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PODGORICA, Montenegro - NATO and partner nations gathered in Podgorica, Montenegro from May 20 – 23, 2019 for the first planning conference for Allied Command Transformation’s (ACT) exercise Cyber Coalition 2019.

“This week we all joined together to plan NATO’s Flagship Cyber Exercise. One of the largest in the world, Cyber Coalition”, said Lieutenant Commander Robert Buckles, Exercise Director.  “Cyber Coalition challenges us all to improve our coordination and collaboration amongst the Alliance to include Allied Command Transformation Cyber Branch, the newly established Cyberspace Operation Centre (CyOC) and many more. To ensure we can collectively defend the Cyberspace domain, we must continue to train as we fight,” he added.

Today we are facing a multitude of cyber security challenges

Cyber Coalition is just over a decade old and each year participants train with more advanced complex scenarios and storylines than before.  Additionally, Cyber Coalition encourages additional NATO partners to participate in building and training in the Cyberspace environment. This year Georgia, Japan and Ukraine were welcomed as the newest Cyber Coalition partner nations.

Director General of the Montenegro Ministry of Defence, Mrs Ljuljanaj Jovićević, addressed the participants.  “Montenegro as the youngest member is committed to actively follow the Alliance’s defence policy by actively fulfilling obligations arising from its membership. This includes the development of cyber capabilities. Today we are facing a multitude of cyber security challenges. Working together is the key to addressing these common security challenges.”   

During the week 94 Cyber specialists built different real life complex scenarios in preparation for Exercise Cyber Coalition 2019. Over 700 participants are expected to take part in the ACT- led exercise to be held in early December.