Ever since the NATO Prague summit in late 2002, NATO has fundamentally changed. This change can be witnessed by the addition of new members and the transformation of the alliance that has strengthened its deterrence posture. As an intrinsic part of the transformation process training has had a major part to play and this role will only continue in the coming years.
In 2024, NATO celebrated its 75th anniversary following the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949. Initially comprising 12 founder members, today the alliance has grown to embrace 32 countries that are referred to as NATO Allies. In a complex world, NATO’s mission is quite simply, “to safeguard the freedom and security of all of its members.” A simple mission in theory but one that has grown in complexity since the fall of the Iron Curtain.
If deterrence fails, then conflict is the likely outcome. In a multipolar world and a world where great power competition is growing, the military strength and efficacy of NATO becomes ever more critical. The 32 NATO Allies must work, deploy and seamlessly operate together to provide a credible response to third-party aggression. The key to achieving that goal is both political and military. Politically, individual nations should have fully funded and equipped armed forces and a clear willingness to use them. Militarily, NATO Allies must be well trained and use common techniques, tactics and procedures (TTPs) where appropriate.
Considering purely the military aspects, NATO has three main methods by which to train its troops: exercises, deployments, and the use of NATO schools and Centres of Excellence (COE). Although this feature will concentrate on the education and training options provided by schools and COE, it is worth briefly mentioning exercises and deployments because as well as providing opportunities for military training, they are increasingly being used to send political messages to potential foes, chief of which is the Russian Federation.
An example of this ‘exercise messaging’ could be seen during exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, which involved over 90,000 troops from all 32 NATO Allies. The main exercise encompassed a number of smaller exercises such as Saber Strike 24 that took place in Poland’s Bemowo Piskie training area and involved troops from Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and the US.
Speaking before the exercise, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen Christopher Cavoli said that, “Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our unity, strength and determination to protect each other, our values and the rules-based international order.”
This message was clearly reinforced during Saber Strike with the final phase seeing participants deploying to defensive positions in the Suwalki Gap, the corridor of land between Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. In early 2025, NATO troops forming the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) deployed to reinforce Bulgaria and Romania as part of Exercise Steadfast Dart. It is clear then that NATO takes deterrence very seriously and is keen to advertise its defensive capabilities to antagonists such as Russia.
This Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) posture is also reflected in NATO’s deployments to the Baltic states and Poland as well as Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. Such deployments provide an ideal opportunity to conduct training at national and coalition levels.
Schools & training centres
Before looking at the NATO COE structure, mention should be made of the NATO School in Oberammergau (NSO), the Joint Forces Training Centre (JFTC) and the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC). Like the COE, these organisations come into the bailiwick of Allied Command Transformation (ACT) that is based in Norfolk, Virginia and is one of two strategic commands in NATO; the other being Allied Command Operations (ACO).
ACT was created following the reorganisation of NATO’s military command structure following the 2002 NATO Summit in Prague and became responsible for, “transforming NATO into a more efficient and balanced organisation that was better able to face new global challenges through improved training and a greater emphasis on interoperability.” The way to achieve this transformation was recognised as improving training through the cross-fertilisation of ideas and knowledge.
In essence, ACT has four major functions: the development of strategic thinking; the development of capabilities; education, training and exercises; and finally, cooperation and engagement. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the NSO. Formed in March 1953, the NSO hosts some 10,000 students and conference attendees every year. Around 115 different courses are offered that cover six main areas: intelligence, cooperative security, joint operations, joint planning, protection and non-commissioned officer (NCO) programmes. As well as residential courses, NSO offers advanced distance learning opportunities as well as deploying staff as part of Mobile Education and Training Teams (METT) to deliver training in Allied Partner countries.
Turning to the Bydgoszcz, Poland-based JFTC, this organisation’s role is neatly summarised in its motto to lead, ‘Transformation Through Training’. It provides joint pre-deployment training to support current operations and future requirements, and by offering a platform for experimentation, testing, and interoperability. Its focus is on tactical level operations. Currently with a staff of 170 soldiers and civilians that represent 22 NATO Allied countries, JFTC is organised into a Command Group which is responsible for three divisions: Training and Exercise; Training and Exercise Enabling; and HQ Support that together, provide live collective training.
Another major initiative developed by ACT is its development of wargames. Unlike CAX, wargames provides what JWC refer to as, “a highly responsive, low-cost, and low-impact alternative to other training activities and can help provide a cognitive foundation upon which to guide future training.” These is no doubt that NATO is a prime mover in the current wargames debate. It has published the NATO Wargames Handbook and provides input to many conferences around the world.
Although not a training centre in itself, NATO’s Joint Analysis & Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) provides the data to drive the future training that is provided by JFTC and JWC. Located in Lisbon, Portugal, and although fundamentally focusing on analysis to identify trends and their strategic implications, the organisation does provide a number of training courses as well as hosting exercise support through the JALLC Advisory and Training Team (JATT).
An example of JALLC’s work can be found in its ‘Two Years of Lessons Relating to Russia’s War Against Ukraine’. The report covers aspects such as command and control, joint effects, the use of UAVs, EW and cooperation with national and international bodies. The report concludes that, “it is critical that NATO continues to develop and incorporate new technologies into modern warfare, traditional/conventional methods and materiel remain relevant and are often used in conjunction with their modern counterparts. As such, modern warfare will require superiority across the spectrum of modern and conventional warfare.”
Centres of excellence
NATO’s COE were created to train and educate subject matter experts and commanders from NATO members and partner countries. As well as this pedagogical function, COE help in doctrine development as well as verifying that doctrine alongside operational concepts. They also provide an all-important expert-focussed source of knowledge for specific subjects.
They were first proposed in a paper entitled The NATO Military Command Structure (MC 324/1) dated 14 May 2003. By the end of 2003, the concept had been refined and criteria drawn-up for their establishment.
The first organisations to achieve accredited COE status were the Air Power Competence Centre in Germany and the Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence in Türkiye in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Since then, dozens of COE with NATO accreditation have been established across Alliance territory. The most recent COE to receive accreditation was the Climate Change and Security COE that was created in Montreal in 2024.
Each of NATO’s 30 accredited COE concentrates on a specific function or area of expertise. On a visit to JWC in late 2024, Admiral Pierre Vandier of the French Navy, NATO’s new Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) highlighted that transformation is not a simple one-time goal but an ongoing process. He said, “what makes us better as an Alliance is training” and then emphasised how essential training and warfare development are in ensuring NATO stays ahead of emerging threats. Around 20,000 personnel have graduated from COE over the years having benefitted from 150 different courses. The 30 accredited NATO COE with their host countries are shown in the COE graphic.
As part of the establishment process, the Framework Nation submits an initial proposal to ACT. Once this initial process is underway, staff from the Framework Nation discuss their proposal covering areas such as syllabi, training resources and staffing. Once this stage is complete, the Framework Nation then submits an official application to SACT.
If the offer is accepted, the Framework Nation then draws up an Operational memorandum of understanding (MoU) that is sent to potential Sponsoring and Contributing Nations. Discussions lead to the creation of what is referred to as the Functional MoU and that is the trigger for ACT to define its accreditation criteria. If successful, the Military Committee of the North Atlantic Council approves the accreditation before courses can begin.
“The COE have proven themselves to be indispensable assets in strengthening our collective defence capabilities,” opined Admiral Vandier. “…these centres have become increasingly vital in an era defined by Multi-Domain Operations (MDO). Their growing importance is evident in their contributions to doctrine development, lessons learned, education and training, exercise participation, and experimentation—all critical tools for implementing NATO’s transformation.”
It should be noted that although accredited COE have been established by SACT, they do not come under NATO command authority; however, according to NATO’s Military Committee Policy For Centres Of Excellence (MC 0685), COE do “have a functional relationship with HQ SACT.”
The authority of numerous NATO’s COE has become world renowned and liaison takes place with many countries throughout the world. The Joint Air Power Competence COE (JAPCC) that is based in Kalkar, Germany is an example. Sponsored by 14 nations and headed by the US Air Force’s Gen James Hecker, who is also Commander, US Air Forces in Europe and Commander, US Air Forces Africa, JAPCC, it is referred to as ‘NATO’s air and space power think-tank.’
JAPCC is currently engaged in an effort that is studying MDO that examines processes, command functions and technologies. As well as military input, industry and academia are involved in the project. JAPCC publishes ‘The Journal of JAPCC’ twice a year along with a number of white papers. In addition, an annual conference is held, normally taking place in late-September.
Conclusion
The NATO Prague Summit that concluded in November 2002 recognised the “grave new threats and profound security challenges” facing the alliance. This resulted in the acceptance of seven new members and the desire for a raft of new capabilities to boost deterrence. In short, NATO was planning for transformation and the key to achieving that was through better training.
The effects of the Prague Summit have certainly seen the enhancement of NATO’s posture and a continuing strengthening of its doctrine of deterrence. Russia, and its activities in Georgia and Ukraine, as well as its relationship with North Korea and Iran, have all combined to reinforce the threat that it poses. As well as training, forward deployments and exercises are now being widely used by NATO to signal its intent to defend its NATO Allies.
