The largest and most complex joint exercise in the special operations sector took place from 22 to 31 October. The operational command, at the SOCC (special operations component command), was mainly led by the COFS (joint command for special forces operations) with specialist assets provided by the various armed forces and NATO nations.
The activity was developed through the exercise “Notte Scura 24”, federated with the larger “NATO Steadfast Duel 24”, as a fundamental high-intensity training moment in the field of the specific missions of special forces in conflicts between countries of equal capabilities, of a multi-domain nature (including the new cognitive, spatial and cyber dimensions connected with the traditional 3D ones) and in support of the deterrence and defence of the Euro-Atlantic area.
The operational and tactical scenario, particularly realistic and related to the NATO force model, was part of the familiarization of regional plans and operations against adversaries and terrorist groups mainly located in the Mediterranean and Black Sea basin, and allowed the COFS to be validated, for the first time in the context of the Atlantic Alliance, as SOCC for the major joint operations of the superior NATO command.
In addition to the fundamental and prestigious result in terms of leadership in a multinational context, the complex training activity allowed the integration and coordination in the use of components of the Special Forces belonging to fourteen allied countries, which cooperated under the operational control of the COFS.
