The Central Army Group (CENTAG) 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 (FRG). The northern half of the FRG was defended by the four Army Corps of NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). During wartime, CENTAG would command four frontline corps (II German, III German, V US, and VII US).
Air support for CENTAG would have been provided by Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (FOURATAF). In peacetime, the U.S. Army's 32nd Army Air Defense Command was administratively part of U.S. Army Europe; if mobilization had occurred, plans called for it to be operationally controlled by FOURATAF.
In addition to these forces, the French Forces in Germany (made up of the 1st Army Corps and 2nd Army Corps) 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 In 1966, France had withdrawn from the NATO Command Structure, but it still wished to take part in the defence of Western Europe.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, the Ailleret-Lemnitzer Agreements, made between NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the French Chief of the Defence Staff detailed how French forces would reintegrate into the NATO Command Structure in case of war. 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 (see also: Structure of the French Army in 1989).
The estimated wartime structure of CENTAG in the fall of 1989 at the end of the Cold War follows below. The main source for U.S. entries is
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, it 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 The missiles began to be withdrawn in October 1988 and the last of the missiles were destroyed by the static burn of their motors and subsequently crushed in May 1991 at the Longhorn Army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.
56th Field Artillery Command, Schwäbisch Gmünd Headquarters & Headquarters Battery 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, Neu-Ulm, (36 × Pershing II - converting to 27 × M270 MLRS - inactivated 30 June 1991) 2nd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, Schwäbisch Gmünd, (36 × Pershing II - inactivated 25 February 1991) 4th Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, Neckarsulm, (36 × Pershing II - inactivated 15 August 1990) 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry, Neu-Ulm 38th Signal Battalion, Schwäbisch Gmünd 55th Support Battalion, Neu-Ulm 193rd Aviation Company, Göppingen, (8 × UH-1H Iroquois)
HQ CENTAG 7th US Army HQ, Heidelberg, FRG 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Bad Tölz 7th Support Command, Rheinberg 3rd Battalion, 58th Aviation (Air Traffic Control), Schwäbisch Hall Company E, 58th Aviation (Air Traffic Control), Mannheim-Sandhofen 207th Aviation Company, Heidelberg, (7 × C-12, 10 × UH-1H, 2 × UH-60A) 7th Army Training Command, Grafenwöhr, (3 × UH-1H) 7th Medical Command, Heidelberg 30th Medical Group, Ludwigsburg, (Assigned to VII Corps) 68th Medical Group, Wiesbaden, (Assigned to V Corps) 421st Medical Evacuation Battalion, Nellingen-Stuttgart 45th Medical Company, Nellingen-Stuttgart (15 × UH-60A) 159th Medical Company, Darmstadt (15 × UH-60A) Det 1. Lemwerder 236th Medical Company, Landstuhl (15 × UH-60A) Det 1. Grafenwöhr Det 2. Giebelstadt
18th Engineer Brigade 18th Engineer Brigade, Karlsruhe Headquarters and Headquarters Company 79th Engineer Battalion, Karlsruhe, (8 × M60 AVLB, 8 × M728, 4 × M88, 12 × MAB bridge modules) 94th Engineer Battalion, Darmstadt, (8 × M60 AVLB, 8 × M728, 4 × M88, 12 × MAB bridge modules) 249th Engineer Battalion, Knielingen, (8 × M60 AVLB, 8 × M728, 4 × M88, 12 × MAB bridge modules) 293rd Engineer Battalion, Baumholder, (8 × M60 AVLB, 8 × M728, 4 × M88, 12 × MAB bridge modules) 649th Engineer Battalion (Topographic), Schwetzingen
1st Canadian Division 1 Canadian Division (Forward)note 1, Canadian Forces Base Lahr, FRG 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, CFB Lahr, FRG 4 CMBG Headquarters & Signal Squadron, CFB Lahr 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's), CFB Lahr (77 × Leopard C1, 20 × Lynx, 36 × M113, 2 × M577, 6 × Bergepanzer) 1er Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment, CFB Lahrnote 2 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, CFB Baden-Söllingennote 2 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, CFB Lahr, (2 × M577, 26 × M109A4, 46 × M113, 24 × M548 4 Combat Engineer Regiment, CFB Lahr (2 × M577, 9 × Badger AEV, 14 × M113, 6 × M548, 6 × Biber bridgelayer) 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (detached from 1 Canadian Air Division), CFB Lahr (CH136 Kiowa, UH1N) 4 Service Battalion, CFB Lahr (4 × M113, 2 × Bergepanzer, 6 × MTV-R) 4 Field Ambulance, CFB Lahr 4 Military Police Platoon, CFB Lahr 127 Air Defence Battery (detached from 4 Air Defence Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery), CFB Lahr (12 × ADATS, 15 × Javelin, 5 × M113) 5 Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada, CFB Valcartiernote 3 5e GBMC Quartier général et escadron de transmissions 12e Régiment blindé du Canada, (38 × Cougar, 23 × Lynx) 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, (48 × M113, 11 × Lynx) 2e Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment, (48 × Grizzly, 11 × Lynx) 3e Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, (48 × Grizzly, 11 × Lynx) 5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada, (2 × M577, 25 × M109A4, 46 × M113, 24 × M548) 5e Régiment du génie de combat 430e Escadron tactique d'hélicoptères, (CH136 Kiowa, UH1N) 5 Service Battalion 5 Field Ambulance 5 Military Police Platoon
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: 2 × M577, 65 × M113, 11 × Lynx, 18 × M113 TUA with TOW, 24 × M125 with a 81mm mortar. note 3: This brigade had formed the Canadian Air-Sea Transportable Brigade Group and would in wartime have supported NATO forces in Norway. In case of war, Canada thus would have had to support one brigade each in two far apart theatres of war. In 1987, the Canadian government therefore decided to make 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group a wartime support for the German theatre, bringing its contribution there to division strength.Challegen and Commitment: A Defence Policy for Canada p. 60-65
III German Corps
III German Corps, Koblenz Staff Company, III German Corps, Koblenz 300th Long Range Reconnaissance Company, Diez 300th Front Intelligence Company, Diez 4 × Field Replacement Battalions: 310th and 330th in Diez, 320th in Buch, 340th in Saarlouis 3rd Artillery Command, Koblenz Staff Company, 3rd Artillery Command, Koblenz 350th Rocket Artillery Battalion, Montabaur (6 × Lance missile launcher) 320th Nuclear Weapons Supply Battalion, Herborn 300th Security Battalion, Giessen 300th UAV Battery, Idar-Oberstein 3rd Engineer Command, Koblenz Staff Company, 3rd Engineer Command, Koblenz 310th Combat Engineer Battalion, Koblenz, (8 × Biber AVLB, 8 × Pionierpanzer 1, 4 × Skorpion Mine Layers, 12 × Floating Bridge Modules) 320th Combat Engineer Battalion, Koblenz, (8 × Biber AVLB, 8 × Pionierpanzer 1, 4 × Skorpion Mine Layers, 12 × Floating Bridge Modules) 330th Amphibious Engineer Battalion, Speyer 340th Combat Engineer Battalion (Reserve), Emmerzhausen, (8 × Biber AVLB, 8 × Pionierpanzer 1, 4 × Skorpion Mine Layers, 12 × Floating Bridge Modules) 350th Combat Engineer Battalion (Reserve), Stadtallendorf, (8 × Biber AVLB, 8 × Pionierpanzer 1, 4 × Skorpion Mine Layers, 12 × Floating Bridge Modules) 360th Floating Bridge Battalion, Speyer 310th NBC Defense Battalion (Reserve), Zweibrücken 3rd Air Defense Command, Koblenz Staff Company, 3rd Air Defense Command, Koblenz 300th Air Defense Regiment, Marburg (36 × Roland missile systems mounted Marder 1) 330th Air Defense Battalion (Reserve), Marburg, (24 × Bofors 40L70) 340th Air Defense Battalion (Reserve), Marburg, (24 × Bofors 40L70) 3rd Army Aviation Command, Mendig Staff Company, 3rd Army Aviation Command, Mendig, (15 × BO-105M) 30th Army Aviation Regiment, Niederstetten, (48 × UH-1D, 5 × Alouette II) 35th Army Aviation Regiment, Mendig, (32 × CH-53G, 5 × Alouette II) 36th Army Aviation Regiment, Fritzlar, (56 × PAH-1, 5 × Alouette II) 300th Army Aviation Squadron (Reserve), Mendig 3rd Signal Command, Koblenz Staff Company, 3rd Signal Command, Koblenz 310th Signal Battalion, Koblenz 320th Signal Battalion, Frankenberg 330th Signal Battalion, Koblenz 3rd Maintenance Command, Koblenz Staff Company, 3rd Maintenance Command, Koblenz 310th Maintenance Battalion, Koblenz 320th Maintenance Battalion, Koblenz 330th Maintenance Battalion (Reserve), Koblenz 3rd Supply Command, Diez Staff Company, 3rd Supply Command, Diez 310th Supply Battalion, Diez 370th Transport Battalion, Hermeskeil 380th Transport Battalion, Buch 3rd Medical Command, Koblenz Staff Company, 3rd Medical Command, Koblenz 310th Medical Battalion (Reserve), Buch 320th Medical Battalion (Reserve), Giessen 330th Medical Transport Battalion, Wetzlar
2nd Panzergrenadier Division 2nd Panzergrenadier Division, Kassel Staff Company, 2nd Panzergrenadier Division, Kassel 4th Panzergrenadier Brigade, Göttingen Staff Company, 4th Panzergrenadier Brigade, Göttingen, (8 × M577, 8 × Luchs) 41st Panzergrenadier Battalion, Göttingen, (13 × Leopard 1A1A1, 24 × Marder, 12 × M113) 42nd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Kassel, (24 × Marder, 6 × Panzermörser, 23 × M113) 43rd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Göttingen, (24 × Marder, 6 × Panzermörser, 23 × M113) 44th Panzer Battalion, Göttingen (41 × Leopard 1A1A1, 12 × M113) 45th Panzer Artillery Battalion, Göttingen, (18 × M109A3G) 40th Anti-Tank Company, Kassel, (12 × Jaguar 2) 40th Armored Engineer Company, Kassel 40th Supply Company, Fuldatal 40th Maintenance Company, Göttingen 5th Panzergrenadier Brigade, Homberg Staff Company, 5th Panzergrenadier Brigade, Homberg, (8 × M577, 8 × Luchs) 51st Panzergrenadier Battalion, Homberg, (13 × Leopard 1A5, 24 × Marder, 12 × M113) 52nd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Rotenburg an der Fulda, (24 × Marder, 6 × Panzermörser, 23 × M113) 53rd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Fritzlar, (24 × Marder, 6 × Panzermörser, 23 × M113) 54th Panzer Battalion, Hessisch Lichtenau, (41 × Leopard 1A5, 12 × M113) 55th Panzer Artillery Battalion, Homberg, (18 × M109A3G) 50th Anti-Tank Company, Homberg, (12 × Jaguar 2) 50th Armored Engineer Company, Fritzlar 50th Supply Company, Homberg 50th Maintenance Company, Homberg 6th Panzer Brigade, Hofgeismar Staff Company, 6th Panzer Brigade, Hofgeismar, (8 × M577, 8 × Luchs) 61st Panzer Battalion, Arolsen, (28 × Leopard 2A3, 11 × Marder, 12 × M113) 62nd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Wolfhagen, (35 × Marder, 6 × Panzermörser, 12 × M113) 63rd Panzer Battalion, Arolsen, (41 × Leopard 2A3, 12 × M113) 64th Panzer Battalion, Wolfhagen, (41 × Leopard 2A3, 12 × M113) 65th Panzer Artillery Battalion, Arolsen, (18 × M109A3G) 60th Anti-Tank Company, Arolsen, (12 × Jaguar 1) 60th Armored Engineer Company, Münden 60th Supply Company, Fuldatal 60th Maintenance Company, Hofgeismar 2nd Artillery Regiment, Kassel Staff Battery, 2nd Artillery Regiment, Kassel 21st Field Artillery Battalion, Schwalmstadt, (18 × M110A2, 18 × FH-70) 22nd Rocket Artillery Battalion, Schwalmstadt, (16 × LARS, 16 × MLRS)