NATO launched the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) Campaign Plan 2026–2030 on 26 January 2026 in Stavanger, Norway. The five-year plan sets a common framework for the JWC’s training, exercises and warfare development work through 2030. NATO says it will help the command align activity, manage transformation and embed innovation as the security environment grows more demanding.
Key Facts
- Launch: 26 January 2026, Stavanger, Norway.
- Timeframe: 2026–2030 (five-year campaign plan guiding JWC work through 2030).
- Five objectives: multi-domain exercises; warfare development from concept to execution; testing NATO defence plans; digitally enabled workforce; institutional excellence and reputation.
- Alignment: NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept, NATO’s Warfare Development Agenda, Campaign Approach to Exercises, and the Audacious Training Initiative.
- Training shift: from headquarters process drills to theatre-wide, strategically integrated training that tests operational plans with more realism and agility.
- Planned enablers: combined Opposing Forces (OPFOR) capability, deeper modelling & simulation (M&S), improved digital infrastructure, and AI-enabled tools.
- Process change: JWC started updating exercise planning under “new ways of working” in March 2025, and plans a new trial structure in February 2026.
Why this plan matters for NATO readiness
The JWC supports both Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and Allied Command Operations (ACO). As a result, it sits between warfare development and operational readiness. NATO describes the centre as a key link that helps move emerging ideas into training, validation and execution.
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In that role, a campaign plan acts as a control document. It sequences work over several years and reduces duplication. It also clarifies what the command will prioritise and what it will measure.
Major General Ruprecht von Butler, Commander of the JWC, said the plan sets a unified direction for the command’s future role. He said it will help transform the JWC into the Alliance’s central enabler for warfare development and for training operational and strategic headquarters.
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Five objectives that shape the 2026–2030 agenda
NATO summarised the plan around five strategic objectives. Together, they point to a tighter link between exercises, concept testing and operational execution. At the same time, they push the JWC to modernise its workforce and delivery model.
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1) Deliver high-quality multi-domain exercises
First, the plan puts multi-domain training at the centre. That means JWC must design exercises that integrate effects across domains, including cyber and space, in a coherent theatre problem. Moreover, NATO wants more realism and faster adaptation as scenarios evolve.
2) Drive warfare development from ACT concepts into ACO execution
Second, the plan aims to shorten the path from concept to practice. NATO wants JWC to help pull ACT outputs into ACO execution through structured testing and iteration. Therefore, exercise design becomes a mechanism for evidence-based change, not just rehearsal.
3) Inform future Alliance direction by testing NATO defence plans
Third, the plan emphasises testing NATO defence plans inside major training events. In other words, NATO wants exercises to stress real plans under realistic conditions. Consequently, the results can inform future priorities and readiness decisions.
4) Develop a modern, digitally enabled workforce
Fourth, the plan prioritises a digitally enabled workforce. NATO links this objective to better digital infrastructure and new ways of working. In practice, this can support distributed planning teams, faster coordination, and stronger use of data and synthetic tools.
5) Strengthen reputation through institutional excellence
Finally, NATO highlights institutional excellence and reputation. This focuses on consistent delivery, predictable quality, and reliable governance. As a result, national headquarters and force providers can trust JWC outputs when timelines compress.
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From process drills to theatre-wide operational testing
NATO says the campaign plan reflects a shift in Alliance training. Instead of process drills that stay inside a headquarters, NATO wants theatre-wide training that connects strategic direction to operational plans. However, this shift raises the bar for realism, tempo and evaluation.
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The plan highlights three practical priorities. First, JWC plans to develop a combined Opposing Forces (OPFOR) capability. This can improve realism and better reflect adversary adaptation. Second, it plans deeper use of modelling and simulation to support scale and repetition. Third, it plans stronger digital infrastructure to support planning and execution.
Von Butler said the command must expand its exercise spectrum and shorten planning timelines. He also called for tighter integration of military and multi-domain effects. In addition, he said JWC must evolve its organisational structure and fully adopt digital ways of working.
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Digital transformation and AI-enabled tools
NATO also points to AI-enabled tools as part of the plan’s digital focus. That matters because digital tooling can change how exercises are built, controlled and assessed. For example, it can support faster scenario updates, more dynamic adversary behaviour, and improved data analysis during and after events.
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At the same time, implementation details will determine impact. Data quality, security controls and human oversight all shape whether AI helps or creates friction. Therefore, observers will watch where NATO inserts these tools in the workflow and how it governs their use.
For defence and aerospace stakeholders, the plan’s digital priorities also signal demand areas. These may include synthetic training environments, interoperable M&S ecosystems, secure collaboration tools and data platforms. Related context on risk and assurance is discussed in Defence Agenda’s coverage of trust in battlefield AI [2].
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Implications and near-term milestones
Strategically, the plan aims to make NATO training more cumulative. It sets a campaign logic that builds learning over multiple years. If NATO executes it well, JWC could accelerate concept-to-execution loops and strengthen readiness validation through 2030.
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Operationally, three near-term indicators stand out for 2026:
- New trial structure: JWC plans to implement a new structure in February 2026, which should show how it will organise roles and processes.
- Combined OPFOR progress: NATO will likely reveal how it will model realism and cross-domain behaviour over time.
- Digital infrastructure outcomes: the pace of tool adoption will show whether planning timelines shrink while complexity grows.
Finally, NATO links the plan to major Alliance frameworks, including the NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept and the Warfare Development Agenda. This signals tighter coherence across transformation and training. For a wider frame, see Defence Agenda’s analysis of NATO multi-domain operations gaps toward 2030 [1].
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