Turning Insight into Action: Outcomes of the NATO MW COE 10th Anniversary Forum

The 10th Anniversary of the NATO Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence (MW COE), held in Poljče and Mačkovec, Slovenia, represented far more than a commemorative milestone. It was designed as a strategic forum to assess the current state and the future direction of Mountain Warfare within NATO.

Structured in two complementary parts — a strategic discussion in the morning and a practical field demonstration in the afternoon — the event created a direct link between conceptual reflection and operational reality.

The high-level discussion brought together representatives from NATO Commands, contributing nations, and civilian associations to exchange perspectives on the evolving role of Mountain Warfare in the context of modern multidomain operations.

1. Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the event was to:

• Review the evolution of mountain warfare over the past decade.
• Reflect on NATO’s doctrinal and structural approach to operations in complex terrain.
• Identify technological and training gaps that limit operational effectiveness.
• Define actionable paths to strengthen interoperability and integration of Mountain Warfare into NATO’s broader framework.

The overall objective was to build consensus on where Mountain Warfare fits in NATO’s future deterrence and defence posture, and how the MW COE can serve as a catalyst for innovation, training, and capability development in this field.

2. Structure of the Discussion

The round table was organized around seven “talking points”, each focusing on a specific dimension of Mountain Warfare:

1. Lessons from History and Recent Conflicts – Understanding the enduring strategic value of mountain terrain.
2. NATO’s Doctrinal and Strategic Blind Spots – Exploring how mountainous environments are represented (or neglected) in NATO doctrine, wargaming, and regional plans.
3. Comparative Approaches and Organizational Models – Analyzing how nations maintain or develop mountain capabilities.
4. Technology: Promise and Limits – Assessing how emerging technologies (AI, drones, sensors, comms) can transform operations in altitude.
5. Force Structure and Transformation – Discussing how technology drives structural change within the armed forces.
6. Training and Leadership – Rethinking military education and command development for operations in complex terrain.
7. From Discussion to Demonstration – Bridging conceptual insights with field application.

Each topic was introduced by a short, provocative presentation and followed by open interventions from national representatives and invited experts.

3. Key Themes Emerging from the Discussion

Mainly participants noted that the process of integrating mountain warfare into NATO’s training architecture should begin with the definition of specific training requirements and evaluation outlines within the existing Mountain Warfare Concept. Once validated, these could be submitted to LANDCOM, in its role as Requirement Authority, ensuring that mountain warfare is systematically embedded in the Strategic Training Plan and, in the future, reflected in the Allied Force Standards, Volume 7.

 In addition, discussion broadly highlighted four major thematic directions:

a. Integration of Mountain Warfare in NATO Planning

Participants emphasized the need for NATO to treat Mountain Warfare not as a “special environment” but as an essential part of the Land Domain. The lack of fully developed scenarios and training requirements was seen as a structural gap that must be addressed.

b. Technology as an Enabler of Adaptation

Consensus emerged that new technologies — especially UAS, and digital command tools — are redefining the balance between manpower, logistics, and survivability in mountains. However, without adapting the force structure, technology alone cannot deliver its potential.

c. Training and Education Reform

Training systems must evolve to produce leaders and units capable of operating autonomously, with resilience and digital competence in high-altitude, communications-degraded environments. Participants agreed on the importance of defining formal training requirements and evaluation standards for inclusion in NATO’s training architecture.

d. Cooperation and Interoperability

The discussion strongly highlighted that, given the Centre’s limited personnel and the wide scope of its mission, cooperation and structured collaboration among Allied nations are essential to sustain progress and impact.

Several delegations, and in particular the Italian Alpine Troops Command, emphasized the need to create permanent, distance-based working groups under MW COE coordination. These would enable experts from contributing nations to engage continuously, share knowledge, and contribute directly to ongoing projects without the constraint of physical presence.

Another key point emerging from the debate was the importance of linking existing national structures — schools, training areas, and research centres — through the MW COE framework. This networked approach would allow the pooling of expertise, reinforce interoperability, and promote the exchange of best practices across Allied forces.

4. Civil and Institutional Participation

The event was enriched by the participation of both military and civilian stakeholders.
Representatives from the Slovenian Association of Mountain Soldiers, the Regional Union of Veterans of the War for Slovenia, and the Alpine Association of Slovenia attended the event, reaffirming the deep cultural and societal connection between the military and mountain communities. Their presence highlighted how mountain warfare is not only a military capability but also part of a shared heritage and identity.

5. Demonstration Phase – “From Discussion to Action”

The afternoon field demonstration transformed the morning’s ideas into concrete examples. Participants witnessed:

• Digital battlefield management using image systems.
• Tactical employment of UAS for surveillance, logistics, and FPV.
• Real-time command and control in challenging terrain.
• Technological solutions for last-mile resupply and mountain mobility – exoschelton

The demonstration reinforced the message that innovation and adaptability are key to maintaining operational superiority in the mountains. But underline that Force Structure MUST be revised.

6. Way Forward

The event concluded with broad agreement that the next steps for the MW COE should include:

• Formalizing training requirements and evaluation outlines.
• Establishing permanent multinational working groups. Given the limited personnel at the MW COE, nations emphasized the need to establish permanent, distance-based working groups to sustain continuous multinational cooperation on complex tasks.
• Launching technology integration and experimentation projects especially in the field of UAS (new courses development using UAS in digital battlefield).
• Strengthening cooperation with LANDCOM as Requirement Authority to pave the way for maintain Mountain warfare relevant in NATO.

7.  Key Takeaways (in priority) – Cooperation and Interoperability

• Training requirements as the starting point. The definition of specific training requirements and evaluation outlines within the Mountain Warfare Concept is the first step toward full integration into NATO’s Strategic Training Plan.
• Engagement with LANDCOM. Once identified, these requirements should be submitted to LANDCOM as Requirement Authority to ensure mountain warfare is systematically represented in NATO’s training and standardization architecture.
• Permanent collaboration is essential. Given the limited personnel at the MW COE, nations emphasized the need to establish permanent, distance-based working groups to sustain continuous multinational cooperation.
• MW COE as a coordination hub. The Centre should act as a clearing house among nations, facilitating the coordination, sharing, and harmonization of national training resources, courses, and mountain warfare initiatives.
• Network of national capabilities. A formal connection between existing national structures — schools, training areas, and research centres — would strengthen interoperability and the exchange of best practices.

8.  Conclusion

The 10th Anniversary of the NATO MW COE was not only a commemoration but a strategic milestone.
It reaffirmed the Centre’s role as NATO’s hub for Mountain Warfare knowledge and innovation — connecting doctrine, technology, training, and partnership into a coherent vision for the future.