STAVANGER, Norway – In a ceremony held at NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre today, Polish Army Major General Piotr Malinowski handed over command to his successor, German Army Major General Ruprecht von Butler. French Air and Space Force General Philippe Lavigne, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, presided over the change of command.
As the day holds special significance in NATO’s history, the ceremony began with a moment of silence honouring the heroes and victims of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Established in 2003, the Joint Warfare Centre is a cornerstone of NATO’s collective training infrastructure, serving as the premier facility for full-spectrum joint operational- and strategic-level warfare. Its motto “Together, we make NATO better” is a pointed reminder of the Centre’s critical role within the Alliance. With a workforce comprising over 260 staff members from 17 NATO member nations, is dedicated to ensuring the Alliance’s readiness and effectiveness.
General Lavigne spoke about the importance of the Joint Warfare Centre’s mission to maintain readiness and adaptation of NATO Command and Force Structure Headquarters through the delivery of NATO’s most complex computer-assisted command post exercises and continuous innovation in warfare development.
In referencing the first in a new series of exercises, General Lavigne mentioned the STEADFAST DETERRENCE 24 exercise that took place in May at the Joint Warfare Centre: “This was the first of its kind for NATO and was developed to look at real-time deterrence, as the Alliance moved to a campaigning continuum.” He continued by saying that it “marked a historic moment for the Alliance, since the certification of the Allied Reaction Force is a monumental achievement for NATO’s new force model.”
Additionally, the Joint Warfare Centre serves as a hub for warfare development, promoting joint operational doctrine, fostering experimentation, and supporting the implementation of NATO’s Lessons Learned process.
The Joint Warfare Centre’s vision is to propel NATO’s readiness into the future by serving as a transformative hub that connects training and warfare development. The Centre aims to provide immersive, realistic multi-domain training focused at the operational and strategic levels, and to integrate cutting-edge technology into its exercises to keep the Alliance prepared for the challenges and threats of tomorrow.
In his farewell speech, outgoing Commander Major General Malinowski reflected on his tenure at the Joint Warfare Centre. He highlighted significant achievements, including the development of full operational capability for wargame design, the reopening of the historic and modernized “In-Rock Facility”, the successful execution of major exercises like STEADFAST JUPITER and STEADFAST JACKAL, and certifying NATO’s first Allied Reaction Force Headquarters with the first iteration of STEADFAST DETERRENCE. In his farewell remarks, he reflected on his tenure by sharing: “My time at the helm of this organization has brought me countless insights, challenges and achievements. It has been a very busy and highly rewarding time, during an era of upheaval and change within the global security environment.” He continued be adding that “the Joint Warfare Centre plays a pivotal role in ensuring that our Alliance is ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, and that readiness may never have been more important than now.”
In his first address as Commander, Major General von Butler stated, “Assuming command of the Joint Warfare Centre is a humbling experience, and an honour that I take on with great enthusiasm and ambition, but also respect. I have learned already how fantastic the team is, which is working here for NATO’s readiness and advantage.”
“As One Team, we shall strive every day to render the JWC and NATO even more fit for today and tomorrow.”
As Major General von Butler assumes command, the Joint Warfare Centre is poised to continue its mission of providing immersive, realistic multi-domain training and integrating cutting-edge technology to keep the Alliance prepared for the challenges and threats of tomorrow. The Centre’s commitment to excellence and innovation will be instrumental in ensuring NATO’s ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving security environment.
