds
c. Dressers & Wall Lockers
d. Chairs
e. Desks & Tables
f. Lamps
5 Potable Water
a. Availability
b. Requirement (m3 / day)
6 Electrical Power
a. Consolidated Requirement
b. Maintenance
c. Backup Power Source

C PETROLEUM, OIL & LUBRICANTS

1 Storage Capacity
2 Handling & Distribution
3 Aviation Fuel
4 Diesel
5 Petrol
6 Compressed Gases
a. Availability of Resupply
b. Types Available

D MEDICAL SERVICES
1 Treatment Capabilities (By Role)
2 Patient Evacuation
3 Medical Liaison
4 Medical Prepositioning
5 CIS

E FORCE PROTECTION
1 Military Police / Military Guards

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a. Guards
b. Detention
c. Traffic Control
d. Military Working Dog
2 CBRN
3 Explosive Ordnance Disposal
a. Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance
b. Cruise Missile Defence
c. Improvised Explosive Device
Disposal
d. Explosives Detection Dog
e. Information Required

F CIVILIAN LABOUR
1 Base Support Workers
a. Sanitation Workers
b. Plumbers
c. Electricians
d. Carpenters
e. Masons
f. CIS
2 Maintenance Workers
a. Electronic Eqpt Repair
b. Electrical Eqpt Repair
c. Office Eqpt Repair
d. Vehicle Mechanics
3 Fire fighter
a. Capability
b. Equipment
4 Interpreter

G COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION SYSTEMS

1 Voice
2 Data
3 Message Handling System (MHS)
5 Real Estate for National Equipment
6 Frequencies
7 Welfare Services
8 Antenna Field Areas
a. Total Area Required
b. Separation Between Fields
c. Height
d. Power
e. Frequency and Bandwidth

H COORDINATION & CONTROL

1 LOC Activation
2 Liaison Exchange With HN

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I FACILITIES
1 Training Areas
a. Maneuver Areas (Size)
b. Small Arms Ranges
c. Miscellaneous
2 Office Space
a. Total Area Required
b. Breakdown By Type
3 Billeting Requirement
a. Officer
b. NCO
c. Other Ranks
d. Latrines
e. Showers
4 Maintenance Facilities
a. Aircraft (Not On Airfield)
b. Communication Equipment
c. Vehicles
5 Storage facilities
a. Warehouses
b. Outdoors (Covered)
c. Outdoors (Open)
d. Maint related (Spare Parts)
e. Materiel-handling equipment
f. Bulk POL storage
g. Ammo Storage
6 Medical / Dental Facility
a. Medical Facility (Role & Capacities)
b. Dental Facility (Capacity)
c. MEDEVAC Routing
7 Pier / Dock Facilities
a. Capacity
b. Pier / Dock-side Storage
c. Refuelling
d. Maintenance Area
e. Trans haul from Pier / Dock via Road
or Rail
8 Marshalling Areas
9 Holding Areas

J CONSTRUCTION
1 Inactive LOC Facilities
a. Planned Modifications to Facilities

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b. Ongoing Modifications to Facilities

2 Activated LOC Facilities
a. Facilities & Utilities Construction &
Repair
b. Erection of Portable Facilities
c. Protective Berms
d. Living Accommodation
e. Office / Ops / Maint Facilities
3 Activate & Maintain a LOC facility / utility

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Lexicon AJP-4.3

Lexicon
Part I – Acronyms and abbreviations
The lexicon contains acronyms / abbreviations and terms / definitions relevant to Allied
Joint Publication-4.3(A). A definitive and more comprehensive list of abbreviations is in
NATOTerm.

AAP allied administrative publication

ACO Allied Command Operations
ACT Allied Command Transformation
AJMedP allied joint medical publication
AJP allied joint publication
ALP allied logistic publication
AMovP allied movement publication
ATP allied tactical publication

B/GSA base / garrison support arrangement

Bi-SC of the two strategic commands

C2 command and control

CBRN chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
CIS communications and information system
CMI civil-military interaction
CIMIC civil-military cooperation
CONOPS concept of operations
COPD comprehensive operations planning directive
COR concept of requirements
CRD commander required date
CSO contractor support to operations

EP environmental protection
ESMRM explosive safety and munitions risk management
EXOPORD exercise operation order

FAP Further Additional Protocol

FP force protection

HQ headquarters
HN host nation
HNS host-nation support
HNSA host-nation support arrangement
HNS JSC host-nation support joint steering committee
HNS CC host-nation support coordination cell

IMHQ international military headquarters

JFC joint force command

JIA joint implementation arrangement

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AJP-4.3 Lexicon

JLSG joint logistics support group

JTF joint task force
JSEC joint support and enablement command

LN lead nation
LO liaison officer
LOGREP logistic report

MC Military Committee
MNDDP multinational detailed deployment plan
MoU memorandum of understanding
MP military police
MRO military response option
MSR main supply routes

NAC North Atlantic Council

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NCS NATO Command Structure
NDDP national detailed deployment plan
NFIU NATO force integration unit
NFS NATO force structure
NMCC national movement coordination centre
NMR national military representative
NSE national support element
NSO NATO Standardization Office

OPLAN operation plan

OPP operations planning process

PfP Partnership for Peace

POC point of contact

RFI request for information

RMSD rearward movement, staging and dispatch
RSOM reception, staging, onward movement

SACEUR Supreme Allied Commander Europe

SACT Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation
SHAPE Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
SME subject matter expert
SN sending nation
SOFA status of forces agreement
SOI statement of intent
SOR statement of requirements
SSC single service command
STANAG standardization agreement (NATO)

TA technical arrangement

UN United Nations

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Part II – Terms and definitions

civil-military cooperation
A joint function comprising a set of capabilities integral to supporting the achievement
of mission objectives and enabling NATO commands to participate effectively in a
broad spectrum of civil-military interaction with diverse non-military actors.
(NATO agreed)

command
1. The authority vested in a member of the armed forces for the direction,
coordination, and control of military forces.
2. An order given by a commander; that is, the will of the commander expressed for
the purpose of bringing about a particular action.
3. A unit, group of units, organization, or area under the authority of a single individual.
4. To dominate an area or situation.
5. To exercise command.
(NATO agreed)

doctrine
Fundamental principles by which the military forces guide their actions in support of
objectives. It is authoritative but requires judgment in application.
(NATO agreed)

host nation
A nation which, by agreement:
a. receives forces and materiel of NATO or other nations operating on / from or
transiting through its territory;
b. allows materiel and / or NATO organizations to be located on its territory; and /
or
c. provides support for these purposes.
(NATO agreed)

host-nation support
Civil and military assistance rendered in peace, crisis or war by a host nation to NATO
and / or other forces and NATO organizations that are located on, operating on / from
or in transit through the host nation’s territory.
(NATO agreed)

joint implementation arrangement

In this document a JIA is follow-on documents to the statement of requirements which
establish the commitment between the participants concerning the provision and
receipt of HNS. JIA contain the most detailed information on the required and offered
support, the site-specific procedures to implement the support arrangements, and the
reimbursement details and they are considered as the only legally binding document

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AJP-4.3 Lexicon

in the NATO HNS planning process.

(this term an definition only applies to this publication)

joint operations area

A temporary area within a theatre of operations defined by the Supreme Allied
Commander Europe, in which a designated joint force commander plans and executes
a specific mission at the operational level.
(NATO agreed).

logistics
The science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of forces.
In its most comprehensive sense, those aspects of military operations which deal with:
a. design and development, acquisition, storage, movement, distribution,
maintenance, evacuation, and disposition of materiel;
b. transport of personnel;
c. acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and disposition of facilities;
d. acquisition or furnishing of services; and
e. medical and health service support.
(NATO agreed)

memorandum of understanding
Within the context of host-nation support, a written overarching bilateral or multilateral
agreed document which implies an intent or responsibility to support allied forces and
organisations. It is normally signed between strategic commands and / or a sending
nation and a host nation. It provides the mutually agreed military-political basis for the
development of subordinate implementing documents.
(As defined in MC 334/2 NATO Principles and Policies for Host-Nation Support)

multinational joint operation

An operation carried out by forces of two or more nations, in which elements of at least
two services participate. (NATO agreed)

national support element

Any national organization or activity that primarily supports national forces that are part
of that NATO force. Note: A national support element is under the operational control
of its national authorities and not formally part of a NATO force.
(NATO agreed)

operation order
A directive issued by a commander to subordinate commanders for the purpose of
coordinating the execution of an operation.
(NATO agreed)

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operation plan
A plan for a single or series of connected operations to be carried out simultaneously
or in succession.
Notes:
1. It is the form of directive employed by higher authority to permit subordinate
commanders to prepare supporting plans and orders.
2. The designation ‘plan’ is usually used instead of ‘order’ in preparing for operations
well in advance.
3. An operation plan may be put into effect at a prescribed time, or on signal, and
then becomes the operation order.
(NATO agreed)

sending nation
A nation deploying its forces, supplies and / or national components of multinational
forces and requesting the use of host nation logistic and other support during transit
through or employment on the host nation’s territory.
(NATO agreed)

support
The action of a force, or portion thereof, which aids, protects, complements, or
sustains any other force.
(NATO agreed)

NATO standardization agreement

A NATO standardization document that specifies the agreement of member nations to
implement a standard, in whole or in part, with or without reservation, in order to meet
an interoperability requirement. Note: A NATO standardization agreement is distinct
from the standard(s) it covers.
(NATO agreed)

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AJP-4.3(A)(1)