Chairman of the NATO Military Committee supports NATO efforts for enhanced interoperability

The CWIX is an annual NATO-approved exercise that allows NATO and Partner Nations to test procedures and tactics, identify best practices, recognize areas for improvement and, verify and improve their interoperability. Interoperability and readiness are crucial to the success of the Alliance.

As the largest exercise of its kind, CWIX is a key tool to help the Alliance meet future challenges in interoperability in order to continue providing active support to the Readiness Action Plan, the Smart Defence and Connected Forces Initiative. NATO Allies and Partners who train to the same standards are able to join international security campaigns combatting terrorism and other global security challenges more easily, speedily and effectively, to be effective from the very start of the operation and communicate effectively as one cohesive force.

General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, attended a press conference with Brigadier General Jan Dziedzic, Polish Deputy Chief of General Staff and General Denis Mercier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. General Pavel highlighted the importance of “this quick ‘plug & play’ ability when reacting to emerging security challenges and an increasingly unpredictable security environment, with threats from both state and non-state actors, emanating from NATO’s Eastern and Southern Flanks”. He added that “the Alliance’s core tasks have not changed but NATO’s responses and approaches are being modernized. Exercises like CWIX are not a show of force. They serve our troops. And they serve to assure Allies of NATO's presence”.

During the 2016 edition, 21 NATO and Partner Nations took part in CWIX. The following Nations attend the CWIX 2016 under an ‘Observer’ Status: Albania, Belgium, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Australia and New Zealand. This is also the first time that Ukraine and the EU Military Staff (EUMS) were formally represented.