25th Steering Committee Convenes to Approve 2026 Programme of Work
Rome, November 12 – The NATO M&S COE held its biannual Steering Committee meeting from 11-12 November 2025 in the “Adriano De Cicco” barracks in Cecchignola, brought together representatives from the four Sponsoring Nations: Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, and the United States.
The session focused on governance, strategic oversight, and the future development of the Centre’s activities.
Italy, in its role as Framework Nation, delivered an overview of administrative, logistical, and support matters, including the status of resources and infrastructure dedicated to sustaining the Centre’s operations.
A major outcome of the meeting was the review and approval of the 2026 Programmes of Work (PoW). Each work strand was presented in detail by the NATO M&S COE Branch Chiefs, including planned research activities, capability development efforts, training initiatives, and multinational experimentation projects designed to accelerate progress in the Centre’s core areas of expertise.
The leadership team also provided an update on the ongoing projects currently under development. Particular attention was given to initiatives such as Electro-Magnetic Operations layer for M&S (ELMO), the CBRN layer for M&S (CASTLE), and AI/ML – M&S integration in support of Decision Making (MAIDEN). Additionally, the Centre presented progress has been made in preparing the new wargaming initiatives, including the strategic cyber wargame (CHESS) and other additional projects that reflect the Centre’s role in advancing research, capability development, and multinational cooperation within its area of expertise.
The meeting concluded with a shared vision for the year ahead: strengthening multinational cooperation, expanding the Centre’s impact, and ensuring the effective implementation of the newly approved 2026 Programme of Work.
Written by CWO Michele PELLEGRINO NATO M&S COE
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The NATO Modelling & Simulation Centre of Excellence is dedicated to the promotion of Modelling & Simulation in support of operational requirements, training and interoperability. The Centre act as a catalyst for transformation through the involvement of NATO, governments, academia, industry, operational and training entities, by improving the networking of NATO and nationally owned Modelling & Simulation systems, the cooperation between Nations and organizations through the sharing of Modelling & Simulation information and developments and serving as an international source of expertise for transformation in the related domain. https://www.mscoe.org
NATO Centres of Excellence are nationally or multi-nationally funded institutions accredited by NATO. They train and educate leaders and specialists from NATO member and partner countries, assist in doctrine development, identify lessons learned, improve interoperability and capabilities, and test and validate concepts through experimentation. They offer recognized expertise and experience that is of benefit to the Alliance and support the transformation of NATO, while avoiding the duplication of assets, resources and capabilities already present within the NATO command structure. Although not part of the NATO command structure, they are part of a wider framework supporting NATO Command Arrangements. [source https://www.act.nato.int/centres-of-excellence]
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