The Ministry of Defence has promoted the establishment and accreditation to NATO of a centre of excellence in the field of underwater which will be based in La Spezia. It will join the other three centres of excellence already present on the national territory: the Modeling & Simulation, based in Rome, the Stability Policing, located in Vicenza and the Security Force Assistance of Cesano. Italy thus confirms itself as the first country within NATO in terms of participation in the Atlantic Alliance's centers of excellence.
From 18 to 20 February, the "Caio Duilio" officers' club of the Navy in Rome hosted the 1st Establishment Conference to discuss and define the conceptual document that forms the basis of the project.
The event was attended by delegations from 12 Allied Nations, 8 Partner Countries, as well as from NATO strategic commands, demonstrating the importance and timeliness of the initiative.
The proceedings were opened by Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Navy and Head of theestablishment team, who, in his speech declared: "We have long recognized the strategic value of the underwater dimension, which is why we want to develop a structured hub, a true underwater district, which in addition to the CMRE and the PNS can also include the new NATO center of excellence for underwater in La Spezia. Only through a common and shared effort, demonstrated by the large presence in this assembly, can we develop those skills and technologies that are indispensable today to overcome the challenges that the abyss presents us. I wish you all good work and I trust in the full success of this initiative".
In La Spezia a real ecosystem of the underwater world will be created, where synergies will be developed with the allied and national departments already present in the same location, such as the center for Maritime Research and Experimentation of NATO, the Naval Support and Experimentation Center and National Center of Underwater Dimension but also, given the proximity, with the academic and industrial sectors operating in the sector.
The process of establishing the centre and its accreditation to NATO will likely be completed in 2026.
NATO Centers of Excellence Fact Sheet
I NATO-accredited centers of excellence They are entities created and financed by one or more Allied Countries that express recognized expertise in the sector of competence, guaranteeing support to the Atlantic Alliance, its members and partners in the so-called 4 "pillars of transformation": "Education and Training", "Teaching", "Doctrinal Development and Standardization" and "Conceptual Development and Experimentation".
To date, NATO has granted accreditation to 30 centres, 20 of which Italy participates as a sponsoring nation.
