MONS, Belgium – Around 70 senior military officers and officials gathered at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on September 22 and 23, 2026, for a Collective Training and Exercise (CT&E) Executive Forum, hosted by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
Under the theme “Closing the Gap Between Training and War,” participants examined lessons from Ukraine, the impact of emerging technologies and AI on command, and how NATO’s collective training must evolve towards 2030.
Around 70 senior military officers and officials gathered at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on September 22 and 23, 2026, for a Collective Training and Exercise (CT&E) Executive Forum, hosted by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. – NATO Photo by SHAPE Public Affairs Office
A key message emerged: credible deterrence depends on forces that can operate together under realistic, demanding conditions.
“An alliance is only as ready as its exercises are honest,” said Brigadier General Jan Kerdik, ACOS SHAPE J7.
The forum was preceded by discussions with Allied and Partner Nations and non-NATO entities, including European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU ECHO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to strengthen their integration into future exercises. Both discussions reinforced the need to challenge assumptions, improve interoperability, and ensure NATO is prepared for the complexity and speed of a future crisis.