CENTAG wartime structure in 1989


The Central Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Army Corps from two NATO member nations comprising troops from Canada, West Germany and the United States. During the Cold War, CENTAG was NATO's forward defence in the southern half of the Federal Republic of Germany. The northern half of the FRG was defended by the four Army Corps of NATO's Northern Army Group. During wartime, CENTAG would command four frontline corps. Air support was provided by Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force.
In addition to these forces, the French Forces in Germany were associated with the Army Group. In 1966, France had withdrawn from the NATO Command Structure, but it still wished to take part in the defence of Western Europe. A series of secret US-French agreements made between NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the French Chief of the Defence Staff detailed how French forces would reintegrate into the NATO Command Structure in case of war. At the outbreak of hostilities, the French First Army would be placed directly under the command of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, which would employ the three corps' of First Army as needed. Three armored divisions of the First Army were based within Germany and held yearly maneuvers with their allies to train for the moment French units would be committed to CENTAG.
The complete wartime structure of CENTAG in the fall of 1989 at the end of the Cold War follows below:

56th Field Artillery Command

The 56th Field Artillery Command was organized to always report directly to the highest commander in Europe at the time. Therefore, during peacetime, they reported to the United States Army, Europe, whereas, during heightened tension or war, command passed to NATO, with Allied Air Forces Central Europe as the next higher headquarters. The Pershing systems were eliminated after the ratification of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on 27 May 1988. The missiles began to be withdrawn in October 1988 and the last of the missiles were destroyed by the static burn of their motors and subsequently crushed in May 1991 at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant near Caddo Lake, Texas.
The army's 32nd Army Air Defense Command fell operationally under Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force.

1st Canadian Division

note 1: In case of war approximately 1,400 men from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group would have been sent to Germany to bring 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group to full wartime strength.

note 2: Each of 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group's mechanized battalions fielded the following equipment: 2x M577, 65x M113, 11x Lynx, 18x M113 TUA with TOW, 24x M125 with a 81mm mortar.

III German Corps

note 3: during peacetime the 1st Airborne Division had oversight over the 25th, 26th and 27th Airborne brigades, which during wartime fell under the command of the three corps' of the Bundeswehr.

note 4: the 1st Airborne Division kept a fully functional and equipped general staff ready to be deployed with ACE Mobile Force .

10th Panzer Division