Driving Innovation with the Modelling and Simulation Centre of Excellence
Located in Rome, Italy, the NATO Modelling and Simulation Centre of Excellence stands at the forefront of Allied innovation. It supports transformation efforts through a robust portfolio of education, experimentation, and capability development activities. With a mandate to advance simulation-based approaches across domains, and by connecting a vast network of experts, the Centre serves as a central hub for aligning technological progress with operational needs.
Building the Workforce: Education and Training for Simulation Professionals
As an accredited NATO training provider, the Centre delivers foundational and advanced courses tailored to the Alliance’s simulation requirements. Current offerings include the Modelling and Simulation Basic Course, Computer-Assisted Exercise Specialist Course, NATO Integration Specialist Course, and simulation training with the Joint Theatre Level Simulation system. Two new courses are in development: one will train NATO professionals in simulation fundamentals, while another will focus on simulation support to wargaming and experimentation. An additional course will offer practical training with the Systems Tool Kit simulation.
Delivering Multi-Domain Tools to Support Operational Advantage
The Centre plays a key role in closing gaps identified by Allied Command Transformation in the realm of simulation for Multi-Domain Operations. Current development efforts include two major projects. The Electromagnetic Layer for Multi-Domain Operations (ELMO) project enhances NATO’s ability to model and visualize electromagnetic effects across operational environments. Meanwhile, the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Activities Simulation Total Layer Environment (CASTLE) aggregates various models into a single, comprehensive simulation layer, improving integration and realism in NATO training environments.
Exploring Cyber Effects Through Simulation and Wargaming
Recognizing the growing strategic impact of cyber operations, the Centre also supports NATO’s efforts in this domain. Its educational cyber wargame, CHESS (Cyberspace Hybrid warfare for Educational Strategic Scenarios) – a strategic-level, educational wargame designed to help understand the complexity of cyber operations and their influence on a country’s overall stability – has been delivered across the Alliance to raise awareness of strategic cyber dynamics. Building on this work, a new Predictive Cyber Simulator is in development. Once completed, it will assist NATO planners in anticipating cyber effects during the competition phase, short of armed conflict.
Converging NATO’s Simulation Community at CA2X2
This week the Centre hosted the 20th edition of the NATO Computer Assisted Analysis, Exercise and Experimentation (CA2X2) Forum in Rome. This strategic event brought together more than 300 experts from over 30 nations to explore emerging simulation tools, research, and policy alignment. Under the theme “From Simulation to Action: Wargaming, Exercising, and Experimenting for Multi-Domain Advantage,” the forum fosters collaboration among NATO, partner nations, academia, and industry. The event was also attended by the commander of NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre, Major General Ruprecht von Butler, underscoring the importance of simulation to NATO’s broader training and warfare development efforts. The Centre also co-hosts an annual conference on modelling for autonomous systems, jointly organized with the Czech Republic, to examine disruptive technologies and their simulation applications.
Enhancing NATO Readiness Through Simulation Excellence
By connecting expertise, advancing technology, and promoting standardized approaches, the NATO Modelling and Simulation Centre of Excellence continues to strengthen the Alliance’s readiness and adaptability. Its mission remains rooted in enhancing operational effectiveness and enabling informed decision-making in a complex and evolving strategic environment.
To learn more, visit their website at: https://www.mscoe.org/
