The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a NATO force of troops that specialize and is designed for swift responses to threats to NATO. The forces including land, sea, air and special operation forces components are equipped to deal with operations ranging from boarding suspect ships to delivering humanitarian aid to earthquake stricken countries. At full capacity, the NRF at can number up to 25,000 troops.
Most NATO functions are paid on a "costs lie where they fall" basis meaning that the member NATO nation contributing troops or equipment pay for their own expenses. The NRF however operates on a Fair Funding principle in which all nations pay the NRF's expenses including NATO members that contribute no troops to the NRF.
The North Atlantic Council is responsible for making the decisions on what missions and operations the NRF will preform.
In its short history the NRF has executed two operations. Its first was in September, 2005 when it responded to Hurricane Katrina with humanitarian aid.[1] The second mission was providing disaster relief[2] to Pakistan in January, 2006.