USAF Patch Cmd USAFE 6 ATAF Allied Tactical Air Force Izmir Turkey

USAF Patch USAFE 6 ATAF Allied Tactical Air Force HQ Patch Izmir Turkey 1990s fully embroidered Turkish made cut edge Large 95mm by 72mm three and three quarter inches by two and seven eighths inches.

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Command History

6 Allied Tactical Air Force 6 ATAF was a NATO Air Headquarters based at Izmir Air Station Turkey commanded by a USAF officer ComAirSouth Commander Air South was under the overall command of NATOs Allied Air Forces Southern Europe at Allied Forces Southern Europe AFSOUTH headquartered at Naples Italy.  

6 ATAF provided air support to Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe and was tasked with planning executing and supporting air operations deterring aggression and ensuring peace stability security and the territorial integrity of NATOs southern region member states.

Allied Forces Southern Europe established in 1951 was one of two major NATO commands in the Mediterranean area, the other being Allied Forces Mediterranean based on Malta responsible for naval activities in the region. When Greece and Turkey joined NATO in early 1952 Allied Forces Southern Europe created a new allied land sub-command Allied Land Forces South-Eastern Europe LANDSOUTHEAST with headquarters based in Izmir Turkey under US command and supported by 6 ATAF. Allied Forces Mediterranean was disbanded on 5 June 1967 and all forces in the south and the Mediterranean assigned to AFSOUTH.

NATOs reorganization of the allied military structure adapted for the new threats increased coalition warfare increased flexibility and a much wider range of missions led to the replacement of Allied Forces Southern Europe AFSOUTH with Allied Joint Force Command JFC Naples activated 15 March 2004 for operations stretching from the Azores and Canary Islands to eastern Turkey. 6 ATAF was replaced by Allied Air Component Command Izmir CC-Air Izmir on 11 August 2004.

This patch dates from the 1990s.