The NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs)

NATO Force Integration Units

As part of NATO’s adaptation to security challenges from the east and the south, the Alliance is opening six Force Integration Units in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. This follows a decision taken at the Wales Summit in September 2014 as part of NATO’s Readiness Action Plan: a comprehensive package of measures designed to respond to the changed security environment on the Alliance’s borders.

The NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) have been active as of September 1, 2015. They are expected to be fully operational

ahead of the Warsaw Summit in 2016. The NFIUs are based in Sofia (Bulgaria), Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia),

Vilnius (Lithuania), Bydgoszcz (Poland) and Bucharest (Romania).

NATO’s core task is to keep Allies safe. These small headquarters represent a visible and persistent NATO presence in

these six Allies. All NATO steps to reinforce collective defence and increase its readiness are defensive, proportionate

and in line with our international commitments

What will these NFIUs do? These small headquarters will help facilitate the rapid deployment of Allied forces to the Eastern part of the Alliance, support collective defence planning and assist in coordinating training and exercises. They are not military bases. The NFIUs are a vital link between national forces and forces of other NATO Allies. They will also work with host nations to identify logistical networks, transportation routes and supporting infrastructure to ensure that NATO’s high-readiness forces can deploy to the region as quickly as possible and work together effectively to help keep our nations safe. 

The NFIUs are part of NATO’s readiness action plan These small headquarters are part of the biggest reinforcement of NATO’s collective defence since the end of the Cold War. At the Wales Summit in September 2014, Allied leaders approved the Readiness Action Plan: a comprehensive package of measures to respond to the changed security environment on NATO’s borders. The activation of the NFIUs demonstrates that the implementation of the Readiness Action Plan is on track and on time. NATO is also increasing the speed and strength of its rapid-reaction forces, which will consist of up to 40,000 troops. Their core is the Spearhead Force, whose lead elements will be able to start operating in as little as 48 hours. NATO has also made its decision-making quicker and more effective. And it is setting up a new logistics headquarters, to help move troops across the Alliance more quickly when needed.