Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
	Coat of arms
Founded	1951
Part of	North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Location	Mons, Belgium; 50°30′01.6″N 3°58′59.7″E / 50.500444°N 3.983250°E
Motto(s)	"Vigilia Pretium Libertatis" (Latin); "Vigilance is the Price of Liberty"
Website	www.shape.nato.int
Commanders
Commander	General Christopher G. Cavoli, United States Army
Deputy Commander	Admiral Sir Keith Blount, Royal Navy
Chief of Staff	Admiral Joachim Rühle, German Navy
Insignia
Standard

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the military headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) that commands all NATO operations worldwide. SHAPE is situated in the village of Casteau, near Mons, Belgium.^[1]

ACO's and SHAPE's commander is titled Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and is always a U.S. four-star general officer or flag officer who also serves as Commander, U.S. European Command.

From 1951 to 2003, SHAPE was the headquarters of Allied Command Europe (ACE). Since 2003 SHAPE has been the headquarters of ACO, controlling NATO also outside Europe. Even though the geographical scope of its activities was extended, SHAPE retained its traditional name with reference to Europe.^[2]

^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 241. ISBN 9780850451634.
^ Pedlow, Evolution of NATO's Command Structure 1951-2009.

[1] Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 241. ISBN 9780850451634.

[PedlowNATO-2] Pedlow, Evolution of NATO's Command Structure 1951-2009.

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