NATO’s decades-old war room headquarters in Mons, Belgium, is finally getting a long-overdue upgrade. Known as SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), the complex has been the heart of NATO’s strategic operations since 1967. But after nearly 60 years of service, it’s showing its age and not in a charming way. Starting in May 2026, construction will begin on a modern facility designed to meet the alliance’s evolving needs, with the new headquarters expected to be fully operational by 2030. The existing site, which was built quickly after NATO’s relocation from France, was only ever meant to be temporary. Yet, it’s continued to serve as the brain of NATO’s military planning, particularly for deterrence and defence strategies against Russia.
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Features at the upgraded NATO War Room
The contrast between SHAPE and NATO’s main headquarters in Brussels couldn’t be more stark. While diplomats and top brass up north enjoy the amenities of a €1 billion high-tech building, complete with a gym and shopping centre, those at SHAPE are still working in outdated conditions,relying on infrastructure built for a very different era. The push for a new facility gained real traction in December last year, when NATO members finally approved funding after a decade of planning. Acording to a NATO spokesperson, the current complex “has exceeded its life expectancy” and can no longer support the demands of modern military operations. The new facility, estimated to cost €800 million, will bring SHAPE in line with today’s technological and security standards.
But the €800 million is just the beginning. Additional costs, including a new communications and information system priced around €110 million, as well as expenses for transition efforts, parking, and other support infrastructure, are still being tallied. The shift to the new facility isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about rethinking how SHAPE operates. “It involves adapting SHAPE’s processes and procedures to take full advantage of the modern infrastructure,” said the spokesperson. This transition phase alone could take up to two years, as the command centre reshapes not only its physical space but also its internal workflows.
Project Overview
Location: Mons, Belgium
Project cost: €1 billion
Project scope: approximately 132,000 m²
Sections: Core Business Building and the Admin Building
If all goes according to plan, the Belgian authorities aim to complete construction by May 2030. However, the full transformation, including the demolition of the old buildings and the creation of additional support areas like parking, isnt expected to wrap up until May 2033. After decades of making do, NATO’s military planners in Wallonia are finally getting the command centre they need to meet today’s global challenges.
