Italy has been given the leadership of NATO’s Joint Force Command Naples, a major military position that covers NATO’s southern defence area. This change is part of a shift in how NATO shares responsibilities among its member countries, and it shows that European countries will take a bigger role in protecting the alliance.
The decision was agreed by NATO members on February 6, 2026, when they approved a new distribution of senior officer duties in the NATO Command Structure. Under this new plan, Italy will lead the Naples command, and other European allies will also lead two other major NATO commands.
Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) is one of NATO’s four-star operational headquarters. It is based in Lago Patria near Naples in Italy and plays a key role in planning and leading military operations that affect the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and parts of North Africa and the Middle East.
With this change, all three of NATO’s main Joint Force Commands, which handle crisis and conflict planning, will be led by European nations. The United Kingdom will lead the Joint Force Command Norfolk, and Germany and Poland will control the Joint Force Command Brunssum.
At the same time, the United States will keep an important role in NATO. It will continue to lead key operational commands that cover NATO’s air, navy, and land forces. The U.S. will also continue as Supreme Allied Commander Europe, which remains the top military position in NATO’s military.
Experts say this change does not mean the U.S. is leaving NATO. Instead, it shows that European member nations are taking greater responsibility for their shared defence with the United States. This helps share military leadership between America and Europe.
JFC Naples is important because it is in a key place for NATO to protect Europe and nearby regions. From its base in Italy, the command helps manage security concerns in the Mediterranean and nearby regions. This includes planning for crises, working with partner nations, and making sure NATO forces are ready to respond any action.
By giving Italy control of this command, NATO members know that Italy has worked with them for a long time. Italy has helped NATO and hosted NATO forces for many years, and its location in the Mediterranean makes it a natural choice for leading the southern command.
This steps also shows how NATO is adjusting to a world where safety problems are different in each region. The southern area, which includes the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East, has different issues than the eastern part of NATO. NATO leaders think that letting a European country lead the Naples command will help focus on these problems better. It will make planning and protecting the southern region easier and more effective.
Political leaders in Europe have welcomed this change as a sign that European allies are ready to take on more roles in the defence of the alliance. At the same time, NATO officials say that NATO remains united and that shared defence and cooperation continue to be at the heart of the alliance.
Italy will start leading the Naples command slowly, step by step, as NATO change officers and shares duties. This is a new chapter for how NATO runs its military work. It also shows that NATO trusts European countries to lead important parts of its operations. Europe is now taking a bigger role while still working together with all NATO members.
This new command arrangement aims to keep NATO strong, united, and ready to face challenges in different parts of the world, with European members playing key role in shared defence while maintaining strong cooperation with the United States.