Subseries IPT - Formal documents of the International Planning Team of the Standing Group (IPT)

The Standing Group (hereinafter referred to as the SG) had an internal structure of technical and consultative committees (see SGM-1702-53). The International Planning Team (IPT) was one of these.Under its terms of reference (IPT/9/5/D), revised on 11 March 1957 (SGWM-175-57), the IPT consisted of three national teams, one for each nation represented in the SG (France, the United Kingdom and the United States). Each national team was in turn divided into three cells. The functions of each cell were determined by their nation. Their field of activity was always the same. The IPT met at the level of national representatives about once a week, usually at the SG headquarters. IPT meetings were attended by the Chairman (French, British or American, by turns), three representatives (one for each IPT nation), military personnel invited for the specific subject under discussion (often from the MRC) and the IPT Secretary. The IPT's mission was to study and present proposals to the SG on a wide range of military issues (strategy, defence planning, force assessment, yearly review, training) and also administrative issues (organization of SG agencies, personnel management, etc). In total, the IPT examined 244 issues between 1952 and 1964. The IPT worked under the instructions of the SG (communicated by the SG secretariat in the form of a directive). This directive was first discussed by the secretariat and the delegations of the three IPT nations. It was then passed on to one of these nations for consideration. The topic could be dealt with on a permanent or case-by-case basis. When appropriate, the IPT could consult the Military Representatives Committee (MRC) and work together with one or several other technical or consultative committees of the SG. The IPT could suggest a new subject of study to the Steering Committee or to the Standing Group. It reported to the SG and also kept the SG secretariat and the MRC informed. Following a reorganization which was approved in 1963 and became effective in 1964, apart from the Standing Group and its three working teams, all the subordinate groups (including the IPT) were opened up to the other NATO member nations (see MC 2/2-final and MCM-114-63). The Standing Group and all its subordinate groups (including the IPT) were abolished in July 1966 after France decided to withdraw from the integrated military structure (see MCM-90-66(REV) and GF(66)D-27).