NORFOLK, VA - Work on the expansion of NATO's Allied Command Transformation was completed on November 15th, 2016, with a ribbon cutting Ceremony performed by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, French Air Force General Denis Mercier.
As the only NATO Headquarters in the United States this project is a symbol of NATO’s enduring trans-Atlantic link between Europe and North America.
General Mercier notes, “the first impression of the Headquarters is important for our visitors and this work will certainly ensure that our future visitors see the professional standards of this Headquarters; but we must also take pride in what we do here as well as in our surrounding.”
NATO has retained a headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia since 1952, when the maritime-focused Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic was formed. The headquarters changed direction following a NATO review after the attacks of 9/11 and became the Allied Command Transformation in 2003.
“The presence of NATO in North America is vital to the Alliance. A strong NATO is good for North America and Europe and the maintenance of the Transatlantic link within NATO is one of the key aims of my headquarters”, said General Mercier.
The renovation commenced in April 2012, following the award of the $32.5M contract to the US Company Tetra Tech Tesoro in December 2011. The extensive renovations have included the construction of two new wings as additions to the existing iconic building, the construction of new buildings housing National Liaison Representatives and the facilities and transportation departments, as well as the construction of new parking lots, roadways and the final piece of work, the new entrance.
Situated in Norfolk, Virginia since 1952, NATO's Allied Command Transformation (previously Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic) is the only NATO command in the United States and contributes $100 million annually to the US economy. The headquarters comprises 750 military and civilian personnel, representing 26 of NATO's 28 nations, along with eight partner nations.