1 default.aspx NATO Communications and Information Agenc Explor What we d Business opportunitie Work for u For Customer New + More new

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general 1 1 1 about-us.aspx 201 - NATO moves in to its new Headquarters in Brussel 202 201 - NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is create The NCI Agency is created as a result of a merger of NATO C3 organizations, namely The NATO Communication and Information Systems Services Agency (NCSA), the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A), the NATO Air Command and Control System Management Agency (NACMA), the NATO Headquarters Information and Communication Technology Service (ICTM), and the Programme Office for NATO's Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) 200 - Information Communications and Technology Management (ICTM) for NATO Headquarters is establishe Information Communications and Technology Management (ICTM) for NATO Headquarters is established 200 - NATO's Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) Programme is create The ALTBMD Programme is officially established in 2005 to provide protection against the threat of ballistic missiles to NATO's deployed forces 200 - NATO CIS Services Agency (NCSA) is create The Agency provided communications and information systems (CIS) services in support of NATO missions 201 200 - September 11 attacks and the International Security Assistance Forc 200 199 - NATO Consultation, Control and Command Agency (NC3A) is create The SHAPE Technical Centre (STC) in The Hague, Netherlands, and the NATO Communications and Information Systems Agency (NACISA) in Brussels, Belgium are merged to form the NC3A 199 - First NATO non-Article 5 mission Implementation Force (IFOR 199 - NATO ACCS Management Agency (NACMA) is create NACMA is established in 1991 to manage the NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) programme 198 - Fall of the Berlin wal 199 198 - NATO CIS Operating and Support Agency (NACOSA) is establishe Took responsibility for the operation and support of NATO's communication and information systems (CIS) 198 - Opening of the NATO Communications and Information Systems Agency (NACISA 198 - Regional Signal Group SHAPE (RSGS) is create Took over from the Service Support Group. 198 - Service Support Group (SSG) is establishe Resumed tasks of the Signal Support Group until 1985, when renamed as the Regional Signal Support Group SHAPE) 197 - Soviet invasion of Afghanista 198 197 - NATO Integrated Communications Systems Management Agency (NICSMA) is create The Agency was responsible for the planning, engineering, purchases and assistance in the implementation of communications and information systems on behalf of NATO nations 196 - SHAPE Signal Support Group (SSSG) is create Communications support element created under SHAPE and support to NATO Operations and Headquarters. Renamed Service Support Group in 1981 197 196 - China detonated its first atomic bom 196 - SHAPE Technical Centre (STC) open STC opens to continue support to NATO's funded procurements and interoperability. In 1996, the STC merged with the NATO Integrated Communications Systems Management Agency 195 - Hungarian Uprisin 196 195 - SHAPE Air Defence Technical Centre open Established to support research and development for NATO in the area of air defence 195 - 7th US Signal Brigad Assigned to duty with SHAPE, then located in Fontainebleau, France In 1947 - Beginning of the Cold Wa 195

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general 1 59 1 about-us/who-we-are.aspx We lead NATO’s digital endeavour We are NATO's technology and cyber leaders. We help NATO Nations communicate and work together in smarter ways. Our solutions underpin NATO's ability to perform Article IV (consultation) and Article V (collective defence) The Agency was established on 1 July 2012 as part of a NATO reform. But the Agency was built on a -year legacy, as our predecessors supported Allied operations long before. We have decades of experience of working side-by-side with NATO soldiers, sailors and airmen and women We will lift NATO’s technological prowess anddeliver it as an additional arrow in NATO’s quiver against those who wouldchallenge or undermine the Alliance NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Schei We acquire, deploy and defend communications systems for NATO's political decision-makers and Commands. We are on the frontlines against cyber attacks. We work closely with governments and industry to prevent future debilitating attacks Today, NATO is in the midst of a fundamental transformation to exploit technology to better perform its mission. And we are leading that transformation, which we call NATO’s digital endeavour. The Agency is working to deliver a secure, modern digital infrastructure to NATO – wherever the Alliance is working. This effort is important, and the stakes are high. NATO is responsible for safeguarding peace and stability for nearly one billion citizens

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general 1 60 1 about-us/leadership.aspx The NCI Agency’s staff are NATO’s tech and cyber leaders. Our experts deliver the technology and expertise NATO needs to safeguard peace and stability for nearly 1 billion citizens. Click on the tabs below to meet the people who lead NATO’s digital endeavour.

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general 1 61 1 about-us/leadership/executive.aspx General Manage Kevin J. Schei Biograph Chief of Staff Major General Göksel Sevindi Biograph Legal Adviso Simona Rocch Biograph Chief Operating Office Ludwig Decamp Biograph Director Air and Missile Defence Command and Contro Michael Stolt Biograph Director of Acquisitio Jennifer Upto Biograph Financial Controller Antoine Pailhè Biograph Acting Director Service Strategy Brian Christianse Acting Director Service Operations Timothy Murph Biograph Director NCI Academ Dr. Garry Hargreave ​Head of Human Resource Marieke Obda Head of General Service Dr. Franco Fior ​Head Executive Managemen Colonel Joyce M. LuGrai Biograph Senior Enlisted Advisor Sergeant Major Timothy Erskin Biograph

Meet the Agency’s management.

general 1 62 1 about-us/leadership/service-line-chiefs.aspx Acting Chief Command and Contro Ufuk Diri Chief Core Enterprise Services Pierre Pradie Chief NATO's Cyber Security Centr Ian Wes Chief Education and Trainin Jean-Paul Massar Chief Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanc Matt Rope Chief Network Services and IT Infrastructure Antonio Caldero Chief Operational Analysi Sylvie Marte Chief Service Support and Business Application Bert Tiem Chief Servic Management and Contro Angelo Talaric

Meet our service line chiefs.

general 1 64 1 about-us/newsroom.aspx New Press Releas NITECH Magazin See al Press and Public Affairs contact Tel +32 2 707 838 Email communication@ncia.nato.in

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general 1 66 1 about-us/contacts.aspx Request knowledge resourc You can request NCI Agency's knowledge and information materials from our database including technical reports, publications and other resources, up to three products per inquiry. Request Onlin Our location The NATO Communications and Information Agency's central elements are split between Brussels, Mons, The Hague and Oeiras. In support of our customers, we have over 30 location around the Alliance Our location

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general 1 67 1 what-we-do.aspx We acquir , deplo and defend communications system for NATO’s political decision-maker and Command ; we are on the frontlines against cyber-attacks, working closely with governments and industry to prevent future debilitating attacks From missile defence to secure desktops – areas of expertise and key projects .a{}.b{fill #fff; comman Air and Missile Defence Command and Contro .a{ contro Command and Control Service Cybe Securit NCI Academ .a{fill-rule evenodd; platfor Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanc NATO’s Consultation and Command Network Operational Analysis and Defence Plannin .a{fill-rule evenodd; ap Service Support and Business Application Service .a { } .b { fill #fff; } .c { } suppor Support to Exercises and Operation

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general 1 68 1 what-we-do/our-customers.aspx A 65-year legacy of maintaining NATO’s tech edg We offer technology, services and subject matter expertise to NATO’s political decision-makers, Commands and Allies. The NCI Agency helps Nations work together to consolidate their buying power to procure low-cost, interoperable solutions. With the NCI Agency, you access more than 60 years of information technology expertise. Standardized Services and Rate The NCI Agency offers standardized services and service rates through the Costed Customer Services Catalogue. If your organization is interested in purchasing services from NCI Agency, please review the Catalogue to evaluate your options Customer Services Catalogu Requesting Service To formally request services from NCI Agency, please fill in the standardized Customer Request Form Customer Request For Learn more about what we d

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general 1 69 1 what-we-do/air-missile-defence.aspx The NATO Air and Missile Defence capabilities that we deliver ensure seamless command and control of Air operations across NATO European airspace. We provide effective and efficient through-life support for NATO Air Command and Control (AirC2) and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) operations. This includes providing the technology that allows NATO to plan, execute and monitor all air operations, including operations to defend the Alliance against a missile attack. The NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS) has been the cornerstone of NATO's peacetime collective air defence mission since the 1950s. It is a collaborative effort and is made up of military capability provided by both NATO and the Nations and is designed to preserve the integrity of NATO European Airspace. Over the last decade, NATINADS has evolved into the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System with the addition of the Ballistic Missile Defence mission in NATO Europe. We ensure the continuous availability of the NATO and National Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (BMC3I) systems that underpin NATINAMDS As part of this endeavour, the Agency is delivering NATO's Air Command and Control System (ACCS) into operations. This is an ambitious NATO programme to replace NATO and national interim and legacy systems with one integrated and interoperable capability. NATO ACCS will provide the backbone that supports the planning, tasking and execution of all air and missile defence operations, both in Europe, and on deployed operations. ACCS is complemented by the Air C2 Information Services (AirC2IS) capability, which provides a Common Operational Picture of air operations for information sharing purposes. Together, the two capabilities will help the Alliance execute all air and missile defence operations. This new technology is critical as it allows for the effective management of air and missile defence operations between NATO and the NATO Nations. In addition to the new AirC2IS and ACCS, we also maintain a number of other systems supporting NATO Air C2. One such capability, the Air Situation Data Exchange supports the exchange of the NATO Recognized Air Picture with NATO Partner Nations, thus enhancing situational awareness at NATO's borders with our Partner Nations AMDC2 Product Delivery & Service

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general 1 70 1 what-we-do/command-control-services.aspx We work with industry partners to deliver advanced software to the Alliance Our services support multinational coalition operations on land, at sea and in the air. We work across the lifecycle of Command and Control (C2) services, from research and development to operational support. The Command and Control Service Line delivers C2-related services wherever they are needed. For example, our Shared Early Warning Application Service provides users with NATO’s 24/7 early warning capability to disseminate information on any launched Tactical Ballistic Missile. The Service is based on U.S. national capabilities. Another example we offer a service that provides users with a quick and easy way to analyse C4ISR data flowing on operational, test and exercise networks. We are also responsible for delivering a set of applications to NATO Nations through an App Store we call the Electronic Definitive Media Library, or EDM . The EDML is one part of a two-fold Agency effort to design and deliver better applications called the NCI Agency Software Factory. We deliver solutions for areas such as Land, maritime, nuclear, joint operations and special operational forces C Situational awareness Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defenc C2 interoperabilit Data exchange mechanisms

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general 1 71 1 what-we-do/cyber-security.aspx We defend NATO networks 24/7 The NATO Cyber Security Centre provides specialist cyber security-related services throughout the life cycle of NATO's technology The Centre provides cyber security services to NCI Agency customers and users, as well as to all other elements of the Agency We provide specialist services to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber security incidents. We also act as a hub for real time cyber information sharing, training and expertise for Allies and Partner Nations. Through our new Cyber Security Collaboration Network, National Computer Emergency Response Teams are able to quickly and securely share technical information with us, and each other The Agency took the first ste to launch the network on 12 February 2019. Allied Computer Emergency Response Teams from 20 Nations can access NATO's protected business network, which provides an encrypted workspace with secure video, voice, chat and information gathering. To stay prepared, NATO and the Nations train together regularly and thoroughly, including on aspects of cyber defence

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general 1 72 1 what-we-do/nci-academy.aspx The NCI Academy offers three distinct services Individual Training in the field of C4ISR and Cyber, on site at our new Academy facility in Oeiras or in our other locations, online or on-the-job Collective Training and Exercise services, including support for the NATO Education Training Exercises & Evaluation (ETEE) software suite Learning Innovation and Development services, to assist NATO and Nations in modernizing the methods and infrastructure related to training delivery * Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance For more information about the NCI Academy, click her to view our main brochure. For information on doing business with us, visit our page for students and customer , or click her to view our business brochure. Contact informatio NATO Communication and Information Agenc NCI Academy Management E-mail academy@ncia.nato.in Our addresse NCI Agency Oeira Reduto de Gomes Freire Estrada da Medrosa Oeiras 2780-070 Portugal NCI Agency The Hagu Oude Waalsdorperweg 61 2597AK The Hagu he Netherlands NCI Agency Mon Rue Grande – N6 7010 SHAPE Mons Belgium

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general 1 73 1 what-we-do/joint-intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance.aspx We are enabling NATO’s current and future ISR capabilitie We support the collection, processing, exploitation and dissemination of intelligence data and information to those who need it. We integrate Alliance and national Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, policies, procedures and systems to provide information support to leaders, commanders and decision-makers - from the political and strategic domains down to the tactical level The Agency is responsible for a wide range of activities related to JISR, from helping develop strategies and policies to acquiring, implementing, integrating and testing solutions. Our services are geared toward serving NATO Forces, but they can also be used and adapted by NATO Nations and Partners Our well-trained, highly knowledgeable and uniquely experienced staff work in four key JISR areas Intelligence Applications Service Operational Support Service Electronic Warfare and Sensor Service Geospatial Service

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general 1 74 1 what-we-do/nato-consultation-command-networks.aspx Connecting the dots in space, cyberspace, air, land and maritime Technology is a key enabler of a connected, resilient Alliance. Through secure networks we deliver and maintain, NATO and the Nations can work together and exchange critical information. The Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Service Line connects the dots in space, in cyberspace, in the air, on land and at sea. The NSII Mission enables secure and resilient data, voice and video communication services worldwide. We support deployed operations and exercises for NATO Joint Forces, and political consultations between NATO Headquarters and Nations. The NSII Service Line is the largest unit in the NCI Agency by personnel (more than 300 employees), operating revenue (more than 52 million EUR), and geographical footprint (15 locations) The Core Enterprise Services (CES) Service Line provides fundamental IT services to the Agency, NATO and other customers. It offers services such as infrastructure storage and processing, communication and collaboration, web and information management and asset management. It also delivers project management services, scientific expertise and communication information systems security Click through the tabs below to learn more about how the Agency enables NATO’s consultation and command networks

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general 1 81 1 what-we-do/operational-analysis-defence-planning.aspx We provide the critical information NATO needs to make informed decisions NATO is focused on meeting its ambition in the most efficient manner, making the most out of the capabilities and money Nations contribute With such a philosophy, rigorous, traceable and evidence-based decision making is crucial Our Operational Analysis Service Line is a key partner in providing the information needed to make informed decisions We provide analytical support to help leaders understand complex problems and make decisions about those problems. We give them the rigorous evidence they need to improve their decision making. Using scientific methods and analytical techniques, we help planners and decision makers within NATO and the Nations. Our Service Line supports Defence Planning within NATO and the Nations, including through the NATO Defence Planning Process which harmonises the development of future capabilities within NATO and Nations. We also provide analytical support to Commanders in NATO operations and to other service lines in the Agency. The Operational Analysis team has a strong track record of delivering successful, on-time solutions to complex problems.

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general 1 82 1 what-we-do/service-support-business-application-services.aspx We work with industry partners to deliver advanced software to the Alliance The Service Support and Business Application (SSBA) Service Line supports the full life-cycle of a number of IT services that can be grouped in two distinct domains military command and control (C2) IT services and “back office” business IT services. The military C2 IT Services support functions such as logistics, medical and engineering. The Logistics Functional Area Services (LOGFAS) System is a very well-known system in the military C2 domain, and provides apps, amongst others, for strategic movement and transportation, multinational deployment planning, in-theatre airlift scheduling and sustainment planning. LOGFAS has been in operation for many years, and although it is highly appreciated by its military customers, it is based on older technologies. In addition, new operational requirements have emerged as NATO is preparing for future challenges. To address this, the Nations have agreed to invest in an improvement effort through the multi-year (2018-2026) Logistic Functional Services (LOGFS) programme managed by the SSBA Service Line. The LOGFS Programme will both modernize existing LOGFAS apps, and will add new apps. The “back-office” business side of SSBA provides IT services to business functions such as finance, human resources and acquisition for the full Alliance, including the NCI Agency itself. Large-scale Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are under this umbrella. To be better position the Agency to address the IT needs of the Alliance, the Agency is currently undergoing a programme to uplift, harmonize and integrate its own “back office” business IT systems. The SSBA manages the Enterprise Business Applications Programme, and its completion is scheduled for 2020. We are also responsible for delivering a set of applications to NATO Nations through an App Store we call the Electronic Definitive Media Library, or EDM The EDML is one part of a two-fold Agency effort to design and deliver better applications called the NCI Agency Software Factory We deliver solutions for areas such as Logistics, Medical and Military Engineerin Financ Human Resource Acquisitio Portfolio, Programme, Project, Service and Resources Managemen

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general 1 83 1 what-we-do/support-exercises-operations.aspx Headquarters and Alliance operations, missions and exercises We plan, install, operate, maintain and monitor Computer Information Systems (CIS) services for headquarters, Alliance operations, missions and exercises. We are responsible for managing CIS assets and logistics support for all NATO-owned CIS equipment We provide resilient static and deployable communications infrastructure services including voice and video, wireless and maritime, and satellite communications (SATCOM). We enable all NATO operations and exercises with these services to the NATO Alliance, and its Partners Our dedicated and knowledgeable staff also offer their expertise by deploying with NATO’s CIS equipment to operations and exercises. We enable end-to-end CIS services through several CIS Support Units (CSUs) in various locations across the Alliance

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general 1 84 1 employment.aspx Please note that the NCI Agency has a temporary pause on the hiring of any new personnel, from 9 July 2020 until further notice. In case you applied for a position with us recently, your application will be reserved for future opportunities Explore NATO vacancie Meet our stakeholder engagement and diversity advocat Meet Diana De Vivo, the NCI Agency's Stakeholder Engagement and Diversity Advocate. Diana worked at the European Union (EU) before taking up a position at the NATO Communications and Information Agency Hear how we lead NATO's digital transformatio NATO, like any organization, must digitize or risk becoming irrelevant.  And the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is responsible for guiding the Alliance through this transformation. The NCI Agency delivers the critical technology that enables 30 Nations to communicate with each other and work together

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general 1 92 1 employment/working-for-us.aspx Join a unique international team. Do work that matters My team as a group is my main inspiration, as we deal with all the projects, big or small, always with one goal to deliver quality products the best we can and make the customer happy. Ana Marques Pinheiro, Scientis I cannot think about a better international environment than this Pablo Moreno, Senior Project Manage Showing the new comrades the culture and principles of our internal and external collaboration is key for our daily work, and future performance in NAT LTC Marian Schroeers, Exercise Plannin I believe that NATO is a symbol of unity and integrity. Working for NATO is not just a point on a CV. It's a chance to be a part of something bigger than a typical job Besjona Koprencka, Senior Accounting Assistan Whatever challenge our Alliance may be faced with tomorrow, if information, communications or advanced technology is needed, we'll be there David Jenkins, Commander CS Be a rocket scientist break the glass ceiling Laryssa Patten, Senior Scientist Seeing the mission playing out on the giant screens brought into focus the importance of the support we provide Nick Price, Senior Scientis Be an engineer, tackle gender bias I volunteered and said, I want to go Robert Webster, DCIS Service Manage Our projects are not what you would normally find in the private sector. You are on the frontlines against cyber-attacks. You make sure NATO forces have the technology they need to communicate during operations. Our work makes an impact on a massive scale helping to safeguard peace for nearly one billion people. We offer opportunities for every stage of your career. Come work with us as an intern, let us be your first employer or join our management team, and take your CV to the next level Click through the tabs below to learn more about our recruitment process. what we offe Please note that the NCI Agency has a temporary pause on the hiring of any new personnel, from 9 July 2020 until further notice. In case you applied for a position with us recently, your application will be reserved for future opportunities Explore NATO vacancie

Do work that matters. Learn more about our hiring process.

general 1 93 1 employment/young-professionals.aspx Kickstart your career at the NCI Agency, where your impact is global Immerse yourself in the diverse environment of an international organization, where your knowledge and fresh perspective will be truly appreciated. Through our programmes for interns and recent graduates, we aim to bring new innovative ideas into the Alliance. Our environment will offer you unparalleled work experience for your CV. We have opportunities for both current students, and recent graduates. Due to the time it can take for you to obtain a security clearance, consider applying to our positions earlier rather than later. We don’t want you to miss out on this incredible experience Click on the tabs below to learn more about our internships and opportunities for recent graduates.

Student? Recent graduate? We have opportunities for you.

general 1 94 1 business.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency acquires, deploys and defends communications systems for the Alliance’s political decision-makers and Commands. We procure commercially-available communications and IT products and services on an urgent and expedited basis, but we are also responsible for delivering major complex systems via International Competitive Bidding. And we need your innovative technology and solutions to do that. The Agency looks to industry to provide their solutions in areas such as air command and control, cyber security and big data and analytics. Our acquisition process may seem overwhelming at first, but it is designed to make sure company proposals are looked at fairly. Bid on our Business opportunitie or for more information on our process, see Doing business with u . You can also follow the @NCIAAcquisitio Twitter handle for acquisition news. For general acquisition questions you can contact general.acquisition@ncia.nato.in

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general 1 102 1 business/do-business-with-us.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency acquires advanced technological solutions – including cyber and missile defence – for the Alliance and its Nations We procure commercially-available communications and IT products and services on an urgent and expedited basis, but we are also responsible for delivering major complex systems via International Competitive Bidding Bid on our Business opportunitie or read more information on our process Bid on our business opportunitie

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general 1 103 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme.aspx Bid on our business opportunitie

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general 1 104 1 business/do-business-with-us/eprocurement.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is set to launch a new online procurement tool called Neo in 2020. The move to Neo eProcurement is part of a wider Agency effort to boost collaboration with the private sector by promoting visibility into past, current and upcoming business opportunities. Through this wider effort, the Agency is also aiming for faster competition cycles, contract awards and account management. Neo will uplift the NCI Agency's procurement to an efficient, automated and digital bidding and contract management system. Benefits for suppliers include facilitated communication on business opportunities and reduced administrative burden. We are committed to maintaining an enduring dialogue with the private sector to assure that the best capabilities and services are delivered to the Alliance. Deployment of Neo eProcurement is fully aligned with this vision Agata Szydelko, Neo Business Change Manager for the NCI Agency Acquisition Directorat Neo modules and key feature Neo eProcurement is an Oracle-based system which will enable supplier access to two key modules iSupplier portal will allow for easy self-service profile management of supplier record Access to contracts and advanced contract administration Full visibility on acceptance and payment statu Self-administration of supplier dat Automatic notifications of transaction Sourcing will assure an efficient engagement of suppliers throughout all stages of the tendering Online access to business opportunities NOIs, IFBs/RFQs/RFI Integrated eligibility workflo Electronic bids submissio Enriched communication exchange during solicitation Standardized, automated and fully auditable proces Neo account registration guidance will be provided to the Agency suppliers in due course 5 steps to star Procurement method Business Opportunitie

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general 1 105 1 business/do-business-with-us/5-steps.aspx Our acquisition process may seem overwhelming at first, but it is designed to make sure company proposals are looked at fairly. Below we have outlined a few things you should do to work with us. We have also addressed some of your frequently asked questions Bid on our business opportunitie

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general 1 107 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency acquires, deploys and defends communications systems for the Alliance’s political decision-makers and Commands. And we need your innovative technology and solutions to do that. The Agency looks to industry to provide their solutions in areas such as air command and control, cyber security and big data and analytics Our acquisition process may seem overwhelming at first, but it is designed to make sure company proposals are looked at fairly. 5 Steps to doing business with u Bid on our business opportunitie

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general 1 108 1 business/current-opportunities.aspx Scroll down to see our current opportunities, grouped by the type of procurement procedure. All dates stated are current best estimates We invite you to read more about the NCI Agency’s Busines , applied procurement methods and procedure , our Basic Ordering Agreemen (BOA) Programme, and contract vehicles available for use by our Customers Invitations For Bids (IFB Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA Market Surveys (MS

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general 1 109 1 business/future-opportunities.aspx By the end of 2021, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency plans to put on the market more than 500 million EUR worth of business for industry to bid on All business opportunities the Agency is planning to put on the market in 2020-2021 are highlighted below. Click her for current open opportunities, where a Notification of Intent (NOI), Invitation for Bids (IFB) or Request for Quotations (RFQ) has been released. Need help getting started with the NCI Agency? The guide 5 Steps to Doing Business with Us can be found her . Here are highlights of what we are planning to put on the market in 2020-2021.

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general 1 110 1 business/contract-awards.aspx The NCI Agency endeavours to keep its acquisition process as transparent as possible while following the NATO procurement principles. This section is designed to provide this transparency and contains reports made available to Industry. The NCI Agency will periodically publish a list of contract awards exceeding EUR 100,00 . On this page you can also find the Agency bi-annual reports regarding BOA competitions. The data is available for download below All competitions hosted by the NCI Agency are published on the website under Business Opportunities, and are tweeted on the NCI Agency’s acquisition-focused Twitter account. Follow @NCIA-Acquisitio for NOI and RFQ releases, publication of major contract awards and other updates for Industry Reports on contract awards exceeding EUR 100,00 201 1 January 2018 - 31 January 201 1 February 2018 - 28 February 201 1 March 2018 - 31 March 201 1 April 2018 - 30 April 201 1 May 2018 - 31 May 201 1 June 2018 - 30 June 201 1 July 2018 - 31 July 201 1 August 2018 - 30 August 201 1 September 2018 - 30 September 201 1 October 2018 - 31 October 201 1 November 2018 - 30 November 201 1 December 2018 - 31 December 201 201 1 January 2017 - 31 January 201 1 February 2017 - 28 February 201 1 March 2017 - 31 March 201 1 April 2017 - 30 April 201 1 May 2017 - 31 May 201 1 June 2017 - 30 June 201 1 July 2017 - 31 July 201 1 August 2017 - 30 August 201 1 September 2017 - 30 September 201 1 October 2017 - 31 October 201 1 November 2017 - 30 November 201 1 December 2017 - 31 December 201 201 1 January 2016 - 31 January 201 1 February 2016 - 28 February 201 1 March 2016 - 31 March 201 1 April 2016 - 30 April 201 1 May 2016 - 31 May 201 1 June 2016 - 30 June 201 1 July 2016 - 31 July 201 1 August 2016 - 30 August 201 1 September 2016 - 30 September 201 1 October 2016 - 31 October 201 1 November 2016 - 30 November 201 1 December 2016 - 31 December 201 201 1 January 2015 - 31 January 201 1 February 2015 - 28 February 201 1 March 2015 - 31 March 201 1 April 2015 - 30 April 201 1 May 2015 - 31 May 201 1 June 2015 - 30 June 201 1 July 2015 - 31 July 201 1 August 2015 - 30 August 201 1 September 2015 - 30 September 201 1 October 2015 - 31 October 201 1 November 2015 - 30 November 201 1 December 2015 - 31 December 201 201 1 March 2014 - 31 March 201 1 April 2014 - 30 April 201 1 May 2014 - 31 May 201 1 June 2014 - 30 June 201 1 July 2014 - 31 July 201 1 August 2014 - 30 August 201 1 September 2014 - 30 September 201 1 October 2014 - 31 October 201 1 November 2014 - 30 November 201 1 December 2014 - 31 December 201

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general 1 111 1 business/partnerships.aspx The NCI Agency seeks out innovative ideas and transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from industry partners, whether small or large. Ultimately, our goal is to expand our ecosystem by engaging new actors. The Agency’s flagship events, NITEC and NIAS, are the best first entry point to exchange ideas, establish first contacts and help us learn about your company’s solutions

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general 1 112 1 business/partnerships/key-events.aspx The Agency hosts two key conferences NITEC and NIAS. These opportunities bring together NATO and industry to forecast what is next for the Alliance’s capability development, and upcoming business opportunities. Check out the information below to see if either, or both are right for your organization to attend. More events can be found her NITE NITEC brings together more than 700 senior government, military and industry leaders to make connections and build relationships. Our flagship industry conference is focused on forecasting upcoming opportunities to do business with NATO. During this event we facilitate quality conversations between NATO managers, and small, medium and large enterprises. Small Business Mentoring Programme Our Mentoring Programme offers small businesses the opportunity to meet NCI Agency managers, as well as network with large companies in one-on-one sessions. Those conversations cover a large range of topics, including product development, marketing, seed financing, collaborating with partner companies and best practices when competing for NATO contracts More than 80 sessions have been conducted since the start of programme in 2016. High-level representatives from BT, Leidos, AT&T, GDIT, Leonardo, Symantec, Microsoft, Cisco and IBM have served as mentors, consulting small businesses operating in C4ISR, IT and cyber security NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS The Agency hosts NATO’s largest cyber security conference, the NATO Information Assurance Symposium. The three-day event is unique opportunity for cyber security experts from across the Alliance to discuss best practices, exchange views and explore innovative cyber security solutions See upcoming event

Read about the Agency’s two key conferences of the year.

general 1 113 1 business/partnerships/nato-industry-cyber-partnership.aspx The NATO Industry Cyber Partnershi , endorsed by Alliance leaders at 2014 Wales Summit, fosters timely information sharing on cyber threats, allowing participants to enhance their situational awareness The bilateral information sharing includes information on cyber threats and information security best practices, as well as cyber threat indicators and mitigation measures. Partners are also encouraged to share reports of intrusion events, participate in damage assessments with the NCI Agency and report any cyber security incident that may be of interest to NATO The Programme aims to increase awareness of cyber threats to NATO and its partners, enhancing and supplementing everyone’s capabilities to safeguard information It is also a relevant initiative for small and medium enterprises, which can often provide innovative solutions in cyberspace In order to join the Programme, the entity must be from a NATO member Nation. Potential partners will also need to show that they are in a position to contribute a balanced share of information. Requests for participation are reviewed by the NCI Agency on a case-by-case basis.

Learn more about this information sharing partnership.

general 1 114 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/what-is-a-basic-ordering-agreement-boa.aspx BOAs are one of the two NCI Agency procurementmethods. For more information visit our Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) page

BOAs are one of the two NCI Agency procurement methods. For more information visit our Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) page.

general 1 115 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/what-is-the-basic-process-of-a-boa.aspx The majority of BOA procurements are done via competitions. They are announced on the Agency’s Business Opportunities and are only open to suppliers with an active BOA. The BOA process involves 2 stages Stage is establishing an agreement with all basic contract provisions and prices or a definitive pricing methodology. Individual orders for retail quantities may then be placed against this agreement by local offices for local delivery. Stage 2 is when there is a BOA competition. We filter vendors to match the requirements to the offered categories, and we then send a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to vendors that provide the required products/services BOA suppliers not initially selected may contact the NCI Agency and request inclusion in any bidders list of interest

The majority of BOA procurements are done via competitions. They are announced on the Agency’s Business Opportunities and are only open to suppliers with an active BOA. The BOA process involves 2 stages Stage is establishing an agreement with all basic contract provisions and prices or a definitive pricing methodology. Individual orders for retail quantities may then be placed against this agreement by local offices for local delivery. Stage 2 is when there is a BOA competition. We filter vendors to match the requirements to the offered categories, and we then send a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to vendors that provide the required products/services BOA suppliers not initially selected may contact the NCI Agency and request inclusion in any bidders list of interest

general 1 116 1 employment/working-for-us/application.aspx Timeline – 3-4 week We accept applications through our online system Taleo. You can search for open vacancies without logging in by clicking Vacancie If a position looks like a good fit for you, please create a candidate profile to apply for this position Creating a candidate profile is a one-time process, so that you can apply for more than one job. Feel free to create a profile even if nothing catches your eye right now. You can always return later and use that profile to apply for a future vacancy Some tips for applying Spend time on the pre-screening questions! We do read them, and they matter. Make sure you thoroughly detail your experience and education in our online form. We look primarily at how you answer those questions, not at your attached resume or cover letter. Apply before the vacancy’s closing date! Don’t wait until the last minute! We will not accept late or incomplete applications. Once the vacancy has closed you will no longer be able to add additional information to be reviewed as part of that application. If you have questions about the system, please contact the Recruitment Office at recruitment@ncia.nato.in

We accept applications through our online system Taleo. You can search for open vacancies without logging in by clicking Vacancies. If a position looks like a good fit for you, please create a candidate profile to apply for this position. Timeline – 3-4 week We accept applications through our online system Taleo. You can search for open vacancies without logging in by clicking Vacancies. If a position looks like a good fit for you, please create a candidate profile to apply for this position.

general 1 117 1 employment/working-for-us/screening.aspx Shortlisting - Timeline – 2-3 week After the closing date, your application will be reviewed. You will not hear from the Recruitment Team until this step is complete. Please be patient while this process is taking place. You will be notified via e-mail regardless of the outcome of your application Shortlisted candidates, depending on the position applied for, might be invited for further assessments Technical Test Technical tests usually cover the technical skills required for the position. Generally, the test takes between 1 and 2 hours. Some are administered remotely, and some are administered at the Agency premises. Tests are scored by the Selection Board based on predetermined criteria. You will receive an e-mail letting you know if you have passed or not. It will also give you more information on the next steps in the recruitment process o Personality Assessment If the position requires an assessment test you will receive an e-mail from one of our providers. They will request that you complete an online assessment, which once opened, will give you a limited amount of time to complete and return. If you receive this email, we ask you to complete the assessment as soon as possible to avoid holding up the next steps in the process. Afterwards you will receive an e-mail with the outcome of your assessment and information on the next steps in the recruitment process o Preliminary interviews - HireVu For most positions the Agency uses a video interviewing platform called HireVu to pre-screen candidates. HireVue offers you the ability to share your story and explain your work through video recorded answers to our questions. On the platform, you will be given a chance to practice answering us on camera with a set of practice questions. Keep in mind, these are just practice questions to get you comfortable with the platform. The Agency questions for your actual interview may be quite different. You will likely be given five days to complete the request, and you can record your answers at any time you wish. You can learn more about this type of interview, and get some useful tips on the HireVue websit . You might also be requested to attend a live video interview via this system. In this case, you will be interviewed by a panel which will include the hiring official, the technical advisor, the human resources representative and possibly a civilian staff association member. Candidates are notified of the outcome by e-mail. Successful candidates will also receive information on the next steps in the recruitment process

After the closing date, your application will be reviewed. You will not hear from the Recruitment Team until this step is complete. Please be patient while this process is taking place. You will be notified via e-mail regardless of the outcome of your application.Shortlisting - Timeline – 2-3 week After the closing date, your application will be reviewed. You will not hear from the Recruitment Team until this step is complete. Please be patient while this process is taking place. You will be notified via e-mail regardless of the outcome of your application.

general 1 118 1 employment/working-for-us/interview.aspx Depending on the position you applied for you might be asked immediately for a face-to-face interview, without taking a test or recording a video interview Before the interview you will meet briefly with a Human Resources staff member. During this meeting, we will handle your travel expenses, ask you to sign a copy of your application where necessary, explain the recruitment process and interview procedure and answer any questions you may have at this stage. You will be required to bring both originals and copies of your diplomas and certificates with you You will also be given information on the selection board, the group of people who sit in on the interviews and select the final candidate. The NCI Agency follows strict guidelines to ensure that every candidate is treated fairly. All candidates will be asked the same questions during the interview. The selection board will consistently assess the candidates based on predefined criteria and scoring The formal face-to-face interviews generally last between 45 and 90 minutes. There will be at least three interviewers plus a civilian staff association representative. The representative is there to observe that the hiring process is fair and balanced to all candidates The board will take notes during the interview to assess your suitability for the position. Please do not take this as them being rude or disinterested! They are taking notes as you speak to make sure they are accurately recording your responses. You may take notes during the interview to organize your thoughts on paper provided to you, but you cannot take these notes away with you. You will be given a chance to ask questions regarding the position at the end of the interview How to prepare for the interview Research the Agency's role within NATO and read the vacancy notice carefully. Find out what the Agency is doing and think about how you see yourself fitting in it. Be prepared to tell us what you could bring to the Agency. Prepare examples of how you have achieved (or learned) something of relevance to the position Think about how your experience, interests and skills fit the job and the Agency. Think about what questions we might ask during the interview and prepare yourself to answer them Prepare the questions you would like to ask the panel, but keep in mind that you will not gain additional credit at interview simply by asking questions Practice answering interview questions with a friend You should also Bring the necessary documents with you identification, diplomas and certificates, completed bank details and complete supplementary in your profile as requested. It's a good idea to pack them in your bag the night before Plan how you will get to the interview. Check the location and how to get there. You should arrive 10 minutes before the time mentioned in interview invitation If you are travelling, collect and keep all the receipts in order to hand them over to the person who will be doing in-briefing with you Decide what you will wear and set it out the night before. Suits and business wear are the best option with clean and smart shoes Get an early night. We all perform better when fully awake During the interview Turn off your phone Address the panel members by name Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role and for NATO Keep answers simple and short with specific examples when needed. Avoid using slang and words you don’t understand. Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question Talk about why you are the right person for the job Thank the interviewers Non-verbals A solid handshake is essential. It shows confidence Keep good eye contact with the interviewers Be aware of your body language. Don't shift in your seat or fidget Sit up straight. Pronounce your words clearly, and in an audible voice and tone Crossed arms and legs might denote defensiveness. Be honest and authentic. Your body language and facial expressions show us your interest in the post

Depending on the position you applied for you might be asked immediately for a face-to-face interview, without taking a test or recording a video interview.

general 1 119 1 employment/working-for-us/offer.aspx Timeline – 6-8 week You will hear about the status of your application only after the General Manager has authorised the appointment. Please note that we will inform you regardless of the outcome of your application, but this may take up to 6-8 weeks. All of our communication is done via e-mail so ensure you check your e-mail at regular intervals. If you are selected for the position, congratulations! If you accept our tentative offer, we will start medical and security clearance procedures

You will hear about the status of your application only after the General Manager has authorised the appointment. Please note that we will inform you regardless of the outcome of your application, but this may take up to 6-8 weeks. All of our communication is done via e-mail so ensure you check your e-mail at regular intervals. If you are selected for the position, congratulations! If you accept our tentative offer, we will start medical and security clearance procedures.Timeline – 6-8 week You will hear about the status of your application only after the General Manager has authorised the appointment. Please note that we will inform you regardless of the outcome of your application, but this may take up to 6-8 weeks. All of our communication is done via e-mail so ensure you check your e-mail at regular intervals. If you are selected for the position, congratulations! If you accept our tentative offer, we will start medical and security clearance procedures.

general 1 120 1 employment/working-for-us/clearances.aspx Timeline – on average 6 month Staff members must fulfil certain conditions under NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations You must demonstrate that you fulfil the physical standards demanded in the post. You also have to be recognized as being free from or definitely cured of any disease which might constitute a risk to others. This will all be demonstrated in a medical file that you will submit after being offered a position. The Agency will help you understand what is needed for your position. The NCI Agency must receive a security clearance certificate from the government of the country or countries where you are a national. Obtaining clearances might be a lengthy process, taking six months on average, depending on the nation Medical fil If you are selected for the post, you will be required to complete a medical questionnaire, undergo medical analyses if needed (this is based on the requirements for the post), and provide a doctor's assessment which you will have to submit to our medical advisor, who will then assess whether you have the required abilities and are fit for the post Security clearanc A valid security clearance at the appropriate level (the level depends upon the requirements of the post) must be received in the Agency Security Office before we can hire you. This formality is carried out by your national authorities, upon NATO's request. If you do not currently hold a clearance, you will be sent a number of forms for completion along with your letter or shortly after receiving your offer letter. The time required to obtain a security clearance varies from several months to 1.5 years, depending on various elements beyond NATO's control (your nationality, background, employment history, etc.)

Staff members must fulfil certain conditions under NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations Timeline – on average 6 month Staff members must fulfil certain conditions under NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations

general 1 121 1 employment/working-for-us/joining.aspx After we have received your medical and security clearance, a member of the Recruitment Team will act as a liaison between you and your future manager to set a start date and appoint a sponsor to ensure a smooth transition into your new role at the NCI Agency. Our team will ensure that You have all of the equipment you need to perform in your new position soon after you join You receive a comprehensive and welcoming introduction to the Agency and to the organizational element you are joining You are advised of any special requirements for your first day You receive a briefing covering all contractual and some practical matters on your first day In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the recruitment process at recruitment@ncia.nato.in

After we have received your medical and security clearance, a member of the Recruitment Team will act as a liaison between you and your future manager to set a start date and appoint a sponsor to ensure a smooth transition into your new role at the NCI Agency.

general 1 122 1 employment/young-professionals/internships.aspx Our Internship Programme offers you the chance to gain valuable work experience from a NATO Agency. You will get a first-hand look at the inner workings of an international tech organization, while adding valuable skills and experience to your CV. If you live outside the Agency’s main locations, you should still consider applying. Working outside of your own country will set you apart from your peers. Most positions are offered in The Hague, Mons or Brussels. Other NCI Agency locations may be included, so be sure to check the location on the listing. In principle, internships last between three to 10 months, and may commence at any point during the calendar year. You will have to obtain a security clearance before taking up your post with us, so we are flexible on your start date. We will assist you with the process if you are selected. Because this process can take some time depending on where you are from, we recommend applying for an internship as soon as possible. Eligibility Criteria You are a national of a NATO member country. You are currently studying towards a university-level degree or have recently graduated You are proficient in English, both written and oral Compensation In Belgium – 1,069.58 EUR per month, based on 38 hours of work per week In the Netherlands – 1,131.25 EUR per month, based on 38 hours of work per week. For travel expenses – Up to 1,000 EUR in total, based on what you spent when taking up the internship, and when returning to your home country upon completion of the internship Currently there are no internship vacancies available

Our Internship Programme offers you the chance to gain valuable work experience from a NATO Agency. You will get a first-hand look at the inner workings of an international tech organization, while adding valuable skills and experience to your CV.

general 1 123 1 employment/young-professionals/recent-graduates.aspx The Agency has an exciting new job programme for recent graduates. Through our three-year Graduate Programme you would work as an Agency employee, but be offered special programming to guide your development. The three years are an opportunity to learn, and a chance to demonstrate that you can deliver on projects The graduate programme is about developing our talent for the future, attracting individuals who want to learn, build their skills and join a team of world-class tech savvy experts We will give you the resources and training you need to succeed, including help from a new graduate development staff member. The staffer will look at what competencies, technical skills and behaviours you should exhibit We are looking for people who have a clear motivation for working for the Agency. Graduates should be able to demonstrate they have relevant experience for the area they are applying to, and they should be able to explain how the Agency fits into their career path Graduates are paid as other staff members, and receive the same benefits Vacancie Currently there are no vacancies available as part of the raduate Programme. You can find other NATO vacancies her . Search for a jo

The Agency has an exciting new job programme for recent graduates.

general 1 124 1 what-we-do/nato-consultation-command-networks/federated-mission-networking.aspx NATO's Federated Mission Networkin framework was designed to rapidly spin up and terminate mission networks to support coordinated operations. The NCI Agency offers technical support to that work. The framework is designed to enable Allied and Partner forces to communicate, train and operate together.

Learn about this capability.

general 1 125 1 what-we-do/nato-consultation-command-networks/polaris-programme.aspx We are modernizing NATO’s information technology infrastructure through our Polaris Programme. This effort will change the way the Alliance works, both for NATO staff and for the Nations. The Programme will establish the first NATO private cloud infrastructure, increasing the security of NATO networks. The programme also aims to bring new mobile devices (laptops and tablets) to more than 18,000 users across 44 locations in Europe and the United States

Get more information on this critical programme.

general 1 126 1 about-us/our-locations.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency's central elements are split between Brussels, Mons and The Hague. The General Manager is based at the Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. In support of our customers, we have over 30 locations around the Alliance. Our customer contact services can be found on our contacts pag Our key locations around the Alliance and CIS Support Units

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general 1 127 1 business/business-opportunities.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency acquires advanced technological solutions – including cyber and missile defence – for the Alliance and its Nations We procure commercially-available communications and IT products and services on an urgent and expedited basis, but we are also responsible for delivering major complex systems via International Competitive Biddin Bid on our business opportunities using the tabs below. For more information on our process, see the Doing business with U . Consult our Procurement procedure We procure commercially-available communications and IT products and services via International Competitive Bidding Doing Business with U

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general 1 131 1 business/eprocurement.aspx No Description.

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general 1 133 1 error.aspx Oops, page not found Sorry, this content has been moved, its name changed, or it's temporarily unavailable Please visit our landing page at https //www.ncia.nato.in to explore all our new content

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general 1 135 1 about-us/newsroom/general-manager-meets-director-general-of-the-polish-ministry-of-national-defence.aspx On 21 and 22 October, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers was hosted by the Director General of the Polish Ministry of National Defence, Mr Piotr Lis, and Chief of the Information Systems Inspectorate, COL Tomasz Żyto Tomasz. During his two day visit, the Director General expressed his appreciation of the excellent cooperation between Poland and the NCI Agency. The main topics of discussion were the mutual vision of future cooperation, Poland's involvement in Smart Defence and the Connected Forces Initiative as well as opportunities for the Polish national defence industry Mr Gijsbers furthermore met with the Deputy Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Waldemar Głuszko, Director of the Armament Policy Department, Brigadier General Włodzimierz Nowak, and Deputy Director of the International Security Policy Department, Mr Piotr Pacholski The NCI Agency, in addition to providing essential services to the Alliance, plays a significant role in assisting both NATO and Partner countries in developing their national defence capabilities in an interoperable, cost-effective manner. This includes a number of high profile multinational projects. Finally, the Principal Specialist of the Information Systems Inspectorate, Col Tadeusz Bartkiewicz and the Polish NATEX to NCI Agency, COL Leszek Janicki, provided excellent support to help make this a successful visit For more information, feel free to contact NCI Agency Demand Management Directorate, Customer Relations Management T +32 2 707 857 F +32 2 707 877 E demand.management@ncia.nato.in

On 21 and 22 October, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers was hosted by the Director General of the Polish Ministry of National Defence, Mr Piotr Lis, and Chief of the Information Systems Inspectorate, COL Tomasz Żyto Tomasz.

general 1 152 1 about-us/newsroom/steadfast-jazz-2013-tests-customer-readiness-for-the-nrf.aspx From 2-9 November, exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 (SFJZ13) was held across Europe, including the Baltic states and Poland with the aim to train and test the NATO Response Force (NRF), a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed. For the NCI Agency, SFJZ13, as a certification exercise was important as it tests our customers' interoperability in anticipation of their NRF responsibilities, which begin on 1 January 2014. Nearly every component of Service Delivery has either indirectly or directly contributed to the exercise for SJFZ13, whether supporting the static domains for reach back support, or supporting the NATO CIS Groups' deployable CIS systems and its domains. Through long hours and challenging situations over the course of 9 months, the exercise support was setup in time for Joint Force Command Brunssum to conduct their training exercises and certify their role as lead command for the 2014 NRF cycle. As the main provider of NATO communication and information systems (CIS) and their day-to-day support for both operations and exercises, the Agency's CIS is supporting the air, land, maritime and Special Forces components of SFJZ13. Also incorporated in the exercise is a staged cyber threat to the nations; SFJZ13 sees participation from 28 NATO Allies, as well as Finland, Sweden and Ukraine took part in the exercise It is important to note that Agency customers in static locations such HQ Allied Air Command Ramstein have a direct connection to Poland and role to play during the Exercise. In this vide BGEN Jack McMullen, Joint Force Air Component Commander at HQ Ramstein discusses how his unit will be involved in Exercise Steadfast Jazz

From 2-9 November, exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 (SFJZ13) was held across Europe, including the Baltic states and Poland with the aim to train and test the NATO Response Force (NRF), a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed.

general 1 153 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-secgen-acknowledges-successful-natorussia-counterterrorism-exercise.aspx From 23-27 September, the NATO Russia Council (NRC) Cooperative Airspace Initiative (CAI) conducted a counter-terrorism exercise over the skies of Poland, Russia and Turkey involving fighter aircraft, military personnel and command centres from the Arctic to the Black Sea The exercise, called Vigilant Skies 2013, was directed from the Warsaw and Moscow Coordination Centres. EUROCONTROL and the NCI Agency made additional displays of the CAI system available to the CAOCs in Torrejón and Uedem, and the Air Operations Centre in Poland Observers from Sweden, Bulgaria, Finland, Serbia, Lithuania Ukraine and Armenia were present in either of the NATO or Russian Coordination Centres. The General Manager of the NCI Agency, Koen Gijsbers observed the exercise in Poland and represented the NATO SecGen in the press conference At the NATO-Russia Ministers' meeting on 23 October 201 , the NATO Secretary General declared that The exercise was a great success. We now have a proven joint capacity to respond to the hijacking of civilian aircraft and we have showed how effective the NATO-Russia Council is in this field. During the event the USA also showed a proof of principle that they can successfully connect to the NATO CAI system, providing live tracks from Alaska. Pending further political-level consultations between Russia, NATO and US, the USA plans to formally join the CAI network in 2014 The NCI Agency has designed, procured and tested the NATO side of the CAI system and is currently responsible for the enhancements to the system, and its operations and maintenance. It is leading the NATO-Russia team supporting operator training and readiness. For this exercise the NCI Agency was the chief evaluator For more information contact Dr René van der Heide , CapDev Joint ISR

From 23-27 September, the NATO Russia Council (NRC) Cooperative Airspace Initiative (CAI) conducted a counter-terrorism exercise over the skies of Poland, Russia and Turkey involving fighter aircraft, military personnel and command centres from the Arctic to the Black Sea.

general 1 154 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-plans-for-14-billion-eur-in-upcoming-business-opportunities.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is planning to release 1.4 billion EUR in business opportunities in the next 18 months. As NATO’s tech and cyber leader, the Agency works to deliver technology and services to NATO Nations and Commands. During these next 18 months, the Agency plans to issue bids for, or award contracts in areas such as cyber security; joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and satellite communications The Agency holds open competitions through Invitations for Bid, or IFBs. You can read more about the process her . Industry leaders will learn more about these opportunities over the next three days at NITE . The Agency’s annual flagship industry conference kicks off on 20 May 2019 in Oslo, Norway. Satellite Communication The Agency plans to contract out 189 million EUR in satellite communications transmission services for the space, ground and control resources to support NATO operations from 2020 to 2034 Cyber Securit 129 million EUR is planned for refreshing and optimizing the security technology for NATO’s communications and information systems. Deployable Communications and Information Systems (CIS Through several other projects, the Agency is also planning to contract out 153.2 million EUR on deployable CIS and capability enhancements. Nuclear Command and Control Service NATO plans to make investments in the order of 15-to-20 million EUR to ensure a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent in the face of new technologies and threats. These funds will be used to develop software and procure IT equipment, among other things. Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Functional Service NATO also plans to invest 10 million EUR in this area to develop software, replace certain ageing tools and support command and control of CBRN assets Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanc The Agency plans to issue a bid worth 17 million EUR in the area of Joint ISR, to provide additional intelligence collecting and sharing capabilities to NATO Commands Read more detail Review NATO’s 1.4 billion EUR in upcoming business opportunitie

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is planning to release 1.4 billion EUR in business opportunities in the next 18 months.

general 1 155 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-talks-collaboration-with-industry-in-oslo.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's flagship event NITEC19 kicked off today in Oslo, where more than 700 senior government, military and industry leaders gathered to discuss potential partnerships and upcoming business opportunities. The three-day industry conference is focused this year on advancing technology and business practices to strengthen NATO operations from the South to the High North Norwegian Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen opened the conference on Monday. In his remarks, the Minister outlined why operating in the High North is especially challenging. The Minister emphasized the importance of adapting communication systems and technology to this harsh environment Meeting these challenges requires close collaboration between Nations, industry and the Alliance, Bakke-Jensen said. Peace and stability in the High North helps safeguard peace and stability in all of NATO. Panels that followed on Monday tackled questions of technology suitable for the High North, autonomy in defence and fostering a strong tech-savvy workforce In his keynote address, NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid said he wanted NATO's Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) community to take the lead in technological development for particular areas of operations in the High North We are here to keep our edge, Scheid said. We want to be a smart buyer. We want to learn from industry, see what is going on and make sure that you know how to engage with NATO and the NCI Agency. And that was just day one There are two more exciting days of programming ahead, including panels on data science, maritime technology and technology priorities for the High North On Tuesday, the winners of the Agency's Defence Innovation Challenge will also present their solutions During the conference senior Agency managers will also preview business opportunities the Agency plans to release in the next 18 months. These business opportunities amount to 1.4 billion EUR in tota The NCI Agency is hosting NITEC19 with the support of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Europe, and the Norwegian Ministry of Defence Through the conference's exhibition organized by AFCEA Europe, companies, not-for-profit organisations and academia can showcase their work There is a need to bring together government, academia and industry, said AFCEA's General Manager Erich Staudacher. Our exhibitors are inviting you to hands-on experiences, demos and expert talks. We feel encouraged we are providing you with a unique experience. For more information follow along on Twitter at #NITEC19, or check out the conference programme at https //nitec19.com

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's flagship event NITEC19 kicked off today in Oslo, where more than 700 senior government, military and industry leaders gathered to discuss potential partnerships and upcoming business opportunities.

general 1 156 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-plays-key-role-in-cwix-2019-.aspx As NATO’s technology and cyber leader, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency supports quite a few exercises each year. Most recently, the Agency played a key role in the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX), which ran from 10 to 27 June 2019. The exercise is designed to test and improve interoperability between NATO and national C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) systems The Agency delivered NATO’s C4ISR capabilities to the exercise and provided a support backbone for the event. The Agency also conducted technical tests of fielded, developmental and experimental systems in the context of a coalition scenario More than 1,500 people from across the Alliance worked together to make CWIX happen. Around 60 of those were subject matter experts from the Agency. The Agency’s Communications and Information Systems Support Unit in Bydgoszcz, Poland, also supported the execution of the exercise “The expertise and customer-oriented attitude demonstrated by the NCI Agency’s CSU staff was clearly recognized by all organizers and participants alike,” said Fulvio Postogna, NATO Joint Force Training Centre Deputy CWIX Officer of Primary Responsibility, in a note of appreciation to the Agency. “All issues and tickets were resolved in a timely fashion and no customer was sent away without answers. Allied Command Transformation (ACT) led and managed the exercise. The Agency delivered 33 capabilities and systems that were critical to the exercise, such as joint chat, and NATO-wide integrated command and control software for air operations “This was possibly the best CWIX yet, Postogna said CWIX was also an opportunity for the Agency to test and verify the interoperability of several systems and services. For example, during the exercise the Agency worked to verify NATO’s Core Data Framework, which is designed to help the Alliance share information across different communities of interest. Through the framework, NATO aims to enable the Alliance to share data on a message format level, while minimizing misinterpretation of that data As another example, the Agency worked to verify interoperability between national Friendly Force Tracking Systems. Friendly Force Tracking Systems are developed and deploye by many Nations with multiple interfaces to share positional and operational information on their own forces across the coalition The exercise is also an important opportunity to explore innovative solutions to interoperability challenges. The NCI Agency enabled experimentation and exploration of innovative concepts in areas such as data science, and data-centric security More than 8,000 tests were developed and executed on more than 300 systems during a three-week period. The exercise is focused on systems intended for deployment within a NATO Response Force or Combined Joint Task Force Yes

As NATO’s technology and cyber leader, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency supports quite a few exercises each year.

general 1 160 1 about-us/newsroom/register-now-for-natos-largest-cyber-security-conference.aspx You can now register for the 15th edition of NIAS, NATO’s largest cyber security conference, which will be held in Mons Belgium on 15-17 October 2019. It’s finally here You can now register for the 15th edition of NIAS - the NATO Information Assurance Symposium NATO’s largest cyber security conference will be held in Mons, Belgium on 15-17 October 2019. This year the symposium will focus on ‘Digital transformation smart machines for smarter decisions' Innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning can both threaten and support NATO missions. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency must tap into such technology to give Allied leaders the information they need to make the right decisions at the right time to protect our infrastructures, troops and populations The three-day event offers a unique opportunity to discuss best practices, exchange views and explore innovative solutions. The symposium is a must-attend event for NATO and national leaders, and experts from across the Alliance in industry and academia This year, NIAS will address the following areas · Traditional and AI-enabled information assuranc · Addressing supply chain security challenge · Moving from information assurance to mission assuranc · Data as a strategic resourc · The clou Register now at nias19.co Attendance is free of charge for civilian and military officials from NATO and EU Nations

You can now register for the 15th edition of NIAS, NATO’s largest cyber security conference, which will be held in Mons Belgium on 15-17 October 2019.

general 1 161 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-supports-exercise-steadfast-cobalt-2019-.aspx More than 80 staff from across the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency supported Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 2019. The exercise, which ended on 3 June 2019, was designed to test the communications and information systems (CIS) for NATO Response Force 2020. The Agency, however, had been involved in much of the preparation in the nine months before the exercise began. Our success comes from the fact that we have to do this every year. We plan this together with the assigned national and multinational units, exchanging configuration data and performing agreed tests together within a strict timeline. The fact that we are being evaluated helps to immediately reveal issues that need to be addressed prior to the major exercises and potential missions that the NATO Response Force will conduct, said Nicholas Lambert, NATO Response Force 2020 Mission Network Service Management Authority Team Lead Through the exercise, the NATO team supported by the Agency sought to validate that the systems are both interoperable, and mission ready, meaning that they could be used immediately if the NATO Response Force is activated for a mission. NATO Response Force 2020 will be on standby for potential missions next year. Although the creation of a mission-ready network for the NATO Response Force was the main goal of Steadfast Cobalt, it wasn't the only one. The exercise was also an opportunity to de-risk the execution of Exercise Trident Jupiter 19. Additionally, it provided a venue to test the interoperability between the NATO Response Force 2020 Mission Network and the enhanced Forward Presence Mission Network. It also allowed Nations affiliated with the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) Framework to confirm their FMN readiness. The exercise was performed from multiple locations around Europe. Centring on the main location in Bucharest, Romania, NCI Agency staff, together with national and multinational teams, provided support from several static headquarters locations The NCI Agency provided the Interoperability Director for the exercise, whose team coordinated the tests run by dispersed teams drawn from the NATO, national and multinational units and headquarters involved in the exercise. The Interoperability Director's team managed, planned and orchestrated more than 18,700 tests using an in-house tool-suite. The team also used the suite to collate test results and observations. The NATO Response Force’s mission network is made up of networks provided by NATO, together with those provided by the national and multinational units and headquarters. These all need to be federated to form a single network for the mission. To do this, the NCI Agency acted as the Service Management Authority (SMA) for the federation. In that role, the Agency led the planning, and oversaw the stand-up of the mission network and the subsequent operation of the services federated between the component networks. This was performed within the Deployed Network Operations Centre provided by the Agency’s sister organization, the NATO CIS Group At the end of the exercise, Agency staff formulated and executed a plan to safely disconnect units leaving the mission network The mission network has now been tested, and the exercise evaluated. The network will allow the commander of the NATO Response Force rotation to command and control his forces for upcoming exercises, and in the event the force is activated

More than 80 staff from across the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency supported Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 2019.

general 1 162 1 about-us/newsroom/help-nato-reform-its-acquisition-processes-.aspx In less than 10 minutes you can give NATO critical advice on how it should reform its acquisition processes. Technology is changing at a rapid pace, and NATO must adapt its acquisition processes to keep up with the times. NATO's acquisition approach should take advantage of industry best practices to become more rapid and agile. The NATO Industrial Advisory Group's Industry Initiative for Agile Acquisition has launched a survey to collect input from across industry that can inform NATO on how it should improve its acquisition process for technology-intensive projects. The acquisition team for the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency intends to consider the recommendations that result from this initiative. An online brainstorming platform was used in 2018 to crowdsource initial recommendations. This follow-up study aims at refining that initial input to improve the NATO acquisition process. Anyone from industry, Member Nations and academia involved in the NATO ecosystem or in defence acquisition is invited to contribute. In the survey, you can review, rate and comment on the initial crowdsourced recommendations, and propose new recommendations. NCI Agency Director of Acquisition Simona Rocchi said “This is an excellent initiative, and the NCI Agency acquisition team looks forward to receiving the report. It is the NCI Agency's responsibility to look out for defence procurement best practices and adapt them for NATO use. Ultimately, our goal is to bring the best technology and services into the Alliance. For more information, and to complete the survey visit https //form.jotformeu.com/9121223892235

In less than 10 minutes you can give NATO critical advice on how it should reform its acquisition processes.

general 1 163 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-welcomes-60-cyber-security-students-to-the-hague-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency welcomed 60 students from the International Cyber Security Summer School to its facility in The Hague on 27 August 2019 The NCI Agency is a proud partner of the six-day summer school, which aims to support knowledge sharing and strengthen the pool of young professionals in cyber security. During the visit, the participants met NCI Agency cyber security experts, and learned about how the Agency supports NATO's mission. Students were also briefed on career opportunities with the Agency. Summer school students learned more about cyber security incidents, risk and threat management, cryptocurrency and cyber crime. While in the programme, the students also worked on challenging cyber security-related assignments. The summer school took place at the Agency's facility in the Hague, Europol, EY, Leiden University and The Hague Security Delta For more information on the International Cyber Security Summer School, visit its website her

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency welcomed 60 students from the International Cyber Security Summer School to its facility in The Hague on 27 August 2019.

general 1 164 1 about-us/newsroom/new-nci-academy-to-host-nato-nations-for-fourth-education-and-training-conference-.aspx On 29 and 30 October 2019, the new NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academy in Oeiras, Portugal, will open its doors to the fourth Education and Training Conference. This is the very first time the conference will be held at the NCI Agency's new campus in Oeiras. Therefore, the conference is a fantastic opportunity to get introduced to the NCI Academy and what it has to offer The conference is a great networking event for training providers in the areas of Communications and Information Systems (CIS), Command, Control Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and cyber security At the conference, the NCI Agency plans to provide an update on its C4ISR and cyber training catalogue for 2020. Conference highlights also include a training modernization update on subjects such as e- and micro learning, virtual classrooms, augmented reality and the new NCI Agency Learning Management System The event is particularly relevant for training leaders at NATO's command structure and NATO Nations, unit training coordinators, exercise planners, experts in learning technologies and representatives of authorities for training requirements The conference is not open to industry For more information about the conference programme and how to register, please download the conference flyer her No

On 29 and 30 October 2019, the new NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academy in Oeiras, Portugal, will open its doors to the fourth Education and Training Conference.

general 1 165 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-staff-members-volunteer-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-scientists-and-engineers-.aspx A group of science-inclined pupils at the British School of the Netherlands stay after school each Thursday to run experiments and explore scientific queries Three staff members from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency volunteer their time to deliver a club focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) topics. Through the club, the staff members hope to inspire a new generation of students to study science and engineering. Thanks to their time and dedication, the STEM club concluded a successful fifth term, and will start a sixth in September Simon Else, a software engineer, first started mentoring students when he was working at Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy. After joining the Agency in 2016 as a Software Engineer, Else decided to do the same thing again at the British School in the Hague “We know there's a lack of children entering STEM topics, Else said. “As engineers and scientists, this club gives us the opportunity to inspire the imagination of the children in a practical way. Else started the club in the Netherlands with fellow NCI Agency Software Engineer Emre Erdogan “We tried to design five lessons to begin with, to do something interactive with the kids, Erdogan said. “You can't just stand up and talk to them for an hour because they get bored. Last year Tamsin Moye, a Senior Scientist in Cybersecurity at the Agency, joined the team. The students' science teacher also helps deliver the club, discipline the classroom and work as a fellow scientist during the experiments Attending a STEM club run by two female scientists and two male engineers helps the students identify potential role models “If we as a society are going to go for gender equality, we should start with the children, Moye said. “And we should show them it's cool for both genders to do science and engineering. The club has followed the children for five terms as they have grown up. This year the students were between ten and 11 years old The sixth term will focus again on six and seven-year-olds. The term that focused on younger students nearly achieved gender parity. However, the percentage of girls who attended dropped as the students got older “If we work with really young children, we can get gender parity, Moye said. “The junior school age is when we start biasing our kids. The club gives students a chance to do hands-on activities such as wooden bridge building, astronomy, rocket launching and gravity exploration “The topic actually doesn't matter that much. I think mostly what matters is how you approach them, and how you design the lesson, Erdogan said. “If you can give them something to do with their hands and let them explore, they are much more engaged. Else has two children in school, and his son attended the club. Erdogan, who also has a daughter in a different school, tried to interest her in science before beginning to help Else with the STEM club “I tried to not just study with her, but enjoy the way the world works with her, to play games like this, Erdogan said. “I was partially successful, partially unsuccessful. And I was struggling with these thoughts of how to engage a child to get them interested in practical science. Popular activities last term at the STEM club were bridge building and water rockets. The bridges were built out of lollipop sticks, and stress tested until they broke The children also made pressurized water rockets out of two-litre coke bottles. The students built fins for them after learning about the dynamics of why fins help rockets fly straight Moye, who has a Master in Astrophysics, was also able to draw on her background when teaching the children. The water rocket exercise, for example, included some lead in exercises to acquaint students with the physics behind the experiment “We did a whole series of little lessons about some of the key physics principles behind how rockets work before we actually got them into building the rockets and the launchers, Moye said During one such lesson, Moye showed the students an illustration of a rocket being launched into space “One of the children put his hand up and said, 'Your picture is wrong because we don't launch rockets from the poles; we launch them from the equator!' Moye said. “I was super impressed that a ten-year-old would understand the science on that level. It's absolutely incredible sometimes, the level of knowledge already in children at this age. For the first time last term, students experimented with metre-high model trebuchets built from scrap wood. The Agency team designed and built trebuchet kits over a weekend, and two groups of students assembled them during their Thursday club. The trebuchets were able to shoot tennis balls across their sports field The students were even excited by the assembly process “I don't think many people use tools to build things with their kids at home, Erdogan said. “One of the kids, when we gave him an electric screwdriver, said 'I feel like a god! I can put everything together!' The club doesn't charge a fee, and Else, Erdogan and Moye, who create the lessons, try to plan activities that use common materials the kids can find at home. With things like wooden sticks or coke bottles, the students can recreate the experiments whenever they want “As practising engineers and scientists, we give the children the opportunity to enjoy science and engineering as we do ourselves, Moye said

A group of science-inclined pupils at the British School of the Netherlands stay after school each Thursday to run experiments and explore scientific queries.

general 1 166 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-delivers-voice-equipment-to-latvian-air-force-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency successfully delivered on 29 August 2019 new voice communication equipment for air command and control to the Latvian Air Force. This newly acquired equipment will be used to strengthen national and NATO-related air policing missions, in cooperation with other Baltic Nations The NCI Agency's Directorate of Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) procured the capability from a consortium formed by CS, Communication and Systèmes and Thales Norway. The handover of the equipment to the Latvian Ministry of Defence was witnessed by representatives from the Latvian Air Force, the consortium and the NCI Agency. Frederic Cloutier, AMDC2 Project Implementation Branch Chief, said “The NCI Agency was proud to support Latvia in taking on a larger operational role in the Baltics, and in NATO, with the delivery of this voice communication capability. Delivering a complex system such as this would not have been possible without strong commitment and tireless effort from all involved. He also acknowledged that the excellent support provided by the Latvian team was crucial to overcoming implementation challenges. This marks the third delivery of such equipment. Lithuania, Iceland and now Latvia have the new equipment, which is used in an operational environment. The capability will be delivered in 2019 to Romania, Bulgaria and Estonia

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency successfully delivered on 29 August 2019 new voice communication equipment for air command and control to the Latvian Air Force.

general 1 167 1 about-us/newsroom/connecting-the-dots-enhancing-communications-across-the-alliance-.aspx Not everyone in information technology stays behind a screen. Some, like Senior Project Manager Pablo Moreno, get to see the world as a part of their daily duties Beginning in November 2017, a mere two months after starting at the NATO Communications and Information Agency, Moreno travelled for six months all over the Alliance It was very challenging at the beginning because everything was new to me, Moreno said. “It took me a couple of missions to understand everybody's roles, needs and concerns. Soon after joining the Agency, Moreno became part of the project management team for an urgent effort to enhance the Alliance's command and control communications. Moreno works within the Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Service Line, which was in charge of the project The Service Line needed to quickly implement systems at 27 different sites in 18 NATO Nations. As the team leader of 12 of those implementations, Moreno travelled two to three weeks a month, logging time in ten different countries. “I really enjoyed the experience and I learned a lot about NATO and the different stakeholders, but mainly a lot about the Agency's customers and users, Moreno said Moreno travelled with an implementation team – usually two engineers and a technician – to each site. Though the team worked on tight timelines, they found time to enjoy each location together with the locals on-site, Moreno said. In Iceland, for example, Moreno remembers taking time to visit the “Bridge Between Continents and enjoy Icelandic nature, with its unique landscapes and hot springs And it surprised me that you never see the dark. It's sunny when you go to bed around 12 at night and it's still sunny when you get up at 6 a.m., Moreno said about the time the team spent there. “You feel that the sun is always shining. Moreno, who is from Spain, came to NATO looking to gain international work experience “I cannot think about a better international environment than this, Moreno said. “You work not only with customers and users from different NATO Nations, but your own colleagues are also from all these 29 Nations. Today, Moreno is focused on a 54-site project to implement systems that will disseminate the recognized air picture, a listing of all aircraft in flight within a particular airspace Moreno hopes to visit some of the sites as the systems are implemented “I believe it is very positive to work with such a diverse group of people. I love sharing experiences with colleagues from different countries. It is a kind of never-ending learning process and it is fun how different and how similar at the same time we all are, Moreno said of working for the Agency The NCI Agency has an “extremely important role within NATO to bring the Alliance's Allies together, by providing the systems that enable them to communicate, Moreno said “Communication in general is key, but in NATO with such diversity, it is even more important, Moreno said While visiting the 12 sites, Moreno noticed most of them didn't have NATO connectivity before the team's arrival “When we deliver the NATO points of presence to these sites, with all of the capabilities, the national users really see NATO, Moreno said. “They feel that NATO has arrived. Being connected, Moreno said, can change your perception of NATO “The services we provide to NATO and the Nations allow our users to communicate and share information in a secure manner using state-of-the-art technology, Moreno said. “And this is key for the NATO mission. This is why the role of NSII is key. About the Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line The NSII mission enables secure and resilient data, voice and video communication services worldwide. It supports deployed operations and exercises for NATO Joint Forces, and political consultations between NATO Headquarters and Nations. The NSII Service Line is one of the largest units in the NCI Agency by personnel (more than 300 employees), portfolio (300 million EUR a year) and geographical footprint (17 locations) Interested in working for the NSII Service Line? Explore our vacancies

Not everyone in information technology stays behind a screen.Some, like Senior Project Manager Pablo Moreno, get to see the world as a part of their daily duties.

general 1 168 1 about-us/newsroom/detecting-suicide-attacks-from-research-to-reality.aspx It is a world first technology for the remote, real-time detection of explosives was tested live in an underground station in a major European city. The results were conclusive, paving the way for more widespread use of this technology. It marked the completion of the development and test phase of the Stand-off Detection of Explosives programme, known as STANDEX – the result of four years of joint work between experts from NATO and Russia Full article on NATO news site - click her

It is a world first technology for the remote, real-time detection of explosives was tested live in an underground station in a major European city.

general 1 169 1 about-us/newsroom/more-news-from-exercise-sfjz13.aspx More than 20 staff of the NCI Agency from Mons and The Hague deployed to Camp Adaži, near Riga (LVA) during the time from 18 October until 10 November The Agency team supported the Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ), which is staffed by JFC Brunssum, for SFJZ13 and the NATO Response Force (NRF) 2014. The JTF HQ was in the centre of the exercise with other locations in Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Italy, Norway and the Baltic Sea. NCI Agency staff contributed to the success of SFJZ13 mainly in two key areas of the exercise - Staff from the Deployable Functional Services Section (Mons) and from C2 and Operations Services (CAT4-6, The Hague) installed and run all functional services that were required for the JTF HQ. - Service support included NCOP, CoreGIS, LC2IS, TOPFAS, LOGFAS, JOIIS, NITB, JOCWatch, ICC, FAST, PLATO, NIRIS, JChat, DHS, and TTE. NCI Agency staff from The Hague took responsibility for cross-domain services with funding by ACT PoW, in particular - Provision of a prototype Information Clearinghouse as part of the Comprehensive Approach (CA) with a bi-directional release function between the Mission domain and NATO Unclassified, and further to non-traditional partners on the Internet. The effort was done in close cooperation with Brunssum BIM, IKM and CIMIC/J9 staff in order to get feedback on the developed operational processes and usability of the tool. - Provision of the prototype of a deployable IEG Scenario C that closes a severe gap for the provision of CoI services between static HQs operating on NATO Secret and deployed components operating on Mission Secret. Provided services were JChat, NIRIS, ICC and NITB. The Distinguished Visitors Day saw services provided by the Agency in the centre of attention The NCOP as part of the JOC demo, and the Information Clearing House in the CIS area. Feedback from visitors was very positive and showed a high level of interest. Our COS, Gen. Andrey used the opportunity to visit deployed Agency staff and get informed about their roles in the exercise. At SFJZ13, NCI Agency staff proofed its capability to support exercises and future operations in a deployed environment. SFJZ13 was a venue that perfectly demonstrated how the Agency interfaces with its various customers at the NATO Command Structure and the NATO CIS Group.

More than 20 staff of the NCI Agency from Mons and The Hague deployed to Camp Adaži, near Riga (LVA) during the time from 18 October until 10 November.

general 1 170 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-awacs-conducts-networked-training-missions.aspx In the last week of October, NATO AWACS operators conducted training missions with two F/A-18 fighter aircraft. This is part of normal training, however, for this event the missions were run in simulators based in Geilenkirchen (DEU) and the Warrior Preparation Center (WPC), Einsiedlerhof (DEU), connected over CFBLNet. As nations cut back heavily on their live flying programs, the NCI Agency supports NATO AWACS in gradually developing a Mission Training through Distributed Simulation (MTDS) capability to fulfil their training requirements. According to the participants, the setup provided excellent training, in particular because the F/A-18s were flown by an actual fighter pilot, as opposed to simulator drivers that role-play as fighter pilots for local simulator training. The missions were part of a collaborative proof of concept between NATO AWACS and WPC. Next steps are connections to the AWACS component in Waddington (GBR) and the Distributed Training Operations Center (DTOC) in Des Moines, IA (USA), with continued support of the NCI Agency

In the last week of October, NATO AWACS operators conducted training missions with two F/A-18 fighter aircraft.

general 1 171 1 about-us/newsroom/finland-participates-in-multinational-cyber-defence-development.aspx On 13-14 November, the five founding nations of the Smart Defence Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) Project Lead Nation Canada, Denmark, Norway, Romania and Netherlands met for the third official MN CD2 Board meeting at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency in The Hague, Netherlands. The MN CD2 Board, chaired by MAJ Mark Young, the Lead Nation Canada Representative to the project, has unanimously agreed the participation of Finland in the MN CD2 Project. The NCI Agency will provide support to Finland in the joining process as additional work needs be accomplished to ensure the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The NCI Agency briefed on the initial results of the implementation of the information campaign aiming at enlarging the participation in MN CD2. The campaign, launched in September this year, already provided increased interest in the project from eight further nations. While the campaign efforts will continue until mid-2014, the next step is to launch the MN CD2 internet site http //mncd2.ncia.nato.in ). The participating nations signed the Task Order for the Project Office Support for 2014 as well as validated the status of execution of the current MN CD2 Programme of Work (PoW) Work Packages (WPs) WP1 Technical Information Sharing, WP2 Cyber Defence Situational Awareness Capability and WP3 Distributed Multi-Sensor Collection and Correlation Infrastructure. With an aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the MN CD2 Board's work, the Terms of Reference of the Board were revised with respect to accountability and decision making. The next MN CD2 Board will take place on 11-12 March 2014. The NATO Nations interested in joining the MN CD2 Smart Defence project are invited to contact Mrs A. Szydelko, Principal Account Manager Multinational & Organizations at NCI Agency Demand Management Directorate, tel. +32 2 707 8241, agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in for further details

On 13-14 November, the five founding nations of the Smart Defence Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) Project Lead Nation Canada, Denmark, Norway, Romania and Netherlands met for the third official MN CD2 Board meeting at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency in The Hague, Netherlands.

general 1 172 1 about-us/newsroom/industry-demonstrates-secure-voice-technology-at-nato-hq.aspx On 19 November 2013, during the C3Board (Principals) Meeting, Industry demonstrated SCIP (Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol) compliant secure voice technologies at the NATO Headquarters Under the coordinated guidance of the NATO HQ C3 Staff, the NCI Agency and SACT SEE, Industry provided a demonstration of secure voice and multimedia using SCIP at the NATO HQ. Industry from seven nations were present Sectra, Transbit, Epicom, Sirrix, Selex ES-Telsy, Tecnobit, Tutus, Tubitak and General Dynamics. The demo was witnessed by NATO representatives from the C3Board, NATO HQ, SHAPE, SACT-SEE, and the NCI Agency The event demonstrated to Senior Leadership within the C3 Domain the interoperability of SCIP devices. In addition to the demonstration of SCIP, a federation of TACOMS networks (Sweden, Italy and Spain) was installed to show that SCIP devices can also operate over the TACOMS networks. The demonstrations linked sites located in Spain, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Italy, Turkey and the USA to the NATO HQ. This demonstration proved that different nations and vendors can communicate via the SCIP protocol over trunk networks, the Internet, ISDN and Cellular technologies This demonstration also showed the feasibility of integrating two elements of the Future Mission Network (FMN) profile; secure communication services using SCIP operating via a gateway over a federated IP networks based on TACOMS+ interoperability standards With the call for increased security and interoperability through Smart Defence and the Connected Forces Initiative, experts across NATO continue to explore capabilities that meet the requirements to transmit secure voice and data over a wide range of networks. The devices demonstrated at this event complied with the SCIP, STANAG 5067. Standardization of the SCIP protocol within NATO allows SCIP-compliant devices from different vendors to interoperate securely, independent of the communications access network, and can provide both NATO and national encryption modes in the same device Industry was satisfied with feedback and outcome of the demonstrations and interest demonstrated by the visitors. Visitors were impressed by the fact that the same terminal can be used over different networks, be it Internet, WiFi or over a tactical environment such as TACOMS and interoperate with terminals from other manufacturers over these networks The organisers received excellent technical support from NATO HQ, as well as from the nine companies taking part SCIP is an application layer protocol that allows secure end-to-end communications interoperability, both Voice and Data, independent of the underlying network infrastructure. The main components of SCIP are signaling and cryptographic specifications, with other specifications addressing multipoint communications, specific payloads etc. SCIP is a multi-national effort in which NATO, 14 NATO nations and Sweden participate. Both National Governments as well as National Industries participated in the development of SCIP. This cooperation allows various National Industries to develop and build to the same specifications resulting in interoperable products. NATO and NATO nations involvement in SCIP started in 2003. The first informal tests with SCIP implementations were initiated in 2006. This approach proved to be successful and more challenging interoperability tests were conducted at subsequent testing events. In the meantime SCIP was implemented nationally and also within NATO, albeit at a small scale (ISAF). SCIP is currently the only active multi-national program that aims to provide interoperable end-to-end secure voice and data communications. TACOMS is a suite of STANAGs which provide NATO, Nations and Partners with specifications for interoperable tactical communications infrastructure. The TACOMS STANAGs define a proven set of universal interfaces, or Interoperability Points (IOP), that can be retro-fitted into most existing legacy network systems and planned into any future network capability. The IOP is a 'universal joint' for the federation of heterogeneous networks. The TACOMS standards allow multinational tactical systems to interoperate, providing the federated communications network needed to support current and future multi-national operations, efficiently and reliably

On 19 November 2013, during the C3Board (Principals) Meeting, Industry demonstrated SCIP (Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol) compliant secure voice technologies at the NATO Headquarters.

general 1 173 1 about-us/newsroom/second-chief-information-officers-conference.aspx On 20 November 2013, the Nations, the Resource and Policy Community, as well as the Strategic Commands met at NATO HQ to discuss NATO Forces 2020 Building on the success of the first NATO Chief Information Officers (CIO) Conference on 28 November 2012, the 2013 Conference was styled as a forum for Nations to provide feedback regarding their satisfaction on the services provided, their willingness to implement National Programmes of Work with the NCI Agency, and their ambitions regarding the NCI Agency support to the Connected Forces Initiative and Smart Defence; in order to meet the Nations' level of ambition to achieve NATO Force 2020, in particular through the re-use of the NATO solutions in the context of the NATO first policy Mr Henrik Dam, Deputy Director DI (STR) set the scene of the Conference, on behalf of the Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, by referring to the overarching goal of the Chicago Summit's Defence Package- NATO 2020; a coherent set of forces that meet the NATO level of ambition and are able to operate together. He emphasized We are required to increase exercises and expand education and training as well as use technology better (...) Indeed, it is extremely important that we don´t reduce defence budgets at this time while those are actually increasing in other areas of the worl . Then, the NCI Agency General Manager emphasized This forum allows us to discuss how the NCI Agency can support Nations in their key goals, such as NATO Forces 2020. Also, in the context of the upcoming NATO Summit of September, I believe it would be good to look at how the NCI Agency can support the NATO Force Structure, referring to NATO Response Force rotation . He further expressed that The use of the same solutions in NATO and in the Force Structure brings savings and interoperability, not only in technical terms but also in training. With this solution, we have the ability to use core funding to make joint improvements and these tools could become global standards for Partners to connect; not just NATO, but also other Partners as demonstrated by Finland and Sweden, which actually implement some NATO standards in their organizations. In Afghanistan, we are working with partners from all over the worl . Further an outstanding presentation was given by LANDCOM Commander, LGEN Frederick (Ben) Hodges, who highlighted Every problem that we have has a technical solution; it's the policy decisions that will make it happen and whatever policy decision is made in Brussels, it's the soldier in the end that implements this polic . Additionally, the UK representative shared his nation's view on the NATO First Policy; the German/Netherlands Corps illustrated a roadmap of the Strategic Partnership with the NCI Agency. The national Co-Vice Chairman of the C3Board shared his views on how to bridge the policy and governance committees and proposed a semi-annual forum to meet with the permanent C3 Representatives in preparation of the yearly CIO conference Finally, the NCI Agency legal advisor announced an upcoming workshop addressing the legal aspects of partnership with Nations, to be held in the first quarter of 2014 The CIO 2013 conference report will be made available on the CIO external website along with the other conference materials

On 20 November 2013, the Nations, the Resource and Policy Community, as well as the Strategic Commands met at NATO HQ to discuss NATO Forces 2020.

general 1 174 1 about-us/newsroom/certificate-of-appreciation-for-nci-agency-squadron-izmir.aspx On 15 November 2013, on the occasion of the visit of Dr Velizar Shalamanov (NCI Agency Director Demand Management) to Allied Land Command Izmir, Major General Uğur Tarçın (the LANDCOM Chief of Staff) presented NCI Agency Squadron Izmir with a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding determination and efforts to connect LANDCOM with other NATO headquarters. The Certificate was accepted on behalf of Squadron Izmir by its Commander, Col Askin Simseker TUR (A). Dr Shalamanov was visiting LANDCOM to discuss its partnership with the NCI Agency. One of the key topics of the discussion was how to improve connectivity between LANDCOM and other NATO headquarters and training centres. During the visit, Maj. Gen. Tarçın highlighted the importance of this work, particularly as NATO member nations are in majority reducing their defence budgets. As LANDCOM is the lead advocate for land forces for all of NATO, the LANDCOM Commander, Lt. Gen. Frederick Ben Hodges sees its main role as connecting, sharing, and building a team of teams with NATO standards, systems and interoperability at the core. In support of this role, one of the LANDCOM initiatives is to conduct a joint survey of the communications facilities at all land component headquarters in the NATO Force Structure starting with LANDCOM. For further information follow the news also on the LANDCOM site her .

On 15 November 2013, on the occasion of the visit of Dr Velizar Shalamanov (NCI Agency Director Demand Management) to Allied Land Command Izmir, Major General Uğur Tarçın (the LANDCOM Chief of Staff) presented NCI Agency Squadron Izmir with a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding determination and efforts to connect LANDCOM with other NATO headquarters.

general 1 175 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-c4isr-industry-conference-and-technet-international-2014.aspx The next NATO C4ISR Industry Conference and TechNet International will be held 25-27 March 2014 in Bucharest, Romania. NCI Agency's NATO C4ISR Industry Conference & AFCEA Europe's TechNet International 2014 is the first of a new and unique event series to be organized truly joint . A three-day conference with highly experienced and well respected top specialists from military, industry and academia will go hand in hand with an exhibitio to allow a close look at leading edge hard and software applications as well as in-depth discussions in reserved meeting areas and during conference breaks Beyond that, enjoyable social events will be provided to allow intensive networking and/or relaxation after busy working hours For more information about the event click her Quick sign up her

The next NATO C4ISR Industry Conference and TechNet International will be held 25-27 March 2014 in Bucharest, Romania.

general 1 176 1 about-us/newsroom/naval-striking-and-support-forces-nato-service-level-agreement-signed.aspx On 12 December 2013, the General Manager of the NCI Agency, Mr Koen Gijsbers added his signature to that of Rear Admiral Tim Lowe on the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO Service Level Agreement for the provision of Information Technology (IT) Services. Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, located Oeiras Portugal is an organisation consisting of 11 member nations and was represented at the signing ceremony by Colonel Kevin B. Marcus, Chief of Staff, United States Delegation to the NATO Military Committee as a representative of the Framework Nation. This important agreement will ensure continuity of IT services in support of the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO important mission to Provide a rapidly deployable Joint but predominantly Maritime headquarters to plan, command, and control maritime operations across the full spectrum of Alliance Fundamental Security Tasks, including maritime Expanded Task Force operations and Smaller Joint Operations within the Euro-Atlantic region or at strategic reach Assist in the enhancement of Alliance and Partner nations' maritime capabilities and joint interoperability through training and cooperative action Contribute effectively to the deterrence of aggression against Alliance members and if deterrence fails, contribute towards the setting of conditions for a favourable outcome of the crisis

On 12 December 2013, the General Manager of the NCI Agency, Mr Koen Gijsbers added his signature to that of Rear Admiral Tim Lowe on the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO Service Level Agreement for the provision of Information Technology (IT) Services.

general 1 177 1 about-us/newsroom/sector-brussels-supports-ministerial-meetings-at-nato-hq.aspx Several times a year the meetings of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Ministers of Defence and Ministers of Foreign Affairs Agency are taking place in Brussels at NATO HQ. Those meetings are supported by Sector Brussels by also provisioning specific IT services for the press and media representatives Depending on the geopolitical importance, between 200 and 500 accredited journalists are present on the NATO HQ campus reporting on the events and they require quiet an amount of network bandwidth. Over the years, the ICT services used by the press and media have shifted from low bandwidth analogue modem lines and ISDN circuits to Internet based communication. The usage of the communication lines has further shifted from traditional file transfer communication to GUI applications running over VPN based communication and these require more and more bandwidth for transferring instant HD video report . – says Eddy Vanderstraeten, Head Network Management Section Since the Agency was formed Sector Brussels has been providing Internet connectivity and voice services for journalists to report back to their respective press agencies. For that purpose the press hall in NATO HQ has been equipped with a permanently available wireless network infrastructure. Besides these fixed wireless access points, there are additional mobile access points deployed during these events that cover all NATO HQ areas reserved for and accessible by press & media representatives. A few days before the event the press hall is converted by NATO HQ and Sector Brussels staff into an open office space providing work space for press and media representatives. In addition to the wireless network infrastructure, these workspaces are also equipped with wired internet connectivity and public telephone access allowing journalists to conduct their work using flexible, efficient and reliable infrastructure. After the event the mobile ICT and voice infrastructure is removed, normally within 24 hours Well appreciated by press and media representatives too, is the IT support desk provided by Sector Brussels directly in the press hall supporting journalist when experiencing issues with their own IT equipment. This service desk provides its service from 9 00 to 20 00 (or as long as required) .

Several times a year the meetings of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Ministers of Defence and Ministers of Foreign Affairs Agency are taking place in Brussels at NATO HQ. Those meetings are supported by Sector Brussels by also provisioning specific IT services for the press and media representatives.

general 1 179 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-hosts-second-office-call-by-polish-undersecretary-of-state-for-infrastructure.aspx On 6 December 2013, the Chief of Staff, NCI Agency hosted a second office call by Mrs Beata Oczkowicz, Under-Secretary of State for Infrastructure from the Polish Ministry of Defence I am impressed with the broad and in-depth scope of work the Agency is dealing wit , Mrs Beata Oczkowicz, Polish Under-Secretary of State for Infrastructure During the visit, the Under-Secretary was provided a briefing of the Agency overview and highlighted the key cooperation opportunities such as the signature of the multiyear program of work, agency's potential support to the Multinational Corps Northeast Furthermore, updates to various NATO Security Investment Programme projects were provided, which included the Air Surveillance for Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland; the Ground-Air-Ground communications, Broadcast & Ship-Shore System, In-port Connectivity, and the Air Command and Control System. Furthermore, Deployable Communications and Information Systems (DCIS) Operational Live Test (OLT),which is a key NATO event, is scheduled to take place in Bydgoszcz (Poland) in the period 17-28 March 2014 The Under -Secretary thanked the Agency once again for the detail of information that was provided and stressed the importance of these NATO Security Investment Programme projects for Poland. It was a positive visit and the Chief of Staff assured the Under- Secretary that the Agency remains committed to the partnership with Poland

On 6 December 2013, the Chief of Staff, NCI Agency hosted a second office call by Mrs Beata Oczkowicz, Under-Secretary of State for Infrastructure from the Polish Ministry of Defence.

general 1 180 1 about-us/newsroom/first-ever-sla-signed-for-cis-services-between-the-nci-agency-and-nato-hq-staff.aspx The first ever Service Level Agreement for CIS Services between the NCI Agency and the International Staff and International Military Staff at NATO HQ was signed on 18 December to take effect from 1 January 2014 The SLA was signed by the General Manager and by the senior customer representatives Mr Anders Dam Jensen, Director ICTM, on behalf of the International Staff and by Commodore Simon Hardern EXCO International Military Staff The SLA has been developed throughout 2013 by a customer-supplier working group led by David Bizley, the Demand Management Account Manager for NATO HQ and Agencies, and including Frank Schnell from Sector Brussels and representatives from ICTM and the IMS. The SLA Tiger Team also contributed wider subject matter expertise from within Demand Management and across the Agency, including Vincent Roobaert from Legal, Emanuel Santos from Finance and Christine Vandenberghe from Acquisition, and many more of the Sector Brussels staff – a true team effort

The first ever Service Level Agreement for CIS Services between the NCI Agency and the International Staff and International Military Staff at NATO HQ was signed on 18 December to take effect from 1 January 2014.

general 1 181 1 about-us/newsroom/new-erecruitment-system-consolidates-nato-hq-and-nci-agency-vacancies-2.aspx NATO IS, the NCI Agency and NATO IMS have decided to move their recruitment processes to the next level – an innovative and more cost effective e-recruitment system. After a joint team effort and cooperation between NATO HQ and NCI Agency, we are happy to introduce e-recruitment that provides the highest quality HR support services to both internal candidates and managers. The system is available from 15 January 2014 Main features • One-stop-shop for all NATO IS, NATO IMS, NAGSMA and NCI Agency vacancies - all vacancies will be advertised for all our NATO bodies at the job portal. Vacancies opened to external candidates, will be advertised at the NCI Agency Vacancies pag • For candidates - possibility of uploading existing CV or LinkedIn profile into the system, and reusing their application to apply for multiple posts, and to track the status of their applications Common platform of communication with candidates, providing them with timely information on their application • For managers - simplifying and streamlining recruitment and selection processes by giving managers more control over their recruitment. E-recruitment will equip hiring officials with more assessment tools, giving them the opportunity to include pre-selection questions at the application stage With the implementation of the e-recruitment system, there will be no change to underlying Recruitment policies. We will continue to publish our vacancies on the Clearing House, as well as a link to the external job portal will be available from the NATO-wide website. For any questions about this change, please contact NCI Agency Recruitment Office at recruitment@ncia.nato.in

NATO IS, the NCI Agency and NATO IMS have decided to move their recruitment processes to the next level – an innovative and more cost effective e-recruitment system.

general 1 183 1 about-us/newsroom/-105-million-invitation-for-bid-for-nato-enterprise-information-technology-modernisation.aspx Notice is hereby given of the intent of the NCI Agency, as the Host Nation, to issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the Provision of Information Technology Modernisation (ITM) for the NATO Enterprise Work Package 1 The ITM project is intended to a. Enable NATO Enterprise Users to continue to conduct their operational business, via the NCI Agency provision of the required level of end user services, which are underpinned by infrastructure services. b. Provide modern effective and cost-efficient Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) A summary of the requirements of the project is set forth in Annex A, attached to the Notification of Inten IFB-CO-13703-IT The estimated cost, subject to authorisation, for the services and deliverables included within the basic scope of the intended contract (Wave I to IV) is 105.63 M EUR Investment, and 63.03 M EUR Operations and Support over a life of 5 years. The investment cost of Wave I is 42.39 M EUR. The not-to-exceed cost for bids submitted in response to the IFB shall be 132.03 M EUR , subject to authorisation, (125% of the estimated investment cost), or the equivalent expressed in any other allowed currency calculated in accordance with the currency conversion prescriptions that will be expressed in the IFB

Notice is hereby given of the intent of the NCI Agency, as the Host Nation, to issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the Provision of Information Technology Modernisation (ITM) for the NATO Enterprise Work Package 1.

general 1 184 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-and-industry-conduct-multi-sensor-counter-ied-trial.aspx From 10-13 December 2013, through a Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT POW) initiative within the Emerging Security Challenges Division at NATO HQ, NCI Agency and industry conducted a trial to test new solutions aimed at combining sensor information in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of detecting Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in the context of Air Transportation Security. The trial was opened by the E3A Component Commander, MGEN Andrew M. Mueller, USAF who personally volunteered to experience the security screening concept The event highlights NATO's efforts to protect military and civilians. This is part of a coherent strategy adopted within the DAT POW that aims at finding immediate solutions to prevent non-conventional attacks http //www.nato.int/cps/nl/natolive/topics_50313.ht ) In an airport configuration, supported by the NATO E3A Component at the Geilenkirchen airbase, various scenarios were tested that emphasised information enhancement through combining inputs from multiple sensors. A total of four sensors consisting of an explosive detector, a metal detector, a X-ray scanner (that combine both dual-energy transmission with Z Backscatter ® technology), and a passive millimetre-wave walk-by security scanner were tested within an integrated system. In addition, (localized) biometric information was used to manage the flow of passengers through the screening systems. The architecture analysed during the trial concentrated the information from all sensors into one decision point where a combined threat level was estimated for the passengers being screened. This solution eliminates manual processes currently applied in normal airport conditions and has the potential to increase the passenger throughput while maintaining or improving the security level. During the trial a final assessment was made by an operator based on the system recommendation and in case of a suspected threat a manual search was employed. Combining information from multiple sensors enables the coverage of a broader spectrum of threats compared to a single sensor assessment, and also has the potential to reduce the number of false alarms during such a procedure. Furthermore, the configuration promises faster processing of passengers and luggage, a more reliable assessment of the threats and elimination of health and privacy issues due to passive scanning technologies that provide automatic object detection. The Security Branch at the E3A Component in Geilenkirchen has significant experience in transportation security and facilitated access to a representative set of threats and practical operation procedures. A large number of volunteers from the airbase contributed to the collection of statistical representative data The four industry partners that provided the sensors were Morpho (Safran group, FRA), Alfa Imaging (ESP), American Science and Engineering, Inc. - AS&E (USA) and Costruzioni Elettroniche Industriali Automatismi S.p.A. - CEIA (ITA)

From 10-13 December 2013, through a Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT POW) initiative within the Emerging Security Challenges Division at NATO HQ.

general 1 185 1 about-us/newsroom/visit-of-the-uk-permanent-joint-headquarters-to-nci-agency-in-brussels.aspx On 30 January, the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, Assistant Chief of Staff J6, Commodore A J Adams and his Deputy for Operations, Colonel Mike Dooley, were hosted by the NCI Agency Chief of Staff, Major General Luis Andrey and Director Operations, Brigadier General Luigi Tomaiuolo The delegation received a wide range of detailed briefings from the NCI Agency Subject Matter Experts as well as NATO's vision on operations from NATO HQ Operations Division. The main theme for the visit was to understand NATO and the NCI Agency's role in operations beyond 2014, particularly in Afghanistan, and how this fits with UK's overall strategy. Furthermore the visitors reiterated their commitment to the UK´s NATO First Policy The UK was one of the first nations to officially implement this policy, which involves the scrutiny of all UK programmes and projects to see if there are appropriate NATO tools or software that are already in use and could be used to meet the aims of the programme or project. The NATO First solution is also a key element of our strategic partnership with the UK in supporting the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps certification process in the NATO Response Force planning cycle. All those involved in the visit felt that it was very productive. It was a very useful update for us on a range of subjects and I was reassured that the UK plans for Afghanistan, and our FOC+ aspirations, all seemed to be broadly aligned with planning in the Agenc . - Commodore A J Adam

On 30 January, the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, Assistant Chief of Staff J6, Commodore A J Adams and his Deputy for Operations, Colonel Mike Dooley, were hosted by the NCI Agency Chief of Staff, Major General Luis Andrey and Director Operations, Brigadier General Luigi Tomaiuolo.

general 1 186 1 about-us/newsroom/-46-million-invitation-for-bid-for-nato-information-portal.aspx The NCI Agency has issued a € 4.6 million Invitation For Bid (IFB) for a contract to deliver the strategy, architecture, design, implementation, and initial support for the NATO Information Portal (NIP) project that will enable an enterprise wide portal The NATO Information Portal (NIP) project will implement an enterprise wide portal capability based on a Microsoft SharePoint solution, provide the migration of legacy WISE (Web Information Service Environment) data and implement a federated search solution based on Microsoft's FAST search engine. In order to ensure a successful implementation of these capabilities, NCI Agency has been authorized to tender a contract to deliver the strategy, architecture, design, implementation, and initial support of this solution. On 6 February the resulting IFB was issued to more than 100 firms nominated by their respective national authorities in response to the Notification of Intent issued in 2013 The estimated cost of the basic scope of the prospective contract is € 4.6 million, in addition to which there will be contractual options for the provision of extended operational support For any further questions you may have, contact Sven Schumacher-Senior Contracting Officer (+32 2 707 8576 or sven.schumacher@ncia.nato.int)

The NCI Agency has issued a € 4.6 million Invitation For Bid (IFB) for a contract to deliver the strategy, architecture, design, implementation, and initial support for the NATO Information Portal (NIP) project that will enable an enterprise wide portal.

general 1 187 1 about-us/newsroom/major-publication-on-cyber-defence-launched.aspx On 10 February 2014, Melissa E. Hathaway presented the book Best Practices in Computer Network Defence Incident Detection and Response'' at a book talk organised by the NATO Multimedia Library, at NATO Headquarters. The presentation was attended by Mr Koen Gijsbers, General Manager NCI Agency, who in addition to being a contributor to the book also shared NATO's views on cyber defence during the presentation. Dr Jamie Shea, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General, introduced the presentation of the book and chaired the subsequent panel discussion. Melissa E. Hathaway, Editor of the book and Chairman of the Council of Experts at the Global Cyber Security Center in Rome, Italy, gave an overview of the different chapters with the help of the authors who were also present at the event. The author co-wrote the book with a team of experts from 16 countries and three international institutions. On this occasion, Mr Gijsbers gave NATO's views on Cyber Defence, which are also stated in the preface Malicious cyber activities are an emerging security challenge for all countries, and the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) share a responsibility to help the global community strengthen its cyber defenses. One of NATO's unique strengths lies in its ability to tap into the operational capabilities and expertise of its members' militaries, and to harness the innovations and technologies of its members' industrial base to ensure national and Euro-Atlantic prosperity, security, and stability. ''NATO seeks ways to jointly research, develop, implement, and field interoperable cyber defense capabilities to enhance the cyber defense posture of the Alliance. Our security relies on assurances that our defenses—local, global, procedural, political, and technological—are leading edge and address effectively the threats these services face. These defenses are tested routinely, and cannot fail. ''The findings presented in this book not only helped to identify the tools and processes that are used for cyber defence and the gaps in the technology but also advise the operators and decision makers whose work it is to strengthen the cyber defence of the global community. The GM and the experts believe that this book will provide operators and decision makers with genuine tools and expert advice for computer network defense, incident detection and incident response. The book can be ordered her

On 10 February 2014, Melissa E. Hathaway presented the book Best Practices in Computer Network Defence Incident Detection and Response''

general 1 188 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-hosts-ballistic-missile-defence-bidders-conference.aspx On 14 February, as part of the Invitation for Bid (IFB), the NCI Agency hosted its Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Bidders Conference in The Hague. The BMD Contract offers a high value, long term business opportunity for Industry (contract value estimated over 60 Million EUR, with a duration of 7 years of which 3 are optional). This conference was a formal part of the IFB which was released on 13 Jan 2014 and aimed at clarifying the IFB documentation, address questions by Industry and allow the Bidders to visit the BMD Integration Test Bed The Conference opened by Mr Peter Scaruppe, NCI Agency Director of Acquisition, stressed in his welcome address the importance and value of the BMD Programme to NATO as highlighted by transatlantic leaders in recent Summits, and emphasized the strict timeliness of this contract for the BMD Programme, which is administered by the NCI Agency. Purpose of the prospective Contract. IFB-CO-13550-BMD, is to provide to the BMD Programme Office support to cover all Ballistic Missile Defence performance and deliverables necessary to programme and implementation oversight, architecture design and integration & testing of the architecture Following the Introduction, Mr Martin Steenwege, Senior Contracting Officer briefed the audience on the IFB package including the bidding instructions, prospective contract, and source selection procedure. During this part also the questions provided by Industry were answered; these and other questions will be made available on the website for all prospective Bidders. The event came to a close, by a briefing on the BMD Integration Test Bed by Mr Alan Berry and subsequent visit to this facility The event was attended by 60 Industry representatives. The Bid closing date is 07 April 2014

On 14 February, as part of the Invitation for Bid (IFB), the NCI Agency hosted its Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Bidders Conference in The Hague.

general 1 189 1 about-us/newsroom/braad-smart-defence-project-moves-to-execution-stage.aspx On 24 January 2014, Croatia, the Lead Nation for the Smart Defence Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD) Pre-Acquisition Study project, and the NCI Agency signed Amendment no. 1 to the Technical Arrangement for launching execution of the Study for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia* The MoD of Croatia, Mr Ante Kotromanovic and the MoD of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mr Talat Xhaferi at the signature of the bilateral agreement. On 24 January 2014, Croatia, the Lead Nation for the Smart Defence Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD) Pre-Acquisition Study project, and the NCI Agency signed Amendment no. 1 to the Technical Arrangement for launching execution of ... Following the signing of Amendment no. 1 , the Ministers of Defence of Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia signed a bilateral agreement at a ceremony that took place on 28 January 2014 at the Ministry of Defence of Croatia in Zagreb. In the BRAAD Pre-Acquisition Study Smart Defence project Lead Nation Croatia represents three Partner nations Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Once completed, and in conjunction with the Study already provided for Albania in 2012, the BRAAD Pre-Acquisition Study will pave the way for the BRAAD Joint Acquisition project aiming at the provision of an optimized and cost effective regional air defence system. The cost savings will be achieved through the joint procurement coupled with the application of knowledge and experience existing within NATO and in-line with the development of the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS) The key enabler for obtaining an optimized air surveillance capability in the Balkan region is joint procurement and data sharing, not only between NATO and Partner nations, but also between the Partner nations themselves * Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name

On 24 January 2014, Croatia, the Lead Nation for the Smart Defence Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD) Pre-Acquisition Study project, and the NCI Agency signed Amendment no. 1 to the Technical Arrangement for launching execution of the Study for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

general 1 190 1 what-we-do/our-customers/ac/mr-david-bizley.aspx Branch Chief SLA and SSP Account Managemen NCI Agency, NATO H Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 2 707 833 NCN 255 833 David.Bizley@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

Branch Chief SLA and SSP Account Managemen NCI Agency, NATO H Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 2 707 833 NCN 255 833 David.Bizley@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

general 1 191 1 what-we-do/our-customers/ac/mr-tony-burgin.aspx Principal Account Manager/AC NCI Agency, NATO H Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 2 707 884 NCN 255 884 Anthony.Burgin@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

Principal Account Manager/AC NCI Agency, NATO H Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 2 707 884 NCN 255 884 Anthony.Burgin@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

general 1 192 1 what-we-do/our-customers/ac/mrs-erika-vranckx.aspx Principal Account Manager/Nations/MN NCI Agency, NATO H Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 2 707 880 NCN 255 880 Erika.Vranckx@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

Principal Account Manager/Nations/MN NCI Agency, NATO H Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 2 707 880 NCN 255 880 Erika.Vranckx@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

general 1 193 1 what-we-do/our-customers/ac/mr-paul-dundas.aspx Principal Account Manager/AC NCI Agency The Hagu Oude Waalsdorperweg 6 2597 AK The Hague, Netherland Tel +31 70 374 301 NCN 257 301 Paul.Dundas@ncia.nato.in Generalmailbox.coo@ncia.nato.in

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general 1 194 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec19-wrapsup-in-oslo-next-stop-austin-.aspx It has been an action-packed three days, but our flagship industry conference NITEC19 has now come to a close. If you were able to join us, thank you for taking the time to learn about the technology NATO is looking for to maintain its edge This past week, senior leaders from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency met with industry representatives in Oslo, Norway, to hear their ideas and answer questions. During the conference, service line chiefs gave attendees a preview of 1.4 billion EUR in upcoming business opportunities More than 750 delegates, including 350 companies and 160 senior government representatives, attended NITEC19. NCI Agency experts participated in 100 bilateral meetings. And we were thrilled to see more than 240 Business-to-Business speed dating meetings take place. Those meetings are a great chance for innovative businesses to find synergies and opportunities with other industry partners. Events such as NITEC are very important for NATO, because we need your help to prepare for the Alliance's future We also would like to thank the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, including Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen, and AFCEA Europe for their support this year If you missed NITEC19, we hope you can join us next year in Austin, Texas That's right! For the first time we are taking this conference out of a Nation's capital, and dropping it in the middle of an innovative community that has caught our eye The city hasn't just gotten our attention. Austin is an innovation hub for several U.S. defence organizations, including the Defense Innovation Unit Don't miss out on this great opportunity to network with senior Agency leaders, while being inspired by the creative energy of Austin's technology scene. We are planning an event unlike any we have done before We also have another great event coming up later this year the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS), NATO's largest cyber security conference NIAS will focus this year on digital transformation smart machines for smarter decisions. The event will be held on 15 to 17 October in Mons, Belgium at the Lotto Mons Expo.

It has been an action-packed three days, but our flagship industry conference NITEC19 has now come to a close.

general 1 195 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency--oracle-sign-cyber-information-sharing-agreement-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed on 21 May 2019 an Industry Partnership Agreement with Oracle to share cyber information This announcement represents another meaningful addition to the Agency's hub for sharing information across the Alliance. With this agreement Oracle joins 19 other businesses in the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership The Partnership fosters timely information sharing on cyber threats, allowing participants to enhance their situational awareness The agreement will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. The shared information will be integrated into the NCI Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes to further enhance NATO's cyber security posture NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid and Scott Twaddle, Vice President of Product Development at Oracle, signed the agreement

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed on 21 May 2019 an Industry Partnership Agreement with Oracle to share cyber information.

general 1 196 1 about-us/newsroom/latina-school-celebrates-60-years-of-nato-training-.aspx Around 100,000 people have been trained at the NATO Communications and Information Systems School (NCISS) in Latina, Italy In an official ceremony in June, this remarkable institution celebrated 60 years of successful training, and passed the torch to the new NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academ , which will open this autumn Over the past 60 years, this school has done its job. It trained generations of experts and technicians to help keep the peace, win the Cold War, find and track down terrorists, and keep our networks stable, free of malware and running in the face of constant cyber-attacks, said Kevin J Scheid, General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency The NCISS has become an integral component of the NCI Agency, as part of its Education and Training Service Lin . The Agency is responsible for acquiring and supporting NATO systems, and providing training to operate them We are here to support NATO and those 60 years have truly been 60 years of service to NATO, said Commandant Paulo Nunes, who is responsible for the school’s day-to-day running Since the beginning, the school has put its customers first. Its clients come primarily from NATO’s command structure – around 85 percent of its students are military personnel About half of the students are involved in NATO’s operations and theatre support. And 20 percent of its students will be or are already assigned to a NATO operation or a NATO mission This is a huge responsibility for the school, said Commandant Nunes. If we fail our mission, NATO will be impaired in providing security and accomplishing its missions. We feel that we are very much linked to NATO’s operational side. The history of the Latina school’s courses reflects also the history of technology, from radio communications in the school’s early days, to applications and cloud computing today. Throughout the years, the school has changed and adapted to NATO’s needs Important technological discoveries in the 1990s changed the way NATO personnel communicated. People placed more and more emphasis on online communications, so the demand for training in software engineering and programming increased dramatically The school was built in 1959, originally as a tropospheric scatter training entity, said LTC Oliver Geermann, the school’s Chief of Staff. I’m very proud that the school is always on top of technology Every year, the NCI Agency acquires 500 million EUR in new equipment that demands extensive training But some students who attend the school arrive without prior experience with NATO systems, Geermann said When those students arrive at NATO positions, they must learn what they have to provide on the field, Geermann said. First they are trained as users, then as administrators and finally as coordinators to bring knowledge to the field. The NATO Communication and Information Systems Group (NCISG) has been the biggest customer of the school in Latina, with around 1,200 of its personnel trained there every year

Around 100,000 people have been trained at the NATO Communications and Information Systems School (NCISS) in Latina, Italy.

general 1 198 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-releases-invitation-for-bid-for-counterdrone-capability-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 23 May 2019 the Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the first NATO-owned counter-drone capability Through the procurement, NATO will receive and operate a suite of different sensors, like radars, cameras and acoustics, to detect and geo-locate hostile drones “The release of this IFB for NATO's first counter-drone capability is a major milestone, not only for the project but also for NATO, said Rene Thaens, Head of the Electronic Warfare and Sensors Branch of the NCI Agency. Thaens is also the Project Manager for this capability Releasing the IFB is the next step toward deploying four systems to Afghanistan to protect the men and women of NATO's Resolute Support missio from the threat of small-scale commercial drones. The NATO-led Resolute Support mission provides training, advice and assistance to Afghan security forces and institutions Widely available small drones can be equipped with explosives or high-resolution cameras, which are difficult to detect and counter with the current equipment in Resolute Support. With the new capability, a Resolute Support operator could attempt to jam the drone frequencies to chase away the drone, or to force it to land to remove the threat After the closing date of this bid, a team of experts will start the bid evaluation phase. The winning bidder will be invited for a technical demonstration The Agency plans to award a contract by the fourth quarter of 2019, and roll out an initial capability by the second quarter of 2020 Questions regarding the project can be directed to Thaens at rene.thaens@ncia.nato.in No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 23 May 2019 the Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the first NATO-owned counter-drone capability.

general 1 200 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-plays-critical-role-in-exercise-formidable-shield-2019-.aspx Ships from nine NATO countries took part in live-fire air and missile defence drills off the coast of Scotland in May 2019. Exercise Formidable Shield 2019 is an important test of allied interoperability. And the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency played a critical role in making it a success. To conduct the exercise, the 13 ships that participated needed to be able to communicate and share information with each other, and with NATO Commands. The system of systems the Agency delivers as a part of its Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme makes that possible These exercises are critical to train people, and to help them transition delivered services into operations, so they are all ready for the real mission if needed, said Sibe Wassenaar, Project Manager for the NCI Agency’s support of the exercise. The BMD Programme is responsible for the capability that automatically connects sensors and assets contributed by the Nations. National sensor data is all compiled in a centralized hub at the Ballistic Missile Defence Operations Centre (BMDOC) in Ramstein, Germany, providing situational awareness to enable command and control. Nations within NATO can contribute to, and access that technical data, but to do that, they need the Agency's help. Two Nations had not been previously connected to the BMD capability, and needed new connections for Formidable Shield 2019 It's a complex process to organize and build one connection for one Nation, Wassenaar said. It really requires many services within the Agency We need network infrastructure experts, we need boundary protection experts, we need BMD experts and command and control application experts. So I can name five or six service lines that need to be involved. To integrate the expertise from the various service lines, a contractor team of eight companies supports the BMD Programme in an integrated project team Between January and March, the Agency created and tested the Nations' new connections to the BMDOC Everything was prepared in advance, said Walter Fercala, a Routing Engineer at the NCI Agency. This is our role because we cannot wait until the last moment to bring network connectivity. Fercala's team connected the Nations to the architecture before the exercise began. We are the main point of connectivity, Fercala said of the Agency's role in the exercise. We are doing the translation for all the Nations in order for the Nations to talk with each other. The NCI Agency delivers Nations a gateway into the BMD architecture, but it does not have visibility into Nations’ defence networks. Fercala needed to coordinate closely with the Nations to understand how their services were structured to better integrate their services with NATO’s. The most difficult thing is to understand what is on the national side, Fercala said. The exercise was conducted by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO on behalf of U.S. 6th Fleet. The Commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, Vice Admiral Lisa Franchetti, thanked the NCI Agency for the outstanding support it provided before and during the exercise. She said the NCI Agency provided an excellent operational communication architecture. LT Michael McDonald of the 6th Fleet was the exercise’s Joint Interface Control Officer This year's performance was far superior to FS-17, with few (if any) trouble tickets being generated, LT McDonald said. Essentially, the solid performance of the infrastructure during the event is a testament to their efforts before the event. The scope of support the Agency could offer, and the information exchange requirements for the exercise, were well-defined before Formidable Shield began, LT McDonald said. Because it was clearly understood what was (and was not) within the scope of the agreement, I knew what the team could do for me, LT McDonald said. The Agency built on lessons it learned from supporting exercise Formidable Shield 2017, said Christophe Le Devehat, Test Lead from the contractor team For example, the Agency designed, coordinated, integrated and verified architecture views for each Nation. These views specify all the connections required to establish end-to-end communication services between the NATO sites and national units Formidable Shield 2019 relied heavily on chat, joint range extension and tactical data link services. Chat is used to coordinate operational procedures. Tactical data links are used to share situational awareness data between the units (such as locations of blue forces, sensor data and engagement status). Joint range extension extends the data shared locally within line-of-sight to all relevant operational sites beyond line-of-sight To ensure service support for these products, the NCI Agency prepared in advance a catalogue of points of contact (including subject matter experts) for each Nation and for each relevant service line in the Agency, Le Devehat said Whenever something was happening, an issue in the architecture, we were able to directly contact the relevant expert for efficient troubleshooting, Le Devehat said After some issues with chat rooms and connectivity in 2017, the Agency improved the chat architecture and integrated and tested Nations further ahead of the exercise to ensure reliable connectivity. “Service support of the BMD system is spread in many units in the NCI Agency that are around Europe,” said Italian Air Force LTC Riccardo Di Valerio, BMD Service Line Management Section Chief. Among these units it is necessary to have big coordination. Everybody has to know what the other people are doing, when we have to escalate the incident, problems, and so on.” LTC Di Valerio played a secondary role in the exercise, so he merely extended his working hours during the event to be available if needed. The exercise ran smoothly, LTC Di Valerio said. What we verified in this exercise is that the NATO infrastructure that was made available for this exercise was very, very reliable, LTC Di Valerio said. So there were no incidents that caused delays or postponements. Overall, Le Devehat described this year's exercise as well-prepared, coordinated and well-executed. During the exercise itself, a quick response team also supported LT McDonald on the ground at the BMDOC. FS-19 provides a good model for future interactions, and I hope that follow-on events yield like success, LT McDonald said

Ships from nine NATO countries took part in live-fire air and missile defence drills off the coast of Scotland in May 2019.

general 1 202 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-provides-critical-support-to-development-of-new-nato-space-policy.aspx NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency experts supported the development of the Alliance's first overarching space policy Defence Ministers approved in June an overarching space policy for the Alliance. Space is essential to NATO's defence and deterrence, and is the venue for a wide range of Alliance capabilities including intelligence gathering, the ability to navigate and track forces, beyond line-of-sight communications and missile launch detection The policy will guide NATO’s approach to space’s opportunities and challenges. Collectively the Nations own more than 60 percent of the world’s space assets. The policy will bring Allies closer together to share capabilities and information NATO is not aiming to develop space capabilities of its own, but relies on national and commercial capabilities provided through official agreements or ad-hoc requests The policy is the first step to coordinating the use of NATO Allies' assets, and ensuring any mission that needs space data, information, or effects, can be coordinated effectively among the Nations, said Laryssa Patten, JISR Space Portfolio Manager at the NCI Agency The NCI Agency has been involved in space since the 1970s, when one of its predecessor organizations bought and managed satellites on behalf of the Alliance. As the technology landscape changed over time, the Agency switched from buying and operating satellites, which is not its core business, to satellite communications based on commercial and national capabilities The Agency already provides many different forms of space support to NATO operations, including services or subject matter expertise in areas such as mapping and geospatial services, satellite communications and navigation warfare As NATO has developed its position on space, the NCI Agency has been an integral part of the NATO Bilateral Strategic Command Space Working Group. The NCI Agency supports the Group with essential space expertise. The Working Group was instrumental in forging the path to establish the NATO Space Support in Operations policy, which was approved in 2018 and defines the integration of space support within the NATO Command structure The 2018 policy helps NATO's command structure organize itself. It deals with personnel and training, and is specific to space support in NATO operations. The overarching space policy, the new one that's just been released, is a much higher-level policy that addresses NATO’s approach to space, Patten said. It's about facilitating collaboration with the Nations, improving the integration and interoperability with NATO systems and ensuring effective support to NATO operations The Agency participated in early strategy sessions around developing the newly approved space policy, and provided feedback on each version of the policy as it was drafted. And at a Defence Policy and Planning Committee workshop in March, Agency Space Subject Matter Expert Flavio Giudice gave a presentation on the effects of emerging space technologies. Giudice described NATO’s strategic advantage in space, and outlined how civilian and military systems rely on space services. In addition, Giudice explained the technological trends that will challenge space support to NATO operations in the near future “Ultimately, the Agency's goal is to ensure space data and services are effectively delivered to NATO operations, Patten said The goal is to also continue to build NATO’s “space IQ” and increase the Alliance's awareness of the strategic importance of space assets The Agency also contributed to key space documents for NATO, including a study on NATO’s dependence on space which concluded that “no NATO Mission can be conducted without space support. The Agency also helped to develop space-related training courses and has been providing space subject matter experts for the last four exercises of the Trident Series.

NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency experts supported the development of the Alliance's first overarching space policy.

general 1 203 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-applies-design-thinking-to-improve-tool-for-nato-analysts-.aspx NATO often looks to industry partners to see how they are moving faster, and producing better results Most recently, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency piloted a user-centred approach from one of its industry partners to conduct an overhaul of a critical intelligence reporting tool And so far, it has been a great success Intel analysts working in NATO’s peace-support operation in Kosovo use a software tool to collate their reports. Although the analysts in the Kosovo Force (KFOR) have successfully used the tool for many years, technology has evolved in a way that should allow them to conduct their daily tasks in a much more effective and efficient manner The Agency’s Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Service Line decided to use, and build on a design thinking methodology from an industry partner to involve the analysts in actually defining how the tool should look, feel and operate As a part of that design thinking methodology, the Agency hosted workshops in Kosovo with the analysts to really understand their ‘pain points’ and priorities. The workshops included time to observe their daily tasks, conduct interviews and group exercises “People's expectations change over time with what they want the software to be able to do,” said NCI Agency Senior Scientist Will Leeming. “You get used to technology evolving, which is evident with Google, Facebook and other social media platforms. Thus, you expect the same level of advanced technology in the software that you use on a daily basis. The effort has been funded by Allied Command Transformation (ACT) through its ‘Accelerated Software Acquisition Project’, known as ASAP. The project is designed to give NATO an opportunity to embrace industry best practices to accelerate the rate of change – ultimately delivering what the user needs in a faster timeframe. ACT wanted the Agency to use the project’s funds to apply agile methodologies that would have a real impact on a NATO mission We had an idea in our head of what we thought they needed,” Leeming said of the analysts. “But by applying this method, we've managed to reprioritize and reshape those requirements, so now it much more closely represents what they actually need the software to do, rather than what we thought they needed. That's the difference. The Agency has successfully completed Stage 1 of the ASAP project articulate and prioritize user needs, capture their pain points and define three aspirational end states. Stage 2 will focus on research and development to achieve these end states and, in conjunction with the end users, developing potential solutions based on today’s available technologies. Finally, Stage 3 of ASAP will take relevant software code and migrate it through the Agency’s DevTest Platform for software developmen . Thankfully, from the outset, the KFOR analysts bought into this approach. Their support will be critical throughout the project, as they will have the opportunity to provide feedback at all stages Following the wrap-up of ASAP in early 2020, a contract will be awarded to implement the users’ needs and relevant technological solution. Overhauling the tool is considered an urgent requirement for NATO, so a business opportunity will be released in the coming months to select a contractor to make these changes De-risking the project by prescribing the user experience and technical solution will undoubtedly result in firm foundations to build upon “Ultimately the Agency doesn't have a mandate to develop software itself, so this is all testing – can we do it? What goes wrong? What works? What doesn't work?” Leeming said All of this will be to the benefit of not only the software developer, but most importantly, the end user of the product

NATO often looks to industry partners to see how they are moving faster, and producing better results.

general 1 204 1 about-us/newsroom/the-g6-conference-conducted-by-landcom.aspx The G6 conference took place on 18-19 February 2014 in Izmir, chaired by Colonel John Pugliese, Land Command (LANDCOM) G6. As declared by Major General Uǧur Tarçin, Chief of Staff, LANDCOM, during the opening session “This G6 conference aims at reinforcing the LAND Community of Interest, making the Connected Forces Initiative go faster and ensuring the Graduated Readiness Forces Land (GRF-L) are successful. This requires playing the advocate role, and through Strategic Partnership with the NCI Agency, filling the gap between the NATO Force Structure and the NATO Command Structure, including clarifying who pays for what To do so, LANDCOM G6 is collecting and sharing the good ideas that come out from the combined visits that are conducted in the Corps with the NCI Agency this early 2014” This was the opportunity for this Audience to discuss matters of importance such as Federated Mission Network, Cyber Defence, NATO Response Force certification, Land Command and Control Information Services (LC2IS) and NATO (NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP), but also as a driver throughout the whole conference, the implementation of the NATO solution in the 9 Graduated Readiness Forces (LAND) with the Agency in support of the NRF and Joint Task Force Headquarters - Land Heavy (JTF-HQ (L) certification processes The discussions generated by the various briefings highlighted the strong interest from the Corps to gain support from the Agency in their certification process, tailored to their specific requirement, in accordance to the operational requirements stated by Allied Command Operations (ACO). The network capacity and connectivity remain in the critical path for success, but the implementation of the functional services, and specifically of LC2IS and NCOP, are at the centre of expectations for achieving a successful certification Lieutenant General Frederick “Ben” Hodges, Commander LANDCOM concluded with a statement recognizing the “terrific support provided by the NCI Agency to support his highest expectations regarding Communication in the Alliance” Currently, the NCI Agency is implementing a Programme of Work with the 1st German Netherlands Corps (LCC) to support their preparation to NRF 15 and another one with NRDC-Italy for their certification in the role of Joint Task Force HQ – Land Heavy (JTF-HQ(L)). In parallel, the Agency is conducting a situational awareness campaign complemented with an “expectation” capture in all the Graduated Readiness Forces, with the participation of LANDCOM G6, in order to build the programme of work of the coming years and come to a more unified solution easily applicable to the Corps in the next rotation Once the benefit from re-using the NATO solution is proven in the LAND Community of Interest, it is the ambition of the Agency to outreach to MARCOM, AIRCOM and other Communities, and to encompass training as part of the services to be improved, unified and optimized For additional information, please contact Demand Management, Mr Xavier Desfougères, Tel. +32 707 8296/ Xavier.Desfougeres@ncia.nato.in

The G6 conference took place on 18-19 February 2014 in Izmir, chaired by Colonel John Pugliese, Land Command (LANDCOM) G6.

general 1 205 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-outlines-major-transatlantic-business-opportunities.aspx From 24 to 27 March, some 600 senior European and North American Industry representatives, officials and experts were briefed on significant contract opportunities that will come as NATO fundamentally reshapes its IT infrastructure and continues to invest in priority capabilities including joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air command and control, and ballistic missile defence The briefings were delivered during the joint NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency Industry Conference and AFCE Europe Technet International held in Bucharest, Romania In addition to discussing emerging technology trends and challenges in partnership with AFCEA, the annual event gives early warning of business opportunities coming up in the C4ISR domain in the next 18 months, so that Industry can prepare for competition Some of the upcoming business opportunities discussed included Over 600 million Euro in infrastructure investments, including some 90 million for communications infrastructure as well as deployable capabilities in 2014, 70 million Euro for core enterprise services in 2014-2016, and 500 million Euro for SATCOM in the 2017 timeframe; Joint ISR, including the networks and communications at over 270 million Euro to support the Alliance's Ground Surveillance Programme, to be competed in 2016 The Alliance's IT modernization programme, with investment of over 100 million Euro expected to be competed in 2015 Approximately 50 million Euro worth of potential investments in command and control software, including maritime, land command and control software upgrades, with several calls for bids expected in 2014 and 2015 About 65 million Euro planned continuing cyber investments including Public Key Infrastructure (PIK) and network encryption devices with call for bids estimated for end 2014 Continuing investments in air command and control and ballistic missile defence C-IED for the NATO Response Force Also, Industry was briefed on key themes for the upcoming NATO Summit in Wales, as well as major Alliance programmes, such as Federated Mission Networking, which will influence future acquisitions. Both NATO HQ and the operational community were presented their perspectives on the emerging strategic environment and priorities Common vision of way ahea A major theme of the conference was how to further strengthen the Alliance's ability to rapidly implement innovative technology Technological innovation cuts both ways; it helps us but it is also exploited by cyber criminals and adversaries in the mission space. Our ability to implement innovation more rapidly is of strategic importance said General Manager Koen Gijsbers in his closing remarks, NATO will continue to streamline and speed its procedures and engage Industry early on in solution development, in order to fully leverage Industry innovation and creativity. However, Industry performance will also come under increasing scrutiny and we will work with the Nations and NATO committees to apply both incentives that reward good performance, as well as penaltie . But my main take away is that lndustry, technological thinkers and NATO have a shared vision of what needs to be done to boost Alliance agility in implementing innovation and new capabilities. We also share a similar understanding and analysis of the key technological challenges and emerging issues. We know need to act on this, he said The conference also emphasized the importance of Education and Training in order to enable full exploitation of both existing and future capabilities. This included a briefing on the Agency's new full lifecycle based structur , including the new Education and Training service line At the conference, the Agency unveiled its new Web site, which includes easier access to information on contract opportunitie To find out more about the opportunities that were briefed, please contact your National Delegation to NATO or National Technical Expert in the Agency, or the Agency's acquisition department The Agency's next flagship event will be the NIAS Cyber Security Symposium, 16-18 September 2014 in Mons Click her for Agency's personnel briefings

From 24 to 27 March, some 600 senior European and North American Industry representatives, officials and experts were briefed on significant contract opportunities that will come as NATO fundamentally reshapes its IT infrastructure and continues to invest in priority capabilities including joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air command and control, and ballistic missile defence.

general 1 206 1 about-us/newsroom/bucharest-industry-conference-kicks-off-with-large-attendance.aspx On 25 March, the NATO C4ISR Industry Conference & TechNet International 2014 in Bucharest, Romania, kicked off in presence of over 600 participants. During the three day event, the Agency's senior leadership will provide Transatlantic Industry leaders first notice on upcoming business opportunities in NATO C4ISR, cyber and missile defence, and other areas to be highlighted later this year at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales Welcoming speeches and the Conference opening were provided by MGEN Koen Gijsbers (rtd), General Manager, NCI Agency and MGEN Klaus-Peter Treche, DEU AF (rtd), General Manager, AFCEA Europe. Subsequently, distinguished speakers including Mr Victor-Viorel Ponta, Prime Minister of Romania addressed the audience The event will give early warning of potential business opportunities coming up in the next 18 months so that Industry can prepare for competition. Some of the projects are yet to be approved by NATO's resource committees and may be impacted by changes in NATO's operations and missions. Several projects however have already been authorized and call for bids will be launched. To see the event programme, click her Follow us on Twittter - @NCIAAcquistio

On 25 March, the NATO C4ISR Industry Conference & TechNet International 2014 in Bucharest, Romania, kicked off in presence of over 600 participants. During the three day event, the Agency's senior leadership will provide Transatlantic Industry leaders first notice on upcoming business opportunities in NATO C4ISR, cyber and missile defence, and other areas to be highlighted later this year at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales.

general 1 207 1 about-us/newsroom/command-and-control-collaboration-portal-system.aspx NCI Agency team composed of staff from Brussels, The Hague and Mons, together with selected Contractors, has engineered, implemented, integrated with National assets a Command and Control Collaboration Portal (C2CP) system for 1st German / Netherlands Corps, Münster. The portal was supported during exercise Noble Ledger 2014. After one-and-half years of preparation, the exercise took place in Wildflecken, Germany from 1 – 27 September. The 1st German / Netherlands Corps was evaluated as “Excellent” and Combat Ready. The NCI Agency staff received extremely positive feedback about the importance of their contributions and in turn congratulated 1st German / Netherlands Corps on an excellent performance This is the first implementation of NATO First Solution under the Multi-Year Program with 1st German / Netherlands Corps and paves the way for continued collaboration with the other NRDCs in partnership with Allied Land Command Izmir, who provides leadership and guidance for the programme The people who worked on the project are listed here below • Mr Angelo Talarico 1GNC Projects and Systems Engineering Leade • Mr Holger Stein 1GNC and BAAINBw Focal Poin • Mr Xavier Desfougeres Demand Principal Account manage o Mr Bart Loffeld 1GNC Demand Manage • Ms Kerstin Müller - Senior Assistant Legal Adviso o Ms Milena Dicheva Assistant Legal Adviso • Mr Sven Schumacher 1GNC Senior Contracting Office o Ms Lise Viux-Rochat 1GNC Projects Contracting Officer • Mr John Manning NGCS extension and Transport Services Work Package Leade o Mr Harjeet Sidhu o Mr Robert Webster Transport Services 1GNC support • Mr Sandro Herpich Network Firewalls Services Work Package Leade • Mr Greg Gosepath Core Enterprise Services Work Package Leade o Mr Eray Altili o Mr Claudio Mane o Mr Henk Visser Core Enterprise Services Exercice Suppor • Mr Joel Varanda - Functional Area Services Work Package Leade o Mr Rodrigo Leal o Mr Jose Lucas o Mr Karol Nekanovic o Mr Kors Penni FASs Exercise Suppor • Mr Roberto Port LC2IS Work Package Leade • LTC Alberto De Sanctis • MAJ Ciro Cucinello Noble Ledger 2014 NCI Agency Team Leader • Mr Daniel Marco-Mompe IM Analysis Suppor

NCI Agency team composed of staff from Brussels, The Hague and Mons, together with selected Contractors, has engineered, implemented, integrated with National assets a Command and Control Collaboration Portal (C2CP) system for 1st German / Netherlands Corps, Münster.

general 1 208 1 about-us/newsroom/1gnc-strategic-partnership-for-connected-forces-initiative.aspx On 14 March, an agreement on working arrangements and multi-year programme of work was signed between the 1 German Netherlands Corps (1GNC) and the Agency. It is the first example of re-use of NATO Afghanistan investments to boost Nations readiness for the elite NATO Response Force. The agreement builds on cooperation which began on 9 September 2013 by the Chiefs of Defence of Germany and the Netherlands and culminated in the 14 March signature ceremony that is Connecting the 1GNC and the NCI Agency in a Strategic Partnershi , as declared by LGEN Volker R. Halbauer, Commander of the 1GNC As we strive to NATO Forces 2020 and keep the ISAF gains alive, this Strategic Partnership between the 1GNC and the NCI Agency is an example of using NATO solutions for the NATO Force Structure to facilitate Land and Joint interoperabilit , stated by NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow In his introduction Mr Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager stated The 1GNC leads the way for Future NATO Forces… and … it is our contribution to the NATO for Nations effort in the post ISAF perio . After one year of close cooperation with the 1GNC and the implementation of Information Management tools in the Garrison network, the partnership is now fully oriented towards the certification of the Corps in its role as Land Component Command during their rotation for the NATO Response Force (NRF) 2015 to be followed by cooperation in preparing 1GNC as Joint Task Force Command for 2017 BGEN Toine Beukering, from The Netherlands Ministry of Defence stressed that it is all about trust and people to make it a succes . The multiyear project will provide the Corps with a Mission Network, fully loaded with Core and Functional services, including the implementation of Land Command & Control Information Systems (LC2IS) This cooperation is the initial step in a wider effort of Agency support to LANDCOM Commander LGEN Hodges' initiative for implementing the NATO solutions, developed for the NATO Command Structure, also for Afghanistan, in the NATO Rapid Deployment Corps to facilitate their certification and readiness for the NATO Response Force. LGEN Ben Hodges, Commander LANDCOM stated Today´s signing of a multi-year program of work agreement between 1st German-Netherlands Corps and The NATO Communications and Information Agency in The Hague, Netherlands is another step forward for our partnership. The NCI Agency has consistently provided us outstanding support to the highest expectations throughout LANDCOM. Specifically, providing vital interoperability throughout our NATO Force Structure. Of course, this is just the beginning. I know that this Strategic Partnership will continue to flourish and generate similar interest in training and simulation activities throughout other land forces we are partnered wit . Working very closely with the operational community, the awareness and requirement capture campaign will extend towards the Maritime and Air Commands and outreach to the Training centres in the coming year in order to support capability development, connectivity of forces, including for the willing and capable partners. Success of this project could provide a good example of how existing NATO solutions can be re-used by NATO Nations, beginning with the Framework Nations of the various rapid reaction Corps, and could contribute to implementation of the Connected Forces Initiative in an effective and efficient way For more information download 1GNC Cooperation Leafle

On 14 March, an agreement on working arrangements and multi-year programme of work was signed between the 1 German Netherlands Corps (1GNC) and the Agency. It is the first example of re-use of NATO Afghanistan investments to boost Nations readiness for the elite NATO Response Force.

general 1 209 1 about-us/newsroom/-200-00000-notification-of-intent-to-call-for-bids.aspx The NCI Agency has issued a Notification of Inten to Call for a study of the logistical support for CIS (Communication and Information Systems) equipment. It will recommend Organisational Boundaries, Roles and Responsibilities on the logistics functions necessary to efficiently support NATO owned CIS equipment. At the Lisbon Summit, November 2010, NATO leaders endorsed a new Strategic Concept, which states that the Alliance will engage in a process of continual reform, to streamline structures, improve working methods and maximize efficiency.'' This led to the establishment of the NATO Support Agency (NSPA) IN July 2012 representing a key milestone in establishing organizations within NATO for the future provisioning and support of equipment capabilities across the Alliance. Since formation, the new Agencies have been busy, reshaping internal process, streamlining ways of working, and restructuring organizational elements From the formation of the new agencies, it was recognised that in addition to addressing internal agency matters it would also be necessary to consider cross agencies issues; specifically future roles and responsibilities in areas of overlap. A strong relationship between the two agencies has been established at General Manager Level and this is supported by senior level staffs engagement through a Partnership Board. The Senior Leadership of both Agencies wish to address duplication of functions, processes, and procedures, and develop a roadmap for change that will clarify boundaries, roles and responsibilities between the two agencies and in addition offer up further benefits and savings The scope of work is for a study of the logistical support for CIS equipment. The study will take place in two phases, an initial scoping study to be completed within 2 months. This will be followed by more detailed studies to address organisational boundaries, roles and responsibilities; CIS logistic policies; a benefits, savings and risk plan; and an assessment of calibration services to support NATO CIS

The NCI Agency has issued a Notification of Intent to Call for a study of the logistical support for CIS (Communication and Information Systems) equipment. It will recommend Organisational Boundaries, Roles and Responsibilities on the logistics functions necessary to efficiently support NATO owned CIS equipment.

general 1 210 1 about-us/newsroom/the-hague-john-teufert-awarded-the-nato-meritorious-service-medal.aspx Mr John Teufert was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) on 28 February 2014, for distinguished service while assigned on NATO duties, by Mr Chuck Shawcross, Director of Strategy and NCI Agency The Hague Location Principal, on behalf of the NATO Secretary General. The motivation was Mr John Teufert has upheld the finest tradition of the Alliance by through an exceptional contribution which has brought great credit on himself and earned the respect and gratitude of everyone represented by the Alliance by providing new and mission essential geospatial capabilities to remote ISAF SOF units in 2012/13 The NATO Meritorious Service Medal was first awarded in 2003 to commend staff whose personal initiative and dedication went beyond their duty to make a difference both to their colleagues, and to NATO as an organization. The MSM remains the only significant award for individual personal effort for NATO staff; and can be awarded to Military and Civilian staff alike

Mr John Teufert was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) on 28 February 2014, for distinguished service while assigned on NATO duties, by Mr Chuck Shawcross, Director of Strategy and NCI Agency The Hague Location Principal, on behalf of the NATO Secretary General.

general 1 213 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-support-to-the-preparation-of-the-nss-2014.aspx On 24 and 25 March 2014 the Netherlands hosted the Nuclear Security Summit 2014 (NSS 2014). In order to prepare the various Command and Control (C2) staffs for their specific tasks during the NSS 2014, the Dutch National Police cooperated with the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. In order to assess and improve various C2 processes, a training and exercise programme was put together. The summit brought together the leaders from over 50 countries to discuss important nuclear security issues and international agreements. During NSS 2014, the undisturbed transportation and protection of the delegations was prepared and provided by the Dutch National police. Although the summit was held in the Hague, the presence of so many high ranking representatives from around the globe had a wider impact on the Netherlands, making this in turn the largest security operation ever held in the Netherlands and coordinated by the Dutch Police. Command and Control of the security operation was a combined effort of the Civil police (KNP) and the Military police (KMAR) under the supervision of the Ministry of Security and Justice (V&J) During the NSS 2014 the police used 10 command and control rooms (some co-located) to direct this operation. All C2 staffs (Staf Grootschalig Bijzonder Optreden) at the various locations had to work as one team to provide a seamless execution of the summit's schedule and to provide protection for the Heads of Delegations Training and Exercise programm In order to prepare the various C2 staffs for their specific duties during the NSS2014, the NCI Agency's Education and Training Service Line provided training software and exercise expertise to schedule, plan and prepare a total of seven training events. During 2013, two one-day table top exercises were conducted to train the staff on Roles and Responsibilities, as well as a one-day 'script driven' exercise to verify incident control measures and information flow procedures. Furthermore, from 4 to 6 February 2014, a 48 hours mission rehearsal exercise was conducted to validate all the C2 measures Mr JGJ Tuinder EMPM, Police Commissioner, and coordinator for National Operations and advisor to the National Police, said The preparation through the use of the NATO Joint Exercise Management Module (JEMM) enabled a very easy way to administer the exercises. We could conduct testing at multiple locations simultaneously. Above all, I think most importantly this project has changed our approach and way of thinking. Instead from learning by doing, we set ourselves learning objectives, the Agency supported the creation of assignments, and subsequently we executed the scenarios during the seven training events in preparation for the NS . More than 120 storyline The NCI Agency provided a full range of training and exercise expertise to schedule the seven events and to define the exercise and training objectives for each of the events. The NCI Agency team led by Mr Tom Koolen directed the script development for all events. In total more than 120 storylines were developed over a period of less than four months. The NATO JEMM was used to store, manage and execute the exercise script Mr Tuinder explained, It is not so much about creating a scenario in which everything goes wrong, rather the exercises allowed us to optimize our processes and procedures during normally expected events. For example traffic jams or small incidents are something we cope with every day. For an event such as the NSS2014 it was important , for instance, to optimize the flow of communication between various parties. That enabled coherent communication with a strategic angle because procedures are not self-evident. These need to be set-up and properly executed. It is during our exercises that gaps in this respect came to the surface since we have been able to do focussed testing in this regard. During the mission rehearsal exercise, conducted from 4 to 6 February 2014, Exercise Control (EXCON) was organized at the police academy in Ossendrecht. A continuous coverage of 48 hours was provided by 90 people divided over 15 response cells. The NCI Agency team provided 48 hours continuous EXCON management and control, to a training audience located at 11 different locations, where observers provided the eyes and ears for the Exercise Control organization. The training audience was staffed to the same levels as those anticipated for the actual NSS 2014 period. Mr Koolen stated that it has been highly rewarding to work with the National Police. We noticed a very flexible and eager attitude in the training audience, and a drive for improvement. The safe testing environment stimulated a judgement free atmosphere; both the participating police staff and ourselves had a very positive experience. We found it interesting to experience the difference between the police culture, which is more civilian in nature, versus the inherently military NATO work environment This successful mission rehearsal exercise provided the training audience with a wide variety of conceptual and practical points to improve. Mr Tuinder elaborated, During the testing all participants at all levels were able to identify weak spots in communication flows at all C2 level. Also, it led to a more profound realization that could change our very ad-hoc pragmatic mind-set to one with a more comprehensive long-term learning focus. The main gain is in thinking through the training and goals step-by-step in anticipation of an exercise. The exercise itself is then the test of this from which we identify the lessons, and we are glad the Agency contributed to tha , Mr Tuinder concluded The NCI Agency thanks the National Police for their time and willingness to contribute to this article

On 24 and 25 March 2014 the Netherlands hosted the Nuclear Security Summit 2014 (NSS 2014). In order to prepare the various Command and Control (C2) staffs for their specific tasks during the NSS 2014, the Dutch National Police cooperated with the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. In order to assess and improve various C2 processes, a training and exercise programme was put together.

general 1 214 1 about-us/newsroom/provisional-system-acceptance-of-1st-polish-fadr-system.aspx On 27 March 2014, Provisional System Acceptance (PSA) was granted for the first of three Polish Fixed Position Air Defence Radar (FADR) systems. Procured as part of a broader programme, these radars, produced by Selex ES in Italy, will complement Poland's existing systems and, once fully integrated with NATO's Air Command and Control System, provide an important addition to NATO's air defence. The significance of this achievement can be measured by the participation of General Krzystof Zabicki, head of Poland's Radar Division, in the acceptance meeting held on 13 March 2014 (coincidently, the week Poland celebrated 15 years of NATO membership) Acting as Procurement Agent on behalf of the Host Nation, the NCI Agency has worked tirelessly with all stakeholders, establishing trust and transparency as a cornerstone for success, to ensure that the FADR systems meet NATO's stringent performance and availability requirements. In addition, it has embraced the challenge of change by meeting head-on the perennial issue in defence procurement; that of increasing scope. Significant upgrades already implemented include the introduction of a service lift for improved maintainability and enhanced capability through the next generation IFF. The development, authorization and implementation of these changes have benefited from the NCI Agency's expertise in managing conjoined activities, its flexible approach to customer requirements and its understanding of emerging technologies, policies and threats. Moreover, with the project enjoying over a decade of unbridled support from across the NCI Agency, ably supported by Poland's resident International Programme Office (IPO) and NATO Support Agency (NSPA), the FADR procurement has been an example of matrix management at its best and a success story with too many names to mention Having completed rigorous site acceptance testing, the Chrusciel FADR system now prepares to enter a period of extensive Operational Evaluation, where its performance will be closely monitored by the NCI Agency's specialists within the scientific and supportability community. This period will also see the Polish Air Force take control of the operation and maintenance of the radar, providing an opportunity to test the Logistic Support Concept in relatively benign conditions. Only once these activities have been completed on all 3 Polish FADR sites, and having demonstrated that the FADR systems meet stringent reliability and availability criteria, Final System Acceptance will be considered

On 27 March 2014, Provisional System Acceptance (PSA) was granted for the first of three Polish Fixed Position Air Defence Radar (FADR) systems. Procured as part of a broader programme, these radars, produced by Selex ES in Italy, will complement Poland's existing systems and, once fully integrated with NATO's Air Command and Control System, provide an important addition to NATO's air defence. The significance of this achievement can be measured by the participation of General Krzystof Zabicki, head of Poland's Radar Division, in the acceptance meeting held on 13 March 2014 (coincidently, the week Poland celebrated 15 years of NATO membership).

general 1 215 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-successfully-installs-first-airc2is-operational-baseline-at-aircom.aspx The Air Command and Control Information Services (AirC2IS) is a component of the Bi-Strategic Command Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS). It is a non- real-time C2 system which will support air staff at all levels and locations of the NATO Command Structure In a milestone for the AirC2IS project, the AirC2IS Baseline 2 (BL2) was successfully installed and activated at AIRCOM on 28 March 2014. This new capability includes an Air Information Portal, a collaborative tool for development of the Air Operations Directive (AOD), and an integration core to support interfaces to other systems. BL2 is integrated with the ICC, Document Handling System (DHS), Core GIS, and Active Directory COS AIRCOM and the chairman of the Air and Missile Defence Committee were given a special demonstration of the system and both expressed positive first impressions of the system The first wave of AIRCOM users will receive system training from 31 March to 4 April 2014. Subsequently, the system will be operationally assessed culminating in its use in support of exercise Ramstein Ambition in June 2014 The next AirC2IS operational baseline, BL3, will build on top of BL2 capability with modules for ORBAT management, TBMD planning, situational awareness, air logistics, and CONOPs development. AirC2IS BL3 will be activated in 2Q2015 Paul Howland, Chief C2 Service Line said, This is a great achievement for the whole AirC2IS team. This is a challenging and complex project and it is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the team in The Hague, Mons and CIS Support Unit Ramstein that this was so successful.

The Air Command and Control Information Services (AirC2IS) is a component of the Bi-Strategic Command Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS). It is a non- real-time C2 system which will support air staff at all levels and locations of the NATO Command Structure.

general 1 216 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-general-manager-meets-with-president-rosen-plevneliev.aspx On the occasion of the celebrations of the 10 year anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to NATO, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, delivered a presentation on how the Agency could function as a Cooperation Platform in support of Nations during a two-day international conference Future NATO on 4 April in Sofia. During a bilateral meeting, President Plevneliev and Mr Gijsbers discussed key areas of cooperation such as IT modernisation, e-government and Cyber Defence. We need more NATO in Bulgaria. Our world class ICT sector can develop the Bulgarian footprint into NATO. IT innovation and cooperation are key enablers for both NATO and Bulgaria to be more efficient, and I see the NCI Agency playing a key role in supporting this effort as a platform for capability developmen President Plevnliev. During his visit, Mr Gijsbers further met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Todor Churov, the Permanent Undersecretary of Defence Mr Dobromir Totev and the Chief of Defence, General Simeon Hristov Simeonov. The main discussion points during the other office calls were on capabilities and Mr Gijsbers emphasized the message of Re-use what we have , re-using NATO common funded tools for national purposes. All were very supportive of establishing a multiyear programme of work with the NCI Agency, in the context of Smart Defence and Connected Forces Initiative to enhance interoperability with NATO. Mr Gijsbers was accompanied by the Chief Strategic Partnership and Customer Relations Manager, Mr Eric Lievre For more information please visit the NATO Smart Defence topic pag

On the occasion of the celebrations of the 10 year anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to NATO, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, delivered a presentation on how the Agency could function as a Cooperation Platform in support of Nations during a two-day international conference Future NATO on 4 April in Sofia.

general 1 217 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-drives-nato-it-communication-modernization.aspx 2014 sees the completion of the migration of NATO's communication network from a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) to an Ethernet based system, which will provide the transmission services required for high speed communication between the main NATO nodes representing a total of 60 sites across the 28 NATO member nations In 2012, following an International Competitive Bidding procedure based on Best Value evaluation, the contract, in the amount of 30.5 MEURO, was awarded to BT Limited Belgium for a period of 3 years with 2 additional one year extensions as evaluated options. Under this contract a number of major milestones have been achieved starting with the initial phase of designing the network, going through a Proof of Concept Test and surveying all 60 sites throughout all NATO member nations, resulting toward the end of the 2012 in the delivery of the core nodes and a limited number of distribution and access nodes. The fulfilment of all these milestones was possible due to the commitment and teamwork of both the Agency and BT project teams. The formal signature of the Provisional System Acceptance documentation on 19 November 2013 marked an important milestone in the history of NATO communications BT Limited Belgium successfully delivered the majority of the nodes composing the Ethernet based communication Network to the NCI Agency. This event was marked with a small celebration by the reunited project teams, both, from BT Limited Belgium and the NCI Agency. This project was instrumental in its original inception changing the concept from buying equipment and leasing lines to buying services to be delivered to NATO premises, through a node based Service Level Agreement The IP based network which has been delivered is more flexible and manageable; it allows the convergence of the services and thus simplifies the architecture. Through its hierarchical design the network permits high communication speeds, it can accommodate future developments and will reduce O&M cost , as stated by Adrian Croitoru, the Project Manager

2014 sees the completion of the migration of NATO's communication network from a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) to an Ethernet based system, which will provide the transmission services required for high speed communication between the main NATO nodes representing a total of 60 sites across the 28 NATO member nations.

general 1 218 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-cos-hosts-senior-swedish-government-officials.aspx As part of the current bilateral agreement between Sweden and the NCI Agency, the Agency Chief of Staff MGEN Luis Andrey hosted BGEN Nilsson from the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV), and BGEN Hallin, Head of C4ISR at the Swedish Armed Forces at the NCI Agency The Hague on 8 April 2014. In addition, MGEN Engelbrektson from Sweden and COL Bijnens from Belgium participated in the visit representing the Connected Forces Initiative Task Force. Sweden is an important Partner for NATO, making a significant contribution to NATO operations, but also as a key player in multinational cooperation, exercises and training; Sweden's active role is pivotal for achieving NATO Forces 2020. The Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) Task Force Co-Chair, MGEN Engelbrektson provided an overview of the key focus of the ongoing work from the CFI Task Force The NCIA represents an important and natural partner for everybody that aspires to deliver effect and contribute to the Connecting Forces Initiative. Because connecting forces on the practical level, always includes the key competences, that NCIA represents. This is true for ongoing operations and exercises as well as future experiment studies. Hence, we appreciate the inclusiveness towards partners that the agency has shown us and we look forward to contribute to practical solutions that could deliver the Day one connectivity partner packag . MGEN Engelbrektso The Swedish delegation gave an overview of the ongoing reorganisation of the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV). Overall, they are impressed with the support provided by the NCI Agency and Sweden looks forward to continuing this successful cooperation For more information please visit the Connected Forces Initiative Topic page

As part of the current bilateral agreement between Sweden and the NCI Agency, the Agency Chief of Staff MGEN Luis Andrey hosted BGEN Nilsson from the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV), and BGEN Hallin, Head of C4ISR at the Swedish Armed Forces at the NCI Agency The Hague on 8 April 2014. In addition, MGEN Engelbrektson from Sweden and COL Bijnens from Belgium participated in the visit representing the Connected Forces Initiative Task Force.

general 1 219 1 about-us/newsroom/deployable-accs-used-in-exercise-ramstein-dust1.aspx During the first week in April the Deployable Air Command and Control system (ACCS), (DARS) participated in exercise Ramstein Dust 1. This was the first deployment since DARS relocated from the Netherlands to its new base in Italy as part of the Deployable Air Command and Control Center (DACCC). The deployment to the Italian airbase of Rivolto, some 200km from the garrison site was undertaken using the units organic transportation equipment procured via the NATO Support Agency (NSPA) on NCI Agency's behalf The exercise achieved the major goals as defined by the DACCC. The system could be properly deployed and used for usual air control/command activities, involving among others communicating with F16. It has to be noted that the SATCOM capability was used for the first time with the DARS in an operational event; these assets were procured through NCI Agency/Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) SHAPE and the DACCC thanked the Agency for the outstanding support provided during the whole event. The NATO C2 structure plans for an ARS (static entity) to ensure control of air missions, maintaining a Local Air Picture by fusing received sensor data and disseminating a Recognised Air Picture (RAP). The DARS has identical functionality and a similar organisational structure as a static ARS and is housed in 20ft ISO shelters. AirC2 PO&S is procuring the core software for the ARS part and the DARS system, which has been delivered in several tranches since June 13 to the users (the DACCC NATO Unit) at Poggio-Renatico Garrison Site. The DACCC commander, General Nordio, intends to declare the IOC of the DARS during this summer and the FOC at the end of the year

During the first week in April the Deployable Air Command and Control system (ACCS), (DARS) participated in exercise Ramstein Dust 1. This was the first deployment since DARS relocated from the Netherlands to its new base in Italy as part of the Deployable Air Command and Control Center (DACCC). The deployment to the Italian airbase of Rivolto, some 200km from the garrison site was undertaken using the units organic transportation equipment procured via the NATO Support Agency (NSPA) on NCI Agency's behalf.

general 1 220 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agencys-first-legal-workshop.aspx Upon request by several Nations during the last Chief Information Officers (CIO) meeting, the NCI Agency hosted 29-30 April a workshop on the legal models available for cooperation with the Agency. Twenty-six representatives from eleven NATO states, two Partner nations, European Defence Agency and European Space Agency attended the workshop. Furthermore, the Chairman of the Agency Supervisory Board, Mr Timothy Harp joined the workshop for a couple of its sessions The NCI Agency Chief of Staff, MGEN Luis Andrey opened the workshop and greeted the participants on behalf of the General Manager. He provided a brief overview of the NCI Agency, its role for Connecting Forces and its main strategic priorities MGEN Andrey was followed by the NATO Legal Adviser, Mr Steven Hill who addressed the participants by elaborating on the NCI Agency in the legal NATO context and the specifics of sharing the NATO international and juridical personality The workshop continued with the NCI Agency Legal Adviser, Ms Simona Rocchi, who provided more legal specifics on the NCI Organisation and its Executive body the NCI Agency. Furthermore, she described the available frameworks for bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the NCI Agency as per the NCI Organisation Charter. Ms Rocchi emphasized the status of the NCI Agency which shares the NATO legal personality leading to agreements under public international law. The Agency, therefore, is different from a commercial organizations where relations are governed by private international law. She explained the differences between the NATO acquisition rules and procedures followed by the NCI Agency and the ones followed by other international organizations and highlighted the options available in that respect for non-NATO countries The NCI Agency Chief Finance Business Management Mr Rui da Silva explained the specifics of the customer funded aspects of the NCI Agency and the requirements for advance transfer of funds by the NCI Agency counterparts in case of cooperation The afternoon sessions during the first day were devoted to the specifics of cooperating with the NCI Agency. The Senior Assistant Legal Adviser Ms Kerstin Müller and the Principle Account Manager Nations from Demand Management Mr Xavier Desfougères elaborated on the different available models and formats for bilateral cooperation with the NCI Agency. The Assistant Legal Adviser Mr Vincent Roobaert and Principal Account Manager Multinational Projects from Demand Management Ms Agata Szydelko introduced to the participants the available and planned projects for the multinational cooperation, as well as the legal framework structuring such projects The second day was opened by a brief by the Assistant Legal Adviser Captain Jean-Luc Prevoteau on the practical example of a successful multinational cooperation in a deployed environment and its future use for Connecting Forces also in peace time, namely the transition from the Afghanistan Mission Network into the Federated Mission Network. This presentation was followed by a brief on the staffing process within NCI Agency by the Assistant Legal Adviser Ms Milena Dicheva. The last session was on the cooperation model as specified in the NCI Organisation Charter, related to C&I Partnerships. The Assistant Legal Adviser Mr Vincent Roobaert provided the participants with an overview of the possible legal frameworks for execution of this model and this was followed by a lively discussion on Nations' view for the prospective way ahead. NCI Agency Legal office and the representatives from several Nations and an international organization decided to use the opportunity and have bilateral sessions during the workshop. During these meetings, legal matters specific to the cooperation of NCI Agency and the given Nation/organization were further discussed and elaborated on. The workshop was an excellent venue to enhance collaboration with and amongst lawyers from the Nations' Ministries of Defence, who work on the legal aspects of C&I cooperation with NATO and the NCI Agency

Upon request by several Nations during the last Chief Information Officers (CIO) meeting, the NCI Agency hosted 29-30 April a workshop on the legal models available for cooperation with the Agency.

general 1 221 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-general-manager-meets-with-croatian-minister-of-defence.aspx The Croatian Minister of Defence Mr Ante Kotromanović hosted the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, in Zagreb on 28 April 2014. They discussed areas of multinational cooperation based on the successful example of the Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD). Croatia is a young Nation that joined NATO 5 years ago, and strengthening our cooperation with NCI Agency is essential for both Croatia and the Alliance. The active support provided by the NCI Agency is of critical importance in our effort to develop effective C4ISR capabilities for both Croatia and the region of Southeast Europe. Within the next 12 months, our objective is to extend the current Memorandum of Understanding between Croatia and the NCI Agency and further expand the scope of cooperation activities . Minister Ante KotromanovićDuring his visit, Mr Gijsbers further met with the Assistant Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Ms Vesna Batistić Kos', Chief of Defence, General Drago Lovrić and Head of CIS Sector Col Stanko Ćavar.The main theme of the visit was on capabilities and Mr Gijsbers emphasized the message of Re-use what we have . It is more important than ever that we optimize capability development, maximizing the effect of Nations' investments. NATO Agencies can help to re-use the solutions developed for Afghanistan to assist in preparing National units for the NATO Response Force, quickly and at a lower cost. All were very supportive of continuing our current cooperation, in the context of Smart Defence and Connected Forces Initiative to enhance interoperability with NATO. Finally, the day concluded with meeting the Croatian Defense Industry on how to do business with NATO. Mr Gijsbers was accompanied by the Chief Strategic Partnership and Customer Relations Manager, Mr Eric Lievre. Pictures MORH/J.Kop

The Croatian Minister of Defence Mr Ante Kotromanović hosted the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, in Zagreb on 28 April 2014.

general 1 222 1 about-us/newsroom/publication-on-computer-network-defence--incident-detection-and-incident-response.aspx NATO is advancing its efforts to both confront and address the wide range of cyber threats faced by Allies each day and this includes engaging industry, academia, and public institutions in these efforts. Cyber security incidents are increasing in both scope and scale every day. Our defensive mechanisms have been outpaced by the scope and scale of malicious cyber activities and, as a result, this issue now sits as one of the most important emerging security challenges facing our countries today , says Melissa Hathaway, Council of Experts, Global Cyber Security Centre (GCSEC).This NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme supported event set out to explore common interest issues for improving Allied and Partner cyber defence practices. The workshop directly addressed the SPS Key Priority area for cyber defence as well as addressing NATO's cyber defence policy implementation. The workshop brought together a multi-disciplinary team of experts from sixteen countries and three international institutions to share experience, knowledge, and positions. Together they generated twenty-one specific findings and twelve papers to help improve the cyber defence posture of NATO Allied countries and their Partners. Following the workshop, a collection of papers from the panel discussions formed the basis of a book that was published as part of the NATO Science Series. The Editor and Co-Directors of the project were invited to brief the relevant committee responsible for cyber defence at NATO on the findings of the workshop, and the publication was launched at a 'Book Talk' event held at NATO HQ on 10 February 2014. The NATO Country Project Director and editor of the publication, Melissa Hathaway, said, This demands that they collectively take action to reduce vulnerabilities of organisations' information systems, assets, infrastructures, and people. Accordingly, organisations are shifting their security approach toward monitoring ingress and egress routes, cataloguing the tactics, techniques, and procedures of adversary activity to better understand impacts and manage risk. Equally important, they are investing in advanced counter-measures to strengthen security postures and become more resistant to cyber threats. In the future they will need to focus initiatives toward the protection, resilience, recovery, and restoration of services that transcend national boundaries, like electric power, navigation, and telecommunications. After all, defence does not stop at the corporate enterprise or sovereign border. The chapters of the publication are available at each of the author's institutions as follows Chapter 1 Advanced Research Workshop Findings Author Melissa Hathaway, Council of Experts, Global Cyber Security Centre (GCSEC)Chapter 2 Computer Network Defense New Threats and TrendsAuthors Andrea Rigoni and Gustav Lindstrom, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GSCP)Chapter 3 Advanced Technologies/Tactics Techniques, Procedures Closing the Attack Window, and Thresholds for Reporting and ContainmentAuthor John Stewart, Cisco Systems and Council of Experts, Global Cyber Security Center (GCSEC)Chapter 4 Beyond Perimeter Defense Defense-in-Depth Leveraging Upstream SecurityAuthor Dave McMahon, The SecDev GroupChapter 5 Back to Basics Beyond Network HygieneAuthors Felix 'FX' Lindner (Recurity Labs GmbH, Germany) & Sandro Gaycken (Freie University of Berlin, Germany)Chapter 6 Aligning National Cyber Security Strategies to International Guidance A First Step Toward Improving Incident Response Capabilities Across NATOAuthor Matt Holt, CEO, IntelliumChapter 7 Evolution of National and Corporate CERTs – Trust, the Key FactorAuthor Olaf Kruidhof, Capgemini, The NetherlandsChapter 8 Standards for Cyber Security Author Steve Purser, European Union Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA)Chapter 9 A Model for Positive Change Influencing Positive Change in Cyber Security Strategy, Human Factor, and LeadershipAuthor Will PelgrinChapter 10 Coordination and Cooperation in Cyber Network Defense The Dutch Efforts to Prevent and RespondAuthors Elly van den Heuvel (National Cyber Security Centre in The Hague, the Netherlands) and Gerben Klein Baltink (Dutch Cyber Security Council)The full book is available for purchase here

NATO is advancing its efforts to both confront and address the wide range of cyber threats faced by Allies each day and this includes engaging industry, academia, and public institutions in these efforts.

general 1 223 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-supports-natos-largest-technology-trial.aspx The NCI Agency is playing an important enabling role in the largest ever test of NATO’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities that began on 19 May at Ørland Air Station in Norway. Over 20 colleagues are on the ground, supporting the event The Agency supported the detailed planning of the 10-day event, plays a key role in its execution and will be enabling the reporting and assessment from the event. The Agency developed the Target Architecture for the Trial, designed the network infrastructure, implemented, validated, and helped deploy and manage the server/client environment, provided Trial Management Team support and is providing the Post-Trial Evaluation Environment ” said Joe Ross, Agency technical lead for the event, Through the MAJIIC 2 Project, the Agency also provided the Knowledge Manager and translated the MAJIIC Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures into TTPs for the event, provided the vignette design, risk reduction testing with nations and BICES. It’s hard to find a better example of the comprehensive nature of the Agency’s support to priority NATO C4ISR projects The Agency also supported some of its key customers, such as the NAEW&C Force Command, Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS), Allied Command Transformation and the NATO C3 Board with a range of trial and test objectives and associated activities. NATO’s Joint ISR (JISR) community and the Agency are evaluating the results which will be used as the baseline for implementation of JISR IOC capabilities for the NATO Response Force 2016. Importantly, the UV14 results will also help support the acquisition and implementation of an enduring JISR capability to support the AGS capability. The NCI Agency will be the host nation for this enduring JISR capability, which will be one of the Agency’s major acquisition projects in the coming years For more information on the event, see the NATO HQ Web site story on the even

The NCI Agency is playing an important enabling role in the largest ever test of NATO’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities that began on 19 May at Ørland Air Station in Norway. Over 20 colleagues are on the ground, supporting the event.

general 1 224 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-demonstrates-potential-of-google-glass-technology-to-the-italian-mod.aspx On 14 and 15 May, JISR Service Line staff, conducted a technical demonstration by using Augmented Reality (AR) technology (Google Glasses) at the Italian Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Rome, ITA The demonstration is part of the EYE CATCH project, a Subject Matter Expertise Service provision activity with the Italian MoD in the area of dismounted soldiers situational awareness enhancement using sensors and ISR technology. The demo was executed during a workshop organized by the ITA MOD on the application of Agile Software development methodology for military applications The Agency team demonstrated how AR glasses, connected to a soldier C2 handheld device, could enhance dismounted soldier situational awareness in case where he’s fully engaged in a tactical situation (i.e. hands on his weapon). The demo showed the feasibility of displaying NATO JocWatch selected data and events on a soldier AR glasses, connected to his handheld Android-based device, so to alert him. A few examples of alerts are a report on an IED event that occurred close to his current position, or on an kinetic event that just happened close to him (i.e. indirect fire against blue forces) and that could put at risk his life and the life of his platoon companions. As a next step, the Agency in coordination with the customer is looking to explore the possibility to connect more data sources to AR glasses (i.e. NIRIS, Blue Force Tracking, Geo, JChat and targeting, as well as soldier medical data to be exchanged with the MEDEVAC team enroute to the soldier). One of the goals of the Service provision is to support the Italian MoD's agile software development team to develop customized AR apps in an Android environment, which can enhance soldiers situational awareness and the survivability in an hostile environment. The medium term goal would be to support Italy MoD to set-up a Smart Defence project in this area

On 14 and 15 May, JISR Service Line staff, conducted a technical demonstration by using Augmented Reality (AR) technology (Google Glasses) at the Italian Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Rome, ITA.

general 1 225 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-land-command-control-c2-system-achieves-major-milestones.aspx The NCI Agency C2 Service Line is leading the acquisition and support of NATO’s new Land Command & Control (C2) system, known as the Land C2 Information System (LC2IS). The software provides a suite of Functional Services to operational staffs to support the planning, execution and the assessment of land-based operations and is the primary tool for any land mission to Enable and improve the effective Command & Control of NATO Land Forces; Support NATO commanders in their decision making process; Improve information exchange horizontally within the Land Headquarters and with other components; vertically through the chain of command. LC2IS interfaces with other NATO Functional services and National Land C2IS enabling the sharing and exchange of mission critical information to build the Recognised Ground Picture and enrich the Common Operational Picture. The programme is structured as a series of increments – 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0. The initial increment, v1.0 was formally accepted on 24 April when the Investment Committee approved the Joint Formal Acceptance Inspection Report. This was the result of significant team work between Agency staff across The Hague, Brussels, Mons and the Sectors and required the team to document work from the former Agencies over the past five years including extensive hardware deliveries of 82 servers across 12 sites. This was made particularly challenging as none of the original staff remain on the project In parallel, LC2IS Increment 1.1 is now nearing completion. Final Acceptance of the authorized scope has been achieved in February 2014 and the service has been deployed to JFCS, NCISG, JFTC, JWC, NCISS and NCIA which are now under support by the NCI Agnecy. On 6 May, LC2IS was also authorized for deployment at LANDCOM, AIRCOM and MARCOM before Q1-2015. The initial deployment to ISAF has been suspended waiting for an operational decision on possible requirement on Resolute Support Mission. LC2IS is also becoming of increasing interest to several NATO nations as part of their “NATO First” strategy of reusing NATO capabilities before investing in national projects. The 1st German-Netherlands Corp have requested to evaluate, test and obtain this new version of LC2IS The Operational Community (and especially SHAPE and ACT) have consistently provided good operational support for LC2IS, without which all this would not have been possible In the next few months the C2 Service Line will prepare the authorization request (TBCE) for the new Increment 2 with the plan to submit it to the IC by the end of this year. The definition of the Increment 2 requirement has started in 2013 under the sponsorship of ACT and is proceeding LC2IS will take part at CWIX-14 in June 2014 and the 3rd Land C2 User Requirement Workshop will be held at the NCI Agency on 24-27 June 2014

The NCI Agency C2 Service Line is leading the acquisition and support of NATO’s new Land Command & Control (C2) system, known as the Land C2 Information System (LC2IS).

general 1 226 1 about-us/newsroom/vadm-grooms--deputy-chief-of-staff-capability-development-act-visited-the-agency.aspx VADM Bruce E Grooms, Deputy Chief of Staff Capability Development to Allied Command Transformation (ACT), visited the NCI Agency in The Hague 13-14 May 2014 During the visit DCOS CD was briefed on Application Services and received updates on the Bi-SC AIS Programme complemented by lab tours and demonstrations. The demonstrations showed the agency C4ISR contributions to past operations like Operation Unified Protector (Libya), current support to ISAF and also included demonstrations of future BiSC AIS Programme capabilities like AirC2IS, NCOP and LC2IS and the need to focus on the integration aspects. A key topic of discussion was the need to refine the harmonization of the ACT Programme of Work in line with upcoming FAS projects VADM Grooms had an open and extensive discussion on the role of Operational Analysis and NCI Agency’s support to ACT in the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP). He was impressed by the knowledge of the OA Service line briefing team and gave reassurance that the Agency was playing its supportive role in the NDPP correctly. The role of the OA Service Line in the enhanced-NDPP was also discussed. VADM Grooms’ visit was much appreciated The visit also offered the opportunity for the Admiral to be updated on the status of IT Modernization, Cyber Security and to receive a brief and view a demonstration on Ballistic Missile Defence. During the visit there was an opportunity to hold the second DNBL Board of Directors Meeting The General Manager will continue the close working relationship with DCOS CD when he visits ACT in June

VADM Bruce E Grooms, Deputy Chief of Staff Capability Development to Allied Command Transformation (ACT), visited the NCI Agency in The Hague 13-14 May 2014.

general 1 227 1 about-us/newsroom/col-nicolella-farewell-trip.aspx Colonel Dario Nicolella, Commander of the NCI Agency Sector Naples, will retire 10 July 2014. Prior his retirement, he decided to greet all the subordinated sites/units deployed under Sector Naples’ Area of Responsibility in Italy His farewell trip started with a visit of the 7th SATCOM in Tarquinia on 12 May. The following day, he met the staff working in Center of Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) NCI Agency Support Element (NSE) in La Spezia. He proceeded to Poggio Renatico, visiting the T sites in St. Anna Alfaedo, including site R in Erbezzo. His tour ended with the SATCOM facility located in Lughezzano. During the visit of CMRE NSE in La Spezia, Commander Nicolella met the Director of the unit Mr Hank Ort, Rear Admiral (rtd), NLD N, who bestowed the Crest of the Agency, in gratitude for the proven and appreciated cooperation to COL Nicolella. The Director congratulated him for the exceptional dedication and the high level of professionalism that the NSE men and women have presented in recent years. At Poggio Renatico, Commander Nicolella met with Jan D.A. Roberto Nordio, DACCC Commander. The Commander took advantage of his visit to update the staff of the upcoming future developments and the new structure of the Agency. With his sincere and articulate farewell, he urged everyone to continue their unparalleled professionalism, continuously demonstrated throughout his command

Colonel Dario Nicolella, Commander of the NCI Agency Sector Naples, will retire 10 July 2014. Prior his retirement, he decided to greet all the subordinated sites/units deployed under Sector Naples’ Area of Responsibility in Italy.

general 1 228 1 about-us/newsroom/farewell-ceremony-ltc-wojciech-czerwinski.aspx After four years of dedicated service NCI Agency Squadron Bydgoszcz Commander bids farewell to the Agency and the city of Bydgoszcz. On 28 May 2014 farewell ceremony of the LTC Wojciech Czerwinski took place in the Joint Force Training Centre VIP room. The Ceremony was hosted by JFTC Commander Brigadier General Wojciech Grabowski and Polish Senior National Representative COL Piotr Trepkowski and attended by all NCIA SOB personnel. We appreciate your outstanding contribution and support and wish you luck in your future servic ” said BGEN Grabowski. As you know I am moving to Warsaw looking forward to hopefully new commitment that will unquestionably conclude my military servic ” replied former NCI Agency SOB Commander BGEN Grabowski awarded LTC Czerwinski with the Certificate of Appreciation and JFTC coin. In his farewell speech, LTC Czerwinski directed his appreciation to all SOB personnel, pointing all the remarkable achievements and dedication

After four years of dedicated service NCI Agency Squadron Bydgoszcz Commander bids farewell to the Agency and the city of Bydgoszcz. On 28 May 2014 farewell ceremony of the LTC Wojciech Czerwinski took place in the Joint Force Training Centre VIP room.

general 1 229 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-federated-mission-networking-video.aspx Leveraging the lessons from networked operations in Afghanistan and also from experience with the NATO Response Force, Federated Mission Networking will significantly enhance NATO's operational capability as the practical realization of the underpinning technology of the Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) Video about NATO Federated Mission Networking - effective information sharing during NATO operation is now available on YouTub

Leveraging the lessons from networked operations in Afghanistan and also from experience with the NATO Response Force, Federated Mission Networking will significantly enhance NATO's operational capability as the practical realization of the underpinning technology of the Connected Forces Initiative (CFI).

general 1 230 1 about-us/newsroom/maritime-information-services-conference-spring-2014.aspx 27 - 29 May 2014, the “Spring 2014 MIS Conference” was held at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre in Chania Greece, on the isle of Crete. The Agency participated at the Conference with representation from Maritime Command and Control Information System, Project TRITON and CIS Support Unit Northwood. The Maritime Information Services Conference (MISC) is a formally constituted forum with the NATO Maritime Information Service (MIS) Community of Interest (COI). The aim of the MISC is continuous involvement of the MIS COI in the management of the Maritime Command and Control Information System (MCCIS), the Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) Prototype and Future Maritime Information Services (FMIS) to be implemented as Project TRITON. MISC, chaired by ACT, consists of representatives from NATO Nations and NATO Commands and organizations Life Cycle Working Group, Users Group and Technical Working Group discussed MCCIS and Project TRITON thoroughly. First Stage Authorisation of Project TRITON was granted on 27 May 2014, the first day of the conference, giving the community the ability to discuss the near term project schedule and agree on workshop dates A number of presentations related to MCCIS were provided informing the community about recent developments and sustainment options for the future. These options were discussed in further detail during the Technical Working Group. During the second day of the conference, the first workshop for Project TRITON was held to discuss and agree the project high-level requirements as the basis for the follow-on IFB preparations. On the third day, each working group presented the outcome of their deliberations and a recommended way ahead. In conclusion, the Chairman stated that the NCI Agency vision of the technical approach for Project TRITON and MCCIS sustainment combined with the active participation of the NATO maritime community provided a good level of confidence for the future

27 - 29 May 2014, the “Spring 2014 MIS Conference” was held at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre in Chania Greece, on the isle of Crete. The Agency participated at the Conference with representation from Maritime Command and Control Information System, Project TRITON and CIS Support Unit Northwood.

general 1 231 1 about-us/newsroom/technical-feasibility-of-critical-fmn-component-validated.aspx Technical feasibility of a critical Federated Mission Network component validated NCI Agency successfully demonstrate secure Internet Protocol-over-Radio capability to NATO AWACS at Unified Vision 2014. Collaborative and timely decision-making is playing an increasingly important role in the command and control (C2) of deployed forces. Forces engaged in joint operations and deployed over wider areas rely increasingly on low-bandwidth BLOS communication systems and network-enabled capability (NEC) for their support. Growing requirements for networked and collaborative decision-support systems - supported by a low-bandwidth network bearer service – have placed an increased emphasis on the operational utility of IP networking and services. To provide timely and effective support, mobile C2 platforms (e.g. AWACS, Command Ships) as well as mobile force elements must be able to readily connect to mission networks A secure IP-over-Radio gateway capability is called out as critical mission requirement in the draft NATO Federated Mission Networking Implementation Plan (NFIP). During Trial Unified Vision 2014 (UV 14), NCI Agency successfully demonstrated the Airborne Networking Capability (ANC) and the Deployable Ground Entry Point (DGEP). This capability has been developed by NCI Agency in cooperation with and under sponsorship of NATO’s Airborne Early Warning and Control Force. Trial UV14 marks the latest and most successful deployment of the NAEWC&F Airborne Networking Capability, as ongoing Concept-Development and Experimentation (CD&E) of secure/wireless IP-networking capability in support of expanded mission sets and capabilities. The Airborne Networking Capability in combination with the Deployable Ground Entry Point provides secure IP-over-Radio connectivity between ground-based Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) systems and an E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) in flight. This IP-over-Radio capability provides IP-ready network interfaces and media-control appliques to existing E-3A’s low-bandwidth bearers such as UHF/HF radios, Iridium SATCOM, and UHF-DAMA SATCOM systems. Although originally developed by NCI Agency in response to ISAF’s requirements for IP-networking and XMPP ‘Chat’ capability onboard NATO AWACS, the Deployable Ground Entry Point’s architecture and technology allows the addition of other bearers such as VHF, commercial cellular technology 3G or 4G/LTE, Wi-Fi or WiMAX, making it a universal capability for all services with a requirement for IP-over-Radio connectivity in mission networks These new deployable capabilities support important operational objectives for ‘first-responders’ such as • Digitally-Aided Close Air Support • Immediate messaging and reporting in support of Command and Control (XMPP Chat) • Time-sensitive-targeting (FAST • JISR management (JISR-product sharing and CSD meta-data replication), • Cooperative Electronic-Support-Measure Operations, • Maritime surveillance and tracking, • Air traffic control • Enhanced situational awareness (NATO friendly force information (FFI), ICC/JREAP), an • Joint-Range-Extension for tactical data links (JREAP C)

Technical feasibility of a critical Federated Mission Network component validated NCI Agency successfully demonstrate secure Internet Protocol-over-Radio capability to NATO AWACS at Unified Vision 2014.

general 1 232 1 about-us/newsroom/member-of-sector-isaf-awarded-with-the-comijc-commendation.aspx On 23 May, LGEN Joseph Anderson has presented CW2 Rebecca McGarry, member of the NCI Agency, with the COMIJC Commendation. CW2 Rebecca McGarry distinguished herself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service to CJOA community within Sector ISAF as the Theatre AMN Change Manager. She performed her duties in a remarkable manner by managing the day-to-day management of the AMN change management area, ensuring all proposed changes to the live AMN environment have been risk assessed, the impact had been assessed in isolation and against other change activity, and changes were approved as fit-for-purpose prior to implementation. Ensuring AMN services were never compromised as a result of change. Looking at the relationship between each area, she managed the change management process with efficiency in liaison with IJC CJ6, contractor and NCI Agency in Europe. Her efforts bring great credit upon herself, Sector ISAF and IJC

On 23 May, LGEN Joseph Anderson has presented CW2 Rebecca McGarry, member of the NCI Agency, with the COMIJC Commendation.

general 1 233 1 about-us/newsroom/or9-patrick-potloot-receives-nato-medal.aspx On 13 May 2014, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal was awarded to OR-9 Patrick Poloot, Belgian Army. He served as the Squadron Sergeant Major for Sector Brunssum, NATO Communications Information Agency from September 2008 until September 2013. As Squadron Sergeant Major, he constantly improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire Networks Support Group for the Agency’s benefit. He planned, organized and successfully led the JFCBS NCO Mobile Training Teams during many training events. In addition, he served as the Chairman of the JFCBS Other Ranks Association (ORA) supporting the entire international community including Soldiers’ families during his tenure. COL Manfred Krätzig, Sector Brunssum Commander presented the award to OR-9 Patrick Potloot at the Sector Brunssum Commander’s Call. COL Krätzig reflected in his speech that he is happy that recognition is being paid to some of our great leaders within NCI Agency. Patrick Potloot is most deserving of this award for his hard work and dedication while assigned as the NSG Squadron SGM. Patrick is currently assigned in a training Centre for paratroops as a Platoon Commander in Schaffen, Belgium

On 13 May 2014, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal was awarded to OR-9 Patrick Poloot, Belgian Army. He served as the Squadron Sergeant Major for Sector Brunssum, NATO Communications Information Agency from September 2008 until September 2013.

general 1 234 1 about-us/newsroom/jwc-and-ncst-test-future-capabilities-at-cwix-2014.aspx Part of the JWC mission is to assist the developmental and experimental work of ACT on new concepts, technologies, Modelling and Simulation. Playing an active role in CWIX is a natural consequence for JWC and NATO Communications and Information Agency Squadron Stavanger (NCST) The Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation and eXamination eXercise (CWIX) tests the physical instantiation of concepts such as capability development and integration. The Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) is a key contributor to both, said U.S. Army Colonel William Jones, Chief C4 Event Support at the JWC, in an article which is published in JWC's latest edition of The Three Swords magazine Under Allied Command Transformation (ACT) lead, CWIX is currently taking place at the Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland from 04 until 19 June 2014 with the aim to achieve the highest levels of interoperability between different national and NATO information systems throughout Europe and North America Nearly 1,000 engineers, technicians, operational users and observers from 18 Nations are working together in focus areas such as cyber defence, the Federated Mission Networking, Modelling and Simulation, and Situational Awareness information systems JWC and NATO Communications and Information Agency Squadron Stavanger (NCST) have built a single team to execute several tests in the following fields - Cloud Computing to enable CIS administrators to assign limited resources dynamically without granting external organizations a direct access to the CIS infrastructure - Secure Thin Clients to provide end users access to different levels of security networks from a single desktop in order to significantly reduce required CIS devices - Mobile initiative which is dedicated to 1. support JWC Training Audiences and inform the JWC staff with non-sensitive information through an App downloaded into private smart phones 2. provide JWC personnel with access to their unclassified office desktop through the Internet wherever they are - Cyber Defence as player in a vignette dedicated to an insider cyber-attack occurring during an ongoing operation In addition to technical networking mentioned above, JWC supports CWIX by providing - Resources to enable the cyber-defence vignette - Data-Centre Cloud resources - CIS Analyst to support the Analyst Working Group in the Cloud and Mobile Computing Focus Area Next year CWIX will be more challenging because, in addition to new testing, JWC will take the lead for the Cloud and Mobile Computing Focus Area, dubbed as Transformation through Innovation

Part of the JWC mission is to assist the developmental and experimental work of ACT on new concepts, technologies, Modelling and Simulation. Playing an active role in CWIX is a natural consequence for JWC and NATO Communications and Information Agency Squadron Stavanger (NCST).

general 1 235 1 about-us/newsroom/exercise-trident-jaguar-2014.aspx Exercise Trident Jaguar 2014 (TRJR14) has been recently conducted at several locations with the main Exercise Control (EXCON) location at JWC in Stavanger, Norway. There, NCI Agency Squadron Stavanger (NCST) supported more than 400 military and civilian personnel from 29 countries TRJR14 marked a milestone for JWC as the first exercise to train two Joint Task Force (JTF) Headquarters simultaneously, with land and maritime expeditionary aspects, under a single EXCON organization, scenario and MEL/MIL script. Despite this, NCST successfully supported the event with CIS, including the deployment of some 535 end user devices. These were almost exclusively thin clients with desktop images virtually provided The current PE fill – as well as the future PE size – does not allow for full local exercise support without augmentation. The US Navy Reserve (USNR) yet again provided support; augmenting NCST with three individuals for the build/preparation phase, and another three for the execution phase. Despite long hours, NCST seems to be a popular destination for USNR IT deployment, as several of the Reservists have been there on recurring occasions, and promised to volunteer at next opportunity. During TRJR14, NCST was not the only CIS unit in place in Stavanger. A total of 27 CIS personnel from NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Spain (NRDC-ESP) and 21st Spanish Signal Regiment deployed to JWC. The regiment's primary responsibility is to provide national CIS support to NRDC-ESP. They brought with them two vehicle mounted satellite terminals, server infrastructure, and close to 100 laptops for their C2 system SIMACET, deployed alongside the NATO thin client infrastructure. The SIMACET network was distributed using the NCST provided fibre network and intelligent patching system. Cooperation between NCST and the Spanish CIS staff was exemplary.

Exercise Trident Jaguar 2014 (TRJR14) has been recently conducted at several locations with the main Exercise Control (EXCON) location at JWC in Stavanger, Norway. There, NCI Agency Squadron Stavanger (NCST) supported more than 400 military and civilian personnel from 29 countries.

general 1 236 1 about-us/newsroom/cse-athens-activation-ceremony.aspx On Monday 26 May 2014, the activation ceremony was held for NATO Communications and Information Service Support Element (CSE) Athens. COL Dario Nicolella, the CSU Naples Commander, handed the Agency flag over to Lieutenant Commander Fotios Katsantas . Commander Nicolella took the occasion to thank all units for an excellent job done and to bid farewell to everyone before his retirement on 10 July. The event was blessed by the Orthodox Chaplain, COL Tsimenidis Athanasios “I would like to express my gratitude to Commander Nicolella for being a close and valuable ally. His directions and guidance have been exceptional all along the years during which I have been associated with CSU Naples. He gave a crucial contribution to the establishment of our element and I am grateful to him for that”, said Commander Katsantas Following the closure of CSE Larissa, the vast majority of systems and services passed on to Athens and the role of the newly-activated element has been tailored on today’s prevailing trends, especially the ‘customer funding’ philosophy Thanks to its dynamic and flexible structure and in accordance with the Service Level Agreements signed by all involved parties, CSE Athens will be able to provide CIS of the highest caliber to all eligible and non-eligible customers as well as to common-fund elements in Greece and other recipients throughout its Area of Responsibility The role of CSE Athens as the central Allied Information Flow System node is also worth highlighting. This node ensures that formal NATO message traffic is distributed to all NATO-related units in Greece as well as to a large number of national units having NATO role. There are currently 22 such units A performance by the Cretan Association of Mesogia Psiloritis folk dance group concluded the ceremony with traditional dances

On Monday 26 May 2014, the activation ceremony was held for NATO Communications and Information Service Support Element (CSE) Athens. COL Dario Nicolella, the CSU Naples Commander, handed the Agency flag over to Lieutenant Commander Fotios Katsantas . Commander Nicolella took the occasion to thank all units for an excellent job done and to bid farewell to everyone before his retirement on 10 July. The event was blessed by the Orthodox Chaplain, COL Tsimenidis Athanasios.

general 1 237 1 about-us/newsroom/saceur-visits-jwc.aspx U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), visited the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) on Thursday, 19 June. This is the first official visit to JWC made by a SACEUR since the Centre's activation ceremony on 23 October 2003, which was attended by General (Ret.) James Jones, then SACEUR. General Breedlove was welcomed by German Army Major General Erhard Buehler, Commander JWC and U.S. Air Force Brigadier General John W. Doucette, the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff During the visit, SACEUR met with the JWC team and got an up-close look at its ambitious Programme of Work now and beyond 2015. He was briefed on the Centre's most recent activities as NATO's premier operational-level trainer, its key deliverables and evolving warfare capabilities in accordance with the SAGE (SACEUR's Annual Guidance on Education, Training, Exercises and Evaluation) He then received in-depth information regarding JWC media simulation, replicating a different media environment tailored for each exercise including social media. Discussions included JWC's ongoing capability management efforts in order to align the Centre to the changing training requirements and new operational concepts. Also highlighted during the visit were JWC's local/distributed CAX architecture and innovative technology applications such as virtualisation and Modelling and Simulation (M&S).The itinerary began with an office call with Major General Buehler, followed by the command briefing presented by Brigadier General Doucette It continued with a tour of the facilities where SACEUR was briefed on the following topics - JWC's multi-level complex joint training for the NATO Response Force (NRF) and its unique exercise design with a particular focus on scenario development and delivery (by British Army Colonel Stephen Williamson) - Production of a Common Operational Picture (COP) in a scenario-driven simulation-supported exercise, including a presentation of theatre ballistic missile defence simulation capability designed by the JWC (by Mr. Ivan Vianello) - The Opposing Forces (OPFOR) Cell and the new exercise MEL/MIL construct implemented for TRIDENT JAGUAR 14 (by British Air Force Sqn Ldr Colin Macpherson) Interview with JWC's Three Swords News ChannelGeneral Breedlove then paid a visit to the TV Studio where he was interviewed by the Three Swords News Channel. He said JWC provides a unique opportunity to expose Commanders to NATO Article 5 challenges. Click HERE to watch this exclusive interview

U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), visited the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) on Thursday, 19 June.

general 1 238 1 about-us/newsroom/cwix-2014.aspx Last week, CWIX 2014 (2-19 June) was brought to a successful conclusion. After nearly three weeks of intense interoperability testing, engineers and operators from 19 NATO and Partner Nations and 10 NATO organizations left Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland and headed home The NCI Agency as usual had several important roles during the event The local CSU (in cooperation with JFTC) in Bydgoszcz built and ran the network the enables the testing The CFBLNet provided the connectivity to the 19 remote sites that were participating. Local staff also supported participation from the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) and the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE). In total more than 50 Agency staff from Brussels, Bydgoszcz, Glons, The Hague, Mons and Stavanger were present at JFTC. As part of the testing, the NCI Agency brought a total of 22 Capability Configurations (essentially systems) to JFT . This enabled the nations to test their systems with NATO systems – an important objective for many nations. The Agency also brought a number of systems for its own purposes, to test interoperability with the national systems and with other NATO systems. The Agency provided systems supporting Air, Land, Maritime and Joint Focus areas. The Agency also played important roles in Federated Mission Network (FMN) testing, Tactical Data Link testing, Friendly Force Tracking testing. Logistics also had a number of systems present. As a more experimental area, testing was also done using secure labelling. The NCI Agency participated roughly in a third of all tests that were run during the event As a contributor to the analysis For the first time, the Agency also participated in the analysis team with a representative from the IV&V Service Line. In addition, the Agency provided the IOTA suite of tools that enables users to analyse in real time how data flows between systems adhere to NATO standards As a sign of the importance of the event, a number of high ranking officers were visiting. SACT and DSACT and a number of other flag officers from ACT were present, as well as a large number of members of the Military Committee. During VIP day, there were quite few flag officers from the participating nations. Representing the GM, the Director Application Services, Mr Guy Feat and Director AirC2 Program Office & Services, Mr Enzo Montalti, were visiting the event The area that drew most interest from the visitors was the FMN testing, where eight nations and NATO (represented by the NCI Agency) were testing the NATO FMN Implementation Plan (NFIP) instructions for 10 of the 12 Core Services defined. This was done by using the templates defined in the NFIP, preparing specific instructions based on the templates, and testing whether it was possible to follow these instructions and if the resulting configuration was actually working. The Interoperability Experimentation Testing and Validation Deployable Test Bed (IETV) platform that was the basis of this testing was also used for most of the systems brought by the Agency. Finally, and this proved to be a successful cooperation between JFTC/CSU Bydgoszcz and The Hague, almost all servers operated by the Agency were hosted in the cloud environment at JFTC. This enabled earlier and better preparation, and eliminated the need to transport equipment. In cooperation with JFTC, the Agency is looking into whether it will be possible to offer a similar service to some nations for next year’s CWIX

Last week, CWIX 2014 (2-19 June) was brought to a successful conclusion. After nearly three weeks of intense interoperability testing, engineers and operators from 19 NATO and Partner Nations and 10 NATO organizations left Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland and headed home.

general 1 239 1 about-us/newsroom/new-commander-joins-csu-norfolk.aspx Colonel Anthony Audrey assumed command of the NCI Agency CSU Norfolk on Wednesday 18 June, during a mid-morning ceremony at the steps of the NATO Allied Command Transformation headquarters. During a brief address COL Audrey stated, “This team, our team, and I don’t say the word ‘our’ loosely, has a duty to strengthen and reinforce the NCI Agency and NATO ACT.” The Director of Service Operations, Italian BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo, spoke to members of the CSU Norfolk after officiating the change of command ceremony. In his speech he praised the members of the CSU for their performance, achievements and professionalism. He also expressed his appreciation to the families of the CSU members for their support. BGEN Tomaiuolo formally welcomed COL Audrey to the CSU Norfolk Team You are a highly motivated professional who has served his country, in the homeland and abroad, with great distinctio .” COL Audrey is taking command at a crucial time according to BGEN Tomaiuolo The processes to become a fully- customer funded organization will be concluded and under your leadership. The Agency footprint will move to better accommodate the CIS support to key NATO Command Unit . After relinquishing her three-year command of CSU Norfolk, COL Lavon Purnell retired from 32 years of service in the U.S. Army. BGEN Tomaiuolo said I would like to express my sincere appreciation, also on behalf of the Agency, for the leadership, the strong commitment, the can-do attitude shown and the hard work done during your time her ”. COL Audrey reported to the CSU Norfolk after graduating from the U.S. Army War College, at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. His past assignments include the 2nd Infantry Division, the 101st Airborne Division, the Defense Information Systems Agency Pacific and U.S. Central Command. COL Audrey holds a Master of Science in Information Systems Management. Let us go forward and execute with diligence, integrity, and excellenc ,” COL Audrey said. He went on to close his speech in traditional military fashion, I am now reporting for duty. All procedures remain in effect. CONNECTING FORCE !

Colonel Anthony Audrey assumed command of the NCI Agency CSU Norfolk on Wednesday 18 June, during a mid-morning ceremony at the steps of the NATO Allied Command Transformation headquarters.

general 1 240 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-gm-visits-pentagon-and-speaks-at-afcea-cyber-symposium.aspx The NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and Director Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, travelled to Washington DC 23-26 June to attend meetings with Senior Leadership at the Pentagon. During the visit, Mr Gijsbers met with Acting Chief Information Officer for the US Department of Defense, Mr Terry Halvorsen and with the Executive Director, Mr Gregory L. Garcia, of the U.S. Army Information Technology Agency The main topics discussed during the office calls were Cyber Defence, the Federated Mission Networking concept, the NATO-wide IT Modernization project, the NCI Agency Customer Catalogue of Services and the NCI Agency Chief Information Officers’ Conference. The objective of these meetings was to strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and the NCI Agency that contributes to NATO’s success in achieving a Ready, Robust and Rebalanced Allianc . During this visit, Dr Shalamanov also conducted working level meetings with the senior management of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) led by the Vice Principal Director for Operations, Mr Larry Klooster. Opening a dialogue on a future cooperation agreement between DISA and the NCI Agency was one of the main objectives. Furthermore, Mr Gijsbers led a panel on Security Cooperation Building Partner Capacity in Cyberspac ” during the AFCEA Cyber Symposium on 24 – 25 June, held in Baltimore. The main intent of this panel was to raise awareness in the public and private sector on the role NATO is playing in Cyber Defence and how NATO is a lever to improve NATO and National Cyber Defence postures. During the panel, Dr Shalamanov presented how the NCI Agency perceives the NATO Cyber Defence Cooperation Platform as a critical enabler in defeating cyber threats in NATO and beyond. He also emphasized the importance of synchronizing the development of the Cooperation Platform with key initiatives from other stakeholders and in line with NATO’s Policy on Cyber Defence. For more information on the AFCEA Cyber Symposium, please see the websit *The NCI Agency is the executive arm of the NATO Communication and Information Organisation (NCIO), which aims to achieve maximum effectiveness in delivering C3 capabilities to stakeholders, while ensuring their coherence and interoperability, and ensuring the provision of secure CIS services at minimum cost to Allies – individually and collectively

The NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and Director Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, travelled to Washington DC 23-26 June to attend meetings with Senior Leadership at the Pentagon. During the visit, Mr Gijsbers met with Acting Chief Information Officer for the US Department of Defense, Mr Terry Halvorsen and with the Executive Director, Mr Gregory L. Garcia, of the U.S. Army Information Technology Agency.

general 1 241 1 about-us/newsroom/3rd-land-user-requirement-workshop.aspx The 3rd Land User Requirement Workshop (LURW3) was held on 24-27 June 2014 at NCI Agency in The Hague, with attendance of staff officers from ACT, SHAPE, JFCNP, JFCBS, LANDCOM, NRDC-ITA, ARRC and MNC-NE. The workshop - part of the ACT Program of Work (POW) for the Land C2 Information Service (LC2IS) - was organized, facilitated and supported by the NCI Agency The goal of the LC2IS ACT POW is to define the requirements of the Land User Community for the next increment(s) of the Land C2 Information Service (LC2IS) and in conjunction with other Services of the BiSC AIS The objective of the workshop was to refine and detail six Operational Focus Areas that were defined in the previous workshop (LURW2). Each FA was addressed in a syndicate, facilitated by NCI Agency staff - Planning Suppor - Land Targeting Suppor - Operational Staff Work Suppor - (Dynamic) Battlespace Managemen - (Enhanced) ORBAT Managemen - LCC/JFHQ Suppor Despite the limited availability of Subject Matter Experts (SME) from the HQs and the still limited User knowledge on the current version of LC2IS (INC-1.1), the workshop largely achieved its objectives Besides SME workshops such as this, the Land C2 Stakeholders have convened regularly once or twice per year since 2012 in Land User Working Group (LUWG) Meetings under the chair of SHAPE. The last LUWG was held at NCI Agency The Hague in November 2013 In parallel sessions held during the workshop, SHAPE, JFCNP, LANDCOM and NCI Agency coordinated specific aspects of the implementation plan for LC2IS INC-1.1, to complete the implementation of the NATO Command Structure by Q1-2015. Such aspects included the NCI Agency and Contractor's mentoring support for the NRF15 exercises and for the definition of Standard Operating Procedures/Instructions (SOP/SOI) for LC2IS

The 3rd Land User Requirement Workshop (LURW3) was held on 24-27 June 2014 at NCI Agency in The Hague, with attendance of staff officers from ACT, SHAPE, JFCNP, JFCBS, LANDCOM, NRDC-ITA, ARRC and MNC-NE.

general 1 242 1 about-us/newsroom/us-telecommunications-team-afghanistan-visits-nci-agency.aspx The NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers hosted a small delegation from the U.S. Telecommunications Advisory Team (TAT) for Afghanistan at the NCI Agency on Monday 30 June 2014. One of the key objectives of the visit was to discuss opportunities for cooperation between the U.S. TAT and the NCI Agency. The TAT coordinates and synchronizes IT projects and strategies conducted by the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), international assistance organizations and ISAF. The team’s operational focus is on developing plans with the government of Afghanistan to support stabilization operations by providing the country’s fiber-optic backbone, improving cell coverage and recommending actions to grow the industry to provide jobs and improve the country’s economy. The delegation was led by Deputy Director, Dr Gregory Edwards, who was accompanied by Senior Cybersecurity Transition Lead, COL Andrew Gale USAF, and Senior Ministry of Defense Advisor, Mr James Boynton. As NATO and Nations are preparing to withdraw forces from Afghanistan, the US wants to ensure a smooth transition and decrease any potential gap in provision of CIS support to the government of Afghanistan. In view of NCI Agency’s long-standing expertise in C4ISR, and prominence in Afghanistan, Dr Edwards reiterated the importance of continuous service provision to Operation Resolute Support In the afternoon, Dr Edwards and his team visited the NCI Agency in Mons. At the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability Technical Centre (NCIRC TC) a briefing on the structure and activities of the Cyber Security Service Line was followed by a tour of the NCIRC TC giving an overview of the systems in place to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber security incidents. To conclude the visit the team visited the Operations Centre to enhance their understanding of the Centre’s role in management of networks and CIS across NATO with specific attention to Afghanistan We appreciated the warm welcome of the General Manager, Directors, and other staff. The Agency seems well organized for successful delivery of CIS to its stakeholders despite the enormous depth and breadth of responsibilities. Looking forward, I’m confident NCIA can make a huge contribution in maturing ICT development within the Afghanistan National Security Forc ,” Dr Gregory Edwards commented at the end of the visit *The NCI Agency is the executive arm of the NATO Communication and Information Organisation (NCIO), which aims to achieve maximum effectiveness in delivering C3 capabilities to stakeholders, while ensuring their coherence and interoperability, and ensuring the provision of secure CIS services at minimum cost to Allies – individually and collectively.Dr Gregory Edwards commented at the end of the visit

The NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers hosted a small delegation from the U.S. Telecommunications Advisory Team (TAT) for Afghanistan at the NCI Agency on Monday 30 June 2014. One of the key objectives of the visit was to discuss opportunities for cooperation between the U.S. TAT and the NCI Agency.

general 1 243 1 about-us/newsroom/change-of-command-at-nci-agency-naples-and-operation-unified-protector-award.aspx On 10 July 2014, the NATO Communications and Information Agency CIS Support Unit Naples’ Change of Command Ceremony took place between the outgoing commander, BGEN, Engineer Corps, Dario Nicolella and the incoming commander, COL ITAF Marcello Turchetta. The event was held at the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) in Lago Patria (ITA). More than 300 guests were in attendance. Before the ceremony, the Unit was awarded the Operation Unified Protector (OUP) Pennant for operations conducted in Libya by the JFC Naples. LGEN Leonardo di Marco JFC Naples Chief of Staff, praised in his address the excellent and timely job done by the Unit in setting up the OUP control room and in making all the required communications available The ceremony was presided by BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo, NCI Agency Director Service Delivery, and was attended by the Agency Chief of Staff, MGEN Luis Emilio Andrey Medina. Some of the highest civilian and military authorities from the Campania Region were in attendance as well. Farewell remark In his address, GEN Tomaiuolo thanked GEN Nicolella for his excellent contribution during his 16 years with NATO. He then praised the extraordinary support provided by CSU Naples to various exercises, to the shut-down of Nisida-based Allied Maritime Component Command Naples (CCMAR) and of the Larissa Element, the unprecedented transfer of Allied Joint Force Command Naples from Bagnoli to Lago Patria and above all the pivotal role played during OUP Libya GEN Nicolella thanked colleagues, superiors, institutions and entities for their dedication, constant support and attention paid to the issues the Unit has had to tackle along the years. He briefly reviewed his carrier and the years spent in NATO NATO is an extremely challenging environment, one that certainly requires an extra effort because you have to deal with people of different cultures and races. For this same reason, NATO is an extremely stimulating environment offering you grounds for professional and personal improvement on a daily basi . He praised the great effort made by the Unit personnel, despite severe time limitations, during OUP Libya. I remember distinctly the day when you achieved a miracle. You succeeded in installing over 200 computers and printers and networks and connections and video conferencing devices and telephones in only 2 days. How you did it, even I do not know. It was something wonderful and unique, which made history. None of us was fully aware of the revolution OUP would have entailed. Just think that, before OUP, the only specimen of support operations to go by was ISAF (deployment). Now there is also the OUP model (in garrison). Yes, you dramatically changed the shape of technical support to operations. Later evolutions of the OUP spawned the Warfighting Headquarters concept. Let me say it once more you should, in fact you must feel proud of what you have achieved. Think that nowadays CSU Naples is the first and the only Agency Unit that can pride itself of a decoration gained in operation ” Before closing his remarks, GEN Nicolella thanked his children for supporting me through all these years. Thank you for accepting my being away from home quite ofte ”. Special thanks went to his wife Rita We have often worked together, in perfect synergism, trying to find and enhance the excellence of this territory. We have done so at all levels and in all areas, not just in my specific area of work. Thank you also for what you have done for my city. After so many years spent here, I think we can call it our cit . In assuming command, COL Turchetta wished all the best to his predecessor and thanked his Armed Forces superiors for assigning him this Command. He highlighted the great professionalism and team spirit of the men and women he was about to lead COL Marcello TURCHETT COL Turchetta was born in 1961 in Latina. He joined the Italian Air Force in Florence in 1981. After his first assignments to Airport Detachment in Trapani and Crotone, from 1981 to 1985; he started his technical development in the Logistic Automated System in 1985 acting as Programmer and then as Application Analyst in Borgo Piave and Rome. From 1991 to 1994 he was System Analyst at the NAEWF-E3A Component in Geilenkirchen (Germany) establishing also the new Software Quality Assurance Branch. From 1994 to 1999 he was assigned to Italian Air Staff Rome dealing with Air Force CIS Systems. He served (1999 to 2008) in the Italian Government Intelligence Agency as Network System Administrator. In 2005 he was promoted to Colonel. Upon returning to IT Air Force duty, in 2008 he was appointed Director Logistic for 4th RTM in Borgo Piave (LT) and then Deputy Commander. In 2011 he was appointed “Commandant” of NATO CIS School in Latina. From 2013 to June 2014 he was in charge of the 1st Division of Italian Agency for CIS Procurement (TELEDIFE). His decorations includes Knight of the Italian Republic, Gold Service Cross Medal. He and his wife Rita have two sons, Emanuele and Marco. His spare time is filled with several sports, tennis is his favorite.

On 10 July 2014, the NATO Communications and Information Agency CIS Support Unit Naples’ Change of Command Ceremony took place between the outgoing commander, BGEN, Engineer Corps, Dario Nicolella and the incoming commander, COL ITAF Marcello Turchetta. The event was held at the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) in Lago Patria (ITA). More than 300 guests were in attendance.

general 1 244 1 about-us/newsroom/combined-air-operations-centre-torrejon-reaches-final-implementation.aspx On 3 July, a Ceremony was held at the Torrejon Air Force Base, Madrid, Spain to attest the finalization of the implementation process of the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon (CAOC TJ). The CAOC has now assumed responsibility for all operations in NATO Airspace from the Canary Islands to Hungary, from the Azures to Turke , Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) GEN Philip M. Breedlove stated at the ceremony. In addition present at the Ceremony were Deputy Commander AIRCOM LGEN Dominique de Longvilliers, the Spanish Chief of Staff of Defence, Admiral Fernando Garcia Sánchez, and MGEN Rubén C. García Servert, Commander CAOC TJ The CAOC incorporates previously separated air control elements, a modernization which significantly increases the efficiency of Command & Control for air operations and has reduced the number of CAOCs in Europe from seven to two in recent years. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has supported CAOC TJ during its implementation and validation process, and continues to provide close support to the CAOC through its CIS Support Unit in Torrejon. At the ceremony the NCI Agency's General Manager was represented by Mr Enzo Montalti, the NCI Agency Programme Director for Air Command & Control In his speech at the ceremony MGEN Rubén García Servert, Commander CAOC TJ praised the team effort and highlighted the value of the CAOC. The CAOC relies on CIS and technologies and the NCI Agency supports us with this. We are satisfied with the support that we continue to receiv ”, MGEN Servert said The NCI Agency CSU Torrejon Commander LTC Rafael Sanchez Alfonso highlighted his satisfaction with the new milestone for CAOC TJ and underlined the continued support provided by his team. LTC Alfonso said after the Ceremony, Our presence at Torrejon enables us to respond to our customer. Despite the challenges of this high demanding task we will continue to provide the technical support to our customer to the best of our abilitie .” The high level representation of NATO VIPs attending the ceremony underlined the importance of the achievements of the CAOC since its activation in January 2013. During the Ceremony, SACEUR was awardedthe Grand Cross of Merit (la Gran Cruz del Mérito Aeronáutico) in recognition of his permanent support to CAOC TJ in the implementation phase While CAOC TJ is responsible for the NATO airspace South of the Alps, CAOC Uedem, also supported by the NCI Agency, is in charge of the area North of the Alps. Besides a Static Air Defence Centre that conducts the 24/7 NATO Integrated Air Defence, the CAOCs also feature a Deployable Air Operations Centre each; the latter is used to supplement HQ AIRCOM when it stands up the Air Component that provides command and control for NATO air forces during an operation or an exercise

On 3 July, a Ceremony was held at the Torrejon Air Force Base, Madrid, Spain to attest the finalization of the implementation process of the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon (CAOC TJ).

general 1 245 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-gm-discusses-c4isr-support-with-the-greek-deputy-chod.aspx The Greek Deputy Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Alexandros Theodosiou hosted the Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and the Global Account Manager, Mr Timothy Murphy at the Ministry of National Defence in Athens. Opening dialogue on establishment of cooperation framework agreements to support Greece Communication and Information Systems was one of the key topics of discussion. In addition, the Agency’s support to the NATO Force Structure was another important talking point. Providing unified yet tailored CIS support for the NATO Force Structure by re-using common funded developed capabilities to meet the certification requirements for the NATO Response Force is one of the Agency strategic priorities. Greece showed interest in exploring the “plug and play” opportunities to increase interoperability using NATO standards for the NATO Rapid Deployment Corps (NRDC) located in Thessaloniki. The meeting was further attended by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) Support Branch, Rear Admiral Konstantopoulos as well as by the Directors of the HNDGS areas of responsibilities, Armed Forces CIS community and the NRDC leadership. In the afternoon, Mr Gijsbers met with high level representatives from Greek Defence Industry Associations SEKPY and HASDIG. He briefed them on NATO Acquisition principles, best value bid approach and upcoming business opportunities. He also highlighted that NCI Agency is a customer funded organization that follows the common funded regulations as mandated by the 28 Allies. *The NCI Agency is the executive arm of the NATO Communication and Information Organisation (NCIO), which aims to achieve maximum effectiveness in delivering C3 capabilities to stakeholders, while ensuring their coherence and interoperability, and ensuring the provision of secure CIS services at minimum cost to Allies – individually and collectively

The Greek Deputy Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Alexandros Theodosiou hosted the Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and the Global Account Manager, Mr Timothy Murphy at the Ministry of National Defence in Athens.

general 1 246 1 about-us/newsroom/international-competitive-bid-for-brass-and-sssb-romania.aspx On 30 July 2014, the NCI Agency released an International Competitive Bid under procedures set forth in NATO document AC/4-D/2261 for the Provision of Broadcast , Maritime Rear Link and Ship Shore, (BRASS) and Ship-Shore-Ship Buffer Interface (SSSB) for the Republic of Romania. The reference number for this action is IFB-C)-13657-BRASS-SSSB. The ICB has been sent directly to the Bidders that have been nominated by their National Delegations. The Agency Point of Contact for all information concerning this action is Joseph Vitale - Senior Contracting Officer. He can be reached at joseph.vitale@ncia.nato.in .

On 30 July 2014, the NCI Agency released an International Competitive Bid under procedures set forth in NATO document AC/4-D/2261 for the Provision of Broadcast , Maritime Rear Link and Ship Shore, (BRASS) and Ship-Shore-Ship Buffer Interface (SSSB) for the Republic of Romania.

general 1 247 1 about-us/newsroom/building-on-a-strong-foundation.aspx On 12 August 2014, the General Manager invited the former Directors and General Managers of the five elements that formed the NCI Agency to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the Agency’s establishment Also taking part were members of the Agency’s senior management team as well as Agency stakeholders and customers Mr Tim Harp, Chairman of our Supervisory Board; Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, Emerging Security Challenges Division at NATO HQ; General Ludwig Leinhos, NATO HQ C3 Staff; General Bert Booman, CIS Group; and Mr Ludwig Decamps Armament & Aerospace Capabilities Directorate The General Manager took the opportunity to update the group on the Agency’s evolution; they also exchanged views on the implications for the Agency of the Wales Summit. Building on strong foundation The event concluded with the handing out of a commemorative plaque to thank the Directors and General Managers for their support in establishing the Agency. “We started this journey together, to meet the Nations tasking to deliver C4ISR services to NATO and the Nations in a more efficient and effective way,” said the General Manager, “Two years on, a lot has been achieved. This is first and foremost the result of the talent and dedication of our staff, the staff that you hired. We are building on a strong and proud history.

On 12 August 2014, the General Manager invited the former Directors and General Managers of the five elements that formed the NCI Agency to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the Agency’s establishment.

general 1 248 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-industry-cyber-partnership.aspx The Wales Summit endorsed the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) and we are going to launch its implementation at NIAS2014 On Wednesday 17 September 2014, high calibre speakers from industry and the NATO policy community will discuss national best practice and explore how best to achieve the NICP’s objectives. We want your ideas on how the NICP can improve the way we can work together The workshop will be interactive. We want the policy community to hear what industry has to offer and we want industry to hear what is on the policy makers’ minds The Summit agreed that the NICP should ‘aim to create win-win opportunities for both NATO and Allies’ industry’. Heads of State and Government agreed in the Summit Declaration said that we ‘intensify our cooperation with industry by launching the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NCIP)’ The Declaration also made clear that, ‘Technological innovations and expertise from the private sector are crucial to enable NATO and Allies to achieve the enhanced policy’s objectives.’ Now we must agree our next steps through the NICP For more information click her

The Wales Summit endorsed the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) and we are going to launch its implementation at NIAS2014!

general 1 249 1 about-us/newsroom/video-enhancing-airport-security-multiple-sensors-to-improve-ied-detection.aspx Through a Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT POW) initiative within the Emerging Security Challenges Division at NATO HQ, the NCI Agency and industry conducted a trial to test new solutions aimed at combining sensor information in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of detecting Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in the context of Air Transportation Security Video of the trial is now available on the NCI Agency YouTube Channe

Through a Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT POW) initiative within the Emerging Security Challenges Division at NATO HQ, the NCI Agency and industry conducted a trial to test new solutions aimed at combining sensor information in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of detecting Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in the context of Air Transportation Security.

general 1 250 1 about-us/newsroom/acting-director-demand-management-timothy-murphy.aspx Following a request from the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, the General Manager has granted Dr Velizar Shalamanov up to 3 months of special leave so that he can take up the post of Defence Minister in the caretaker government that President Plevneliev has established until the national elections take place on 5 October. The caretaker government took over from current outgoing government on 6 August. Mr Timothy Murphy is the acting Director Demand Management until Dr Shalamanov returns

Following a request from the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, the General Manager has granted Dr Velizar Shalamanov up to 3 months of special leave

general 1 251 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-launches-industry-cyber-partnership.aspx On 17 September 2014, NATO launched a formal initiative to boost significantly cooperation with the private sector on cyber threats and challenges. The NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) was presented to some 1500 Industry leaders and policy makers at NATO's largest cyber conference in Mons, Belgium The NICP was endorsed at NATO's Wales Summit by the 28 Allies. It recognises the importance of working with industry partners to enable the Alliance to achieve its cyber defence policy's objectives. Technological innovation and expertise from the private sector are crucia , said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru in presenting the initiative, Collaboration with Industry, through the NICP, is an essential way of enhancing our cyber resilienc . Two-way stree At the Summit, NATO's Heads of State and Government stated that cyber attacks can reach a threshold that threatens national and Euro-Atlantic prosperity, security and stabilit . Among others, the NICP will Improve cyber security in NATO's defence supply chain Raise mutual understanding and awareness of cyber threats and risks, including through information sharing Contribute to the Alliance's efforts in cyber defence education, training and exercises Improve sharing of best practices and expertise on preparedness and recovery Help NATO and Allies to learn from industry This is about building an alliance with Industry, and the key is building trust - to share sensitive information in order to respond to threat , said Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information Agency, responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks At the event, practical examples of how such partnerships are already in practice in the Nations that put forward this initiative – Estonia, Netherlands and United Kingdom – were presented by senior national representatives. One specific proposal was an innovation hub that would actively encourage the involvement of small and medium sized enterprises in the partnership This is a first step, and we are now looking to our Industry and Allies to come with specific ideas for how much, how far, how deep we can g , stressed Ambassador Ducaru The launch of the NICP is a clear demonstration that NATO and Industry can work effectively together - sharing information, experience and expertise to counter cyber threats

On 17 September 2014, NATO launched a formal initiative to boost significantly cooperation with the private sector on cyber threats and challenges. The NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) was presented to some 1500 Industry leaders and policy makers at NATO's largest cyber conference in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 252 1 about-us/newsroom/gm-signs-joint-partnership-statement-with-landcom.aspx On 5 August, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers visited Allied Land Command Izmir (LANDCOM), and during the visit signed a joint partnership statement with LANDCOM Commander LGEN Frederick “Ben” Hodges. In the spirit of cooperation, LANDCOM and the NCI Agency jointly declared their continued commitment to a Strategic Partnership in support of the NATO First Solution for the NATO Force Structure (NFS) in the context of the NATO Response Force for NATO Forces 2020. The full text of the joint statement can be requested by Nations through the Demand Management Directorat . The partnership with LANDCOM, under the Command of LGEN Hodges, has flourished in the last year as part of the mutual goal of supporting the NFS in its preparations for NATO Response Force (NRF) rotations LANDCOM forms the critical link between the NATO Command Structure and the Land Forces of the NFS, providing a framework for training, readiness, interoperability, and standardization, while the NCI Agency, as Implementation Authority, contributes to the Partnership through technical expertise, proven project and programme management skills, operational experience and the flexibility that comes with customer funding. Together LANDCOM and NCI Agency strive to further develop the concept of NATO First Solution, which was first conceived through a partnership between the NCI Agency and The First German Netherlands Corps and taken forward through a partnership with the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps in Italy The aim of the NATO First Solution is to maximise the re-use of capabilities that NATO develops under common funding, using the Agency´s comprehensive C4ISR approach to NATO Forces 2020 to maximise synergies between common and nationally funded programs and services on a bilateral or multilateral basis. The current focus of this activity is the Graduated Readiness Forces (Land), but the principle will be proposed to the other components of the NFS and could be applied more broadly to underpin the NATO First Policy already implemented by some NATO Nations, including the United Kingdom and the Netherlands The main benefits for Nations or Organisations in implementing the NATO First Solution are • Guaranteed interoperability with the NATO Command Structure through seamless integration with existing NATO capabilities • Cost effectiveness by leveraging existing common funded capabilities and avoiding redevelopment cost • Reduced complexity of the implemented solutions, by avoiding the implementation, support and training on various systems delivering similar capabilities • Train as you fight Using the same infrastructure and applications during training and exercises as those used in operational theatres

On 5 August, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers visited Allied Land Command Izmir (LANDCOM), and during the visit signed a joint partnership statement with LANDCOM Commander LGEN Frederick “Ben” Hodges.

general 1 253 1 about-us/newsroom/belgian-prime-minister-announces-expanded-nato-technical-footprint-in-mons.aspx Speaking at the NCI Agency’s Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS), Mr Elio Di Rupo publicly presented for the first time the designs for an expanded NATO technical presence in Mons, Belgium As part of the NATO reform process and a Functions and Facility study approved by the Agency's Supervisory Board and the North Atlantic Council, the majority of the Agency’s technical staff will be concentrated in two locations – Mons, Belgium and The Hague in Netherlands. Teams responsible for operating and defending NATO’s networks, as well as the Alliance’s business applications, will be located in Mons. Specialized operational software, including NATO’s air command and control and ballistic missile defence programmes, as well cyber innovation will be run from The Hague I am proud to announce that as a result of Belgium’s investment, the technical footprint of the Agency here will grow significantly in 201 ,” said the Prime Minister, NATO will also invest in a new headquarters for the SHAPE. This will further reinforce Mons’ role as a vital NATO hub for advanced communications technology and cyber defence. And it will benefit both the region and the Allianc . I expect it will mean more business opportunities for many of you in Mon ,” Mr Di Rupo told the conference

Speaking at the NCI Agency’s Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS), Mr Elio Di Rupo publicly presented for the first time the designs for an expanded NATO technical presence in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 254 1 about-us/newsroom/visit-of-commander-german-cis-command-to-the-nci-agency.aspx MGEN Heinrich-Willem Steiner, Commander German CIS Command and his deputy BGEN Dr Michael Fäber, visited the NCI Agency in The Hague 8 July 2014. The visit had the aim to exchange ideas on Federated Mission Networking (FMN) and to brief the delegation on the Agency’s recent and past contributions to operations During the visit the delegation was briefed on Application Services complemented by a tour of the Command & Control (C2) lab. The demonstrations showed the Agency’s C4ISR contributions to past operations like Operation Unified Protector (Libya), current support to ISAF and also included demonstrations of future Bi-Strategic Commands Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS) Programme capabilities and the need to focus on the integration aspects The main focus for the visit was to discuss FMN*; the afternoon session was opened by Dr Gernot Friedrich who gave a presentation on FMN and its implementation. BGEN Dr Fäber offered the German CIS Command perspective on the subject by briefing the Agency attendees on “German Mission Network”. The information exchange provided some ideas for possible cooperation The NCI Agency General Manager and the Deputy Commander of the German CIS Command will both lead breakout sessions at the ACT FMN Implementation Seminar in Lithuania in October this year *The Alliance is in the process of establishing an enduring Federated Mission Networking (FMN) capability to preserve and enhance the capability gains of the Afghanistan Mission Network (AMN) and to improve effective information sharing among NATO, NATO Nations, and/or Non-NATO Entities participating in future operation

MGEN Heinrich-Willem Steiner, Commander German CIS Command and his deputy BGEN Dr Michael Fäber, visited the NCI Agency in The Hague 8 July 2014. The visit had the aim to exchange ideas on Federated Mission Networking (FMN) and to brief the delegation on the Agency’s recent and past contributions to operations.

general 1 255 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-general-manager-attends-industrial-forum-in-bulgaria.aspx On 9–10 October 2014, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers attended the Industrial Forum in Sofia (Bulgaria), held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Rosen Plevneliev. Mr Gijsbers had the opportunity to meet with the Bulgarian Minister of Defence, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, and the Bulgarian Deputy Chief of Defence, Major General Neyko Nenov During the event, the Bulgarian Minister of Defence, Dr Velizar Shalamanov emphasized the key role of NATO and the EU in achieving the Bulgarian Vision for 2020 through the modernization of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. He underlined the fact that NATO and EU First Policies are essential for Bulgaria to overcome financial and organizational challenges triggered by the modernization effort, to allow defence capacity-building and to galvanize the Bulgarian National Industry. The General Manager briefed the audience on the NCI Agency's areas of expertise that are in close relationship with the expectations of Bulgaria in terms of C2 systems, CIS services and Cyber defence. Mr Gijsbers then had the opportunity to meet with Major General Nenov, discussing practical aspects of the partnership between Bulgaria and the NCI Agency The Industry Forum highlighted the need for better integration of the Bulgarian defence industrial and research sector in the Euro-Atlantic community to support the Vision 2020. To help stimulate the Bulgarian defence industry's cooperation with companies from NATO Nations and to enhance innovation capacity and the creation of highly qualified jobs within the C4ISR and cyber areas, the General Manager offered the Agency's assistance in bolstering the engagement of Small and Medium Enterprises The Bulgarian MoD places high expectations on the re-use of NATO and EU solutions as a way to overcome budgetary issues through funding reorientation and prioritization. The current development of a Multiyear Program of Work between Bulgaria and the NCI Agency will provide tangible elements to both strengthen Bulgarian defence capabilities and support the Bulgarian MoD long-term vision

On 9–10 October 2014, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers attended the Industrial Forum in Sofia (Bulgaria), held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Rosen Plevneliev.

general 1 256 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-introduces-3d-printing.aspx Recently 3D printing was introduced by the Agency’s Prototype Engineering Centre (PEC) and the Creative Media Centre (CMC) in The Hague. The 3D printing system procured by PEC enables rapid prototyping and functional testing, while the 3D printer at CMC enables visualization of 3D designs into tangible objects. Functional testing and mor After a comprehensive survey we decided to purchase a 3D Systems ProJet 3510 SD printe ”, says Arne den Exter, the Head of PEC. It is an important addition to our existing crafting and mechanical equipment and we anticipate this printer will enable to respond rapidly on emerging requests from our customers. It also challenges our customers to think out of the box while working on new prototypes and capabilitie . The printer is able to produce durable plastic parts for functional testing, form and fit verification, rapid tooling and more. Using so called Multi-Jet modelling technology the printer produces very thin layers of UV-curable polymers resulting in high quality, high resolution products. There is a range of materials available in various colors and translucencies, as well as tensile strengths. The support material is a white, melt-away wax. It is even possible to print movable parts in one piece Virtual meets reality For the Agency’s Creative Media Centre in The Hague the procurement of its 3D Builder Dual Feed printer evolves its virtual 3D modelling services to include the production of tangible mockups. CMC has supported for many years already the Agency with its 3D modelling expertise. Recently, CMC printed scaled mockups to support the approval process of the new building’s exterior façade design. Its printer is capable of producing objects in two colors (materials) such as MDF-like, and PLA (corn based environmental friendly material) through one nozzle. Therefore the printer complements the services provided by the high-end device at PEC and is also able to print objects up to 67 centimeters For more information contact info@ncia.nato.in

Recently 3D printing was introduced by the Agency’s Prototype Engineering Centre (PEC) and the Creative Media Centre (CMC) in The Hague. The 3D printing system procured by PEC enables rapid prototyping and functional testing, while the 3D printer at CMC enables visualization of 3D designs into tangible objects.

general 1 257 1 about-us/newsroom/new-director-infrastructure-services-dr-gregory-b-edwards.aspx As of 1 December 2014, Dr Edwards assumes post of the new Director Infrastructure Services, taking upon responsibilities of Mr Wilhelmsen. This function will be performed from Mons, Belgium. Dr Edwards will be responsible for the life cycle aspect of the telecommunications networks, the IT infrastructure, and the core and enterprise services in addition to the comprehensive solutions for Cyber Security Management & Control for the entire NATO alliance In his previous assignment, Dr Edwards led architectural engineering and design to develop the Department of Defense’s Joint Information Environment (JIE). He orchestrated activities with Combatant Commands, Services and Agencies to realize a secure joint information environment, comprised of shared information technology (IT) infrastructure, enterprise services, and a single security architecture to achieve full spectrum superiority, improve mission effectiveness, increase security and realize IT efficiencies

As of 1 December 2014, Dr Edwards assumes post of the new Director Infrastructure Services, taking upon responsibilities of Mr Wilhelmsen.

general 1 258 1 about-us/newsroom/white-paper-on-it-modernization.aspx white paper on it modernizatio The first White Paper on IT Modernizatio has been published and is available on IT Modernization sit The objective of IT Modernization is to transform the way in which IT services are provided in NATO; to change the model where IT services are provided locally, using local resources, to one where resources are treated as global, pooled enterprise assets it represents the first step of NATO's journey to the cloud IT Modernization aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of NATO's Information Technology by 1. Renewing obsolete IT infrastructure and reducing the heterogeneity of hardware and software assets 2. Quantifying and increasing the availability of service levels 3. Implementing NATO-wide Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery capabilities 4. Enhancing the Information Security posture 5. Increasing operational agility and flexibility by enabling reallocation of resources as dictated by the operational situation 6. Bringing new ways of working by enabling a mobile work force; an 7. Reducing the manpower and operations and maintenance costs required to provide and maintain services For more information click her

The first White Paper on IT Modernization has been published and is available on IT Modernization site.

general 1 259 1 about-us/newsroom/military-committee-visits-the-agency-in-the-hague.aspx NATO’s top military body visited the NATO Communications and Information Agency facilities in The Hague, Netherlands (21 October), for updates on missile defence, advanced NATO software, and the command and control aspects of the decisions made at NATO’s Wales Summit. Members of the Committee had an opportunity to see live demonstrations of NATO’s command and control system for ballistic missile defence, new generation of software solutions for command and control of multinational operations, as well as technology that will enable NATO’s Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance initiative The Military Committee also discussed with Agency leadership the implications of NATO’s Readiness Action Plan for the Alliance’s communication and information capabilities. This included how Nations can re-use NATO software solutions to speed their readiness for the NATO Response Force and the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) Implementing Wale It is an excellent opportunity to discuss in detail critical capabilities and to find out even more how the Agency can support NATO’s operational communit ,” said the Dean of the Military Committee, Lieutenant General Mirko Sundov, NCI Agency is leading the Alliance in many important technological developments to support operational priorities, and the solutions should be leveraged nationally to further promote interoperabilit . We are your Agenc ,” said Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency, We live and breathe with the operational communit . The Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO’s networks 24/7, as well as delivering advanced technology in support of NATO missions and operations, including ballistic missile and air defence. The Hague, Netherlands, is one of three principal locations of the Agency; the Agency also has points of presence at every NATO location and operation Full story available also on the NATO HQ News sit

NATO’s top military body visited the NATO Communications and Information Agency facilities in The Hague, Netherlands (21 October), for updates on missile defence, advanced NATO software, and the command and control aspects of the decisions made at NATO’s Wales Summit.

general 1 260 1 about-us/newsroom/highlevel-visit-to-nci-agencys-cyber-security-operations-centre.aspx On 24th October the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paid a first visit to the NCI Agency’s Cyber Security Operations Centre in Mons The NCI General Manager Koen Gijsbers together with Ian West, Chief of Cyber Security, briefed the Secretary General on the Agency’s cyber security organization, it’s unique capabilities as well as some of the more significant cyber threats that provide daily challenges to the security of Alliance networks. Following the presentation, Captain ‘Rick’ McCartney, Head of Cyber Security Operations and cyber defence expert Jean-Francois Agneesens presented the new Rapid Reaction Team Kits which were delivered as part of the NCIRC Full Operating Capability project. The kits are designed to provide the highly specialized tools that cyber security staffs would need whenever deployed to support NATO sites and Allies in the event of a major cyber incident, as approved by the North Atlantic Council. The visit of the Secretary General highlighted the importance of this key Alliance capability and the need to continue updating and improving NATO’s cyber defence capabilities keeping pace with evolving technology and changing threats. The collaboration and innovation with Industry as well as the integration with the Operations community (for planning, preparation and conduct of our military operations) is key to smart and effective cyber defence.

On 24th October the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paid a first visit to the NCI Agency’s Cyber Security Operations Centre in Mons.

general 1 261 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-general-manager-visits-sweden.aspx On 16 October 2014, the NCI Agency General Manager Mr Koen Gijsbers met with representatives of the Swedish Ministry of Defence and industry in Stockholm. The visit was an opportunity for the NCI Agency to reinforce its long-standing relationship with Sweden and discuss the latest cooperation development as well as to pave the way for an enhanced future partnership The General Manager first met with Ms Lena Erixon, National Armaments Director and Director General of the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV). Ms Erixon briefed on the recent reform which gave the FMV overall responsibility for the provision of equipment and logistic support to the Swedish Armed Forces. Following this introduction, Mr Gijsbers presented the Agency’s reform process, highlighting its similarities with the reorganization of FMV. Mr Gijsbers then met with officials from the FMV and Swedish Armed Forces HQ The discussion focused on four domains - Benefits of a potential Multi-Year Programme of Work signature - Sweden’s involvement in multinational initiatives such as Multinational Alliance Defence Analysis and Planning for Transformation (MN ADAPT), Multinational NATO Exercise and Training (MN NEXT) or Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MNCD2) - Sweden’s intent to become an affiliate member of Federated Mission Networking (FMN) - Current activities and priorities of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) Meeting the Defence Industry representative Mr Gijsbers also met representatives of the Swedish Defence Industry Mr Pål Jonson – Director of Communication, Swedish Security & Defense Industry Association (SOFF) and Mr Henrik Vassalo – Vice President, Head of EU Affairs and NATO, SAAB. Finally, Mr Gijsbers met with Mr Tommy Åkesson, Secretary General of the Defence Commission, who provided an update on the forthcoming parliamentary long-term defence decision. This decision will focus on strengthening Swedish Armed Forces’ operational capabilities, expanding bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation, increasing Swedish overall cyber capability and further including the national defence context and culture This visit underpinned the strong relationship between Sweden and the NCI Agency and was positively concluded with an aspiration for further cooperation with the Agency, notably through a stronger involvement in multinational initiatives.

On 16 October 2014, the NCI Agency General Manager Mr Koen Gijsbers met with representatives of the Swedish Ministry of Defence and industry in Stockholm.

general 1 262 1 about-us/newsroom/top-uk-it-official-visits-the-agency.aspx On 22 October, Mr Gerry Cantwell, the Director of Service Development of the United Kingdom Information Systems and Services, visited the NCI Agency in Brussels. He met with the Agency’s General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, the Director of Infrastructure Services and Transition, Mr Dag Wilhelmsen, and various representatives of the Agency’s directorates After an update on the Agency’s structure and change programme, Mr Cantwell presented the organizational challenges that his organization is facing since the June 2014 launch of a restructuring process to adopt a centralized command organization. This opened the floor for a discussion and exchange of experiences The UK delegation was then briefed on - Current cooperation between the Agency and the UK, by Mr Xavier Desfougeres, NCI Agency Principal Account Manager for Nations - Implementation and achievements of the Federated Mission Networking by Dr Gernot Friedrich, NCI Agency Service Strategy directorate - Missions carried out by the Agency’s Cyber Security Service Line, by CAPT Rick McCartney, Head of Cyber Security Operations The visit strengthened the bonds between the UK ISS and the NCI Agency, already formalized through a Multiyear Programme of Work between UK and NCI Agency, which is managed by ISS on the UK side

On 22 October, Mr Gerry Cantwell, the Director of Service Development of the United Kingdom Information Systems and Services, visited the NCI Agency in Brussels.

general 1 263 1 about-us/newsroom/workshop-to-establish-the-airc2-ci-partnership.aspx The NCI Agency held a workshop on 6 November to prepare the establishment of the AirC2 Communications and Information (C&I) Partnership. The AirC2 C&I Partnership is expected to be established by mid-2015, and is considered a unique opportunity to address versatile national requirements in the AirC2 domain. The workshop was organized following a request from Nations for the transfer of the NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Level of Operational Capability 1 (LOC1) support activities from the NATO Support Agency (NSPA) to the NCI Agency and the need to address the related national requirements for in service support 11 nations, as well as NSPA provided representatives to the workshop who were given the opportunity to analyze and clarify their national requirements and seek mutual understanding on the initial AirC2 C&I Partnership Programme of Work (POW). Based on the successful workshop outcome and approval by the Nations of the draft implementation plan, the NCI Agency will now tackle development of the draft non-costed POW as well as the Draft AirC2 C&I Partnership Agreement, to be released to the nations by the end of November. In the spirit of the Smart Defence initiative, Nations are also invited to take up the role of Lead Nation. The expected initial group of participants to the AirC2 C&I Partnership are the ACCS LOC1 Support Partnership Nations and/or the ACCS Validation Nations Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Norway. The AirC2 C&I Partnership, along with the NATO Software Tools C&I Partnership, will be the first C&I Partnerships established by the NCI Agency, fully leveraging the opportunities created by the NCI Organisation Charter and the Agencies Reform

The NCI Agency held a workshop on 6 November to prepare the establishment of the AirC2 Communications and Information (C&I) Partnership.

general 1 264 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-interoperability-standards-and-profiles-new-version.aspx A new version of the NATO Interoperability Standards and Profiles (NISP version 8) was developed by the Interoperability Profiles Capability Team (IP CaT) under the authority of the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Board (C3B). On 30 October 2014, under the silence procedure, the C3 Board agreed that ADatP-34(H) (NISP version 8) shall be the authorized replacement for previous versions. Volume 3 includes the following profiles • Core Enterprise Services Implementation Specification • NRF Generic Interface Profil • The Afghanistan Mission Network (AMN) Profile of NATO Interoperability Standard • Federated Mission Networking (FMN) Interoperability Standards Profile for Mission Execution Environment • Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) Interoperability Profil • Tactical ESB (Tact ESB) Profil The included interoperability standards (Volume 2) and profiles (Volume 3) are mandatory for use in NATO common funded Communications and Information Systems (CIS). The Agency recognizes that there may be inconsistencies between the various profiles and that the document might not be detailed enough to provide sufficient direction for implementation projects. The Agency is actively working with the IPCaT to improve this important reference document over time If more direction and guidance is required please address your respective Segment Architect/ Service Line Design Authority. Requests for Change Proposals for the NISP shall be submitted via the NCI Agency Architecture Working Group (AWG) for submission to the IP CaT. Each Service Line and Programme Office is represented in the AWG by a Segment Architects aka SL Design Authority

A new version of the NATO Interoperability Standards and Profiles (NISP version 8) was developed by the Interoperability Profiles Capability Team (IP CaT) under the authority of the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Board (C3B).

general 1 265 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-customer-satisfaction-report.aspx Earlier this year, the NCI Agency completed a comprehensive Customer Satisfaction Survey, which focussed on Customers according to NCIO Charter, i.e., those with budgetary/requirements authority. The results have undergone rigorous analysis and were assessed as statistically sound. Key highlights from the survey are as follows • The survey questions were separated into Projects and Services with specific questions on overall satisfaction in each area with the following results – Overall Project Satisfaction levels were 82% – Overall Service Satisfaction levels were 80% • The survey also asked about “Agency Value” with the following results – Compared to before the transition and given the opportunity, 82% of Customers would continue to choose the Agency as their provider – 80% of Customers felt the Agency provided a fair value, worth about what was paid for it • Specific questions with high satisfaction levels were – Slightly over 80% of Customers agree that NCI Agency Service Support staff adhere to professional standards of conduct – Slightly over 80% of Customers agree that NCI Agency Service Support staff are well trained • Specific questions with lower satisfaction levels were – 63% of Customers agree that NCI Agency Account Managers respond to enquiries in a timely manner – 61% of Customers agree that NCI Agency Project Managers are well supervised In response to these specific areas of lower customer satisfaction, Director Demand Management has made some short-term adjustments in the Directorate to improve Agency responsiveness to customer enquiries and the GM has tasked Directors Infrastructure and Applications Services to provide plans, by the end of the year, on how to improve customer satisfaction with regard to Project Manager supervision The next Customer Satisfaction survey will be conducted in 2015 Q1 with the expectation that there will be 2 surveys per year The results of the Customer Satisfaction surveys will be analysed in conjunction with other surveys conducted by the Agency, such as the User Satisfaction Survey, to give an overall picture of how the Agency is perceived

Earlier this year, the NCI Agency completed a comprehensive Customer Satisfaction Survey, which focussed on Customers according to NCIO Charter, i.e., those with budgetary/requirements authority.

general 1 266 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-hosts-cwix-2015-initial-planning-conference-in-the-hague.aspx From 4 to 7 November, the NCI Agency was host to the Initial Planning Conference for the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation and eXamination eXercise (CWIX) 2015. The purpose of the conference in The Hague was to identify test partners for the main event in June 2015, and to start identifying the environment and tests that will be conducted next year. Around 20 focus areas were identified, and attendees presented their ideas and plans for CWIX 2015 NCI Agency Site Principal Chuck Shawcross welcomed the meeting on Tuesday 4 November. The plenary sessions had to take place at a nearby hotel, since the agency was unable to seat the nearly 200 delegates in the Main Conference room. After the initial sessions on Tuesday, the conference continued in the meeting room area in the NCI Agency building in The Hague. Eighteen nations were represented, among them four partner nations. NATO had representatives from seven agencies/commands and two Centres of Excellence As always, CWIX will conduct testing in a wide range of areas. Federated Mission Networking (FMN) continues to attract much attention; Tactical Data Links, Friendly Force Tracking and GeoMetOC are also areas that interest many nations. More experimental activities, like Data Labelling are also popular. Nations also want to test their systems against NATO systems, and the agency is preparing to support this as well. The traditional military areas (land, air, maritime and joint) are also important, with the agency participating with systems in all four areas, and leading the air focus area together with Turkey According to Conference Services, this was the largest conference ever hosted in the NCI Agency building. Thanks to good preparation and support by Conference Services, Security and the local caterer, it was possible to support and feed the participants in a smooth and effective manner. Thanks also to staff members in The Hague who reacted calmly to having their normal lunch hours disrupted One benefit of hosting the conference in The Hague was the possibility of engaging more staff in the planning process of CWIX at an earlier stage. Also it allowed the delegates to meet with a wider range of agency experts. One staff member likened the conference to speed dating, which is probably a good description The delegates will now continue work on their test cases, look for more test partners and start preparing for the Main Planning Conference, hosted by Land Command, in Izmir, Turkey in late January 2015

From 4 to 7 November, the NCI Agency was host to the Initial Planning Conference for the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation and eXamination eXercise (CWIX) 2015.

general 1 267 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-support-to-trident-joust-14-exercise.aspx NCI Agency Service Operations Bydgoszcz successfully supported Trident Joust 14 Training Event (TRJT 14 TE) conducted by Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum in JFTC Bydgoszcz, Poland from 13 October to 24 October 2014 Almost four hundred members of Exercise Control (EXCON) and Training Audience (TA) of the JFC Brunssum were deployed to the JFTC Bydgoszcz to execute TRJT 14 exercise, the main training event for this year’s NATO Response Force (NRF) headquarters. The training encompassed the common level of understanding the full spectrum of activities which are predicted in NRF deployment possibilities during the NATO operations NCI Agency Service Operations Bydgoszcz was tasked to implement and maintain planned Communication and Information Systems (CIS) infrastructure services such as - WAN connectivity - LAN connectivity - Core Services - Functional Services - Information Management Tools NCI Agency Service Operations Bydgoszcz provided in total over 500 workstations (NS, Internet), almost 400 phones (VoIP, VoSIP, DECT), 74 VTC connections, printing solutions and continuous CIS support by establishing Training Event Service Desk. During TRJT 14 over 100 Service Requests were registered. The majority of them concerned the low impact issues (equipment relocation, printers’ cartridge replacement, password change etc.). The TRJT 14 attendants emphasized the immediate NCI Agency Service Desk response what proves a very good CIS equipment provision and support value to the EXCON and TA. Considering the CIS technical support, NCI Agency Service Operations Bydgoszcz delivered and maintained the whole range of the requested services without any disruptions. During the closing ceremony on 23 October 2014, JFC Brunssum Commander, GEN Hans – Lothar Domröse thanked all who contributed to the success of the exercise

NCI Agency Service Operations Bydgoszcz successfully supported Trident Joust 14 Training Event (TRJT 14 TE) conducted by Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum in JFTC Bydgoszcz, Poland from 13 October to 24 October 2014.

general 1 268 1 about-us/newsroom/report-highlights-multinational-and-bilateral-project-progress.aspx In the course of 2014, the Agency both expanded and progressed collaboration with Nations allowing for the development cutting-edge, interoperable capabilities at a lower cost according to a report released by the Agency Among other things, the report highlights Continuing progress in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Cyber defence project delivering the first stages of innovative capability; an Increasing support to Nations in getting their forces certified and ready for duty in NATO's Response Force Today the NCI Agency supports not only all 28 NATO Nations but also 8 Partner Nations, 2 NATO 'Contact Countries' (Australia and New Zealand), 17 components of the NATO force structure and 3 Multinational Organizations. A total of 19 Memoranda of Agreement/ Understanding have been signed with Nations and 2 with Multinational Corps. Multinational cooperation is fostered through a total of 20 projects in various phases of development, and includes 6 ongoing projects, 11 projects in preparation and feasibility stages and 3 projects awaiting nations' decision

In the course of 2014, the Agency both expanded and progressed collaboration with Nations allowing for the development cutting-edge, interoperable capabilities at a lower cost according to a report released by the Agency.

general 1 269 1 about-us/newsroom/exercise-cyber-coalition-2014.aspx Cyber experts from 26 Allies and five partner nations successfully conducted Exercise Cyber Coalition 2014 (CC14) from 18 to 20 November 2014. NATO’s largest annual cyber defence exercise provided a stage for exercising strategic- and operational-level information sharing, senior-level decision making, and multi-disciplined coordination in the cyber realm In addition to the national participants, the NCI Agency participated along with NATO’s Cyber Defence Management Board, the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability Coordination Centre, and NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division. The Cyber Security Service Line (CSSL) Operations Team and NATO Computer Incident Response Capability Technical Centre led the management of the many cyber crisis scenarios presented in a high operational tempo, and a volatile and uncertain simulated NATO-Coalition environment Coordinating a swift respons The Exercise Control staff based themselves in Tartu, Estonia, home to a newly developed “cyber range”— a virtual environment used specifically for cyber warfare training and cyber technique development. The masterminds behind the training scenarios took full advantage of Estonia’s cyber range, enabling new levels of realism to the exercise. While this was a cyber defence exercise, the objectives went far beyond cyber security and technical capability challenges. Especially important was the exercising of communication between various NATO bodies, national cyber defence capabilities, and industry partners. This year’s exercise scenarios included malicious code, mobile device eavesdropping, loss of precision radar targeting capabilities, and hostile intelligence service agents acting from inside the coalition network. As a response to one of the exercise injects, the newly acquired Cyber Security Rapid Reaction Team deployed with a full complement of field-hardened equipment to Athens, Greece, demonstrating its ability to be on site on short notice to diagnose cyber security issues and swiftly restore operational capability Plans for Cyber Coalition 2015 are already underway. Exercise coordinator, Allied Command Transformation, plans to seek increased membership in the exercise control team, new venues, and new challenging scenarios for the next training audience. CC15 should be another great exercise!

Cyber experts from 26 Allies and five partner nations successfully conducted Exercise Cyber Coalition 2014 (CC14) from 18 to 20 November 2014.

general 1 270 1 about-us/newsroom/nations-chief-information-officers-discuss-nato-first-solutions.aspx On 19 November 2014, the NCI Agency hosted the annual Chief Information Officers’ Conference (CIOC) at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. This yearly forum for nations enables dialogue, develops partnerships and aims at improving support to customers in the area of C4ISR capability development and service provision. It addresses cooperation on a bilateral, multilateral and regional basis. Following the CIOC in 2013, where the NCI Agency introduced the NATO First Solution (NFS) Initiative, the 2014 plenary CIOC focused on the Nations’ feedback on NFS implementation, multinational initiatives in progress and on the way forward for the implementation of a CFI Cooperation Platform to support information sharing between the various stakeholders in the NFS implementation Key note speakers from nations included US Acting DoD CIO, Mr Terry Halvorsen; UK CIO, Mr Mike Stone; NRDC-ITA, COL Carmine Pompa and LTC Paulo Nunes & COL João Barbas from the Portuguese Ministry of Defence. Focused discussions took place on Sharing information in a cost-effective manner in a coalition environment and making it secure, reliable and affordable, which implies exploitation of commercial solutions like clouds and a focus on mobility Exploring opportunities to enhance the governance structure of multinational initiatives while reducing costs for the nations, notably concerning the FMN and NATO Software Tools C&I Partnership Identifying ways to better synchronize NATO Baseline and national/multinational frameworks based on the NATO First Communication Platform Developing a cyber-defence cooperation platform, focusing on education and training and exploring the possible synergies with the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) as well as with national Centres of Excellence Exploring solutions to include Partners with whom NCI Agency has a Programme of Work (POW); an Introducing an acquisition workshop focused on the use of NCI Agency as a procurement agent The nations provided feedback primarily related to the conditions of use of the NATO solution in a Customer Funded environment, Education and Training, and the benefits of the C&I Partnership in development

On 19 November 2014, the NCI Agency hosted the annual Chief Information Officers’ Conference (CIOC) at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

general 1 271 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-and-secretary-general-honoured-in-us.aspx Former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen and the NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, representing the staff of the Agency, were presented awards by AFCEA International at a ceremony in the very room where the Washington Treaty, NATO’s founding act, was signed on 4 April 1949 I accept this award on behalf of the women and men of the Agency, working 24/7 to support NATO, maintain and defend its networks, and to deliver cutting-edge capabilities, in partnership with Industr ,” said Koen Gijsbers in his address Because the former Secretary General chose to accept the award in person, so did the General Manager. Our main challenge today is to speed technological innovation, by partnering with Industry and leveraging their creativit ,” added Mr Gijsbers, This is why we have a strategic partnership with AFCEA; it is one of the means of engaging Industry early on, in order to come up with better solutions, more quickl . AFCEA International – the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association - is a non-profit membership association with more than 35.000 members worldwide. Each year AFCEA International presents three of its top awards for outstanding leadership in the areas of security policy and C4ISR. This year Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO Secretary General, and MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers, the Agency’s General Manager, received two of the tree awards NATO’s birthplac The fact that two Alliance officials were selected in 2014 shows the clear appreciation for NATO. The location of the awards ceremony held a special significance; it was the exact same room, the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington DC, where the Washington Treaty, ‘NATOs birth certificate’, was signed in 1949 In addition, the award has a special connection to the Agency - it is named after LtGEN James M. Rockwell; General Rockwell’s last active post was Deputy Director of NACISA (1984 – 1987), one of the founding institutions of what today is the NCI Agency; his picture hangs in our boardroom The ceremony was also an opportunity for the General Manager to meet and update a number of senior US and AFCEA officials on Agency work , including the Honourable Jim Clapper, the US Director of National Intelligence , members of the US Congress, and Admiral Mike Rogers the Commander US Cyber Command and Director NSA. For more information click her

Former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen and the NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, representing the staff of the Agency, were presented awards by AFCEA International at a ceremony in the very room where the Washington Treaty, NATO’s founding act, was signed on 4 April 1949.

general 1 272 1 about-us/newsroom/augmented-and-virtual-reality-technology-demonstration.aspx On 26 November 2014, the Agency Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Service Line team demonstrated the use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to the General Manager by providing a status update on the 'Eye Catch' project; an activity where the Agency has provided important subject matter expertise to the Italian MoD in close collaboration with the Army General Staff Logistic Department Connection to the NATO JOC Watch Server and various other functionalities were demonstrated, including a patrol reporting feature that allows a soldier to take pictures with the AR glasses, already enriched with metadata (location, time, soldier ID, spatial orientation) and send it to a digital patrol report available on a soldier-ruggedized Scorpion smartphone Among the various applications that were described (and that are under development following the Agile Software development concept), is the employment of collected data for biometric usage. This functionality has the potential to be extremely useful for soldiers guarding an Entry Control Point of a base, allowing them to rapidly identify a potential enemy trying to enter (without him being aware). Such a utility could be key for a rapid reaction and could ultimately help save lives. Smart Defence initiativ One of the end goals will be to launch a Smart Defence initiative in mid-2015 that, under the leadership of the Italy, will look to identify other Nations interested in continuing to develop this activity. A key objectives of this initiative will be to provide dismounted soldiers with a capability to enhance their situational awareness. In addition, this concept could also allow the dismounted solider to be used as an additional 'sensor' on the ground, collecting valuable data to support intel analysis/exploitation and to help provide decision advantage

On 26 November 2014, the Agency Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Service Line team demonstrated the use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to the General Manager by providing a status update on the 'Eye Catch' project

general 1 273 1 about-us/newsroom/first-graduates-of-the-nato-school-cyber-security-program.aspx On 14 November, NCI Agency colleagues Janusz Piatek (CSSC Brunssum) and Richard Mulqueen (CSU Ramstein) were amongst the first graduates of the NATO School Cyber Security Program. The programme was developed and taught by the Naval Postgraduate School located in Monterey, California and hosted at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany. The two colleagues attended the program that was filled with NATO personnel, Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue and national staff with a variety of backgrounds. The program course work contained four cyber security classes Network Security Course, Network Vulnerability Assessment & Risk Mitigation Course, Incident Handling & Disaster Recovery Course and Network Traffic Analysis Course. The programme was 40 weeks in length including 8 total weeks on site in Oberammergau and 32 weeks of distant learning. The classwork consisted of numerous lab activities in house as well as across 10 time zones via the NPS portal. Upon the completion of each course, every student was required to take a final examination to test the knowledge acquired after those 10 weeks. During the programme, students took several certification examinations with the EC COUNCIL which included Certified Ethical Hacker, Certified Incident Handler and Disaster Recovery in Virtualization Technology or Business Continuity Planning. In addition to the three listed commercial certifications, they earned two official certificates from the US National Security Agency (NSA) in Systems Administration and Information Security Risk Analyst.

On 14 November, NCI Agency colleagues Janusz Piatek (CSSC Brunssum) and Richard Mulqueen (CSU Ramstein) were amongst the first graduates of the NATO School Cyber Security Program.

general 1 274 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-challenged-with-backtoback-exercises.aspx Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14 and TRIDENT LANCE 14 are NATO Command Post- / Computer Assisted Exercises (CPX/CAX) directed from the Joint Warfare Center (JWC) in Stavanger. For both events, the Exercise Control Organisation (EXCON) is located at the JWC whilst the main training audience for TRLE14 are located in Grafenwoehr, Germany and in Stavanger for TRJE14 The events are scheduled almost back-to-back in time and include the usage of the former National Norwegian HQ space within the compound. TRJE14 also requires an infrastructure that includes 850 working positions (approx. 550 people), this is the largest capacity seen to date for a NRF event at JWC, which is a huge CIS support challenge for the NCI Agency to plan and execute. Given that the two exercises train different audiences, this becomes extremely difficult to engineer, challenging the CSU in knowledge and physical abilities. It also requires a substantial effort into the planning stage of the events, as it is essential to ensure successful system implementations and following service provision to several hundred users, both in Norway and in Germany TRLE14 is also seeing response cells supported by CAX operators in remote locations such as Greece (Thessaloniki) and Turkey (Istanbul). This requires all simulation and co-ordination tools be accessed remotely from JWC, and CSU Stavanger providing the infrastructure and support for all services required to enable the response cells to technically appear to be at JWC A team of up to 3 planners have worked for weeks in coordination with other NCI Agency exercise planning staffs and ACO/JWC staffs to ensure all details are carefully addressed and actioned on. Close coordination with the Education &Training Service Line to ensure robust and reliable CAX services has been and is important in complex and multi-site events like these two exercises. TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14 and TRIDENT LANCE 14 TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14 (TRJE 14) tests NATO's ability to coordinate and execute a NATO-led Article 5 Collective Defence operation in a multinational environment. It also serves to certify the 15th rotation of the NATO Response Force (NRF) under high-intensity, war fighting conditions TRIDENT LANCE 14 (TRLE14) stages a NATO-led Article 5 Collective Defence major joint operation (MJO+) to exercise LANDCOM as the Land Component Command (LCC), subordinated to a joint HQ, in commanding and controlling a multinational deployed force during decisive operations, as a follow-on force to a NRF initial entry operation (the continuation of TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14)

Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 14 and TRIDENT LANCE 14 are NATO Command Post- / Computer Assisted Exercises (CPX/CAX) directed from the Joint Warfare Center (JWC) in Stavanger.

general 1 275 1 about-us/newsroom/video-unified-vision-14.aspx The NCI Agency played an important enabling role in the largest ever test of NATO’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities that began on 19 May at Ørland Air Station in Norway. This video showcases the Agency contribution to the trial. Unified Vision 14 Support to NATO's priorities - Joint ISR

The NCI Agency played an important enabling role in the largest ever test of NATO’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities that began on 19 May at Ørland Air Station in Norway.

general 1 276 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-displays-support-to-counter-terrorism.aspx Three back-to-back high profile Counter Terrorism Events have recently taken place at NATO HQ, with the participation and support of the NCI Agency. The well attended events allowed senior leaders, operators and Subject Matter Experts to discuss a broad range of topics across the Counter Terrorism domain. The Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Service Line provided support to the sessions through presentations on related Agency work, and coordinated a very well received exhibition showcasing the capabilities tested in Unified Vision 14 The three events took place on 8, 9 and 10 December, starting with the Biometrics Programme Coordination Group (NBPCG), which included a senior level working session and review of the year’s output from the group, chaired by the International Military Staff Intelligence Chief, Rear Admiral Brett Heimbigner. The NCI Agency had the opportunity to present its work on the NATO Automated Biometric Identification System (NABIS), and was represented by Mr Guy Feat for the Directorate of Application Services (DAS), leading the Agency team of subject matter experts The second event was the ISAF C-IED Briefing Day hosted by the NATO Emerging Security Challenges Division (ESCD), in coordination with the Strategic Commands and other NATO bodies. The briefing day was co-chaired by Dr Jamie Shea (Deputy Assistant Secretary General, ESCD) and Rear Admiral Brett Heimbigner, and provided the opportunity to bring together the interested communities from NATO, ISAF and KFOR Contributing Nations, and national governmental organizations. The sessions focused on a broad range of topics across the following threads; Lessons learned from operations on Attacking the Network (AtN), Human Network Analysis in support of Targeting (HNAT), NATO Biometrics Programme of Work and Action plan, Technical Exploitation in support of AtN. The Agency was represented by Mr. Matt Roper, Chief JISR Service Line In the words of Dr Shea This event will provide an opportunity for Subject Matter Experts and operators from the field to discuss and exchange views on the latest trends, projects and initiatives to counter IEDs in the broader perspective of AtN. This will enable the Alliance to develop new capabilities to face global threats and to improve its readiness and interoperability for future theatres of operation . The final event was the Defence against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT POW) Decennial celebratory meeting hosted by the ESCD, with introductory statements by the Assistant Secretary General for Security, Ambassador Sorin Ducar and Peter Florin. Again, in the words of Dr Shea, The DAT POW is a unique programme built on the principle of common funding – it is a fast route to capability development. Under the DAT POW, individual NATO Nations, with support and contributions from other member countries and NATO bodies, lead projects to develop advanced technologies or counter measures which meet the most urgent security needs in the face of terrorism. This accelerates the development of counter measures and their subsequent fielding. The 1.8 MEUR annual budget provides seed money for projects, with the majority of the expenses being covered by the lead natio . The exhibition provided in parallel with these events built on the success of the DV day at UV14, providing a comprehensive demonstration of the working setup used in Norway this summer. The exhibition included a remarkable and well received walk-through manned by international subject matter experts from NGIC (US), EUCOM, NL C-IED/Biometrics, FFI (NO), NATO SOF, ACT, and the NCI Agency NCI Agency support and coordination for this complex event was provided by Mr Nigel Baker, Dr Cristian Coman, and Diederik Zaaijer. The support provided highlights the Agency’s continued focus on this domain and demonstrated once again the value that we have to offer in this critical area The NCI Agency event team would like to extend thanks to the NATO Office of Security (NOS) for facilitating the demonstration of such sensitive exhibits during these events, and also to the NCI Agency Creative Media Centre for the excellent display materials

Three back-to-back high profile Counter Terrorism Events have recently taken place at NATO HQ, with the participation and support of the NCI Agency.

general 1 277 1 about-us/newsroom/mn-cd2-nations-release-tool-to-share-cyber-incident-information.aspx Canada, Romania, and the Netherlands have decided to offer the Cyber Information and Incident Coordination System (CIICS) Software as a free six-month trial release to NATO Nations The decision by the three nations that funded the development of CIICS software follows after successful testing at the Cyber Coalition Exercise The main functionality of the software is to facilitate the exchange of information related to cyber incidents between national Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT). On 26-27 November, the five founding nations of the Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) Project Canada (Lead Nation), Denmark, Norway, Romania, and the Netherlands, as well as Finland as an observer, met at the sixth official MN CD2 Board Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark As part of the meeting, the NCI Agency Project Office provided a detailed update on the progress on current Work Packages CIICS and Cyber Security Situational Awareness. In addition, potential new work was discussed including · Investigation of big data storage requirements and solutions for Distributed Multi-sensor Collection and Correlation Infrastructure · Development of a business case and blueprint for a Cyber Security Assessment Team (CSAT) The next MN CD2 Board will be chaired by the Netherlands, and will take place on 18-19 March 2015 at the NCI Agency The Hague NATO Nations interested in joining the MN CD2 Smart Defence project are invited to contact Mrs A. Szydelko, Principal Partnership Development Manager, Demand Management Directorate, tel. +32 2 707 8241, agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in MN CD2 is open to all NATO Nations. Participation of partner nations is addressed on case by case basis and Finland is in the process of joining the project

Canada, Romania, and the Netherlands have decided to offer the Cyber Information and Incident Coordination System (CIICS) Software as a free six-month trial release to NATO Nations.

general 1 278 1 about-us/newsroom/first-stage-authorization-granted-for-enterprisenpki.aspx The Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure (Enterprise-NPKI) project received First Stage authorization in July 2014. The approved procurement method is ICB Best Value including 5 years O&M Purpos Enterprise-NPKI will provide key management services to users, devices and processes supporting the full lifecycle (generation, distribution and management) of certificates, in line with the Cyber Defense Action Plan. It is a key enabler to two-factor authentication (also referred to as strong authentication) and will support the verification and protection of any electronic information with an appropriate level of assurance. Integrated with applications, it will provide security features like confidentiality, digital signature, authentication and non-repudiation. Overall, the Enterprise-NPKI will improve the security of the NATO IT environment on multiple security domains (NATO Secret, NATO restricted and NATO Unclassified), in a manner as transparent as possible to the end-user Scop The Enterprise-NPKI has a broad scope, providing electronic certificates to more than 70 000 users and devices. The following sites are covered by the first stage authorization NATO Command Structure, NCIA, NSPA, STO, NATO School Oberammergau, NATO Defense College, NAEW&C, and NATO HQ. Some of those entities have been exceptionally authorized by the RPPB to receive a portion of the Enterprise-NPKI solution (i.e. technical services) under NSIP funding, in order to standardize the technical solution across the NATO Enterprise On a longer term, the Enterprise-NPKI will replace the Interim-NPKI currently in operation Interface with other projects and syste Enterprise-NPKI will bring an infrastructure and interfaces, and all NATO CIS systems and projects will have to converge to Enterprise-NPKI solution. The management of interfaces / interdependencies will require a coherent and integrated implementation approach The Programme Management and Integration Capability (PMIC), as a part of its role as Programme and Project Support Office, is working on identifying and coordinating the interdependencies with all projects/systems, under the supervision of the Enterprise-NPKI Project Manager The Invitation for Bid (IFB) package is under development and expected to be released in February 2015 More information …on the Enterprise-NPKI project can be obtained from the Enterprise-NPKI Project Manager (Cedric Salson, NCI Agency Brussels, +32 2 707 8403) or the Enterprise-NPKI Technical Lead (Blaine Hein, NCI Agency Brussels, +32 2 707 8599)

The Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure (Enterprise-NPKI) project received First Stage authorization in July 2014.

general 1 279 1 about-us/newsroom/visit-by-bulgarian-deputy-minister-of-defence.aspx On Friday 26 September 2014, the NCI Agency Chief of Staff, MGEN Luis Andrey, hosted the visit of the Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Defence, Ms Desislava Yosifov . The Deputy Minister provided a briefing on “Bulgaria in NATO and in European Defence 2020”. The vision had been presented at the NATO Summit in Wales together with the Bulgarian National Programme entailing nine critical capability projects as specific deliverable. Further, the Deputy Minister underlined crucial upcoming activities with the NCI Agency that will support Bulgaria’s achievement of their NATO 2020 strategy, with particular focus on Cyber Defence, Automated Information Services and procurement activities for essential military capabilities Extending the current C4ISR Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bulgaria and NCI Agency, a new version including terms and conditions for Multi-year Programme of Work will be proposed prior to the upcoming high level government/industry event in Sofia on the 9 and 10 October 2014. At the same time, discussions will take place on the implementation of a cooperation planning project addressing the critical capability shortfalls identified in Bulgaria’s Vision 2020 *The NCI Agency is the executive arm of the NATO Communication and Information Organisation (NCIO), which aims to achieve maximum effectiveness in delivering C3 capabilities to stakeholders, while ensuring their coherence and interoperability, and ensuring the provision of secure CIS services at minimum cost to Allies – individually and collectively

On Friday 26 September 2014, the NCI Agency Chief of Staff, MGEN Luis Andrey, hosted the visit of the Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Defence, Ms Desislava Yosifova.

general 1 280 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-attends-exercise-allied-spirit-distinguished-visitors-day.aspx On 23 January 2015, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, NCI Agency Director Demand Management, attended the Distinguished Visitors Day for Exercise Allied Spirit I at the invitation of LGEN Ben Hodges, Commander U.S. Army Europe. Exercise Allied Spirit In support of a Strong Europe , U.S. Army Europe conducted Exercise Allied Spirit I at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, from 12 to 31 January 2015 The purpose of Exercise Allied Spirit was to conduct multinational training and improve Allied inter-operability and co-operation between U.S. and NATO forces. The Exercise included more than 2,000 participants from NATO Nations, exercising tactical inter-operability and testing secure communications within Alliance members Distinguished Visitors Da The Distinguished Visitors Day began with a briefing by Lieutenant General Hodges on U.S. Army Europe's approach to Strong Europe , which provides the framework for relationships, capabilities, infrastructure, and exercises that assure access for the Army and US interests. Strong Europe supports U.S. Operation Atlantic Resolve which demonstrates U.S. commitment to NATO, and to collective defence through increased U.S. ground, air, and naval force presence in Europe The visitors then received an explanation of Allied Spirit, followed by demonstrations on Brigade Forward Command Post and Tactical Operations Centre; Opposing Forces environment management; and reconnaissance and attack Interest in partnering with the Agenc Dr Shalamanov also took the opportunity to visit the Joint Multinational Training Command (JMTC) to discuss training and exercises with Mr Stacy Ware, Assistant Chief of Staff G6. Mr Ware expressed a strong interest in partnering with NCI Agency to establish a permanent connection to the NATO communications network and to provide support for NATO Functional Area Training to units conducting training at the JMTC. Mr Ware stated that, Our two organizations can complement each other in the pursuit of this goal. This would also allow for JMTC to have a more robust connection into the NATO Connected Initiative moving forward. With such an initiative in place, it is felt that JMTC could act as Higher Level Control for NATO and national exercises for the NATO Rapid Deployment Corps 'at the Brigade level' in direct support of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) development Overall, this was an exceptionally valuable visit for the NCI Agency, reinforcing the Agency´s strong personal relationship with LGEN Hodges and establishing a new relationship with U.S. Army Europe and JMTC, which has considerable potential to enhance the Alliance´s support to the VJTF Further details on Exercise Allied Spirit can be found here Further details on Operation Atlantic Resolve can be found her

On 23 January 2015, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, NCI Agency Director Demand Management, attended the Distinguished Visitors Day for Exercise Allied Spirit I at the invitation of LGEN Ben Hodges, Commander U.S. Army Europe.

general 1 281 1 about-us/newsroom/poland-and-nci-agency-intensify-cooperation-on-missile-defence.aspx On 5 February, the Polish Ministry of National Defence and the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed an agreement intensifying cooperation between the Ministry and the Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme Office and Services in support of NATO BMD development The agreement focuses on ensuring interoperability between Polish BMD capabilities and NATO BMD, mainly through information exchange and testing. The agreement specifies for example the testing regime and measures for ensuring interoperability It also confirms that the integration of the Polish systems will firstly cover radars with BMD capabilities, offered by Poland to NATO BMD The agreement was signed by the Undersecretary of State – Robert Kupiecki and NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers in the margins of the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels For more information, please contact for NCI Agency – Michal Olejarnik, Communication Manager, michal.olejarnik@ncia.nato.in , +32 475 90 70 40.

On 5 February, the Polish Ministry of National Defence and the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed an agreement intensifying cooperation between the Ministry and the Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme Office and Services in support of NATO BMD development.

general 1 282 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-industry-cyber-partnership-targets-innovation.aspx On 11 February, Alliance representatives in the Cyber Defence Committee met with the Government of the Netherlands, industry and NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) on opportunities for fast-tracking innovation in the Alliance’s cyber defences. The visit was organized by the Delegation of the Netherlands to NATO in the context of NATO’s Industry Cyber Partnership, endorsed by Alliance Heads of State and Government at the Wales Summit. It began with a visit to the company Fox IT, a partner of the Government of the Netherlands, with a demonstration and discussion on how earlier engagement between NATO Allies and industry can be mutually beneficial, particularly in the field of cyber education and training. To continue reading visit the NICP website her .

On 11 February, Alliance representatives in the Cyber Defence Committee met with the Government of the Netherlands, industry and NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) on opportunities for fast-tracking innovation in the Alliance’s cyber defences.

general 1 283 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-launches-cyber-incubator-pilot.aspx On 12 February, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and The Hague Security Delta (HSD) launched a first ‘cyber incubator’ pilot to stimulate innovations from industry and academia to meet urgent NATO cyber security needs. Part of NATO’s Industry Cyber Partnership, the ‘incubator’ is a pilot project to test ways of strengthening pre-competition co-operation between Industry, including small and medium enterprises, academia an NATO’s technical community to address emerging cyber defence requirements. It also aims to speed the Alliance’s ability to implement new cyber technologies The session hosted at HSD’s Campus in The Hague was opened by Ida Haisma, HSD Executive Director, who highlighted the importance of the large number of partners involved in the cluster. Dr Gregory Edwards, NCI Agency Director Infrastructure Services, introduced the role of the NCI Agency within NATO and highlighted the powerful opportunity provided for industry to boost NATO innovation “Innovations through incubators are a way of quickly turning a requirement that we receive from operations, into a service that in turn meets operational requirements. We are looking for something small with big impact; we encourage industry and academia to innovate in this regard,” he said Cyber incubator pilot Mobile Security, Big Data, and Cyber Situational Awarenes The meeting, held in the framework of NATO’s Industry Cyber Partnership, was facilitated by the NCI Agency’s Cyber Security Capability Design team, this group leads the development of new capabilities and innovation in cyber security for NATO. The team is a part or the Agency’s Cyber Security Service Line, which incorporates the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) Technical Centre, providing specialist services to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber security incidents. Mr Frederic Jordan - Head, Cyber Security Capability Development, introduced the Cyber Incubator Action Plan which by June 2015 aims to Stimulate discussion and seek support from Industry, including small and medium enterprises, as well as academia in the focus areas Mobile Security, Big Data, and Situational Awareness Prepare recommendations for follow up activities Call for paper Considering the timelines for the creative and innovative collaboration approaches, the NCI Agency made the following amendment to the original deadlines Initial (informal) innovation ideas related to the focus areas to be submitted to collaboration.cybersecurity@ncia.nato.in by Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015 18 00 CE The amount of time available for individual presentations will be communicated to submitters o Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. All submitters are invited to present their ideas at the focus area workshops held at the HSD campus on Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2015 Two page final proposal (strict limit!) to be submitted to collaboration.cybersecurity@ncia.nato.in by Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2015 18 00 CET The follow-up sessions will provide an opportunity for the interested parties to join a collaborative innovation model; to join a competitive innovation model; or to join a supportive innovation model. For more information, visit the NATO Collaborative Cyber Security Community porta . This portal is hosted on the DNBL Communities of Interest Service Exchange provided by NATO’s Allied Command Transformation and the NCI Agency. The NCI Agency develops, delivers and operates IT and Communication and Information System capabilities for NATO, including those which provide NATO’s Cyber Security. The NCI Agency recently became a network partner of The Hague Security Delta (HSD)

On 12 February, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and The Hague Security Delta (HSD) launched a first ‘cyber incubator’ pilot to stimulate innovations from industry and academia to meet urgent NATO cyber security needs.

general 1 284 1 about-us/newsroom/successful-airc2is-development-product-demonstration.aspx On 26 and 27 January 2015, NATO’s Air Command Control and Information Services (AirC2IS) contractor presented the latest AirC2IS software baseline 3 (BL3) to the NCI Agency executives and guests. The demonstration took place at the Atos test facilities in Seville, Spain, and debuted the product of the AirC2IS BL3 development, which was completed in December 2014 The AirC2IS product includes, the majority of the Tactical Ballistic Missile Defence (TBMD) planning functionality for AirC2IS Increment 1, an order of battle (ORBAT) management capability, and a tactical information display for situational awareness. After an extensive testing process, the BL3 product installation is planned for July 2015 at four NATO Command Structures sites Allied Air Command (AIRCOM), Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, JFC Naples and Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) The General Manager (GM) of the NCI Agency, Directorate of Application Services (DAS), Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme, and representatives from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and the NATO Office of Resources, all attended the demonstration. The demonstration lasted about 2 hours, and walked-through the typical workflows for ORBAT management; asset and resource management related to TBMD; threat course of action analysis; and TBMD defence design production. The participants were left with a positive impression of the state of completion of the capability, the fit for purpose, and the usability The GM remarked on the complexity of the integration of systems/services within the Bi-Strategic Command Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS), and also encouraged the DAS to start to expose the AirC2IS capability to Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and Allied Command Operations (ACO), in order to prepare them for the upcoming deployment and operational testing

On 26 and 27 January 2015, NATO’s Air Command Control and Information Services (AirC2IS) contractor presented the latest AirC2IS software baseline 3 (BL3) to the NCI Agency executives and guests. The demonstration took place at the Atos test facilities in Seville, Spain, and debuted the product of the AirC2IS BL3 development, which was completed in December 2014.

general 1 285 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-to-participate-in-software-engineering-for-defence-applications-conference.aspx From 26 - 27 May 2015, the Logistics Department of the Italian General Army Staff will host the annual Software Engineering for Defence Applications (SEDA) conference at the prestigious Palazzo Salviati in Rome, Italy. Among the many interesting technical presentations, there will be an operational demonstration of LC2EVO, the Command and Control software developed by the Logistic Department of the Italian Army in co-operation with relevant defence contractors, Universities and the NCI Agency. Part of the LC2EVO demonstration is based on the NCI Agency's research and development of an Augmented Reality (AR) solution for dismounted soldiers. As one of the contributor to the LC2EVO project, the Agency will participate in the demonstration The aim of software engineering is to model, manage and implement structured and sustainable software products and processes. In the Defence area these aspects are even more critical and the level of reliability and quality requested is incomparable to the commercial standards At SEDA, industry and government organizations unite to collaborate and respond to the increasing need for defence software engineering For more information on the conference please visit www.sedaconference.e For more information on the NCI Agency's AR development for dismounted soldiers click her

From 26 - 27 May 2015, the Logistics Department of the Italian General Army Staff will host the annual Software Engineering for Defence Applications (SEDA) conference at the prestigious Palazzo Salviati in Rome, Italy.

general 1 286 1 about-us/newsroom/supreme-allied-commander-transformation-visits-cyber-security-centre.aspx On 9 February 2015, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), GEN Jean-Paul Paloméros, visited the NCI Agency’s NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC TC) Centre in Mons, Belgium, for a brief on NATO’s operational cyber defence capabilities. GEN Paloméros was given a tour of the NCIRC TC and an explanation of the Cyber Security Service Line’s role in developing Cyber Security throughout the life-cycle. After seeing the NCIRC TC Operations Room at work, he was given a brief demonstration of the NATO Cyber Defence Rapid Reaction Team and their equipment, provided under NCIRC full operational capability (FOC) project The NCI Agency is responsible for running and protecting NATO’s information technology networks. In co-operation with Allied Command Transformation and Industry, the Agency is also developing the next generation of NATO’s cyber defences For more information click here

On 9 February 2015, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), GEN Jean-Paul Paloméros, visited the NCI Agency’s NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC TC) Centre in Mons, Belgium, for a brief on NATO’s operational cyber defence capabilities.

general 1 287 1 about-us/newsroom/nations-sign-up-to-nato-defence-analysis-project.aspx Norway, Finland and Germany have agreed to work together on a multinational Alliance Defence Analysis and Planning for Transformation (MN ADAPT) Smart Defence project. The three countries signed a joint statement to this effect at the Alliance’s 2015 Defence Planning Symposium at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, on 24 February 2015. The project will be led by Norway and supported by the NATO Communications and Information Agency The MN ADAPT project is an important part of NATO’s efforts to support Alliance and partner nation defence planning. Its aim is to enable NATO and NATO Nations to achieve economies of scale and cost savings, which are the key elements of NATO’s Smart Defence initiative. This is achieved by reusing a solution developed in NATO for national purposes. The project will also help with the coordination of the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP) and the NATO Planning and Review Process (PARP) for national defence planning and multinational capability development initiatives. MN ADAPT covers all the steps of the NDPP process MN ADAPT provides a mechanism by which NATO Nations and partner nations can cooperate and share evolving best practice on the application of NDPP methodologies and tools in a national context. It is the product of years of NCI Agency defence planning support given to NATO command structures and of bilateral cooperation with both NATO Nations and partner nations. The NCI Agency will support MN ADAPT’s participating nations with its analytical defence planning capacity. This allows participating nations to gain a better understanding of the analytical foundations of NDPP and to align national defence planners more closely with evolving NDPP methods and supporting tools. It also allows nations to provide input to NATO on national requirements for defence planning. MN ADAPT thus provides both insight and access to the existing analytical prototypes and future defence planning management services developed by the NATO Defence Planning community (NATO International Staff and International Military Authorities, Allied Command Transformation (ACT), Allied Command Operations (ACO) supported by the NCI Agency) The full text of the Joint Statement can be found her NATO and partner nations are invited to join the MN ADAPT Smart Defence project and take advantage of the benefits and opportunities on offer. The points of contact for those nations seeking to join MN ADAPT are as follows Mr Alan Campbell, Project Manager, Defence Planning Support to the Nations, alan.campbell@ncia.nato.in Ms Agata Szydelko, Demand Management | Principal Partnership Development Manager, agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in

Norway, Finland and Germany have agreed to work together on a multinational Alliance Defence Analysis and Planning for Transformation (MN ADAPT) Smart Defence project. The three countries signed a joint statement to this effect at the Alliance’s 2015 Defence Planning Symposium at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, on 24 February 2015. The project will be led by Norway and supported by the NATO Communications and Information Agency.

general 1 288 1 about-us/newsroom/communications-and-information-partnerships-in-2015.aspx Thirteen NATO Nations are working with the NCI Agency to set up three Communications & Information (C&I) Partnerships by the end of 2015. Officials from NATO and NATO Nations attended three workshops between 3 and 10 March as part of their effort towards setting up C&I Partnerships for NATO software tools, Air Command and Control (AirC2) and Consultation, Command and Control (C3) standards by the end of 2015. The workshops focused on the refinement of the proposed C&I Partnership structure, the respective Programmes of Work (PoW) for each partnership and the legal framework for setting up the partnerships. Workshop participants agreed on implementation roadmaps so that C&I Partnership PoW would be up and running in January 2016 In all, over 70 participants attended the workshops, representing 13 NATO Nations Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. Officials from the NATO Strategic Commands, NATO HQ C3 Staff and EUROCORPS also attended. The NATO software tools Smart Defenc project is led by two lead nations, namely Norway and the United Kingdom. The AirC2 C&IP and C3 standards will now be submitted for inclusion in the Smart Defence framework. NATO Nations are encouraged to put themselves forward as potential lead nations for these two partnerships NATO Nations interested in receiving further information about the NATO software tool, AirC2 and C3 standards C&I Partnerships are invited to contact Ms Agata Szydelko, Principal Partnership Development Manager, Demand Management at agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in

Thirteen NATO Nations are working with the NCI Agency to set up three Communications & Information (C&I) Partnerships by the end of 2015. Officials from NATO and NATO Nations attended three workshops between 3 and 10 March as part of their effort towards setting up C&I Partnerships for NATO software tools, Air Command and Control (AirC2) and Consultation, Command and Control (C3) standards by the end of 2015.

general 1 289 1 about-us/newsroom/logistics-functional-services-contract-signed.aspx On 12 March 2015, the signing ceremony for a EUR 30 million contract to deliver new logistics software to NATO took place at the Headquarters of the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) in Brussels, Belgium. Present at the ceremony were senior representatives from the winning bidder, Sopra Steria, and the Agency’s Director of Acquisition, Mr Peter Scaruppe. The contract will deliver the Logistics Functional Services (LOGFS) capability package in two baselines (2016 and 2017) for use by NATO’s Commands and member nations. The project will consolidate and industrialize existing logistics and financial capabilities for operational use and will introduce new capabilities, in particular in the medical arena Plans to improve logistics IT support gained momentum at the 2010 Lisbon Summit where a declaration by the heads of State emphasized the need for a “greater use of collective logistics” to meet the demands of ongoing operations. They pledged to “acquire key enabling capabilities including information systems for more effective decision-making and command and control”. LOGFS is the resulting contract and was subject to competitive international tender. It is planned that there will be an addendum to the capability package, bringing additional functionality and further enhancements Sopra Steria was established in September 2014 following a merger between Sopra and Steria. The company now employs approximately 35,000 employees and enjoys a combined revenue of some EUR 3.4 billion.

On 12 March 2015, the signing ceremony for a EUR 30 million contract to deliver new logistics software to NATO took place at the Headquarters of the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) in Brussels, Belgium.

general 1 290 1 about-us/newsroom/mn-cd2-nations-expand-cyber-defence-coordination-system-functionalities.aspx Canada, Norway, Romania, and the Netherlands, the four nations who are part of NATO's Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development project (MN CD2), have agreed to expand the functionalities of the Cyber Information and Incident Coordination CIIC ) system via a new work package. The decision was taken at the seventh MN CD2 Board Meeting at the NATO Communications and Information Agency (the NCI Agency) in The Hague on 18-19 March, which was attended by representatives from Canada, Norway, Romania, and the Netherlands (chairman, as well as a representative from Finland, which has observer status in the project The Board also endorsed the way forward for Cyber Defence Situational Awareness CDS ) and discussed several new work proposals During the meeting, the NCI Agency MN CD2 Project Office provided detailed updates on the current work packages CIICS software development will be completed by the end of March 2015. The Board members signed a task order for further work preparing for national deployment and subsequent testing and validation National requirements and use cases for CDSA have been captured and the Board agreed to proceed by investigating how the current products on the market cover these requirements In addition, new work proposals were discussed, including Distributed Multi-sensor Collection and Correlation Infrastructure DMCC ) Roadmap, including setting up a workshop to discuss the current state of the art for the DMCCI core components of storage, parsing and correlation Cyber Security Assessment Team (CSAT) concept looking at setting up a multinational support activity to carry out national security assessments The next MN CD2 Board will be hosted and chaired by the Dutch Ministry of Defence and will take place in Soesterberg, the Netherlands, on 17-18 June 2015 NATO Nations interested in joining the MN CD2 Smart Defence project are invited to contact Ms A. Szydelko, Principal Partnership Development Manager, Demand Management Directorat Tel +32 2 707 824 Email agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in The MN CD2 project is open to all NATO Nations. The MN CD2 Board considers whether or not to allow partner nations to join the project on a case by case basis. Finland is in the process of joining

Canada, Norway, Romania, and the Netherlands, the four nations who are part of NATO's Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development project (MN CD2), have agreed to expand the functionalities of the Cyber Information and Incident Coordination (CIICS) system via a new work package.

general 1 291 1 about-us/newsroom/2015-interim-customer-services-catalogue.aspx The completion and publication of 2015 Interim Customer Services Catalogue (ICSC) is a result of close communication between our Customers and the NCI Agency and mutual commitment in addressing the Customers’ needs and expectations. It builds on the Customers’ feedback on the first NCI Agency interim Customer Catalogue released in December 2013, the 2015 ICSC embraces a number of significant improvements, such as Improved content and harmonized Service Descriptions for all services Enhanced ease of use and service traceability through a redesigned catalogue structure, using the 2015 ICSC Service Model and - to the extent possible - sorting the services according to the NATO C3 taxonomy Alignment with the Budget Committee Military Budget Guidance for 2015 CIS In the process of 2015 ICSC development, the Agency Senior Customers provided valuable inputs, also through the Senior Customer - Supplier Board (SC-SB). The 'quick-wins' improvement suggestions are already incorporated in the document, while further improvement proposals are currently being reviewed and will be addressed in the subsequent editions of the ICSC The Agency's point of contact for the Customer Services Catalogue is Dr Velizar Shalamanov, Director Demand Management, tel. +32 2 707 8141, e-mail Velizar.Shalamanov@ncia.nato.in .

The completion and publication of 2015 Interim Customer Services Catalogue (ICSC) is a result of close communication between our Customers and the NCI Agency and mutual commitment in addressing the Customers’ needs and expectations.

general 1 292 1 about-us/newsroom/bulgarian-ministry-of-defence-and-ncio-signed-a-memorandum-of-agreement.aspx On 27 March 2015, the General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), Mr Koen Gijsbers, counter-signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) related to cooperation on Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) activities on behalf of the NATO Communications and Information Organization (NCIO). Bulgaria was represented at the signing ceremony by their National Armaments Director, Mr Dobromir Totev. This important agreement will ensure continuity of the cooperation established through the previous MOA dating back to 24 February 2010 The General Manager thanked the NCI Agency Staff – including the Legal Office and Demand Management, who had been instrumental in re-negotiating the MOA – and highlighted the fact that it was the first time an umbrella MOA, including terms and conditions for Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW), was established He also highlighted the increased bilateral cooperation in the provision of Broadcast, Maritime Rear Link and Ship Shore (BRASS), extension of the Air Command and Control System (ACCS), and additional core and functional software services. Furthermore, an important part of our future cooperation opportunities is focused around NATO's Readiness Action Plan and Bulgaria's contribution in hosting a NATO Force Integration Unit for NATO's Spearhead Force. The NCI Agency remains committed to the current cooperation with a key Ally as Bulgaria and will develop a comprehensive roadmap for future cooperation, starting next month during the planning session in Sofia, Bulgaria, where the MYPOW is expected to be finalized. The National Armaments Director, Mr Dobromir Totev underlined crucial upcoming activities with the NCI Agency that will support Bulgaria's achievement of their NATO 2020 strategy, with particular focus on Cyber Defence, Automated Information Services modernization, and Cryptographic Equipment acquisition activities for essential military capabilities

On 27 March 2015, the General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), Mr Koen Gijsbers, counter-signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) related to cooperation on Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) activities on behalf of the NATO Communications and Information Organization (NCIO). Bulgaria was represented at the signing ceremony by their National Armaments Director, Mr Dobromir Totev. This important agreement will ensure continuity of the cooperation established through the previous MOA dating back to 24 February 2010.

general 1 293 1 about-us/newsroom/natoukraine-agreement-paves-the-way-for-further-technical-cooperation.aspx On 24 April 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), which will facilitate the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Trust Fund on Consultation, Command, Control and Communication (C4). When ratified by the Ukrainian legislature, the agreement will also allow for the further development of technical cooperation between the NCI Agency and the Government of Ukraine in the future. NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers signed MoA (Memorandum of Agreement) on technical cooperation with Ukraine with Ambassador Ihor Dolhov, Head of Ukrainian Mission to NATO For entire article visit the NATO HQ websit

On 24 April 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), which will facilitate the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Trust Fund on Consultation, Command, Control and Communication (C4). When ratified by the Ukrainian legislature, the agreement will also allow for the further development of technical cooperation between the NCI Agency and the Government of Ukraine in the future.

general 1 294 1 about-us/newsroom/business-leaders-discuss-nato-industry-cyber-partnership.aspx The General Manager of the NCI Agency, Mr Koen Gijsbers, attended the Global Conference on CyberSpace (GCCS) 2015 that took place from 16 to 17 April in The Hague, the Netherlands. The conference brought together representatives from governments, private sector and civil society to promote practical cooperation in cyberspace, enhance cyber capacity building, and discuss norms for responsible behaviour in cyberspace In the margins of GCCS2015, Mr Gijsbers hosted a Business Executives Dinner Discussion on the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) in cooperation with Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges. Fifteen business leaders representing IT, financial, and critical infrastructure sectors attended the dinner, where they conferred on how private sector and NATO can work together to grapple with the most pressing cyber-challenges that we face In his opening remarks Mr Gijsbers underscored that as cyber-attacks continue to increase in frequency, magnitude, and sophistication, threatening the transatlantic prosperity, security, and stability, the most effective defences for public and private sector alike can only be achieved through enhanced cooperation and robust partnership. Three themes dominated the event • Building the trust to work collaboratively in order to understand cyber risks, raise situational awareness, and improve cyber protection • Facilitating actionable information sharing between NATO and Industry • Advancing innovation by identifying the next cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, promoting small business participation, and enabling application of most innovative technologie The discussion brought a sense of urgency for the need to advance the NICP programme, which was endorsed by NATO Heads of State and Government at the Wales Summit. It also demonstrated that cooperation with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks, is no longer a question of why, but how much and how soon cooperation can be accomplished to enhance cyber resilience, improve incident handling, and mitigate vulnerability to cyber-attacks Mr Gijsbers concluded, NATO is building its relationship with some of the top SME and industry leaders on cyber. We are delivering on the guidance set out at the Wales Summit to intensify its co-operation with industry. NATO recognizes that working with world class and innovative industry will play a key role in addressing cyber threats. We a look forward to working even more closely with the private sector in the future.

The General Manager of the NCI Agency, Mr Koen Gijsbers, attended the Global Conference on CyberSpace (GCCS) 2015 that took place from 16 to 17 April in The Hague, the Netherlands. The conference brought together representatives from governments, private sector and civil society to promote practical cooperation in cyberspace, enhance cyber capacity building, and discuss norms for responsible behaviour in cyberspace.

general 1 295 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-signs-service-level-agreement.aspx On 7 January 2015, the Headquarters of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (SFN) reaffirmed the agreement with NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), in the presence of NCI Agency, CSU Lisbon, LCDR Nelson Dos Santos Martins, Portuguese Navy, the Deputy Commander of STRIKFORNATO, RADM Tim Lowe, Royal Navy, signed the Service Level Agreement (SLA) Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (SFN) recently released an internal communication article highlighting the signing of the SLA. This is a clear statement of the importance SFN gives to the services it receives from the Agency. The SLA signature was the culminating effort led by Demand Management (DM) that required a high-level of coordination within the Agency. For the customer facing unit, this is now the beginning of greater responsibilities, while striving to provide a service level that meets the customer's expectations. SLA will ensure continuity of Information Technology Services in support of the SFN mission

On 7 January 2015, the Headquarters of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (SFN) reaffirmed the agreement with NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), in the presence of NCI Agency, CSU Lisbon, LCDR Nelson Dos Santos Martins, Portuguese Navy, the Deputy Commander of STRIKFORNATO, RADM Tim Lowe, Royal Navy, signed the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

general 1 296 1 about-us/newsroom/natoE28099s-cyber-defenders-win-exercise-locked-shields-2015.aspx The NATO Blue Tea of cyber defenders, made-up of staff from the NCI Agency's Directorate of Infrastructure Services, and Legal Office, has won the largest international live-fire cyber defence exercise – Locked Shields 2015. The winning team had to set-up a virtual network, secure it, and then defend it from relentless and skillful Red Tea attacks over a two-day period. This year 16 nations and the NATO team participated as the defensive teams. Estonia and Poland took second and third place respectively. NATO also collected the Special Scenario Prize It is a superb achievement, providing confirmation that our technology, concepts and most importantly our cyber defenders, are world-class said Mr Ian West, the NCI Agency Chief Cyber Security Service Line The scenario demanded that the NATO Blue Tea generate and deploy a Rapid Reaction Team (RRT) in support of the fictional nation Berylia . Imitating the way a real NATO RRT would be generated, the team included core members of the Cyber Security Service Line and other Agency staff to provide specialist knowledge that was essential to the mission. Importantly, the Exercise also used the RRT equipment recently provided by the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) Full Operating Capability Project. The key to winning Locked Shields is keeping your networks within the exercise open and runnin , explained computer security expert Mr Jaan Priisalu, one of the exercise architects and a senior fellow at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. The exercise starts long before our gamenet opens. Before the active phase, a team has to figure out what they should expect, as well as their plan and division of labour in defending their system , Mr Priisalu emphasized. It is as important that technology specialists are able to talk about what you are doing, be it to the media, public or just your managemen . Locked Shields is an annual real-time network defence exercise, organized since 2010 by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. The largest of its kind globally, Locked Shields is unique in using realistic technologies, networks and attack methods. In addition to technical and forensic challenges, Locked Shields also includes media and legal injects; therefore, providing insight into how complex a modern cyber defence crisis can be, and what is required from nations in order to be able to cope with these threats

The NATO Blue Team of cyber defenders, made-up of staff from the NCI Agency's Directorate of Infrastructure Services, and Legal Office, has won the largest international live-fire cyber defence exercise – Locked Shields 2015. The winning team had to set-up a virtual network, secure it, and then defend it from relentless and skillful Red Team attacks over a two-day period.

general 1 297 1 about-us/newsroom/industry-information-day-held-in-the-hague.aspx On 9 January, NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), in The Hague, Netherlands, hosted a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Functional Services (CBRN-FS) Industry Information Day. The purpose of the event was to provide industry with initial information on the Invitation for Bid, planned to be released in April this year. The meeting attracted almost 50 participants, who represented 27 companies from NATO Nations. The CBRN-FS project is included in Capability Package 9C0107. With estimated investment cost of €7m and high level of complexity, the project is considered a Software Intensive Project. The scope includes support to CBRN planning, as well as warning and reporting functions integrated with other functional services delivered by the Agency.The list of services provided by the CBRN-FS include production of the Recognised CBRN Picture, which shows assets and areas affected by or potentially at risk from CBRN effects, and will be presented in NATO’s Common Operational Picture. The project will provide the first integrated NATO CBRN capability, expected to be fielded to NATO forces and HQs by 2018 For more information please contact Mr Martin Steenwege, Senior Contracting Officer, tel. +32 2 707 8335, Martin.Steenwege@ncia.nato.in

On 9 January, NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), in The Hague, Netherlands, hosted a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Functional Services (CBRN-FS) Industry Information Day.

general 1 298 1 about-us/newsroom/new-programme-director--ballistic-missile-defence-mr-darrell-midgley.aspx On the 26 January, in Brussels, Belgium, the General Manager oversaw a handover ceremony in which the ‘key’ of the BMD Programme Office and Services was handed from the incumbent MGEN (rtd) Alessandro Pera to his successor Mr Darrell Midgley As of 1 February 2015, Mr Midgley will assume the post of Director Ballistic Missile Defence Programme Office and Services (PD BMD PO&S). He will be responsible to the General Manager for the execution, management and delivery of the BMD Programme in accordance with the programmatic directives and guidances established by the BMD Steering Committee and for in-service support of the fielded BMD capabilities In his previous assignment, Darrell was the Chief Information Officer for the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with a wide remit leading ICT and digital transformation across the Department. He has also worked as the Ministry of Defence Head of Networks, managing a large portfolio of C4I programmes and services across Defence and other government departments.

On the 26 January, in Brussels, Belgium, the General Manager oversaw a handover ceremony in which the ‘key’ of the BMD Programme Office and Services was handed from the incumbent MGEN (rtd) Alessandro Pera to his successor Mr Darrell Midgley.

general 1 299 1 about-us/newsroom/nac-approves-nato-federated-mission-networking-implementation-plan.aspx On 29 January 2015 the NATO Federated Mission Networking Implementation Plan (NFIP) was approved by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) [Ref. C-M(2015)0003-AS1, dated 30 Jan 2015]. To rapidly and routinely create federated mission networks for future operations, the NFIP has been created to apply the lessons identified from the Afghanistan Mission Network (AMN) and also from the deployed multinational communication information systems (CIS) provided to the NATO Response Force (NRF). The NFIP will require changes to the technologies, standards and configurations of the networks provided by the Nations, Partner Nations and common funded NATO resources. It will also require collective changes to the processes and organizations that establish and develop the capabilities required for operations networks Over the next two years, NCI Agency will be required to play its part in this transformation. This will require NCI Agency (through its work for Allied Command for Operations (ACO), Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Board (NC3B)) to re-focus many of its services and implementation programs and projects to support the successful implementation of the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) capability by common funded NATO organizations and in co-ordination with Affiliated National forces of the Alliance and interested Partner Nations. Key events in the near future will be the Exercises Steadfast Cobalt and Trident Juncture in 2015 and 2016, for which NCI Agency will be tasked to begin to demonstrate the application of FMN principles and also to prepare NATO Response Force 16 (NRF16) and NATO Response Force 17 (NRF17) For further information please see the FMN Vide

On 29 January 2015 the NATO Federated Mission Networking Implementation Plan (NFIP) was approved by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) [Ref. C-M(2015)0003-AS1, dated 30 Jan 2015].

general 1 300 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-signs-contract-for-theatre-missile-defence-upgrades.aspx On 11 May 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) signed a €92.5M contract with ThalesRaytheonSystems for a significant upgrade to NATO’s current missile defence command and control capability. By bringing new capabilities to NATO’s Air Command and Control System (ACCS), the contract will strengthen and expand the functionality of NATO’s existing missile defence command and control system. This will allow the Alliance to link national sensors and interceptors, with NATO’s Air Command in Ramstein, Germany, to plan and execute a missile defence battl The execution of this contract will be a major step forward for NATO’s missile defence ” said Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency’s General Manager. This contract further merges two of NATO’s largest common funded investments – air and missile defence – paving the way for an integrated approach. What is important now is its timely execution NCI Agency's General Manager, Koen Gijsbers, and ThalesRaytheonSystems' CEO, Philippe Duhamel, signed the contract at the NCI Agency Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The project involves a transatlantic industrial base across 8 Nations and 15 industry partners ThalesRaytheonSystems is very proud to continue to work for NATO on Missile Defence. We will launch additional functions on top of the ones we develop for the satisfaction of the user community. We are committed to deliver them in order to ensure more integration with nations’ systems ” said Philippe Duhamel, CEO of ThalesRaytheonSystems Increased capabilit The enhancement will bring new capabilities to the ACCS programme for generating, disseminating, and displaying an Integrated Air and Missile Defence picture; threat evaluation and engagement; tasking/status messages; and cueing of organic sensors. It also includes the further development and deployment of the Defence Design System that will support distributed and collaborative planning through simulation and analysis The contract is expected to be completed by 2018. It will be rolled-out in three steps, with the final step offering an integrated single software baseline able to support both air and missile defence Once this contract is executed, the ACCS will become a cornerstone of the future NATO Ballistic Missile Defence capability The NCI Agency is responsible for executing and managing NATO’s priority technology projects, including cyber and missile defence

On 11 May 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) signed a €92.5M contract with ThalesRaytheonSystems for a significant upgrade to NATO’s current missile defence command and control capability.

general 1 301 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-launches-major-it-modernization-effort.aspx On 29 April 2015 the Invitation for Bids (IFB) for one of the major contract of NATO’s IT modernization (ITM) project was sent to industry. The effort is valued at over €170M-plus, including follow-on Contractor Logistics Support This singular event represents ‘the end of the beginning’ of the project, moving the effort from the planning phase into execution. This event marks the beginning of a five and a half year journey that will transform the NATO infrastructure and put it on a modern, sustainable, and efficient footing for the years to come. The changes introduced will be fundamental and move the NATO from a posture of localized service provision to one of centralized provision The release of the IFB package to industry is a major milestone in the journey to a new, cloud-based, infrastructure for NATO. It will affect not only the Agency and how it delivers services but also how our customers consume them. It marks the start of a transition from an old twentieth century IT posture to a modern, future looking Cloud-based approach ” said Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager The statement of work that forms part of the IFB package (which is over 500 pages in length) represents many person-years of effort and includes input from a broad cross section of elements across the Agency. It provides requirements to industry regarding what NATO is trying to achieve across a range of services, without prescribing the solution that it is seeking. It has been designed from the outset with a services paradigm in mind, defining the services and service levels that the NCI Agency must deliver using the new infrastructure, but without constraining industry from innovating and bringing their best ideas to the solution. There will be considerable emphasis in the evaluation to ensure that the selected contractor’s solution represents the best value across the full life-cycle 44 sites across NAT The selected contractor will implement three main data centres in Mons, Belgium; Lago Patria, Italy; and Brussels, Belgium. They will also be responsible for the implementation of infrastructure at other locations, including Enhanced Nodes, Standard Nodes and Remote Nodes, the differences being in regard to how much local processing and storage capabilities are left at the sites. Finally and very importantly, the selected contractor will implement a Service Operations Centres (virtually split across two locations) from which central service management and control of all of the services the Agency provides can be monitored and administered in a robust and resilient way. In total, ITM will touch 44 sites across NATO. NATO is looking for a long-term partnership, not only for the implementation phase but also for aspects of follow-on support. Although services will be delivered by NCI Agency staff, the IFB package that has been released includes a significant effort for contracted logistics support, catering for software licenses, hardware maintenance and spares. It also includes outsourcing of printing, scanning and copying services For more information, please contact Michal Olejarnik, Communication Manage michal.olejarnik@ncia.nato.in , Tel +32 475 907 040.

On 29 April 2015 the Invitation for Bids (IFB) for one of the major contract of NATO’s IT modernization (ITM) project was sent to industry. The effort is valued at over €170M-plus, including follow-on Contractor Logistics Support.

general 1 302 1 about-us/newsroom/foreign-ministerial-outcomes-announced.aspx Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Mauris vulputate, velit sit amet dictum dictum, risus nisi commodo ante, id facilisis velit leo vitae nisi.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Mauris vulputate, velit sit amet dictum dictum, risus nisi commodo ante, id facilisis velit leo vitae nisi.

From 12 May to 14 May, the NATO Foreign Ministers met for a two-day ministerial in Antalya, Turkey. During the event, the Foreign Ministers discussed several issues

general 1 303 1 about-us/newsroom/foreign-ministerial-outcomes-announced-2.aspx From 12 May to 14 May, the NATO Foreign Ministers met for a two-day ministerial in Antalya, Turkey. During the event, the Foreign Ministers discussed several issues – most notably boosting cooperation with the European Union and other partners; NATO support to the Ukraine; and maintaining NATO presence in Afghanistan. Boosting cooperation with NATO partners EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, met with the Ministers on how NATO and the EU could better cooperate against hybrid threats, which combine conventional attacks with subversion, cyberattacks, deception, and disinformation. Both Federica Mogherini and I have decided to task our teams to intensify NATO-EU cooperation in countering hybrid warfare NATO Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg said. We will ensure that the strategies we are developing are complementary, so that we can work together quickly and effectively in case of a hybrid threat against our members he added Also on the agenda was the further development of cooperation between NATO and partner nations, Finland and Sweden, specifically on how NATO can consult and share more information about developments in the Baltic Sea region. We will also look at how we can conduct more joint exercises confirmed Mr Stoltenberg NATO confirm full support of the Ukrain On Wednesday, 13 May the Ministers met with their Ukrainian counterpart Mr Pavlo Klimkin during the NATO-Ukraine Commission session. The Secretary General expressed concerns about Russia's statements about possible future stationing of nuclear weapons and delivery systems in Crimea He also added that NATO is concerned by Russia's efforts to further build up its presence in the Black Sea region warning that this could have further implications on regional stability The Secretary General urged Russia to cease destabilizing eastern Ukraine; withdraw its support for the separatists; withdraw its forces and military equipment from Ukraine and along the border; and seek a political solution Mr Stoltenberg also underlined the NCI Agency's support of the Ukraine, declaring we have stepped up our support to Ukraine on command and control; logistics; cyber defence and that the Ukraine will host a NATO-led exercise on disaster response this autumn NATO's continued presence in Afghanista Another topic of discussion was the decision that the Alliance will maintain its presence in Afghanistan after the completion of its current mission, Resolute Support. Today, we took a major decision which shows that we stay committed to Afghanistan. We agreed that we will maintain a presence in Afghanistan, even after the end of our current mission, Resolute Support the Secretary General declared at the end of a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of NATO and partner countries contributing to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission (RSM) He continued, Our future presence will be led by civilians. It will have a light footprint. But it will have a military component NATO's civilian and military authorities will now develop a plan for the continued NATO presence by this autumn Mr Stoltenberg clarified our aim will be to advise and instruct the Afghan security institutions, to help them become self-sufficient, and to build on what we have achieved so far, as part of the broader international effort

From 12 May to 14 May, the NATO Foreign Ministers met for a two-day ministerial in Antalya, Turkey. During the event, the Foreign Ministers discussed several issues

general 1 304 1 about-us/newsroom/cfblnet-welcomes-switzerland-as-newest-guest-mission-partner.aspx Switzerland has joined the Combined Federated Battle Labs Network (CFBLNet) as a mission partner in support of its activities related to Federated Mission Networking (FMN) and coalition exercises. Switzerland applied to participate in interoperability verification and validation initiatives and to cooperate with partners in bi- and multilateral activities, using the unique global federated network infrastructure. CWIX2015 will be the first venue where Switzerland will be participating in the new role. CFBLNet is open to 35 Mission partners all 28 NATO Nations, Austria, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the NATO organization. It provides a unique and cost-effective global federated network infrastructure capability for the mission partners through reuse of the global assets in support of its users. The CFBLNet core node for European nations, NATO Nations and the NATO organizations is operated by the NCI Agency Independent Verification and Validation Service Line (IV&V SL). For more information, visit the CFBLNet websit Contact information LTC Rudolf Amrhein, Swiss CFBLNet Lead Representativ Federal Department of Defenc Civil Protection and Sport DDPS, Swiss Armed Forces Email Ruedi.Amrhein@vtg.admin.c Mr Edgar Harmsen, NATO CFBLNet Lead Representativ IV&V Service Line, the NCI Agency Email Edgar.Harmsen@ncia.nato.in

Switzerland has joined the Combined Federated Battle Labs Network (CFBLNet) as a mission partner in support of its activities related to Federated Mission Networking (FMN) and coalition exercises.

general 1 305 1 about-us/newsroom/cfblnet-holds-annual-management-meeting.aspx From 20 - 24 April, Norway hosted the annual Combined Federated Battle Laboratories Network (CFBLNet) Management Meeting at the military base at Jørstadmoen The five day meeting was opened by COL Stikbakke, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Competency and Transformation Centre at Norwegian Cyber Force, with follow-on addresses from the CFBLNet Executive Group LTC Jacqueline Guillory (Chair), LTC Brenda Sharp (Combined Communications Electronics Board) and the NCI Agency’s Chief of Independent Verification and Validation, Mr Brian Christiansen. The CFBLNet Secretariat – led by Ms Angela Smith, Division Chief, Multinational Information Sharing at the Defense Information Systems Agency – provided outstanding execution and coordination support to the policy and decision authority, and to the mission partners. The consecutive sessions included presentations and working group meetings by the members of the federation. The federation also welcomed the attendance of Switzerland, the newest CFBLNet mission partner. The meeting addressed several major topics including the implementation of the latest CFBLNet strategic plan, infrastructure change management, executed, ongoing and incoming initiatives, increased utilization and reuse of CFBLNet enclaves assets, and the CFBLNet Publication 1 version 8 review During the meeting, NATO proudly announced the release of the CFBLNet vide , which was produced by the NCI Agency Creative Media Centre and highlights the unique coalition network infrastructure capability and several customer successes. NATO was represented by • Mr Brian Christiansen (Representative CFBLNet Executive Group); • Mr Edgar Harmsen (CFBLNet Lead Representative, Initiative and Information Management Workgroup Representative); • Mr Syvert Maesel (CFBLNet Network Workgroup Representative); • Mr Frederic Jordan (CFBLNet Security Workgroup Representative • Mr Jan-Willem Smaal (CFBLNet Network group The General Manager of the NCI Agency, Mr Koen Gijsbers, is the NATO Representative on the CFBLNet Senior Steering Group In addition to the meeting, the latest annual CFBLNet communique 201 was published. The communique provides an overview of the recent and future CFBLNet activities Backgroun The CFBLNet is a multinational, research, development, training, trials and assessment infrastructure for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) based on a multinational global IP backbone network with managed network enclaves on top in support of initiatives. Network infrastructure reuse for multiple multinational and concurrent initiatives is a key element for the CFBLNet mission partners CFBLNet operates as a true federation – no single nation owns the CFBLNet. Each member is responsible for the provisioning and operation of its own sites and systems. CFBLNet fulfils the need for persistent joint multinational and cost effective infrastructure. The capability allows for various partnerships; Combined Communications Electronics Board (CCEB), NATO, bilateral, and multilateral. CFBLNet was established in 2001 and is continuously improving its services to provide the best and most cost effective federated network infrastructure in support of its mission. Currently it consists of 35 mission partners all 28 NATO Nations and Austria, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the NATO organization. CFBLNet is open through sponsorship to additional partner nations, international organizations, industry, and academia. The CFBLNet Management Meeting is facilitated by the Secretariat, and hosted by a CFBLNet Mission Partner. The CFBLNet core node for European nations, NATO Nations and NATO organizations is managed by the NCI Agency Independent Verification and Validation Service Line For more information, visit the CFBLNet website or contact the NATO CFBLNet lead Representative Mr Edgar Harmsen, Edgar.Harmsen@ncia.nato.in

From 20 - 24 April, Norway hosted the annual Combined Federated Battle Laboratories Network (CFBLNet) Management Meeting at the military base at Jørstadmoen.

general 1 306 1 about-us/newsroom/it-modernization-project-holds-successful-bidders-conference.aspx As previously reported, the IT Modernization (ITM) project released the Invitation for Bids (IFB) on 29 April 2015. The main contract of ITM includes delivering the foreseen data centres, local nodes and service operation centres, and associated integration and migration activities In order to walk prospective bidders through the solicitation requirements and explain the procedures they must follow for submitting their bids, the Agency held a Bidders Conference in Brussels, Belgium, on 1 and 2 June. The contract included both implementation activities and follow-on contracted logistics support (CLS), which represents up to €178M of business over the next 10 years The General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, opened the conference and highlighted the following key points to the prospective bidders This is NATO’s flagship IT project that has the interest of all 28 Nations; The benefits to NATO are savings, services better protected against cyber-attack, higher and measurable levels of service with greater flexibility and resiliency The project faces many challenges including a wide geographic scope consisting of 44 locations across Alliance nations’ territory, an aggressive schedule, a high degree of automation in order to reduce manpower numbers and skills while delivering higher levels of service; the high pace of technology change that must be accommodated, and the migration of running services from the old infrastructure to the new ITM is industries’ opportunity to propose to NATO their best and most innovative solutions, as NATO will need the most talented and most creative team on the job, not only at bid time, but throughout delivery In order for the project to succeed a high degree of transparency and trust will be required NATO and the winning bidder will enter into a long term partnership that must be based on honesty if it is to endure and succeed; NATO is looking for a trusted long-term partner, with whom we can share our success The one and a half day conference was well attended by over 150 representatives from 70 companies. Day one focused on the ITM scope and vision, contractual aspects, bid preparation and submission expectations and technical requirements. The morning of 2 June was dedicated to answering questions from industry. The NCI Agency was pleased to hear compliments from industry about the organization of the conference from both a conduct and content perspective. A key aspect of the conference was the introduction to industry of the new NCI Agency IT Modernization team. Mr Frank Mikla is the new NCI Agency Programme Lead for IT , while the Project Manager is Mr Łukasz Sokołowski. With the completion of the Bidders Conference the Agency will continue to answer requests for clarifications from industry and anticipates bid closing on 23 July 2015. The next work package to be launched is the single procurement vehicle for NATO for client devices. This is an important component of the ITM project and is expected to be under competition later this year

As previously reported, the IT Modernization (ITM) project released the Invitation for Bids (IFB) on 29 April 2015.

general 1 307 1 about-us/newsroom/csu-stavanger-supports-exercise-dynamic-mongoose.aspx From 2 – 14 May, NATO conducted Dynamic Mongoose-L 2015 (DYMON15), their biggest anti-submarine warfare exercise, in cooperation with Maritime Air Exercise Control (MARAIR EXCON), Maritime Air Briefing Team (MARAIR BRT) and Maritime Air In-Stride Debrief Team (MARAIR IDT) Spaces at Sola Airbase near Stavanger, Norway. CSU Stavanger’s role in Dynamic Mongoos CSU Stavanger successfully supported the event with CIS, including the deployment and redeployment of end-user devices delivered by the CIS Sustainment Support Centre (CSSC). The setup of the working environment took place from 16 – 29 April and was established in the Combat Operations Centre (COC) building at Sola Airbase in a mix of NATO Secret, NATO Confidential, and Public Internet communications From 2 – 14 May about 20 military and civilian personnel were supported during extended working hours from 08 00-20 00 and on call from 20 00-23 00. Tear-down, wiping of the workstations, packing and palletizing of the CIS equipment was done on 15 and 18 May. About Dynamic Mongoos DYMON15 is a NATO Live Exercise (LIVEX) for drills focused on detecting and defending against submarines, and is conducted off the coast of Norway, with command & control (C2) and Exercise Control (EXCON) functions at Sola Airbase. There, the EXCON In-Stride Debrief Team (IDT) performed reconstruction and analysis of all the Anti-Submarine Warfare serials for all players, and the Briefing Team (BRT) did the preparation for the Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) missions exclusively.

From 2 – 14 May, NATO conducted Dynamic Mongoose-L 2015 (DYMON15), their biggest anti-submarine warfare exercise

general 1 308 1 about-us/newsroom/logfs-on-track-first-critical-milestone-achieved.aspx On 20 May Sopra Steria passed the logistic functional area services (LOGFS) Project Management Review (PMR) milestone successfully. The PMR was the first of ten critical milestones in the LOGFS schedule, with the next being the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone, a high-level initial review covering the entire LOG FS scope due on 20 August. LOGFS will integrate, consolidate and improve a range of existing logistics and financial capabilities and introduce medical functionality for the first time The success of the PMR coincided with the first full LOGFS Project Board, held in The Hague on 19 May. Bert Tiems was the Chair as Project Executive; the board enjoyed Senior User representation from the user community for the first time. BGEN István Kopcsó (ACOS JMed at SHAPE), COL Viorel Ros (representing the ACOS J4), Laura Ciarlone and Peter Brownbill, both representing the finance interests of ACO and ACT respectively, were present. Sopra Steria are the contracted supplier for LOGFS and they were strongly represented with Mick Grayson their NATO Account Manager and Senior Supplier on the Project Board accompanied by Peter Godwin, Head of Defence Logistics and Personnel, and Stuart Andrews, Solution Centre & Delivery Director (Defence & Emergency Services). ACT (Capability Integration), the NATO Support Agency and the NCI Agency were also represented

On 20 May Sopra Steria passed the logistic functional area services (LOGFS) Project Management Review (PMR) milestone successfully.

general 1 309 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec-conference-on-business-opportunities-concludes.aspx On 7 May the NITEC conference, held in Madrid, Spain, came to a close. This year, over 500 senior representatives from NATO, as well as from European and North American industry attended the conference to discuss NATO C4ISR business opportunities NITEC is a collaborative venture between the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) and AFCEA Europ . Held annually, this conference draws high-level defence experts from NATO, the Allied militaries, industry and academia to discuss the latest technological developments and to collaborate on NATO C4ISR business opportunities and major procurements This year’s conference, held 5 - 7 May 2015, focused on Applications, Education and Training in C4ISR. In addition to the formal conference sessions, each day during NITEC 2015, NCI Agency representatives offered advice on how to do business with NATO (i.e. contracting mechanisms such as the Basic Ordering Agreement). The exhibitio provided a close look at cutting-edge hard and software applications and the AFCEA Business-to-Business (B2B) Speed Dating Worksho allowed industry participants the chance to meet each other during pre-arranged bilateral meetings to find new business opportunities. Special Theme Tracks - Lessons Learned from Previous/Ongoing Operation - NATO Industry Cyber Partnershi - IT Modernizatio - Future C4ISR Application - Cyber Trainin - Distributed Trainin For more information and pictures of the event, please visit www.nitec.internationa

On 7 May the NITEC conference, held in Madrid, Spain, came to a close. This year, over 500 senior representatives from NATO, as well as from European and North American industry attended the conference to discuss NATO C4ISR business opportunities.

general 1 310 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-begins-feasibility-study-for-bulgarias-air-surveillance-capability.aspx On Thursday 4 June 2015, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) commenced the feasibility study for Bulgaria's Air Surveillance Capability. The event was marked with a signature ceremony hosted by the Bulgarian Delegation to NATO. The study is one of the top nine priority projects outlined in Bulgaria's National Programme, which lays out the strategy and implementation plan for modernizing their armed forces. The signature ceremony was attended by the Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador Ivan Naydenov; the Military Representative to NATO and EU, Lieutenant General Galimir Phelivanov; Defence Advisor, Ms Teodora Genchovska; Deputy Military Representative, COL Krasimir Kanev; Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) Representative, Mr Petko Aleksandrov; and the C3 Representative, LTC Stefan Stanchev from Bulgarian Delegation to NATO. The NCI Agency was represented by the General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, and the Director Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov. The NCI Agency and Bulgari The NCI Agency has a longstanding cooperation agreement in the domain of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) activities with Bulgaria through a Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2010 and extended on 27 March 2015 for another five years. The air surveillance capability is a critical contribution to the implementation of NATO's Readiness Action Plan (RAP), the Alliance's top priority before the Warsaw Summit in July 2016. As one of the Territorial Host Nations for the extension of NATO's new Air Command and Control System, building an enhanced and effective recognized air picture of Bulgaria is of significant importance NCI Agency's support to Bulgaria is part of an overall effort in assisting NATO nations with the RAP implementation, and supporting national modernization programs in the C4ISR area, in line with the NATO Interoperability Secure, Affordable, Fast, Easy (NISAFE) initiative. The NCI Agency is responsible for providing advanced communications and information technology to support NATO operations and missions. It operates and defends NATO networks

On Thursday 4 June 2015, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) commenced the feasibility study for Bulgaria's Air Surveillance Capability.

general 1 311 1 about-us/newsroom/airc2is-receives-positive-assessment-from-operational-users.aspx A User Assessment Test (UAT) of the AirC2IS Baseline 3 (BL3) software was conducted at NCI Agency The Hague from 1 to 5 June 2015 and resulted in a strong recommendation from the users to deploy it to five NATO Command Structure (NCS) sites. 15 users from AIRCOM, JFC Brunssum, MARCOM and CAOC Uedem conducted the UAT, and the execution was overseen by four representatives from SHAPE and ACT. It was a busy week with five test streams running in parallel to assess Order of Battle (ORBAT), Joint/Prioritised Critical Asset List (PCAL/JPCAL), Defence Design management, Intel and situation awareness functionality. The operational users performed the test with vignettes and data that were based on the Cerasia scenario and some Ensemble Test and JPOW recordings. The operators were also given the opportunity to run adhoc tests with their own data (e.g. ISAF recordings, etc.). The Atos contractor team of engineers, domain experts, developers and testers worked diligently, together with the NCI Agency project team, to provide the necessary support to ensure a successful event. Overall, it was a thorough test which resulted in a comprehensive assessment of the system, relevant findings and confidence from the users that they understood the capability. The users were pleased with the human-machine interface (HMI) and workflow, and positively stated that AirC2IS is better than the current TBMD planning system of record, PlaTo. Deployment of the capability will begin in July 2015 at AIRCOM and continue thereafter with rollout to JFC Brunssum, JFC Naples, MARCOM and the DACCC

A User Assessment Test (UAT) of the AirC2IS Baseline 3 (BL3) software was conducted at NCI Agency The Hague from 1 to 5 June 2015 and resulted in a strong recommendation from the users to deploy it to five NATO Command Structure (NCS) sites.

general 1 312 1 about-us/newsroom/customer-services-catalogue-available-on-the-dnbl-portal.aspx Recently, the NCI Agency took a major leap forward in the way we present our services to our customers by hosting the Customer Services Catalogue (CSC) on the DNBL Communities of Interest (COI) Service Exchange portal The DNBL has helped to take the CSC to the next level of maturity by offering a web-based CS that allows customers within various COIs to quickly access information about NCI Agency services and to use filters to easily find the services they are looking for. Bringing the Agency Services into focu The new web-based catalogue benefits the Agency in two major ways the first and most prominent benefit being our transparency with customers, as the CSC is the authoritative source of the description of the NCI Agency services. Web-based CSC is clearly answering three of our customer’s top questions what is the NCI Agency, what services do the Agency provide, and how to request these service ” says Eric Lievre, Chief Strategic Partnership and Customer Relationship Management Branch, Demand Management Directorate The second major benefit is that DNBL is an accessible platform, as not all of our customers have access to NATO networks, DNBL portal allows us to reach all of our customers. Digitalizing the CSC enables all Agency customers, industry partners, and staff to perform quick internet searches for services the Agency offers. The DNBL Porta DNBL is a shared web-based framework for various COI that aims to improve coherency and interoperability of the Consultation, Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities by sharing information between NATO, Nations, industry, and academia. It not only improves efficiencies, but it also promotes more effective use of NATO’s resources. In the case of the CSC, DNBL provides the Agency with an external platform that will keep our customers informed of the latest service changes. What’s next for DNBL DNBL is currently composed of over 20 collaboration sites grouped in seven main COIs Federated Mission Networking (FMN), NATO Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (JISR), Electronic Warfare, Logistics, Cyber Security, Interoperability and Modeling and Simulation. The next step is developing the web presence of DNBL to create a visually appealing, and intuitively designed platform that will further promote information sharing and collaboration, thereby facilitating more interaction with the customers and visibility of Agency services in support of the NATO 1st Solution approach. For more information on the DNBL, contact Mr Pierre Calve or visit the DNBL websit For more information on the web-based CSC, contact Mrs Agata Szydelko or visit the online CS

Recently, the NCI Agency took a major leap forward in the way we present our services to our customers by hosting the Customer Services Catalogue (CSC) on the DNBL Communities of Interest (COI) Service Exchange portal.

general 1 313 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-launches-new-internship-programme.aspx This summer the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is launching a new Internship Programme in The Hague, Brussels and Mons. The programme will recruit interns through an external and formalized process to ensure the most qualified candidate is chosen. In the coming year, we will advertise positions in over 16 fields and 21 departments. The new Internship Programme will provide you with an opportunity to gain valuable work experience from the Agency and an understanding of the workings of an international C4ISR organization. For information on eligibility criteria, compensation and more, visit our Internship Programme webpage.

This summer the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is launching a new Internship Programme in The Hague, Brussels and Mons. The programme will recruit interns through an external and formalized process to ensure the most qualified candidate is chosen.

general 1 314 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-staff-member-honoured-with-medal-of-merit.aspx On 25 June 2015, the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland - Minister of National Defence, Mr Tomasz Siemoniak presented NATO Communications and Information Agency staff member, Mrs Agata Szydelko, with a Medal of Merit for National Defence (Polish Medal Za Zasługi dla Obronności Kraju). The decoration ceremony took place at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the North Atlantic Council in Brussels, Belgium, in presence of Permanent Representative, Ambassador Jacek Najder and Military Representative, MGEN Andrzej Fałkowski The Medal of Merit for National Defence is a decoration of the Ministry of National Defence of Poland. Established 21 April 1966 and revised in 1991, the medal recognizes meritorious service that strengthens the military of the Republic of Poland. The hardest battles for national and global security take place through hard work and commitment pursued by the civil servants and military staff in national and international settings. Although we realize how difficult this work is, it is not always properly recognized ” said Deputy Prime Minster Siemoniak. The award of the Medal to Mrs Szydelko is in recognition of her twelve years work with the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) and the NCI Agency As Senior Contracting Officer in the Acquisition Division, Mrs Szydelko was responsible for coordinating the Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) Programme, and promoting small and medium enterprises involvement in cooperation with NATO. She managed contracts for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) (Force Tracking System, tetrapol radios), the Kosovo Force (satellite communication), and software acquisitions like the Maritime Command and Control System (MCCIS) or the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement that addressed the national and Territorial Host Nations requirements. Mrs Szydelko currently holds the position of Principal Business Development Manager in Demand Managemen , where she leads the development of Smart Defence Multinational Projects and Partnerships in the field of Cyber Defence, Defence Planning or use of NATO Software Tools by the Nations, this last area being of vital importance in particular in the context of NATO’s Readiness Action Plan implementation. Previously, she was also in charge of account management and bilateral cooperation development with Eastern and South Eastern Europe, actively supporting enhancement of national capabilities and interoperability between NATO and national systems. In 2012, Mrs Szydelko completed the NATO Executive Development Program, with the “NATO Internal Communication” report findings implemented by the NATO Headquarters. Mrs Szydelko also published in international journals and specialist magazines, sharing the experience and knowledge related to NATO cooperation with other international organizations and development of multinational cooperation between Nations

On 25 June 2015, the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland - Minister of National Defence, Mr Tomasz Siemoniak presented NATO Communications and Information Agency staff member, Mrs Agata Szydelko, with a Medal of Merit for National Defence (Polish Medal Za Zasługi dla Obronności Kraju).

general 1 315 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-praised-for-steadfast-cobalt-exercise.aspx NCI Agency staff received praise for their contribution to the success of Steadfast Cobalt, a major NATO exercise held in June. The exercise tested the communication and information systems of the 2016 NATO Response Force rotation The exercise was one of the largest and most complex tests of NATO deployable communication systems since the Fall of the Berlin Wall. From the communication and information systems point of view, it was a critical step towards the certification of the elements that will be on standby in 2016 for the NATO Response Force The NATO CIS Group, which organized the exercise, was supported by over 50 Agency subject matter experts. Support provided includes 3rd level support for the networks used in the exercise, functional area services and cyber defence. Innovatio The exercise tested a number of innovative concepts such as the “Mission Information Room” reachback for deployed networks and applications. It also progressed two major NATO initiatives Federated Mission Networking and the Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance During the Distinguished Visitors day, Mr Guy Feat, Agency Director of Applications Services, and Brigadier General Luigi Tomaiuolo, Director of Service Operations, visited members of the Agency team who were on the ground supporting the exercise

NCI Agency staff received praise for their contribution to the success of Steadfast Cobalt, a major NATO exercise held in June.

general 1 316 1 about-us/newsroom/lead-nations-launch-nato-c4-trust-fund-initial-projects.aspx The NCI Agency plays a key role in supporting Ukraine as the Executing Agent for the NATO Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) Trust Fund, which is led by Canada, Germany and United Kingdom. The objective of the C4 Trust Fund is to help Ukraine modernize its C4 structures and capabilities, and facilitate their interoperability with NATO, thereby contributing to NATO-led exercises and operations, and enhancing Ukraine’s ability to provide for its own security On 25 June 2015, the Allied Ministers expressed their continuous support for Ukraine during a meeting on the NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC) at the NATO Defence Ministerial The UK Defence Secretary, Mr Michael Fallon, and NATO’s Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, both referenced the launch of two initial projects during the NUC meeting. As one of the lead nations administering the Trust Fund, I welcome its launch and the opportunity for the UK and NATO to provide further support to Ukraine. The Fund will assist the Ukrainian government in modernizing its vital C4 capabilities, and enhance its ability to provide for its own security and contribute to NATO-led exercises and operations. These are significant projects which demonstrate both the UK’s and NATO’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, and \developing its defensive capabilities in the immediate and longer term ” said UK Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon The five NATO trust funds are up and running. And we are making real progress. In recent days, we have launched projects on secure communications and regional airspace security. These are key areas ” declared NATO’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg Tactical Communications Suppor The Tactical Communications Support Project focuses on addressing critical shortfalls for units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with a view to improving their near-term efficiency and security, while supporting the long-term goal of interoperability with NATO. The main objective is to identify surplus assets in NATO and NATO Nations that are suitable for use by Ukraine, potentially augmented with specific new acquisitions to provide a coherent and complete capability, in coordination with national bilateral projects. The initial phase of the project will focus on the identification and provision of available assets from NATO storage to ensure interim capability is available while the wider stocktaking is taking place Regional Airspace Security Programme (RASP The purpose of the Regional Airspace Security Programme (RASP) is to provide a cross-border coordination capability to Ukraine for the handling of air security incidents, and to promote regional airspace cooperation and improve internal civil/military coordination RASP will connect with neighbouring countries to acquire and provide early and real-time notification about airspace threats, security incidents and suspicious aircraft, through the sharing of air pictures, direct voice coordination and joint procedures. The first activity within this program will be RASP Pathfinder Project, a “quick win” pilot project in which a system will be interfaced with Ukrainian sensors and an existing network connecting Norway, Poland and Turkey. This project will be completed with a test and demonstration. The design of these high visibility “quick win” projects was made possible thanks to the leadership of the Lead Nations for the Trust fund, and efforts by the Defence Investment Division of NATO Headquarters and the NCI Agency Please click her for more information on NATO Practical Support to Ukraine Please click her for the Press Statement on the NATO-Ukraine Commission Meeting

The NCI Agency plays a key role in supporting Ukraine as the Executing Agent for the NATO Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) Trust Fund, which is led by Canada, Germany and United Kingdom. The objective of the C4 Trust Fund is to help Ukraine modernize its C4 structures and capabilities, and facilitate their interoperability with NATO, thereby contributing to NATO-led exercises and operations, and enhancing Ukraine’s ability to provide for its own security.

general 1 317 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-welcomes-activation-of-new-air-command-and-control-system.aspx On Friday (3 July 2015), NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Patrick Auroy welcomed the activation of NATO’s new Air Command and Control System (ACCS). Italy recently decided to declare the first ACCS site operational, with other NATO and national sites to follow in 2015 and subsequent years. Poggio Renatico in Italy is the first ACCS site in NATO to achieve operational status. In addition to a static NATO air command and control centre, the site also hosts a deployable ACCS capability that SACEUR can use to conduct complex air operations anywhere in NATO or out of area. It is expected that this capability may also support NATO’s Readiness Action Plan, if required This is a major step forwar ,” said the Assistant Secretary General; I express my great appreciation to the Italian authorities and to NATO’s Air Command and Control community, the NATO Communication and Information Agency and industry who made this possible. I look forward to the speedy activation of the next sites. This system is a good example of integrated national and NATO defence capabilitie . For full article, follow NATO homepage her

On Friday (3 July 2015), NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Patrick Auroy welcomed the activation of NATO’s new Air Command and Control System (ACCS). Italy recently decided to declare the first ACCS site operational, with other NATO and national sites to follow in 2015 and subsequent years.

general 1 318 1 about-us/newsroom/mn-cd2-nations-agree-to-two-new-work-packages.aspx From 17-18 June, the Dutch Ministry of Defence hosted the eighth Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) Board Meeting in the Netherlands. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Netherlands (Chairman), Canada, Norway and Romania, as well as a representative from Finland who will join MN CD2 later this year. During the meeting, the Netherlands, Canada and Romania, signed task orders for two new work packages Cyber Information and Incident Coordination Support (CIICS) and Cyber Security Assessment Team (CSAT) Concept. The new work package The CIICS support task order will enable the NCI Agency to govern, operate and maintain the NATO CIICS Federation on behalf of participating Nations. The CSAT task order will fully explore the feasibility and costs associated with developing a CSAT as a multinational project through a CSAT Continual Operational Readiness Environment (CSAT CORE) – a central, multinational “skeleton” cyber security assessment capability The Board also endorsed the way forward for the Cyber Defence Situational Awareness (CDSA) Work Package, most importantly the CDSA Solutions Conferenc that will be held in Bucharest 22-24 September 2015 The next MN CD2 Board will be hosted at the NCI Agency from 25-26 November 2015 Joining the MN CD2 projec The MN CD2 project is open to all NATO Nations. The MN CD2 Board considers acceptance of Partner Nations joining the project on a case-by-case basis. Finland is currently in this process NATO Nations interested in joining the MN CD2 Smart Defence project are invited to contact Ms Agata Szydelk Principal Partnership Development Manage Demand Management Directorat Tel +32 2 707 824 Email agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in

From 17-18 June, the Dutch Ministry of Defence hosted the eighth Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) Board Meeting in the Netherlands.

general 1 319 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-selects-partners-for-the-cyber-incubator-pilot-project.aspx In a major step forward on strengthening collaboration and innovation with the private sector, the NATO Communications and Information Agency has selected five new industry and academic partners for the Cyber Incubator pilot project, which aims at accelerating innovation on key cyber challenges The Selection Proces The Agency received over 40 proposals – including from small businesses and academia – and selected, in a competitive process, the partners that provided the most innovative solutions to address challenges in the areas of big data, cyber defence situational awareness, and mobile security. The NCI Agency will collaborate with the following partners Big Data Fusion Engine • IntelWorks, the Netherland Cyber Defence Situational Awareness • Thales, Franc Mobile Security • University of Genova, Ital • Hewlett-Packard (HP), US • PQ Solutions Ltd, U The results of the pilot project will be presented at the upcoming cyber security symposium NIAS2015 Advancing Cyber Defence Collaboration and Innovation, a view from withi ”, which will be held from 15 - 17 September 2015 at the Mons Expo in Belgium Advancing Cyber Innovatio At the Wales Summit, the Alliance leaders recognized that Technological innovations and expertise from the private sector are crucial to enable NATO and Allies to achieve the Enhanced Cyber Defence Policy's objectives ” Following this discussion, the Alliance agreed to launch the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). The NICP will foster closer engagement – in particular with small and medium sized enterprises – in order to develop innovative cyber defence solutions.

In a major step forward on strengthening collaboration and innovation with the private sector, the NATO Communications and Information Agency has selected five new industry and academic partners for the Cyber Incubator pilot project, which aims at accelerating innovation on key cyber challenges.

general 1 320 1 about-us/newsroom/final-systems-acceptance-for-czech-and-hungarian-radars.aspx Tuesday 14 July 2015 marked an exceptional milestone for the integration of Hungary into the NATO collective air defence, and the culmination of years of hard work for a strong multidisciplinary team within the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), NSPA, national experts, air force operators and our industrial partners Hosted by the Deputy State Secretary of Economic Affairs of Ministry of Defence, Dr Attila Puskás, chaired by the Minister of Defence Dr Csaba Hende and the NCI Agency General Manager, the Final Systems Acceptance for the Hungarian and Czech chapter of the Fixed Air Defence Radars was formalized on the premises of the amazing Medina radar site, in Hungary Initiated shortly after the accession to NATO on 12 March 1999 of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, the Capability Package 5A0044 defined an ambitious programme intended to build and reinforce the Nations' air and missile defence core sensors capability with modern radar technology, and enable their future participation in the Air Command and Control System. These radars feature primary and secondary detection, with 3D target positioning and Identification, friend or foe interrogation over civilian and military encrypted protocols. With a total investment close to 150 MEUR, a broad team was gathered across the Agency, and Selex ES was awarded the contract for all sites after an International Competitive Bid Such complex projects are never without challenges; the Medina radar had to be relocated twice on environmental grounds and some performance issues were also identified by our electronic warfare experts which led to tremendous technical improvements achieved through years of performance testing and enhancements. In the end we can all be proud to affirm that the NATO Fixed Air Defence Radars are the best and most reliable of their generation Dr Attila Puskás expressed Hungary's satisfaction during his introductory discourse With the implementation and acceptance for service of the RAT-31DL radars in three locations, the Hungarian military radar warfare opened a new page. These new radars require a new approach to operations […]. With these, new radar systems both the domestic and the NATO air defence system have strengthened. It is important to emphasize that the excellent and fruitful relationship among the people working in the programme from NCI Agency, the vendor and the Nations was one of the keys to succes . The journey is not over. With additional requirements for Cyber Security and High-level Architecture integration, the team will soon be taking on-board additional staff from our cyber defence and education & training service lines. In parallel, the Joint ISR Service Line and AirC2 PO are consolidating the Alliance's collective air defence capability by implementing additional fixed sensors and deployable mixed technology sensors for the Air Command and Control System. For related story by Hungarian Ministry of Defence click her

Tuesday 14 July 2015 marked an exceptional milestone for the integration of Hungary into the NATO collective air defence

general 1 321 1 about-us/newsroom/video-enabling-interoperability-a-short-overview-of-cfblnet.aspx When nations work together in a coalition it is essential that each coalition member's national technology and systems are able to seamlessly unite with other another to work towards the common goal of supporting the warfighter; this is known as interoperability. The Combined Federated Battle Laboratories Network (CFBLNet) is a secure federated global information-sharing infrastructure that is used to verify and detect inconsistencies that could hinder interoperability in existing and future capabilities in the area of Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR). CFBLNet currently has 268 security cross-certified sites in 14 nations and NATO and is operated in a partnership between the Combined Communications Electronics Board (CCEB), NATO and the United States of America. Background informatio CFBLNet was established in 2001 and is currently open to 34 Mission Partners. CFBLNet grew out of the need for persistent joint multinational and cost-effective infrastructure for trial, assessment, testing, exercise and training. The capability allows for various partnerships both bilateral and multilateral with the Combined Communications Electronics Board (CCEB), Nations, and NATO. CFBLNet is open through sponsorship to additional Mission Partner Nations, international organizations, industry and academia. For more information, please visit the CFBLNet webpag or visit our Youtube pag https //youtu.be/jirgkc_U0w

When nations work together in a coalition it is essential that each coalition member's national technology and systems are able to seamlessly unite with other another to work towards the common goal of supporting the warfighter; this is known as interoperability.

general 1 322 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-awards-contract-for-deployable-air-defence-radars.aspx On Friday 10 July 2015, the NCI Agency awarded a contract amounting to €22M for the provision of two Deployable Air Defence Radars (DADRs) for NATO Air Command and Control Surveillance and Identification to the Spanish company “INDRA SISTEMAS” The contract was signed for Indra by Mr Carlos Suarez, the Executive Vice-President and Mr Domingo Castro, the Radar and Electronic Defence Director, respectively and by the NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers in the presence of the Spanish Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Miguel Aguirre de Cárcer. Indra was awarded the contract following an International Competitive Bidding procedure with the Best Value selection criteria The DADRs will provide long range, 3 dimensional detection capability of both cooperative and non-cooperative targets. These systems will form the basis of air surveillance and cooperative identification capability for the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre which is responsible for the NATO Deployable Air Command and Control capabilities. These conventional active radars will complement the two passive sensors for which the contract was awarded in May 2014. The system will be designed to support any of the challenging environmental and transportation conditions that may be encountered in deployment locations The Indra solution is based on the 5th generation of the LTR-25 system under development for the Spanish Air Force. The contract also provides an optional Contractor Logistic Support period which will be considered in due course by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency For more information click her

On Friday 10 July 2015, the NCI Agency awarded a contract amounting to €22M for the provision of two Deployable Air Defence Radars (DADRs) for NATO Air Command and Control Surveillance and Identification to the Spanish company “INDRA SISTEMAS”.

general 1 323 1 about-us/newsroom/general-manager-discusses-agency-cooperation-with-polish-deputy-chief-general-staff.aspx On 17 June 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, met with the Deputy Chief General Staff Polish Armed Forces MGEN Anatol Wojtan, in Warsaw, Poland. During the visit, MGEN (rtd) Gijsbers also met with the Director for Armament Policy of the Polish Ministry of National Defence, BGEN Wlodzimierz Nowak. GEN Nowak expressed his appreciation for the excellent cooperation between Poland and the NCI Agency. The main discussion topics included the Ballistic Missile Defence Programme, the implementation of the Readiness Action Plan with particular focus on the NATO Force Integration Unit in Poland, and cooperation with the Multinational Corps North East in Szczecin. In addition, the meeting addressed the ongoing bilateral cooperation and mutual vision of future cooperation as well as opportunities for the Polish National Defence industry MGEN (rtd) Gijsbers then transferred to Bydgoszcz, Poland, where he met with the Commander of the Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC), BGEN Wojciech Grabowski to discuss NCI Agency support to JFTC. For more information, please contact NCI Agency Customer Relationship Management Section T +32 2 707 8574 F +32 2 707 8770 E demand.management@ncia.nato.in

On 17 June 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, met with the Deputy Chief General Staff Polish Armed Forces MGEN Anatol Wojtan, in Warsaw, Poland. During the visit, MGEN (rtd) Gijsbers also met with the Director for Armament Policy of the Polish Ministry of National Defence, BGEN Wlodzimierz Nowak.

general 1 324 1 about-us/newsroom/provisional-site-acceptance-for-accs-system-test-and-validation-facility.aspx After the achievement of the Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Level of Capability 1 (LOC1) Preliminary Software Acceptance (PSWA) last December, the ACCS LOC1 Programme has successfully completed another significant milestone. The Provisional Site Acceptance (PSA) Protocol for the ACCS LOC1 System Test and Validation Facility in Glons was formally signed on 29 July 2015 With this significant step, the Agency takes full ownership of the ACCS STVF as well as the Test & Validation tool which allows the Agency not only to provide in-service support but also test and integration services for the ACCS’ customers in the NATO Command and NATO Force Structures. The STVF itself was subject to intensive and complex testing throughout the ACCS System Test phases which was successfully completed during the performance of the complex and extensive tests of ACCS itself, concluding in September 2014 with the testing of the system. This test involved not only the STVF but also multiple ACCS sites in Belgium (ARS), France (ARS), Germany (CAOC) and Italy (ARS). The STVF is basically composed of two ACCS Test and Validation platforms, providing reference systems for the operational ACCS sites in NATO and National AirC2 units, as well as the provision of the engineering development tool enabling support management, system and software trouble-shooting, system and software maintenance, as well as the building and deployment of ACCS Software. The STVF also provides a simulation component and live interfaces to support the testing process The Test Equipment and Engineering strings will continue to be intensively used in the future to support ACCS Replication activities, Core ACCS LOC1 Spiral 2 Tests, ACCS NATO Baseline maintenance and tests, as well as a multiplicity of related test activities between ACCS and other C2 systems. As the ACCS Core Project Manager, Mr Christophe Gallard, stated after the signature In essence this milestone allows us to close the book on many stories written during the maturation of ACCS in the Validation phase up to the acceptance of STVF. A new chapter is being produced to relate the transition of ACCS into operational service as part of its contribution to the delivery of the command and control of air operations and the protection of NATO airspac ”.

After the achievement of the Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Level of Capability 1 (LOC1) Preliminary Software Acceptance (PSWA) last December, the ACCS LOC1 Programme has successfully completed another significant milestone. The Provisional Site Acceptance (PSA) Protocol for the ACCS LOC1 System Test and Validation Facility in Glons was formally signed on 29 July 2015.

general 1 325 1 about-us/newsroom/csu-lisbon-change-of-command-ceremony.aspx Change of Command Ceremony took place at NCI Agency CSU Lisbon on 12 October 2015. BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo, Director of Support Operations, led the ceremony during which the Unit Commander LCDR Nelson Martins, after 4 years of service within the Agency, welcomed his successor CDR Luís Tomás. CDR Luís Tomás joined the Portuguese Naval Academy in 1987 and was promoted to his current rank in 2010. His last appointment was at the Portuguese Joint CIS Directorate in the Information Assurance and Cyber Defence Branch. The military change of command is a time-honoured ceremony that formalizes the transfer of responsibility and authority of command between one military commander and another. It marks the end of a cycle. New challenges await the CSU Lisbon team, one of them being the support to the new NCIS School once it is implemented in Lisbon. In its future location, the new NCIS School will provide a hub from which not only residential training can be delivered, but also federated, distributed, distance and e-learning, when and where it is need by the force. This will provide a cutting-edge and competitive service to our clients by 2020

Change of Command Ceremony took place at NCI Agency CSU Lisbon on 12 October 2015.

general 1 326 1 about-us/newsroom/nato--europol-support-the-hague-cyber-summer-school.aspx The week of 24-28 August 2015, the city of The Hague hosted its first ever International Cyber Security Summer School, #ICSSS2015. The NCI Agency - in cooperation with Europol and The Hague Security Delta – conceived and delivered this ground-breaking course. The Summer School took place at the Campus of The Hague Security Delta The summer school was strongly supported by The Hague Municipality. Ingrid van Engelshoven, Deputy Mayor of The Hague (Education, International and Economy) opened the event with a reception in the City Hall to welcome the students and organizers. In her opening remarks she highlighted the dependence of the modern economy on cyber security, and the need for increased education and international cooperation to counter cyber threats Experts from the NCI Agency Cyber Security Service Line and Service Strategy, Europol’s Cyber Crime Centre and the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre taught the course, targeting areas of cyber security specific to international organizations Building network The international cyber security summer school is educating a carefully selected group of students on cyber security for international organizations, to help prepare future young professionals for the challenges of cyber security in these complex environments. Participants are all postgraduate students or recent graduates, including staff and interns from NATO and defence industries. The students come from 10 NATO and EU Nations, plus (with special dispensation) from Japan and were selected on the basis of the applicability of their background and career aspirations. In part, the motivation for creating the school, was to begin to foster a community amongst future cyber defence professionals, and thus increase the opportunities for collaboration between international organizations like ours, industry and academi ,” said Michael Street, NCI Agency’s Innovation Manager. It was also an opportunity to build an understanding with these young professionals of the role that NATO and Europol play and thus perhaps increase the number and quality of applications to future recruitment campaign . Technology issues were the main focus but the school also included legal and policy elements relevant to cyber security in international environments. Mentored by experts from the Agency’s Legal Office and the Cyber Security Service Line, the students also worked on projects directly linked to questions the NCI Agency’s customers are asking through the Agency’s scientific programme of work. Project topics included technical threats posed by Bad USB sticks and the technical and policy issues associated with biometric for identification and active defence. In addition, the students engaged in wide-scale tests of two of the innovative technologies for biometric authentication and secure mobile messaging, developed by academic and industry partners under the cyber security incubator initiative, part of the Agency’s Innovation programme The international cyber security summer school, with the support of the Cyber Security Service Line, is an output of Service Strategy’s Innovation Programme. Given the success of the course with very positive reactions from students and mentors, the possibility of making this an annual event or running similar schools addressing other areas of interest to NATO is being considered.

The week of 24-28 August 2015, the city of The Hague hosted its first ever International Cyber Security Summer School, #ICSSS2015. The NCI Agency - in cooperation with Europol and The Hague Security Delta – conceived and delivered this ground-breaking course. The Summer School took place at the Campus of The Hague Security Delta.

general 1 327 1 about-us/newsroom/video--majiic-2-enhancing-technical-interoperability.aspx In 2011 Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States came together to form the Multi-intelligence All-source Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Coalition (MAJIIC 2), a follow-on initiative of MAJIIC. Together the nine Nations collaborated on improving interoperability of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities through standardized technology and procedures. As the project comes to close at the end of 2015, the participating Nations and the NCI Agency continue to advocate for a follow-on project for MAJIIC 2 in order to ensure that future coalitions will be able to instantly integrate, manage and access all national ISR capabilities https //youtu.be/-SnMTl0ajk

In 2011 Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States came together to form the Multi-intelligence All-source Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Coalition (MAJIIC 2), a follow-on initiative of MAJIIC.

general 1 328 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-pilot-project-reveals-key-lesson-on-strengthening-nato-cyber-defence.aspx In a major step toward developing new models for NATO-industry cooperation on cyber defence, the NCI Agency recently conducted a Cyber Security Incubator Pilot Project, and concluded that greater mutual understanding through real-time collaboration with industry can speed the integration of innovative solutions into the Alliance's cyber defences. Through the incubator, NATO, industry, and academic participants worked together on defining challenges and investigating innovative solutions in the areas of big data and data fusion, cyber defence situational awareness, and mobile security. This allowed the Alliance and its private sector partners to gain more clarity into the other's view of specific cyber challenges that are highly relevant to NATO. Speak the same languag Demonstration projects and interactive workshops revealed a key initial lesson it is imperative to speak the same language on cyber defence in order for NATO and industry to work together effectively. Different organizations or companies often attach different meanings to the vocabulary of cyber defence, including terms such as incidents, threats, or assets. Discussion forums and side-by-side collaboration through the pilot project led to better industry understanding of the terminology and concepts NATO uses in communicating its cyber defence requirements. It also opened the opportunity for industry to discuss gaps in their solutions with respect to NATO requirements and to identify new ways to use existing solutions. These efforts can make NATO networks more resilient in the face of cyber threats sharper industry insight into NATO's cyber defence context combined with better NATO understanding of industry solutions can create a virtuous cycle of efficient communication leading to faster development of cyber solutions more relevant to NATO's needs. This harnesses the widely-recognized idea in the high tech sector that technology companies often improve their products alongside their customers NATO Industry Cyber Partnershi The combined dynamics of fast-evolving cyber tactics and dramatic growth in commercial innovation with military applications in the cyber domain have resulted in the need for new approaches to cyber defence. The Cyber Security Incubator Pilot Project is one of NATO's first initiatives to address these trends and marks a significant milestone in the development of the new NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). Alliance leaders endorsed the NICP at the Wales Summit last year and launched it at the NATO Information Assurance Symposium 2014, recognizing that NATO and industry face shared risks in cyberspace, and that addressing these challenges requires new frameworks for action Incubator pilot projec The NCI Agency developed the cyber security incubator concept with the aim of exploring a new model for cooperation between NATO and industry partners that could decrease the time to develop responses to NATO's cyber security challenges. The incubator pilot project identified an approach to bring rapid results from academia and industry to NATO, and discussions are underway to determine how this framework could be extended to integrate these ideas into NATO's IT environment in a timeframe that keeps pace with evolving cyber threats. This is likely to be the target of a second stage of the incubator Upcoming event There will be two opportunities to learn more about the Cyber Security Incubator Pilot Project during the upcoming NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS15) in Mons. NCI Agency representatives will present lessons learned from the pilot project on Wednesday, 16 September during the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership workshop on Innovation in Cyber Security Research. Industry and academic contributors to the project will present their work under the incubator at the NIAS15 Expo's NATO Cyber Zone

In a major step toward developing new models for NATO-industry cooperation on cyber defence, the NCI Agency recently conducted a Cyber Security Incubator Pilot Project, and concluded that greater mutual understanding through real-time collaboration with industry can speed the integration of innovative solutions into the Alliance's cyber defences.

general 1 329 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-attends-southeast-europe-defence-ministerial-in-dubrovnik.aspx Defence Ministers from Southeast Europe gathered during the two-day Comprehensive Regional Ministerial (CRM), held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on 21-22 October 2015, to discuss key security challenges of this region. The NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, was invited by the Croatian Minister of Defence, Mr Ante Kotromanović, to brief the conference on th Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD . BRAAD is a NATO Smart Defence project with Croatia as the Lead Nation. As the General Manager was unable to attend the event, the NCI Agency was represented by the Director of Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, and the Principal Account Manager for Nations and NATO Force Structure, Mr Xavier Desfougeres The NCI Agency is the technical lead for the Air Surveillance and Communications Requirements Study, part of the Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD). During his presentation at the US Adriatic Ministerial, Dr Shalamanov emphasized the importance of a regional approach in providing Air Surveillance Capabilities to the Nations. The provision of the necessary radar and communications coverage will contribute to the security and safety of the region. Moreover, a regional approach allows for cost effectiveness for each individual nation in procuring air surveillance and communications capabilities Developing relationship While at the Ministerial, Dr Shalamanov held several bilateral meetings including with Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Montenegro. These nations confirmed their strong interest in BRAAD, and are committed to a successful regional cooperation in air surveillance. Discussions took place around partnership development with the NCI Agency to increase bilateral and multinational cooperation with nations in Southeast Europe and to increase interoperability and develop modern capabilities using the NATO First Solution (N1S) approach. Overall, the NCI Agency’s participation at the Southeast Europe Defence Ministerial was much appreciated, as the Agency is considered a key partner for the nations of the region, including for projects related to South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG and South-Eastern Europe Simulation (SEESIM). The NATO Communications and Information Agency is responsible for providing advanced communications and information technology to support NATO operations and missions. It operates and defends NATO networks For more information, visit the Comprehensive Regional Ministerial websit or read the Joint Statement of the A-5 Ministeria .

Defence Ministers from Southeast Europe gathered during the two-day Comprehensive Regional Ministerial (CRM), held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on 21-22 October 2015, to discuss key security challenges of this region.

general 1 330 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-and-microsoft-sign-cyber-cooperation-agreement.aspx Within the wider framework of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP), the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency announced on 15 September the signing of the Government Security Program (GSP) agreement with Microsoft. The GSP is a programme designed by Microsoft, addressing government agencies, in order to evaluate and protect existing systems and maintain more secure infrastructure. Forty-four different agencies from twenty-six governments worldwide are already involved in the programme creating a forum and collaborative environment where exchange visions and foster transparency, reliability and integrity in order to improve cybersecurity We see this signing as another step forward in the NATO -Industry Cyber Partnership, building a stronger cyber defence network today with Microsoft, but also with other Industry partners across the world said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General of NATO's Emerging Security Challenges Division The announcement was made at the opening of NATO's annual cyber conference, where progress in the NATO -Industry Cyber Partnership, including greater information-sharing was the focus of discussions between top NATO officials and senior executives from North American and European Industry Intelligence sharin The agreement expands technical information sharing between Microsoft, other GSP parties and the NCI Agency. The NCI Agency will gain access to technical information, and documentation about Microsoft products and services, as well as information about internet safety, threat intelligence, online training tools and guidance to help mitigate the effects of cyberattacks across the region. A practical effect will be, for instance that Microsoft will provide the Agency with data about hosts that have been infected with botnet exploits, and the Agency will be able use this data to identify and remediate potential vulnerabilities in these systems NATO is facing new and increasingly dangerous threats to cybersecurity across the world and these threats could affect national economies and citizens. To avoid it, NCI Agency strongly believes in rapid and early information sharing on threats and vulnerabilities with leading companies worldwide, such as Microsoft. Trust is the key to success, said Koen Gijsbers NCI Agency General Manager For more information contact Michal Olejarnik, NCI Agency Communication Manager, Michal.olejarnik@ncia.nato.in or +32 475 90 70 40 For the latest news, please clik here http //news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-signs-new-agreement-with-nato-to-advance-trust-491765.shtm

Within the wider framework of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP), the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency announced on 15 September the signing of the Government Security Program (GSP) agreement with Microsoft.

general 1 331 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-boosts-cyber-cooperation-with-industry.aspx NATO's partnership with industry on cyber technologies is delivering its first positive results with the Cyber Security Incubator pilot project. Given the potential of cooperation in this area, the Alliance and the high-tech sector are taking another step forward together – a new initiative to exchange information and on software vulnerabilities and cyber threats The announcements were made at NATO's annual cyber security conference, held in Mons, Belgium, 15-17 September. It also saw the signature of an important agreement on information exchange between NATO and Microsoft. Our aim is to make the cooperation with Industry practical and real, and to move at the same speed as the Internet, said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges NATO Cyber Incubato NATO officials announced the results of the 'Cyber Security Incubator' - a pilot project that has been testing new ways for NATO and industry to develop rapid and innovative solutions to the technological challenges that the Alliance faces. The project has brought NATO together with leaders of the high-tech industry as well as small and medium enterprises and academics. The incubator delivered multiple innovations in three areas cyber defence situational awarenes data fusio mobile securit The true success lies in the lessons learned, including specific organizational and procedural changes that we must think about making, said Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency, charged with operating and defending NATO's networks. The results of the pilot project have been presented to NATO Nations with recommendations for how they can be incorporated into NATO's cyber security development and acquisition Platform for rapid information-exchang The initiative on information-sharing is another effort to tap into the potential of collaboration with industry in addressing cyber challenges A dedicated platform will be launched to exchange information and work together on rapidly emerging threats. It will bring together an initial group of industry partners and academics. Closer cooperation with Microsof As an example of the benefits of cooperation on cyber challenges, the NCI Agency and Microsoft agreed to share more technical information. They signed a Government Security Programme (GSP) agreement which will facilitate the flow of information about Microsoft products and services, as well as information about internet safety, threat intelligence, online training tools and guidance to help mitigate the effects of cyberattacks. NATO's annual cyber security conference brought together over 1000 representatives of companies, governments and NATO officials to discuss practical ways of increasing cooperation in the face of cyber threats. -- Links NATO-Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) Websit NCI Agency Pilot Project Reveals Key Lesson on Strengthening NATO Cyber Defenc

NATO's partnership with industry on cyber technologies is delivering its first positive results with the Cyber Security Incubator pilot project. Given the potential of cooperation in this area, the Alliance and the high-tech sector are taking another step forward together – a new initiative to exchange information and on software vulnerabilities and cyber threats.

general 1 332 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-welcomes-the-new-chief-operating-officer.aspx Rear Admiral Dr Thomas Daum joined the NCI Agency on 3 November 2015. The Admiral will assume the Chief of Staff and Deputy General Manager post from January 2016. He will act as the Agency Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new role, he will be responsible for the Agency day-to-day operational production, including all supply-demand matching and fulfilment activities, as well as the consolidation of all business assessment and reporting About RADM Dau Prior to joining the Agency, RADM Daum was assigned Head of the Division for Information Technology in the Federal Office of the Bundeswehr for Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support in Lahnstein, Germany in October 2012.

Rear Admiral Dr Thomas Daum joined the NCI Agency on 3 November 2015.

general 1 333 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-participates-in-exercise-bold-quest.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) Command and Control (C2) and Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Service Line supported the recent Army Network Evaluation (NIE) – Bold Quest 15.2 Coalition Capability Demonstration and Assessment, conducted from 9 September - 9 October 2015, at Fort Bliss, Texas, as well as White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. Providing invaluable suppor The support of the C2 and IV&V SL in the ground-to-air situational awareness area greatly enhance operations, benefited the other nation participants and supported all phases of the Bold Quest Operational Demonstration. The NCI Agency’s efforts and leadership helped form a coalition to develop and test emerging Draft Ground-to-Air Situational (G2A) STANAG 5528/ADatP-37 Services to Forward Friendly Force Information to Weapon Delivery Assets and STANAG 5527/ADatP-36 (Draft Edition 1 Version 1) Friendly Force Tracking Systems (FFTS) Interoperability for the join and coalition communities G2A addresses the operational requirement from Allied Command Operations (ACO) of having relevant, real-time information about their operating area – the targets, potential threats, near-by friendly and neutral forces, and non-combatant personnel and facilities – by forwarding friendly situational awareness (SA) information from NATO Force Tracking Systems (FTS), Command and Control (C2) systems, and other identification systems, including Combat Identification (CID) systems, to weapon delivery assets and other attack-associated units to reduce the risk of fratricide and collateral damage The NCI Agency together with USA Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Assessment Division (C4AD) conducted four weeks of testing and assessment of CID and FFT platforms from Denmark, France, Italy, Netherland, Poland and the United States of America. The NCI Agency C2 Interoperability Test and Assessment (IOTA) tools, a deliverable of the ACT Program of Work, were used as the backbone of Bold Quest 15.2 to assess STANAG compliancy and system interoperability. As a result of the combination of the effort from the NCI Agency C2/IV&V Service Line, USA C4AD personnel, assessment plan and IOTA tool, national systems got immediate feedback about the level of implementation of the NATO Standards, while NATO bodies received important recommendations and observations from the testers, operators and user community about the maturity of the draft STANAG 5527 and STANAG 5528 About Bold Ques Bold Quest, the U.S. Joint Staff sponsored Coalition Capability Demonstration and Assessment series, is a joint and multinational enterprise in which Nations, services and programs pool their resources in a recurring cycle of collaborative capability development, demonstration, analysis and training. The overarching aim is to improve interoperability and information sharing across a range of capabilities that enable coalition warfighters to identify and engage their targets quickly and effectively More than 1,300 coalition warfighters, analysts and supporting technicians representing fourteen nations, the four U.S. Services and the U.S. Special Operations Command converged to demonstrate and asses technical and procedural solutions to the needs of coalition warfighters in close air support, joint fires, friendly force tracking, ground-to-air situational awareness and live/virtual simulation. During the course of the operational demonstration, invaluable technical data and warfighter user evaluations, which will inform future capability development and acquisition and advance coalition interoperability, were collected

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) Command and Control (C2) and Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Service Line supported the recent Army Network Evaluation (NIE)

general 1 334 1 about-us/newsroom/north-atlantic-council-condemns-terrorist-attacks--stands-in-solidarity-with-france.aspx The North Atlantic Council, representing all NATO Allies, has strongly condemned Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris. In a statement issued on Monday (16 November 2015), the Council called the barbaric attacks “an attack on our core values of freedom, democracy, and human rights.” The Council expressed deepest condolences for the families of the victims, and strong solidarity with the government and the people of France in their unwavering determination to deal with the terrorist threat ” Allies said they were more determined than ever to counter and defeat terrorism and extremism. The Council further noted that a number of Allies are working with France on their ongoing operations and investigations These attacks are meant to terrify, but they will only strengthen our resolve. Terrorism and extremism can never defeat democracy and our open societies ” the Council said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivered the Council’s statement following a minute of silence held at noon at NATO Headquarters. Allied Ambassadors, together with the NATO International Staff, International Military Staff, and national delegations gathered to pay tribute to the victims and in solidarity with France Prior to the moment of silence, Secretary General Stoltenberg signed a book of condolences for the victims of the attacks at the French Delegation to NATO. My deepest condolences… terrorism will never defeat democracy ” Mr Stoltenberg wrote. At the signing ceremony, the Secretary General was received by Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Mattéi, France’s Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council NATO and all Allied flags continue to fly at half-mast at NATO Headquarters Read the North Atlantic Council’s full statement her

The North Atlantic Council, representing all NATO Allies, has strongly condemned Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

general 1 335 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-support-to-exercise-in-ukraine.aspx From 21 to 25 September, the Agency provided support to the consequence management field exercise Ukraine 2015, organized by the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) and the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine Over 2000 participants from various international, regional and national civil or military consequence management teams of NATO and Partner Nations attended the exercise. The field exercise aimed to train and exercise procedures for the Local Emergency Management Authority (LEMA), the UN model On-site Operation Co-ordination Centre (OSOCC) and liaison officers, as well as team leaders of participating consequence management teams. The NCI Agency deployed the Multinational Telemedicine System (MnTS) which allowed remote access to medical expertise in support of the exercise scenario Multinational Telemedicine System Projec The MnTS project is a multi-year effort funded by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS)Programme. The project started in 2014 and will conclude in 2016. The project timeline includes concept design during the first year, prototyping and exercise support during the second year, and scaling up during the last year. The MnTS enables telemedicine to cross national borders, allowing the best medical specialists to engage in response to major disasters/incidents During the exercise, the MnTS technical platform was used to respond to incidents in real time, and to demonstrate connectivity and integration of multi-national systems and medical expertise. The exercise took part in a remote location and connectivity to national telemedicine centres was ensured exclusively by satellite communication. According to the exercise scenario, local hospitals were overwhelmed with the number of casualties, so remote access to medical expertise from various countries was a necessity. A number of high-level guests were given demos of the MnTS capabilities which they found impressive and very useful for consequence management. The guests included the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, NATO’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatsenyuk and the Deputy Assistant Secretary General for NATO Operations Division, Ambassador Francesca Tardioli

From 21 to 25 September, the Agency provided support to the consequence management field exercise Ukraine 2015, organized by the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) and the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine.

general 1 336 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-and-nato-foracs-reinforce-partnership.aspx On 16 November 2015, the NCI Agency in Brussels, Belgium, hosted the Signature Ceremony of the Memorandum of Working Arrangement (MWA) between the NATO Naval Forces Sensor and Weapon Accuracy Check Sites Office (NATO FORACS Office) and the NCI Agency, for the Integrated Data Acquisition Test System version X (IDATS vX) software. The new software will be available to all NATO Navies. The NCI Agency agreed with NATO FORACS Office to undertake the stand-alone development of a replacement of their Integrated Data Acquisition Test System 8 (IDATS 8) software NATO FORACS is a NATO project with eight Member Nations Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. How it work The FORACS Ranges measure the bearing, range, position, and heading accuracy of sensors in surface ships, submarines, and maritime aircraft to satisfy national requirements and to meet NATO material readiness standards through dynamic combat system performance evaluation, thereby providing an essential contribution to naval combat readiness The IDATS software is critical to the operational performance of NATO FORACS in supporting Alliance maritime forces. The replacement of IDATS will be designed to allow the ranges' test teams to acquire, store, process and analyse sensor data in real time and provide the range test team and the ship personnel with comprehensive current information

On 16 November 2015, the NCI Agency in Brussels, Belgium, hosted the Signature Ceremony of the Memorandum of Working Arrangement (MWA)

general 1 337 1 about-us/newsroom/csu-uedem-change-of-command-ceremony.aspx On 22 September LTC Christoph Kühn, German Air Force, officially handed over his command of the CSU Uedem to CPT Axel Haas, German Air Force. The ceremony took place at the CAOC (Combined Air Operation Center) in Uedem, Germany. In the presence of the NCI Agency General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, some other erstwhile and current comrades/colleagues, family and friends of the outgoing and incoming commander,the Director of Service Operations, BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo conducted the official ceremony and appointed CPT Haas as the new Commander. LTC Küh LTC Kühn is well known within the NCI Agency by his nickname ‘Duffy’. He started his last assignment in the NCSA Detachment Uedem in July 2010, and ended it on 22 September 2015 as Commander NCI Agency CSU Uedem, after transformation to the NCI Agency in July 2012. His main task as Commander was the establishment of the NATO Communications and Information Systems (CIS) support element within a multinational funded headquarters providing 24/7 operations spanning over a huge Area of Responsibility (AOR) in the vicinity of Russia. The manning started with just two people, and increased over time to more than 30 people according the peacetime establishment (PE). The new NATO command structure 2012 left only two common funded CAOCs within NATO. This required enhancements to the supported site and the data and voice links between all air entities involved in NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS). The planning, implementation, and support of these urgent requirements took significant work at the local level, too. New technology was introduced requiring technicians to be trained. The implementation paralleled with the establishment of NCI Agency; and the related changes in structure, processes and procedures. At the same time, the host nation of Germany still kept responsibility for the infrastructure at Uedem, including local network, audio/visual, and phone systems (as this was not yet transferred to NATO property). In 2014, all authority transferred from the German CIS support to NCI Agency; and the updated manning allowed induction of 24/7 on site support The entire time of LTC Kühn’s appointment, the Air Command & Control System (ACCS) purchased for NATO and several nations under the management of AirC2 PO&S, kept his team and him busy as Uedem hosts the CAOC version as validation site. He personally played a major role in several working groups to get ACCS support ready for CAOC live operations, which shall finally be achieved in December 2015 Late September 2012, LTC Kühn deployed to ISAF as Commander of Detachment ISAF HQ for six months. As part of a team under the lead of COL David Jenkins (now Commander CSU Brussels) he established the NCI Agency Sector ISAF, introducing the processes of static CIS support in theatre. As the ISAF HQ Detachment Commander, in location close to ISAF CJ6 in the centre of Kabul, he had to convince the customer on the benefits of the Agency on a daily basis. This caused him to liaise frequently with several flag officers on the compound During his deployment, he received an official national appreciation for his personality, leadership and contribution to the CIS support to COMISAF’s mission. In 2014, he received two awards from the General Manager. One was connected to his involvement in the development process of the new ISPE. The second award was for outstanding leadership, requested by his unit and supported by his superior commander Change of Command Ceremon During the Change of Command (CoC) ceremony, Chaplain Ralf Husky opened the ceremony with his blessing words. He spoke about family, soldiers and tasks and the important roles of that. LTC Kühn began his speech emphasizing his motto, well known as Duffy´s motto, “Never lose your firm belief in the good” that was the driving factor of his motivation as a leader In particular, he thanked his whole team for the support to accomplish this mission, inclusive his wife Stefanie. “Without you, I would not be standing here”, he stated with deep emotion. Italian Brigadier General Luigi Tomaiuolo praised Kühn´s team and his personality for the performance rendered during the build-up of the Unit from the very beginning CPT Haas highlighted in his speech the idea “We are not alone”. Being proud and fully aware of his new demanding task, he thanked his superiors for the trust reposed in his person. The 32-years old officer is looking forward to his new assignment in the Lower Rhine region. COL Klaus Bücklein, Chairman of the German Delegation in the Netherlands and LTC Kühn´s national supervisor, characterized him as an IT man who lives in his world, but doesn´t forget to care for his subordinates. His message to the new commander explained that NCI Agency’s military members not only require IT know-how but also perform military skills and represent their nation in an international environment In his closing remarks, the General Manager of the Agency, as the Senior International Superior, recalled the words of the previous speaker showing the importance of having military within the NCI Agency. During his speech, he talked about the importance of NATO and about the performance level of his organization. Before the traditional handover of the organizational flag was carried out, the General Manager awarded the Certificate of Appreciation to LTC Kühn Some of us will have the opportunity to visit ‘Duffy’ at his new post. After more than five years in Uedem in the flat Lower Rhine Area he is moving with his family to Bavaria to become Director CJ6 at NATO School Oberammergau close to the Alps to continue to work in a digital environment Following the official event, the guests were invited to a reception at a unique location. After a champagne reception in a 100-year old Cinema in Goch, the old boss said good bye with popcorn, nachos, beer and cola while watching a comedy movie on the early days of aviation in which different stereotypes of the nation are exaggerated We, the NCI Agency Family, would like to give a warm welcome to CPT Haas and his family. In addition, we wish LTC Kühn and his family all the best for the future and a good start in his new assignment

On 22 September LTC Christoph Kühn, German Air Force, officially handed over his command of the CSU Uedem to CPT Axel Haas, German Air Force. The ceremony took place at the CAOC (Combined Air Operation Center) in Uedem, Germany. In the presence of the NCI Agency General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, some other erstwhile and current comrades/colleagues, family and friends of the outgoing and incoming commander,the Director of Service Operations, BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo conducted the official ceremony and appointed CPT Haas as the new Commander.

general 1 338 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-signs-initial-contract-for-accs-inservice-support-iss.aspx On 19 October 2015, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Thales Raytheon Systems signed an initial contract for the support and maintenance of NATO’s Air Command and Control System (ACCS) The NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) programme will provide the Alliance with a single, integrated air command and control system to manage all air operations across the NATO area of responsibility and out of area. When rolled out it will replace both NATO and national systems from northern Norway to eastern Turkey in support of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System. The signature of the Provisional Software Acceptance in December 2014 was the final step in the process of developing NATO ACCS. This new contract for the support and maintenance of NATO ACCS represents another significant milestone for both the Agency and for industry as it marks the transition of from the development phase to full in-service support. The award of the contract also underlines the growing confidence in the key role of the Agency in delivering military capabilities through life. ACCS is NATO’s largest C2 system and putting together a support and maintenance contract has been quite a challeng ,” said Koen Gijsbers, the NCI Agency’s General Manager. This contract offers us the flexibility to use both the Agency’s in house capabilities and specialist industrial knowledge as needed

On 19 October 2015, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Thales Raytheon Systems signed an initial contract for the support and maintenance of NATO’s Air Command and Control System (ACCS).

general 1 339 1 about-us/newsroom/radars-in-poland-boost-nato-air-defence.aspx A ceremony in Chruściel, Poland, on 7 October marked the entry into operation of three advanced radars that will significantly boost NATO air defence capabilities NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, senior representatives of the contractor Finmeccanica - Selex ES, the Director of the Polish Ministry of Defence NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) Management Office Boguslaw Wijatyk and the Chief of Radar Division - General Command of the Polish Armed Forces – GEN Krzysztof Żabicki, together with other senior MoD representatives took part in the ceremony The advanced radars are able to provide three dimensional detection of a variety of targets. They are therefore a tangible contribution to the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS). The radars in Chruściel, Suwałki and Zamość were funded by the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) together with similar installations in Hungary and the Czech Republic. The project was launched in 1999

A ceremony in Chruściel, Poland, on 7 October marked the entry into operation of three advanced radars that will significantly boost NATO air defence capabilities.

general 1 340 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-ensures-partnership-with-poland--signs-multiyear-programme-of-work.aspx On 18 November 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) hosted MGEN Nasiadka, Chief Command and Control Directorate of the Polish Armed Forces, in Brussels, Belgium, for the Signature Ceremony of the Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW) between Poland and the NCI Agency. The Multi-Year Programme of Work The NCI Agency and Poland agreed to refine the areas of cooperation between the Polish Ministry of Defence and the NCI Agency based on the Memorandum of Agreement on Cooperation on C3 and C4ISR Related Activities (C4ISR MOA) in place between Poland and the NCI Agency The signature of the MYPOW is a demonstration of the confidence between Poland and the NCI Agency in the effort to achieve increase interoperability of NATO in a common approach. The MYPOW defines the terms and conditions for projects on a Task Order (TO) basis. It encompasses the overall spectrum of activities while addressing current and emerging requirements. This agreement with Poland is the eighth formal MYPOW that the NCI Agency has signed with nations and multinational organizations Poland and NCI Agency have already been engaged in a successful cooperation for several years. This includes projects such as NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Systems (NATIMNADS) and support to the Polish Special Operations Centre – Special Operations Component Command (Polish SOC-SOCC) in preparation for the NATO Response Force (NRF). Poland is also playing a lead role in the implementation of Readiness Action Plan and is a key partner for the NCI Agency in this domain. Its national involvement in the Visegrad Group also places Poland at the core of regional cooperation where the Agency is fully engaged Acquisition, installation and training support for Air Situation Data Exchange (ASDE) and NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP) are the next endeavours Poland and NCI Agency are facing together. Additionally, Poland has decided to position themselves as the Pilot Nation for implementing NCOP The signature of the MYPOW will enable further active cooperation between Poland and the NCI Agency in all of these domains, fostering the implementation of the NATO First Solution in the context of the adaptation measures taken by NATO and NATO Nations

On 18 November 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) hosted MGEN Nasiadka, Chief Command and Control Directorate of the Polish Armed Forces, in Brussels

general 1 341 1 about-us/newsroom/renewal-of-iso-9001-certification-for-airc2-systems.aspx The NCI Agency has successfully passed an independent audit of its Quality Management System (QMS) leading to the renewal of the ISO 9001 certification with the scope of providing System Support of NATO Air Command and Control (AirC2) Systems. This certification covers AirC2 In -Service Support and full life-cycle Configuration and Quality Management as well as software maintenance, training and user support The NCI Agency has maintained and extended the ISO 9001 certification for the QMS that supports the delivery of secure and safe AirC2 capabilities and the provision of related services in a controlled, repeatable manner using industry best practices. This effort was led by Enzo Montalti, Director of the AirC2 Programme and Services, supported by staff not only from AirC2 Programme Office & Services (PO&S) but also from the Education & Training Service Line, Quality, Risk & Compliance, Operations Centre, General Services, Acquisition, Human Resources and Finance who all contributed to the achievement and share in the success of recertification 'Very mature The auditor from the certification body, rated the NCI Agency implementation of support to AirC2 Systems as very mature and above the average QMS implementation for industries in the same business domain. She recognized the efforts that went into the update of Agency Directives and Standard Operation Procedures to the new organizational structure and the continued enhancements during a period of reform At the end of the intensive week-long session, Director AirC2 PO&S thanked all staff for their contribution to the successful conclusion of the Audit. He offered his congratulations in particular to the core team for their excellent preparation for the Audit

The NCI Agency has successfully passed an independent audit of its Quality Management System (QMS) leading to the renewal of the ISO 9001 certification with the scope of providing System Support of NATO Air Command and Control (AirC2) Systems.

general 1 342 1 about-us/newsroom/chief-information-officers-conference-embraces-partners-nations-participation.aspx On 18 November 2015, the NCI Agency hosted the fourth annual Chief Information Officers’ Conference (CIOC), open for the first time to participation from the seven Non-NATO Nations1 Chaired by the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, the event gathered 27 NATO and 5 Partner Nations, with representatives from Allied Command Operations, Allied Command Transformation, International Staff (IS) and other NATO bodies (over 100 participants). Built around three sessions share, implement and train, the conference was held in the context of the Readiness Action Plan (RAP and the reinforcement of interoperability in NATO Force Structure (NFS) among NATO Nations and with partners as endorsed at the NATO Wales Summit. Held annually, the CIOC represents a unique opportunity to put into perspective the operational, resource, and political aspects of cooperation with NATO and Partner Nations by enabling dialogue, developing stronger partnerships and improving support in the area of C4ISR capability development and service provision. It addresses cooperation on a bilateral, multilateral and regional basis. This year, the conference focused on the operational, resource, C3 Board, political, and NCI Agency perspectives, offered respectively by Allied Command Operations Deputy Chief of Staff CIS & Cyber Defence, MGEN Walter Huhn; Chairman Investment Committee, Mr Konstantin Nesterov; national Co-Vice-Chairman C3 Board, BGEN Enrico Bologna; Deputy Assistant Secretary General Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, Mr James Appathurai;and NCI Agency Director Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov Nations and Multinational entities provided feedback on the implementation of the NATO 1st Solution (N1S in the Nations and the NATO Force Structure (NFS) as well as implementation of the Readiness Action Plan (RAP). Further, they provided their perspectives on the improved environment for information sharing, connected exercises and training Shar Commander Cyber Defence Expertise Centre, Netherlands Ministry of Defence, LTC Paul ‘t Hoen, shared the progress on Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MNCD2) and highlighted the opportunity to share information/knowledge on the development of capabilities and the way to acquire them. First German/Netherlands Corps (1 GNC) Assistant Chief of Staff G6, COL Hamelink, presented lessons learned on information sharing in the implementation of N1S for the NATO Force Structure. Following up on the plan introduced at the 2014 CIOC, Mr Pierre Calvez, NATO Distributed Networked Battle Labs (DNBL Project Manager, provided a status update on the Community of Interest (CoI) cooperation platform, aimed at facilitating information exchange within communities of interest. The CoI cooperation platform is a proposed solution for sharing requirements, solutions, cooperation models and lessons learned between NATO, NATO Nations, Partner Nations and the NFS. Implemen The practical situation of the ongoing implementation of the N1S Romania from a NATO Force Integrating Unit (NFIU) Nation’s perspective was presented by C3 Principal, COL Valentin Becheru. The NCI Agency Director Infrastructure Services Dr Gregory Edwards provided a status update on the Connected Force Readiness programme. The support from the Agency was commended by Romania, not only in the technical dimension, but also as the provider of a programmatic, flexible and modular approach that meets the requirements of NATO and the NFIU Nations The discussions that followed addressed challenges and touched on the Federated Mission Networkin , and the ability to have day-1 interoperability and connectivity. The importance of industry was highlighted and the opportunity provided by the N1S initiative in this regard. Trai During this session, briefings by CPT Kari Aapro (Partnership Interoperability Advocacy Group), BGEN Welton Chase Jr (US European Command (USEUCOM), Director C4/CD), and Mr Jean-Paul Massart (NCI Agency Education and Training Service Line Chief), stressed the importance of information sharing and exercises as an interoperability booster. USEUCOM emphasized the importance of C4 interoperability and cyber defence as a means for risk mitigation. The NCI Agency shared its initiative on NATO CIS education and training to move from a single-site school to a cloud-based federated academy. Furthermore nations were encouraged to make use of these training opportunities and strengthen partnerships with industry. The Alliance cooperation with partners and reinforcement of their interoperability with NATO is crucial, and the shortfalls in that area can have significant consequences. That is why the delivery of NATO interoperability through the NATO 1st Solution could be pursued and advocated as a way to have affordable, faster and easier implementation. The participants were encouraged to join a single cooperation platform to share not only information but also solutions. Finally, it was reiterated that work has to continue in the time between the conferences, on bilateral and multilateral basis and that the mid-term deliverables should pave the way for preparation of next year’s CIOC The 2016 CIO Conference is planned to be held in November 2016, and, as in the past years, would coincide with the Fall NCIO Agency Supervisory Board and C3Board Meetings

On 18 November 2015, the NCI Agency hosted the fourth annual Chief Information Officers’ Conference (CIOC), open for the first time to participation from the seven Non-NATO Nations1.

general 1 343 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-communications-infrastructure-invitation-for-bid-released.aspx The NATO Communications Infrastructure project has reached a major milestone with the release to industry of the invitation for bid on 30 September 2015 Following the 2nd Stage Authorization the NATO Investment Committee on 15 July 2015 and the Budget Committee approval for Contract Authority on 2 September 2015, the release of the NCI IFB represents the end of the NCI project's planning phase while kicking of the execution phase The NCI project will replace a major part of the NATO General Communications System, affecting at least 73 sites throughout NATO. It will provide a major upgrade of the wide area protected IP communications across the NATO Command Structure, NATO Headquarters and NATO Points of Presence in NATO member nations, delivering Traditional IP access and transport services at different security classifications with significant increased capacity, Quality of Service (QoS) and traffic engineering capabilities; NATO Unclassified voice service Replacement of old telephony switches by Voice over IP telephony at 25 sites; The contract value will not exceed 47 million Euro for the investment and 29 million Euro for the five-year operations and maintenance contract The Statement of Work and System Requirements Specifications that forms part of the NCI Best Value IFB package are written in such a way to encourage open standards and a low risk implementation, while also encouraging the bidder to consider a modern and efficient technical solution. Because of the high complexity (e.g. each of the 73 sites is unique in its network capabilities) the SoW and SRS have required a careful development phase with input from a broad cross section of elements across the Agency. There will be considerable emphasis in the evaluation to ensure that the selected contractor's solution represents the best value across the full life-cycle The average lead time of comparable projects in value and complexity from IFB to Contract Award is around one year. Based on that, the Contract Award for the NCI is estimated to be achieved at September 2016. Following an intensive 10 months design and testing phase, the roll out would then start mid-2017, resulting in IOC mid-2018 and FOC mid-2019 Figure the NCI connects and provides protected IP communications to various NATO and National networks, while making use of the Leased Transmission (LTX) transport network

The NATO Communications Infrastructure project has reached a major milestone with the release to industry of the invitation for bid on 30 September 2015.

general 1 344 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-invites-montenegro-to-start-accession-talks.aspx On Wednesday, 2 December, the NATO Foreign Ministers decided to invite Montenegro to begin accession talks to become the 29th member of the Alliance. Secretary General hailed the decision as “historic.” He said; “this is a good day for Montenegro, a good day for the Western Balkans and a good day for the Alliance.” For the full story visit NATO's websit The Agency's past cooperation with Montenegro During the 2015 October Comprehensive Regional Ministerial, held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the Director of Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, and the Principal Account Manager for Nations and NATO Force Structure, Mr Xavier Desfougeres, briefed the conference on the Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD . BRAAD is a NATO Smart Defence project with Croatia as the Lead Nation. While at the Ministerial, Dr Shalamanov held several bilateral meetings including with Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Montenegro. These nations confirmed their strong interest in BRAAD, and are committed to a successful regional cooperation in air surveillance. Discussions took place around partnership development with the NCI Agency to increase bilateral and multinational cooperation with nations in Southeast Europe and to increase interoperability and develop modern capabilities using the NATO First Solution (N1S) approach

On Wednesday, 2 December, the NATO Foreign Ministers decided to invite Montenegro to begin accession talks to become the 29th member of the Alliance.

general 1 345 1 about-us/newsroom/pilot-boots-new-ways-of-working-at-the-nci-agency.aspx As part of a pilot project in partnership with Industry, on November 17, 2015 a Polycom Real Presence Centro solution was installed in Mons, Belgium. This new solution – provided to the Agency at no cost, as part a trial run by General Services, CMS Branch - is the first ever installed in NATO. The aim is to evaluate the technology's suitability for wider NATO use. The idea is to accelerate adoption and utilization of virtual meeting rooms and new ways of working through more user-friendly and completely automated operations including high quality video, audio and data collaboration. As part of IT modernization virtual collaboration and new ways of working will become a core business capability throughout the Alliance. Unlike typical virtual meeting rooms, the Centro contains a 360 degree camera allowing full vision of all participants, touch-screen HD displays, automatic activation when a person enters the room, charging ports for BYO devices, integrated annotation (whiteboard), under-light showing the status of the system and much more It’s not about the buttons, this new solution is all about return on investment, saving resources, expanding applications and maintaining advantages for NATO. Trends of collaborative solutions are showing reduced pricing with increased quality. For the Agency this means – saving time, resources, working securely from almost anywhere and an exceptional user experience! Yo alk into the room and you will realize this is not a traditional VTC room,” says BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo, Director Service Operations NCI Agency. Instantly the system will activate based upon motion detection, touch the location(s) you desire to connect with and start working! Comfortable, yet still as formal as desired, everyone feels like distance has been erased.

As part of a pilot project in partnership with Industry, on November 17, 2015 a Polycom Real Presence Centro solution was installed in Mons, Belgium. This new solution – provided to the Agency at no cost, as part a trial run by General Services, CMS Branch - is the first ever installed in NATO. The aim is to evaluate the technology's suitability for wider NATO use.

general 1 346 1 about-us/newsroom/2nd-c2-users-conference-held-in-the-hague.aspx The 2nd NATO Command and Control (C2) User's Conference was hosted by the NCI Agency in The Hague from 19 – 21 January. The purpose of the conference was to provide a forum for the NATO C2 community to come together to discuss the challenges of NATO C2, get a better understanding of how NATO C2 is enabled and help guide the direction of future NATO C4ISR systems In total, 140 people from 20 different nations participated in the event. The list of attendees was a veritable cross section of the NATO C2 community and included system sponsors, operational users, and NCI Agency system providers. The conference attending body represented over 40 different NATO and national organizations such as ACT, SHAPE, JFC Brunssum, JFC Naples, AIRCOM, MARCOM, LANDCOM, CAOC Uedem, US Joint Staff, 1st German Netherlands Corp, UK MoD, NRDC, and Strike Force NATO to name a few. In total, 26 current and future systems across 12 different functionality domains were discussed The theme for this year's event was The Seamless NATO C2 Capability and focused on the seamless flow of information between NATO C2 Systems to support common situational awareness and information superiority within the headquarters The Conference closed with the awarding number of prizes for C2 User of the Year and C2 Site of the Year to recognize the valuable support and contributions of the users and sites provided to the Agency over the past year

The 2nd NATO Command and Control (C2) User's Conference was hosted by the NCI Agency in The Hague from 19 – 21 January.

general 1 347 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-and-italy-reinforce-partnership-on-satellite-ground-station.aspx On 20 November 2015, the NCI Agency signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the MOD Italy on future Satellite Ground Station, during a ceremony hosted by the Italian Delegation The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) covers a range of support activities to be provided by Italy for project implementation at one of the future Satellite Ground Station (SGS) sites in Lughezzano, Verona. The SGS project will procure two new multi-antenna SGSs on the sites of existing NATO Satellite Ground Terminals (SGTs) in Belgium (SGT F1, at Kester) and Italy (SGT F14), and will upgrade two further SGTs in Greece (F11) and Turkey (F13). It will also provide options for 20 years industrial support arrangement for the resulting capability Specific tasks covered under the MOA include formal submission of construction permits, representing the NCI Agency's interests with regional authorities to resolve environmental concerns providing support and guidance during design and construction to ensure that appropriate national regulations and procedures are observed. The MOA formalises support already provided during the project's preparatory stages where MOD Italy has arranged for expropriation of the land necessary to accommodate the upgraded facility and upgraded the site's utility infrastructure in order to support the increased load handled by the site. The MOA was signed by the Agency General Manager, GEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, and by the Chief C4I Systems and Transformation Division MOD Italy, VADM Ruggiero Di Biase

On 20 November 2015, the NCI Agency signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the MOD Italy on future Satellite Ground Station, during a ceremony hosted by the Italian Delegation.

general 1 348 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-builds-cyber-alliances.aspx Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. As cyber-attacks continue to increase in frequency, magnitude and sophistication one the most effective defences for public and private sector alike can be found through enhanced cooperation and partnership. The agreement with Symantec will boost two-way information sharing, in particular on cyber threats. This is often the highest-impact, lowest-cost and fastest way to enhance cyber resilience, improve incident handling and mitigate vulnerability to attack Today's agreement is as an excellent and concrete example of how NATO and Industry can work side by side to confront difficult challenges in the cyber domain, said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General of NATO's Emerging Security Challenges Division, when it comes to the cyber threat, none of us acting alone can address these challenges as effectively as if we act together. Increased information sharing translates into better cyber defence for NATO, Allies and our industry partners such as Symantec. A collective approac Addressing today's cyber security challenges requires a collective approach between government and private industry, said Cheri F. McGuire, Vice President of Global Government Affairs & Cybersecurity Policy at Symantec, As cyber attacks become more prevalent and threaten society, it is essential that we work together and share threat intelligence to tackle critical cyber risks. The agreement between the NCI Agency and Symantec is another important step in our efforts to build trusted partnerships and defend global networks and critical infrastructure. As a multilateral defence organization, NATO and its member nations are faced with a diverse set of cybersecurity threats, said Kevin Hogan, Vice President of Security Technology and Response for Symantec, Using our unique analytic capabilities, Symantec looks forward to partnering with NATO to help extend our insight into threats and strengthen our collective cyber defences. The NCI Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks NATO is facing new and increasingly dangerous threats to cybersecurity across the world and these threats could affect national economies and citizens. To avoid it, NCI Agency strongly believes in rapid and early information sharing on threats and vulnerabilities with leading companies worldwide, such as Symantec. Trust is the key to success, said Koen Gijsbers NCI Agency General Manager At the Wales Summit last year, Heads of State and Government endorsed the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. The agreement with Symantec is the latest in a series of important agreements with Industry in the framework of the NICP For more information contact Michal Olejarnik, NCI Agency Communication Manager, michal.olejarnik@ncia.nato.in or +32 475 90 70 40

Within the framework of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP), the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed an industry partnership agreement with Symantec on 11 December 2015.

general 1 349 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-director-of-demand-management-visits-marcom.aspx On 27 January 2016, the NCI Agency Director of Demand Management (DDM), Dr Velizar Shalamanov, visited MARCOM HQ in Northwood (UK) to meet with Customer Representative (N6) and to agree the Joint Partnership Statement with the Commander (COM) of MARCOM The main focus of the visit was to further develop our relationship with MARCOM to reinforce on the Joint Partnership Statement between MARCOM and the NCI Agency. Picking up from when VADM Johnstone visited the GM at NCI Agency HQ on 12 January 2016, Dr Shalamanov, hosted by the CSU Northwood Commander, GP CAPT Dixon, was able to engage with senior MARCOM staff to capture the VADM’s intent in a re-drafted Statement. Building up the partnership will facilitate a closer working relationship between MARCOM and the Agency, including developing new ways the Agency can better contribute to the realisation of the Alliance’s Maritime Strategy. When meeting with the COM, DDM was left in no doubt that the priority for COM MARCOM is to improve the operational output of the HQ. To help achieve this goal DDM encouraged MARCOM to take on the important role of Senior User for maritime projects such as TRITON; this would help ensure that the operational community had effective oversight of the requirements and that they were being delivered by the projects. The visit also provided an opportunity to address with MARCOM N6 staff current service provision issues and to discuss opportunities for improvements, including more regular feedback on maritime related CRF and CP projects. The Agency Account Manager for MARCOM was present on the visit and worked directly with the MARCOM staff addressing MARCOM projects and the Service Level Agreement for 2016

On 27 January 2016, the NCI Agency Director of Demand Management (DDM), Dr Velizar Shalamanov, visited MARCOM HQ in Northwood (UK)

general 1 350 1 about-us/newsroom/change-of-command-at-nci-agency-csu-brunssum.aspx On 5 February 2016, LTC Grzegorz Bednarski, Polish Army, officially handed over his command of the NCI Agency CSU Brunssum to COL Clive ter Heege, Royal Netherlands Air Force. The ceremony was conducted at the International Conference Centre (ICC) located in Brunssum in the presence of the NCI Agency General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers. The Director of Service Operations, BGEN Luigi Tomaiuolo, Italian Army, hosted the ceremony and appointed COL Clive ter Heege as the new CSU Brunssum Commander. LTC Bednarski The out-going Commander, LTC Bednarski served as Commander of CSU Brunssum, for a period of six months, starting 9 July 2015, and led the organization at a time of great change within NCI Agency. Throughout his command, LTC Bednarski challenged his staff to support our customer, Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS) and to take care of Agency personnel and their families. He highlighted to JFCBS the importance of matching resources (people, equipment and time) to Commander's intent. Through these challenges, the CSU was able to successfully meet and exceed the expectations of five critical exercises supporting JFCBS in Trident Joust 2014, Nuclear Warfare Planning for Nations 2014, Brilliant Vision 2015, Resolute Support – Joint Operational Group 2015 and Trident Juncture 2015. COL Clive ter Heege The new Commander, COL Clive ter Heege, joined the RNLAF in 1980. After completing his education at the Royal Netherlands Military Academy in 1985, he spent the first two decades of his career serving mostly with different operational units of the RNLAF. He completed various tours with HAWK and Patriot Guided Missile units and at Airbases operating military air transport aircraft, NF-5 and F-16 combat aircraft. COL ter Heege predominately held financial and management control positions with these units in their peacetime structure. In the wartime structure of these units however, he often performed duties in ground- and air defence positions. COL ter Heege has been working in and around The Hague in the Netherlands since 2000. There he spent a number of years as a teacher at the Netherlands Joint Command and Staff College and in the staff of the Tactical Air Command of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. In 2005, he was posted to the Ministry of Defence, where he worked for the Internal Auditing Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence.

On 5 February 2016, LTC Grzegorz Bednarski, Polish Army, officially handed over his command of the NCI Agency CSU Brunssum to COL Clive ter Heege, Royal Netherlands Air Force.

general 1 351 1 about-us/newsroom/general-manager-discusses-nfius-and-cyber-in-bulgaria.aspx On 7 December 2015, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and Director Infrastructure Services (DIS), Dr Gregory Edwards met with the Bulgarian Permanent Undersecretary of Defence, Dr Dobromir Totev and Deputy Chief of Defence LTGEN Constantin Popov. The visit, which was part of a four day trip to Bulgaria, provided an opportunity to discuss progress on Bulgaria’s implementation of its NATO 2020 vision and NCI Agency support to the Bulgarian NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU). Another important topic discussed at the meeting was Cyber Defence, for which the Deputy Director of CIS Directorate, COL Lyudmil Stoyanov, and the Head of Department CIS Directorate, COL Petyo Petrov were present. Other subjects covered bilateral cooperation in the provision of Broadcast, Maritime Rear Link and Ship Shore (BRASS), ACCS Software Based Elements (ASBE), core and functional software services, and the ongoing Radars Feasibility Study. This meeting was another event in the longstanding good cooperation between Bulgaria and the NCI Agency, which is underpinned by a Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2010 and extended on 27 March 2015 for another five years After the meeting at the Ministry of Defence, the General Manager and Director Infrastructure Services went on to speak at the AFCEA International Cyber Symposium held from 8-10 December in Sofia

On 7 December 2015, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and Director Infrastructure Services (DIS), Dr Gregory Edwards met with the Bulgarian Permanent Undersecretary of Defence, Dr Dobromir Totev and Deputy Chief of Defence LTGEN Constantin Popov. The visit, which was part of a four day trip to Bulgaria, provided an opportunity to discuss progress on Bulgaria’s implementation of its NATO 2020 vision and NCI Agency support to the Bulgarian NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU).

general 1 352 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-welcomes-small-and-medium-enterprises.aspx The Agency has recently launched a Small and Medium Enterprises Portal on its website to facilitate information exchange with and promote opportunities for companies of smaller sizes According to Koen Gijsbers, the General Manager of the Agency, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and startups are very responsive to new and emerging threats and are a hub for technology innovation. The new portal will play an important role in taking forward the Small and Medium Enterprises Strategy and harnessing the innovative talents and entrepreneurial energies of small businesses across the Alliance While small businesses are often the birthplace of innovation, competing for attention and contract awards in the NATO environment may be daunting for them due to limited resources and difficulties in accessing information on future capability requirements and business opportunities. To facilitate SMEs participation in the NCI Agency business opportunities and leverage their potential and the Agency has launched a three-fold strategy aiming at Making the NCI Agency acquisition as accessible as possible to SMEs and its processes more transparent, simpler, and faste Improving the NCI Agency's interface with SMEs through more direct engagement Ensuring that NCI Agency acquisition strategies maximise the potential for SMEs To learn more and get involved please visit NCI Agency's Small and Medium Enterprises Porta

The Agency has recently launched a Small and Medium Enterprises Portal on its website to facilitate information exchange with and promote opportunities for companies of smaller sizes.

general 1 353 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-the-european-union-enhance-cyber-defence-cooperation.aspx On Wednesday 10 February 2016, a Technical Arrangement on Cyber Defence was concluded between the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) and the Computer Emergency Response Team of the European Union (CERT-EU). The Technical Arrangement provides a framework for exchanging information and sharing best practices between emergency response teams. The aim of the arrangement is to enhance the cyber defences of both organisations by exchanging cyber defence-related data. “Information exchange is crucial to cyber defence, said Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency, responsible for operating and defending NATO’s networks. “The Technical Arrangement covers both the exchange of information on specific cyber threats, and the sharing of best practices on technical procedures, configuration of networks, and partnership with industry.” See the full releas

On Wednesday 10 February 2016, a Technical Arrangement on Cyber Defence was concluded between the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) and the Computer Emergency Response Team of the European Union (CERT-EU).

general 1 354 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-staff-receive-scientific-achievement-awards.aspx Recently the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) presented a Scientific Achievement Award – 2015 to a Specialist Team of the NATO Modelling and Simulation Group “in recognition of outstanding work and significant scientific contributions.” The MSG-131 Specialist Team on “Modelling and Simulation as a Service New Concepts and Service Oriented Architectures” consisted of 42 people from NATO member nations (Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom and United States) and Australia and NATO entities (ACT, CASPOA, CSO/MSCO and NCI Agency), led by co-chairs Dr Robert Siegfried (Germany) and Mr Brian Miller (United States). Representing the Agency, Dr Hans Jense and Mr Vladimir Manda of the Education and Training Service Line participated in the work of the Specialist Team and as a result of that received the Award Certificates. See the original announcement of the STO 2015 Scientific Achievement Awards https //www.cso.nato.int/page.asp?ID=308

Recently the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) presented a Scientific Achievement Award

general 1 355 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-signs-3year-enterprise-agreement-with-microsoft.aspx On 18 December 2015, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Microsoft signed a new Enterprise Level Agreement. This new Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) will cover the period 2016-2018 and replaces the current 2010-2015 agreement which expired on 31 December 2015. The new EA reflects the increased scope of NCI Agency's responsibilities as it includes ACO, NATO HQ, NCI Agency, NSPA, other NATO entities, and 3rd parties. By having established a 3rd Party enrolment, the Agency is able to provide these latter stakeholders (RS, RAP ROM, NFIUs, and many others) with the NATO preferred customer pricing that is available under the EA. A major feature of the new EA is the introduction of user-based licensing; that is, users are licensed, not devices. This allows users access via multiple devices (pc, laptop, thin clients…), on multiple networks (business, operational, missions & exercises), and also to leverage the mobile devices that are increasingly typifying our environment (phones, tablets, iOS, Android). This user license model approach achieves the two aims that have been long sought by our largest stakeholder (ACO). Namely reduced cost and vastly simplified licensing and management

On 18 December 2015, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Microsoft signed a new Enterprise Level Agreement.

general 1 356 1 about-us/newsroom/new-director-service-strategy-and-organizational-change.aspx Mr Murray Davidson joined the Agency on 1 February 2016 as the new Director for Service Strategy and Director of Organizational Change Prior to joining the Agency, Mr Davidson worked in a variety of private and public organisations including fourteen years at the European Space Agency. For the last nine years he worked in the Public Sector of IBM Global Business Services where he led the Defence and Security practice in the Benelux, delivering a variety of solutions and change management programmes to Defence, NATO and other security and public safety clients as well as leading large and complex engagements with a number of other public sector clients. He led IBM’s Public Sector consulting practice in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2011

Mr Murray Davidson joined the Agency on 1 February 2016 as the new Director for Service Strategy and Director of Organizational Change.

general 1 357 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-in-the-news-the-guardianE28099s-latest-article-on-cyber-warfare.aspx The latest article by Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Julian Borger, on cyber warfare, strongly highlighted the NCI Agency Cyber Security role in preventing cyber-attacks against the Alliance. The UK journalist defined the cyber warfare as the ‘the great wild card that can turn the world’s most advanced technology against itself with a few well-placed lines of code’, definitely the ‘biggest threat of all’ Estonia, target of the first concerted state-on-state cyber-attack in 2007, hosted the NATO’s biggest ever cyber war game, Locked Shields, with more than 400 civilians and military involved The NCI Agency Cyber Security team gave its fundamental contribution to the Exercise, thanks to its huge daily experience on the ground. It was the occasion for Mr Borger to interview Mr Ian West, Agency’s Chief Cyber Security Services. The UK journalist strongly highlighted the NCI Agency Cyber Security team role in preventing cyber-attacks against the Alliance West’s agency logs around 200m suspicious events a week. Many of those are automatically discarded by filters, but that still leaves 250-350 serious cases each week against NATO HQ and bases around the world, each of them requiring intervention from the 200-strong multinational group of security analysts and programmers gathered here. There are many more attacks on the national infrastructures of member states. See the full articl

The latest article by Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Julian Borger, on cyber warfare, strongly highlighted the NCI Agency Cyber Security role in preventing cyber-attacks against the Alliance.

general 1 358 1 about-us/newsroom/commander-allied-maritime-command-visits-nci-agency.aspx On 12 January 2016, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers welcomed Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, Commander Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to the NCI Agency in Brussels. The visit provided opportunity to discuss current NCI Agency support to MARCOM and explore ways of improving interoperability in the Maritime Domain. The visit started with the Signature of the 2016 Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the NCI Agency and MARCOM ensuring an agreed level of CIS support throughout the year The main focus of meeting was NCI Agency support to MARCOM in Operationalizing the Maritime Strategy. Vice Admiral Johnstone explained his vision for the future of MARCOM and ambition for CIS to enable greater situational awareness in conducting NATO Maritime operations. He emphasized that by improving information management he can stretch MARCOM in how it conducts exercises and interacts with Nations and the NATO Force Structure. The Agency was keen to support Vice Admiral Johnstone and highlighted that its engagement with Nations and the NATO Force Structure is most effective if done in partnership with the Operational Community as seen by the example of Agency engagement with the Graduated Readiness Forces (Land) in partnership with Allied Land Command, Izmir. The NCI Agency presented its perspective on future operationalization of the Maritime Strategy in the context of the current review the Standing Naval Forces and its desire to support MARCOM in the development of the ‘Ships Available At Sea For NATO Tasking (SAVANT)’ concept, which facilitate the seamless integrations of ships from any NATO Nation or approved Partner Nation into a NATO-led operation at any time. In terms of practical support, the Agency provided an update on AirC2 & BMD Naval Air Ops Integration and Command and Control Projects with a Maritime Focus, including support of the Maritime C2 Information System (MCCIS) until it is replaced through Project TRITON. During the Agency presentation on Infrastructure Services with Maritime Focus, there was an important discussion on how the Agency’s Mission Information Room might be used to support SAVANT and solutions currently under development that might help Vice Admiral Johnstone to communicate more easily with his opposite numbers in the national Maritime Headquarters. The visit set the foundation for a strong partnership between MARCOM and the NCI Agency with both parties agreeing to work closely together to find innovative solutions to support Vice Admiral Johnstone’s vision for the future of MARCOM

On 12 January 2016, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers welcomed Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, Commander Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to the NCI Agency in Brussels. The visit provided opportunity to discuss current NCI Agency support to MARCOM and explore ways of improving interoperability in the Maritime Domain.

general 1 360 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-expands-cyber-partnership-with-industry.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Cisco signed an industry partnership agreement on cyber information sharing at the RSA Conference in San Francisco In light of rapidly evolving cyber tactics and shared risks in cyberspace, the need to work side-by-side with industry partners on pressing cyber-challenges becomes increasingly important The new agreement with Cisco will foster collaboration and timely sharing of information about cyber security industry trends to mutually enhance situational awareness and the protection of respective networks and systems. In practice it will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified information concerning the nature, scope, prevention and mitigation of cyber-attacks. This information will be integrated into NCI Agency 24/7 detection and prevention processes enhancing further NATO cyber security posture The cyber threats that we are seeing are very real and very serious. Partnership with the private sector is crucial in order for NATO to defend the networks upon which it relies to prepare for and respond to threats. While enhancing cyber resilience, this collaboration will provide us with more pieces to the complex puzzle of cyberspace, said Koen Gijsbers, the General Manager of the NCI Agency. Lt Gen Mark Schissler, the Deputy Chairman of NATO Military Committee added The man-made cyber domain is the ULTIMATE Partnership domain. 90% of computer networks reside in the private sector, so we must recognize from the start that open collaboration is the only road to success. Industry, private companies, governments, NGOs, universities we all have to work together, share information and TRUST each other. A collective approach to cyber securit NATO and Cisco have partnered in many ways, and we both agree that security is more than just building best-in-class products – it's about how you think. At Cisco, we build security and resiliency into everything we do, if it's a router or a firewall or a cloud-based services offering. We're sharing analytics with key partners such as NATO, and we're building best in class capability. Together, we will connect our unique global visibility with the unique attacks they experience, and change the game for our customer , said John N. Stewart, Chief Security and Trust Officer, Cisco. At the Wales Summit last year, the Heads of State and Government endorsed the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. The agreement with Cisco is the latest in a series of important agreements with Industry in the framework of the NIC For more information contact Michal Olejarnik, NCI Agency Communication Manager, michal.olejarnik@ncia.nato.in or +32 475 90 70 40

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Cisco signed an industry partnership agreement on cyber information sharing at the RSA Conference in San Francisco.

general 1 361 1 about-us/newsroom/update-to-nato-communication-infrastructure-call-for-bids.aspx An update has been released for the NATO General Communications System call for bids, a project to modernize NATO's general communications networks valued at over 80 million Euro The scope of this project is to transform the largely circuit-based NATO General Communications System (NGCS) into a fully Internet Protocol (IP) converged network. The current unclassified voice system, based on Private Automatic Branch Exchanges (PABXs) will be replaced with a Voice over IP system. The modernized NGCS will support the provision of IP communications services to NATO static and deployed users with significantly increased capacity, improved performance and advanced Quality of Service Click her for the update. For more background on the project, see our Business Opportunities pag To stay on top of Agency business opportunities, follow our Acquisition team on Twitter NCIAAcquisitio

An update has been released for the NATO General Communications System call for bids, a project to modernize NATO's general communications networks valued at over 80 million Euro.

general 1 362 1 about-us/newsroom/bundeswehr-cross-of-honour-awarded-to-agency-staff-member.aspx On 9 March 2016, Mr. John Teufert, Head of the Geospatial Services Branch within the Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Service Line, was awarded the prestigious Bundeswehr Cross of Honour in Gold for outstanding deeds. This special grade of the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour is the second highest decoration of the Bundeswehr and has currently only been awarded about 150 times. John is an active Reserve Officer of the Bundeswehr and serves several weeks each year back in uniform. Within the Bundeswehr, John has performed many different military functions, including support to the German Special Operation Forces community. Recently, he was assigned as the commander (OF-5) of the Multinational Geospatial Support Group (MN GSG) - a German-led NATO Smart Defence initiative. John highlights This new assignment is a perfect match between my NCI Agency responsibilities and my reserve duties. MN GSG has been stood up by Germany to provide geospatial support exclusively to NATO and the EU. This new multinational element will enable NATO to obtain and maintain geospatial information superiority. To stay fully trained and certified definitely helps me to better understand our customers and provides valuable, but different perspectives. I look forward to commanding MN GSG during my next reserve exercises and to helping meet NATO's requirement .

On 9 March 2016, Mr. John Teufert, Head of the Geospatial Services Branch within the Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Service Line, was awarded the prestigious Bundeswehr Cross of Honour in Gold for outstanding deeds. This special grade of the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour is the second highest decoration of the Bundeswehr and has currently only been awarded about 150 times.

general 1 363 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-military-leaders-meet-at-allied-reach-conference-in-riga.aspx Allied Reach is a biennial conference for NATO military leaders organized by Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) General Denis Mercier, created for the mutual exchange of ideas affecting military, strategic and transformational issues from an operational perspective. The conference took place in Riga, Latvia, from 11-14 April. The NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, was among the NATO leaders invited to support the discussion on Continuous Strategic Awareness, Security Networking, Strategic Communication and the Capabilities and Capacities needed for the Alliance to “keep its edge, today and tomorrow”. Mr Gijsbers underlined the importance for NATO Strategic Commanders to recognize the need for a close relationship with Industry and to put in place the policies and mechanisms necessary for the Alliance to deliver timely and effectively the C4ISR capabilities and services required to enable continuous strategic awareness SACT and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) will take the key findings and proposed actionable outcomes to adapt and improve concepts, to shape the Warsaw Summit Deliverables, and jointly address the future challenges that the Alliance and its partners are likely to face

Allied Reach is a biennial conference for NATO military leaders organized by Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) General Denis Mercier, created for the mutual exchange of ideas affecting military, strategic and transformational issues from an operational perspective.

general 1 364 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-strengthens-cyber-alliances.aspx Within the framework of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP), the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed on 29 February an industry partnership agreement with Fortinet The agreement with Fortinet will boost two-way information sharing, in particular on cyber threat intelligence. This is often a high impact and efficient way to enhance cyber resilience and mitigate vulnerability to attack. Some of the expectations of this initiative are Improve cyber defence in NATO's defence supply chain Improve sharing of expertise, information and experience of operating under the constant threat of cyber attack, including information on threats and vulnerabilities, e.g. malware information sharing Raise awareness and improve the understanding of cyber risks Leverage private sector developments for capability development, and Generate efficient and adequate support in case of cyber incidents NATO is facing cybersecurity threats across the world that could drastically affect national economies and citizens. To avoid it, NCI Agency strongly believes in early information sharing on threats and vulnerabilities with leading companies worldwide, such as Fortinet said Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager Organizations, both public or private, and everyday people are constantly under cyber attack. The combination of the growth of threats, the ever-evolving attack surface, and the dramatic increase in the number of devices we use everyday means the job of protecting ourselves will continue to be more and more difficult. If more organizations proactively share actionable intelligence, together we can better combat advanced threats and counteract the latest risks to deliver security without compromise today and in the future stressed Michael Xie, Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer, Fortinet The agreement with Fortinet is the latest in a series of important partnerships with industry organizations in the framework of the NIC . The NCI Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks Related news available on FORTINET websit .

Within the framework of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP), the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed on 29 February an industry partnership agreement with Fortinet.

general 1 365 1 about-us/newsroom/marcom-and-nci-agency-sign-joint-partnership-statement.aspx The Joint Partnership Statement signed between the NCI Agency and the Commander Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) is in support of the NATO 1st Solution (N1S) for the Maritime Community, based on the mutual goal of assisting NATO and the Allied Nations achieve robust, responsive and connected maritime forces capable of delivering the Alliance Maritime Strategy Following the signing of the NCI Agency Partnership Statement with Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in 2014, the General Manager recently signed a second Joint Partnership Statement (JPS) with Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, Commander MARCOM MARCOM JPS is in support of the NATO 1st Solution for the Maritime Community and is considered to be part of a wider NATO maritime partnership, which includes Allied Command Transformation and the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation. It is based on the mutual goal of assisting NATO and the Allied Nations achieve robust, responsive and connected maritime forces capable of delivering the Alliance Maritime Strategy. Cooperation on the refugee and migrant crisis MARCOM, as the hub of the wider Maritime Enterprise, will contribute to this partnership by advocating the use of proven solutions developed using a common NATO C4ISR platform. MARCOM will also support longer term planning by helping to develop the operational requirements for common funded maritime capability packages and will advise on requirements for multinational and national maritime projects. The NCI Agency will contribute by delivering the required C4ISR services and capabilities that support MARCOM in its operational role. The Agency will also support Commander MARCOM in his effort to achieve his vision for MARCOM to become a highly effective operational HQ using concepts such as SAVANT (Ships Available At Sea For NATO Tasking). Furthermore, with MARCOM as an advocate, the Agency will be in a better position to help nations improve interoperability to support the rapid forming and dissolving of coalitions, under NATO or national control, for varying periods of time. The implementation of the partnership will be achieved through co-operative planning on a multi-year basis, an example of which is the improvement of the MARCOM Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) connectivity and the enhancement of the Recognised Maritime Picture. In the short-term, however, the Agency's current collaboration with MARCOM to provide an innovative technical solution that allows both EU Border Forces and NATO to cooperate on the refugee and migrant crisis in the Aegean Sea is the first real test of this new partnership

The Joint Partnership Statement signed between the NCI Agency and the Commander Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) is in support of the NATO 1st Solution (N1S) for the Maritime Community, based on the mutual goal of assisting NATO and the Allied Nations achieve robust, responsive and connected maritime forces capable of delivering the Alliance Maritime Strategy.

general 1 366 1 about-us/newsroom/natoukraine-regional-airspace-security-program-progress.aspx Following a successful demonstration, the NATO-Ukraine Regional Airspace Security Programme (RASP) is progressing through its next phase, a feasibility study, with meetings of experts from NATO, EUROCONTROL, Ukraine, Turkey, the United States and Poland in Odessa, Ukraine on 16-17 March 2016 The project is part of the broader NATO-C4 Trust Fund, which in turn is a contribution to the overall Alliance efforts in assisting Ukraine with the modernisation of its C4 structures and the development of its security and defence capabilities within the framework of Ukraine's defence reform activities. RASP aims to improve cross-border coordination of civil air security incidents; boost regional airspace cooperation between Ukraine, Turkey, Poland and Norway; and improve civil-military cooperation in Ukraine. RASP will provide permanent and real-time connectivity with Ukraine's neighbouring countries. It will grant early notification and coordination on security incidents and suspicious aircraft, sharing of the air picture, and facilitate direct voice coordination including joint handling procedures. Successful conclusion of 'pathfinder' phas The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is the Executing Agent of the NATO-Ukraine Command, Control Communications and Computers (C4) Trust Fund. In addition to the C4 Trust Fund Lead Nations, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom, other Allies - Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, and the United States - are contributing to the NATO-Ukraine C4 Trust Fund On 23-25 February 2016 in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force Command, led by Major General Artur Artemenko, First Deputy Commander, hosted a successful demonstration of the capabilities of the first 'pathfinder' phase of the programme. The demonstration was led by specialists from the NCI Agency and EUROCONTROL The RASP Pathfinder demonstrated the successful exchange of regional air traffic information and allowed integrated voice coordination between Ukraine and operators from Poland, Turkey and Norway. It showcased the CIMACT system, and provided initial user training involving Ukrainian operators The 'pathfinder' phase was funded through the NATO-Ukraine C4 Trust Fund. It represents the first milestone of a phased implementation approach of RASP. The next step forward is the Feasibility Study, sponsored by the United States. This phase is now progressing and the meetings in Odessa are a significant milestone. They will explore the specifics of the technical solution that will underpin the RASP programme NATO-Ukraine C4 Trust Fun In addition to its role as Executing Agent for the C4 Trust Fund, a Memorandum of Agreement on C4 is in place between Ukraine and the NCI Agency since July 2015, allowing for direct Ukraine-NCI Agency cooperation activities For more information, please contact Michal Olejarnik, NCI Agency Communication Manager

Following a successful demonstration, the NATO-Ukraine Regional Airspace Security Programme (RASP) is progressing through its next phase,

general 1 367 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-innovation-challenge.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency is pleased to announce the 2016 Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capability requirements You are invited to submit your technology solution by 10 May for review by NCI Agency leadership in cooperation with the Business Executives engaged in the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership Top ranked innovators will be offered an opportunity to showcase their technology solutions at the 2016 NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC 16) Building Resilience through Secure C4ISR NATO-Industry Collaboration in a New Era, which will take place in Tallinn, Estonia from 7 to 9 June, and will also be featured in the NCI Agency's Small Business Success Stories. The top 5 innovators will receive a full Conference registration waiver Submit a maximum two page proposal outlining an innovative solution in one of the following four focus areas 1. Cyber Defence Insider threat detectio Situational awarenes Secure mobilit Advanced Persistent Threat detectio Multi-level securit Other technologies of interest to Cyber Defence 2. Internet of Things Novel application of IoT in Military contex Application to smart bases, such as, but not limited to, hospital applications, logistics, energy efficiency, etc Security challenges related to IoT, such as, but not limited to, data integrit Data analytic Other IoT technologies of interest 3. Military applications of Blockchains a) Application of blockchain technology to military logistic b) Application of blockchain technology to procurement and financ c) Other applications of interest to the military 4. Cognitive computing and machine learnin d) Automatic document classificatio e) Autonomous agent supporting defence against cyber-attack f) Autonomous agents replacing call centre function g) Other applications of interest to the military Eligibility Criteria and Submission Information Small businesses and academia from 28 NATO Allies are eligible to participate Submit your two-page proposal to IndustryRelations@ncia.nato.in by Tuesday 10 May 2016 18 00 CE The top ranked innovators will be selected and notified by 20 May, 2016. Conditions for participatio The innovation challenge is not an invitation to bid and the submitted proposals are not linked to any future contract opportunities. Response will be provided on a voluntary basis and NATO is not liable for any expenses incurred as a result of participation to the innovation challenge. Negative responses shall not prejudice or exclude companies from any future procurement that may be initiated by NATO in the future. NATO makes no commitment to initiate any procurement action as a result of the innovation challenge Response to the innovation challenge will be analyzed by NATO internally and will not be released to other participants. Results of the innovation challenge and a description of the solution will be advertised. Participants are therefore invited to provide a description of their technical solution releasable to the public

The NATO Communications and Information Agency is pleased to announce the 2016 Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capability requirements.

general 1 368 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-supports-natos-new-eastern-europe-headquarters.aspx As part of NATO's Readiness Action Plan, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is providing connectivity for NATO's six – soon to be eight – new small headquarters in Eastern Europe, in order to help ensure that they become fully operational by the Warsaw Summit in July 2016 Successful installations took place at the NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania in fall 2015, followed by installations in Estonia, Bulgaria and Poland Leading the way to modernized NATO I Fully centralized communication and information system (CIS) services are being provided at all NFIU locations, leading the way for the NCI Agency's future architectures and modernized IT infrastructure. NFIU users receive application services through private cloud-based application provision for operations and exercises Due to the common approach across all NFIUs, the single sign-on and same work structures will be seen across each unit's work stations, ensuring that visiting forces will have the same experience no matter their location. A mix of NATO and national personnel will work at each NFIU location to provide effective support when NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) deploys into a NFIU Nation in the context of NATO Response Force exercises or operations, providing coordination with the national government and on-the-ground logistic and legal support. The capability deployed within the NFIU will be able to support additional surge personnel from visiting units to aid coordination The NCI Agency has been responsible for establishing CIS for NFIUs under extremely tight timelines dictated by the Summit declaration in Wales and the Defence Ministers' political commitment in February 2015. Success was achieved thanks to effective teamwork, bringing together expertise from almost all areas of the Agency, with a can-do and problem solving attitude from all involved, monitored at Director's level through the establishment of the Connected Force Readiness Programme The NFIU project installation schedule continues with further deployments in Hungary and Slovakia

As part of NATO's Readiness Action Plan, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is providing connectivity for NATO's six – soon to be eight – new small headquarters in Eastern Europe

general 1 369 1 about-us/newsroom/senior-officials-visit-the-nci-agency-in-the-hague.aspx On 15 April the Deputy Permanent Representatives of the 28 NATO nations visited the NCI Agency's facilities in The Hague. The visit was an opportunity for an in-depth discussion on the cyber and IT challenges NATO faces ahead of the 8-9 July Warsaw Summit Members of this committee had the opportunity to see first-hand work by the Agency's scientists and engineers in what are NATO's most advanced command and control laboratories, including live connection to Afghanistan and other operations Eye-opening discussion NCI Agency General Manager Mr Koen Gijsbers highlighted some of the Agency-supported milestones achieved since the Wales Summit in 2014, such as the connecting the NATO Force Integration Units, delivering the Air Command and Control System, enhancing NATO Cyber including the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership Programme, improvements in NATO intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and cooperation with Ukraine The Agency being the deliverer of IT and cyber solutions for NATO, Chief of Staff RADM Thomas Daum pointed out many of the opportunities the Warsaw Summit might hold in the cyber domain Following Ballistic Missile Defence and Command and Control demonstrations, the Deputies said that they were leaving with a much broader perspective on NATO's IT and the NCI Agency's role in it, eventually a potentially soon-to-be fourth domain in modern warfare. The conclusions of the day portrayed an interesting new perspective for these senior decision-makers right before the Warsaw Summit, which will define the way forward for the Alliance over the next two years and beyond

On 15 April the Deputy Permanent Representatives of the 28 NATO nations visited the NCI Agency's facilities in The Hague. The visit was an opportunity for an in-depth discussion on the cyber and IT challenges NATO faces ahead of the 8-9 July Warsaw Summit.

general 1 370 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-meritorious-service-medal-awarded-to-nci-agency-staff-members.aspx On the authority of the NATO Secretary General, Ms Cristina Palacios from Service Strategy and Dr Philip Eles from the Directorate of Application Services, were presented with NATO's highest honour, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal. Ms Palacios and Dr Eles were presented with the Medal for their outstanding service to NATO at a ceremony held in The Hague on 30 March 2016. Ms Palacios has made outstanding contributions to NATO in several aspects of testing, verification and validation of communications and information systems (CIS). These contributions far exceed the normal expectations of staff in the areas of improving NATO systems to protect our forces, ensuring the success of NATO exercises and working on a better CIS future for NATO Dr Philip Eles, as a member of the Operational Analysts team, played a key role in providing objective analyses of security indicators in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)/Resolute Support HQ's Afghan Assessment Group (AAG). Dr Phil Eles spent 2015 supporting AAG, 4 months of it in theatre. He took over the responsibility for the Afghan National Quarterly Assessment Research (ANQAR) surveys, ensuring their continuity and relevance to the needs of the new mission NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers presented the awards and emphasised the importance of the achievement by each recipient, both inside and outside of operational theatres

On the authority of the NATO Secretary General, Ms Cristina Palacios from Service Strategy and Dr Philip Eles from the Directorate of Application Services, were presented with NATO's highest honour, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal.

general 1 371 1 about-us/newsroom/nfiu-poland-opening-ceremony.aspx During the NATO Summit in Newport, Wales held in September 2014, leaders of the Alliance gave mandate for the biggest reinforcement of NATO's collective defence in recent years by approving the newly formed Readiness Action Plan (RAP), which provides a comprehensive package of measures to respond to the ever changing security environment on NATO's borders As a part of the measures outlined in the RAP, NATO decided to set up six small headquarters, called NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) based in Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia On 20 April 2016, members of the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) were invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the NATO Force Integration Unit in Bydgoszcz, Poland, which was formally opened by Antoni Macierewicz, the Polish Minister of Defence Enhancing Alliance responsivenes Mr Macierewicz's opening speech was broadcast on national television within Poland and his message was clear Today we can say that Poland is completely ready to accept allied troops and that NATO is fully prepared to present at the Eastern Flank. The NCI Agency has been responsible for establishing communication and information systems (CIS) for NFIUs under the extremely tight timelines dictated by the Summit declaration in Wales and the Defence Ministers' political commitment in February 2015. NFIU (POL) Commander, Colonel Artur Bogowicz congratulated the work effort by the NCI Agency, calling it a remarkable and significant success. Mr Macierewicz's reaction on his tour of the facility was also noteworthy We are amazed that the NCI Agency has been able to deliver the operational CIS for the NFIU in such a short timeframe. The NATO Force Integration Unit Poland is part of the NATO Force Structure designed to facilitate the rapid deployment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) and NATO Response Force elements (NRF), in order to enhance Alliance responsiveness

During the NATO Summit in Newport, Wales held in September 2014, leaders of the Alliance gave mandate for the biggest reinforcement of NATO's collective defence in recent years by approving the newly formed Readiness Action Plan (RAP), which provides a comprehensive package of measures to respond to the ever changing security environment on NATO's borders.

general 1 372 1 about-us/newsroom/the-nci-agency-supporting-nato-247.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO's primary Communications and Information Systems (CIS) provider. It delivers advanced Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) technology in support of Alliance decision-makers and missio Technological innovation, cyber security, and interoperability lie at the forefront of the NCI Agency's vision. From providing on-the-ground support to implementing new technologies, the Agency has a 24/7 objective to connect the Alliance, defend its networks and provide rapid support to NATO operations and missions https //youtu.be/trpKYdI-ub The NCI Agency was established on 1 July 2012 as a result of the merger of the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A), the NATO ACCS Management Agency (NACMA), the NATO Communication and Information Systems Services Agency (NCSA), the Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) Programme Office and elements of NATO HQ Information Communications and Technology Management (ICTM). Headquartered in Brussels, the Agency has more than 25 locations in Europe, North America and South Asia To stay connected join us on Twitte , Faceboo , YouTub or LinkedI .

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO's primary Communications and Information Systems (CIS) provider.

general 1 373 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec16-building-resilience-through-secure-c4isr.aspx Taking place on 7-9 June in Tallinn, Estonia, the 2016 NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC16) provides an excellent forum to discuss NATO-Industry collaboration in a new era of shared risks. Held in the run-up to the NATO Warsaw Summit, the event will look to building resilience by developing and delivering secure C4ISR and cyber capabilities as NATO increases its defence posture and continues to bolster the readiness and responsiveness of its forces. President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves will attend the event that is bringing together over 500 senior government, military and industry leaders, as well as defence and security experts. NITEC16 is organized by the NCI Agency and the Association for Communications, Electronics and Information Systems (AFCEA), in cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Defence. On this occasion, the NCI Agency will introduce current and upcoming business opportunities of up to 3 billion EUR in the areas of Air Command and Control, Core Enterprise Services, Command and Control, Education and Training, Cyber Security and Network Infrastructure Services. For a full list of business opportunities, please click her . To register for NITEC16, follow this lin https //youtu.be/iroATLKC2g NATO-Industry Collaboration in a New Er In a changed security environment, adaptation and building resilience is key for the Alliance's continued relevance and ability to respond. NITEC16 will focus on new ways of engaging with industry, adapted to the diversity and simultaneity of threats and rapid technological developments. This flagship event will also provide concrete opportunities to connect, exchange views and lessons learned, and collaborate with industry partners to support NATO capability development During the first day of the conference – the 'NATO-Industry Strategic Dialogue Day' – high-level speakers will address the key challenges the Alliance faces today and is likely to meet in the future. The discussion will focus on how strategic partnerships with industry, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), can enable the enhancement of C4ISR capabilities through investment in innovative, state-of-the-art solutions against high-end threats. The following two days, 8-9 June, NITEC16 will present opportunities for collaboration, offering a forum to discuss the latest technological developments and provide information on NATO Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) business opportunities and capability priorities Side Events and Activities for Industry and NAT This year, a number of tailored initiatives will be offered in the margins of the event, including an interactive seminar on navigating the NATO-Industry collaborative platforms and business opportunities/contract portals. Eligible industry participants will have the chance to engage one-on-one with NATO decision makers, programme managers and NCI Agency staff to discuss topics of interest, such as how to access NATO programmes and projects, build partnerships, and leverage innovative solutions Sessions showcasing how to develop a Basic Ordering Agreement with the NCI Agency will take place throughout 8 and 9 June, presenting business opportunities of up to 3 billion EUR. To support industry, a mentoring programme for SMEs and start-ups will be offered, during which successful small businesses, primes and acquisition representatives will discuss the potential opportunities landscape, seed financing and best practices The conference will also feature the top ranked innovators of the NCI Agency's 2016 Innovation Challenge, who will have the opportunity to display their winning technology solutions focusing on cyber defence, the Internet of Things, military applications of blockchains, and computing and machine learning. For the latest NITEC16 Programme, please click her . To register and for further information, visit the NITEC16 websit #NITEC1

Taking place on 7-9 June in Tallinn, Estonia, the 2016 NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC16) provides an excellent forum to discuss NATO-Industry collaboration in a new era of shared risks.

general 1 374 1 about-us/newsroom/chief-of-staff-handovertakeover-ceremony.aspx On Monday, 25 January 2016, MGEN Luis Emilio Andrey Medina handed over his Chief of Staff responsibilities to RADM Thomas Daum. The event was held at NATO HQ in Brussels in the presence of the Chairman of the Military Committee, his Deputy, the Spanish Ambassador, the German Ambassador and the Spanish and German Military representatives. Furthermore, GEN Huhn and GEN Sanz from ACO, GEN Leinhos from the C3 Staff and the Chairman of our Supervisory Board, Mr Harp also attended the ceremony “The Chief of Staff is the second highest ranking leader in the Agency. Normally you would not hold a ceremony for a staff officer. But the CoS is also the senior military authority for our military personnel, which currently numbers 1170. His responsibilities include the daily management of NATO's largest organisation, NATO Communications and Information Agency, as well as resource decisions, and responsible for the care of both civilian and military personnel. This includes those that are deployed and providing 24/7 support to NATO operations, highlighted the Agency General Manager in his opening remarks MGEN Luis Emilio Andrey Medin MGEN Andrey joined the Agency on 21 January 2013. He also acted as Location Principal for Batiment-Z (Brussels, BEL). “As a soldier you sometimes get difficult orders. In your case Luis, the order as Chief of Staff was – change everything, but keep the plane flying at 30 000 feet,” said the GM in his farewell note to outgoing Chief of Staff, “There have been many challenges, but you can look back with pride at what has been achieved. RADM Thomas Daum, Ph.D RADM Thomas Daum has been appointed Chief of Staff as of 25 January 2016. He is also the Deputy General Manager, the Chief Operating Officer and the Location Principal for Batiment-Z “As Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, you must now fine-tune the engine for optimum performance. There are still major challenges ahead – implementing our new geographic footprint is certainly one. And as you know – we are working hard to ensure the IT in the new HQ is ready. Your main challenge is threefold Continue to deliver capabilities and services; Ensure maximum efficiency, speed and cost-avoidance in our internal transactions; Cement a new Agency culture,” said the GM in his welcome to the new CoS. “I would like again to thank your Nation for assigning such an outstanding leader to this very important position in the Agency.

On Monday, 25 January 2016, MGEN Luis Emilio Andrey Medina handed over his Chief of Staff responsibilities to RADM Thomas Daum. The event was held at NATO HQ in Brussels in the presence of the Chairman of the Military Committee, his Deputy, the Spanish Ambassador, the German Ambassador and the Spanish and German Military representatives. Furthermore, GEN Huhn and GEN Sanz from ACO, GEN Leinhos from the C3 Staff and the Chairman of our Supervisory Board, Mr Harp also attended the ceremony.

general 1 375 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec16-natoindustry-collaboration-in-a-new-era.aspx The 2016 NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC16) provides an excellent forum to discuss NATO-Industry collaboration in a new era of shared risks. Held in the run-up to the NATO Warsaw Summit, the event will look to building resilience by developing and delivering secure C4ISR and cyber capabilities as NATO increases its defence posture and continues to bolster the readiness and responsiveness of its forces. When 7-9 June 201 Where Tallinn, Estoni Register www.nitec.nato.int Watch our video below to catch a glimpse of what to expect from #NITEC16 https //youtu.be/iroATLKC2g NITEC16 is bringing together over 500 senior government, military and industry leaders, as well as defence and security experts. During the conference, the NCI Agency will present up to 3 billion EUR of NATO business opportunitie in the areas of Air Command and Control, Core Enterprise Services, Command and Control, Education and Training, Cyber Security and Network Infrastructure Services. This annual flagship conference is organized by the NCI Agency and the Association for Communications, Electronics and Information Systems (AFCEA), in cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Defence. Registe to join us from 7-9 June 2016 in Tallinn, Estonia

The 2016 NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC16) provides an excellent forum to discuss NATO-Industry collaboration in a new era of shared risks. Held in the run-up to the NATO Warsaw Summit, the event will look to building resilience by developing and delivering secure C4ISR and cyber capabilities as NATO increases its defence posture and continues to bolster the readiness and responsiveness of its forces.

general 1 376 1 about-us/newsroom/project-triton-invitation-for-bid-released-to-industry.aspx Project TRITON has reached a major milestone with the release of the Invitation of Bid on 17 May 2016 Project TRITON is the name given to all implementation activities associated with the delivery of services in support of Maritime Command and Control contained within the Capability Package 9C0107 Functional Services for Command & Control of Operations . The project was initiated by ACT in 2011, First Stage and Second Stage Authorisation were granted by the NATO Investment Committee on 27 May 2014 and 23 February 2016 respectively The purpose of TRITON is to provide the NATO community with an integrated, robust, and flexible capability supporting a set of services available throughout the Bi-Strategic Command Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS) and NATO operational theatres to enable NATO and National forces to establish and share a common view of the battle space thereby improving their situational awareness and decision-making processes Increment 1 of Project TRITON will primarily provide Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) and replace the operational level functionality of the existing Maritime Command and Control Information System (MCCIS) and MSA Demonstrator Prototype (MSA/BRITE). Its main functions include building and disseminating NATO Recognised Maritime Picture (RMP) and White Shipping Picture within the MSA capability, Water Space Management and Prevention of Mutual Interference function of Maritime Operational Planning capability, a variety of decision aid tools for Maritime Operational Support functions Future Increments of TRITON will cover more C2 capabilities such as Operational Planning and Execution, Naval Mine Warfare Planning and Execution, and support to other Naval Warfare Areas The Invitation for Bid (IFB) for TRITON with number IFB-CO-13859-TRITON, has been released on 17 May 2016 to initiate an International Competitive Bidding (ICB). It is expected that the IFB Process will be completed in 2016, the contractor will be selected using Best Value evaluation with 60% Technical and 40% Price criteria. During the 36-month contract duration, TRITON will be delivered in four Baselines, and subject to operational test and evaluation by NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM)

Project TRITON has reached a major milestone with the release of the Invitation of Bid on 17 May 2016.

general 1 377 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec-16-welcomes-highlevel-speakers.aspx Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Mauris vulputate, velit sit amet dictum dictum, risus nisi commodo ante, id facilisis velit leo vitae nisi.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Mauris vulputate, velit sit amet dictum dictum, risus nisi commodo ante, id facilisis velit leo vitae nisi.

The NATO Communications and Information Agency is honoured to welcome to NITEC16 His Excellency Toomas Hendrik llves, President of Estonia and Admiral Michael S. Rogers, United States Navy, Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service.

general 1 378 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec-16-welcomes-highlevel-speakers-2.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency is honoured to welcome to NITEC16 His Excellency Toomas Hendrik llves, President of Estonia and Admiral Michael S. Rogers, United States Navy, Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service Taking place in the run-up to the Warsaw Summit as NATO increases its defence posture and continues to bolster the readiness and responsiveness of its forces, NITEC16 will bring over 500 senior government, military and industry leaders, as well as defence and security experts together to address how to build resilience in a new era of shared risk, including through increased collaboration with industry speakers https //youtu.be/iroATLKC2g Rapidly evolving threats and hybrid tactics – including those that exploit our reliance on cyberspace – complicate the security environment for governments and industry alike, NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers said, NATO and Allies realise that in order to maintain a technological edge over adversaries, working with the private sector to rapidly deploy innovative solutions is imperative. NITEC16 offers a unique opportunity to advance that partnership. Other distinguished speakers include H.E. Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges; Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Lofgren, Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Allied Command Transformation; Mr. Kevin Mandia, President of FireEye; Dr. Katrin Suder, Secretary of State, Federal Ministry of Defence Germany; Lt. Gen. Riho Terras, Estonian Chief of Defence; and Jean-Michel Lagarde, Chairman and CEO of Thales Communication & Security NITEC16 is presented by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) and the Association for Communications, Electronics and information Systems Professionals (AFCEA Europe) and organized in cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Defence To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in

The NATO Communications and Information Agency is honoured to welcome to NITEC16 His Excellency Toomas Hendrik llves, President of Estonia and Admiral Michael S. Rogers, United States Navy, Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service.

general 1 379 1 about-us/newsroom/allies-and-partners-discuss-cyber-and-security-networking.aspx On 18 and 19 May 2016, Allied Command Transformation (ACT), supported by the NCI Agency, held a workshop that brought together Allies and Partners to discuss military partnership and security networking in the cyber domain. Cyber presents a paradigm shift in the global security dynamic. Cyber threats epitomize asymmetry they are inexpensive and easily developed, they can undermine conventional military superiority and the security of NATO and Allies alike, leaving the world's most technologically advanced and networked societies vulnerable, said Rear Admiral Pete Gumataotao, ACT Deputy Chief of Staff Strategic Plans and Policy. Collaboration with partners is essentia During discussions, subject matter experts highlighted that from a technical perspective it is key to recognize that collaboration with partners is essential in addressing perpetually evolving cyber threats and in achieving continuous strategic awareness. The 30 participants included experts from partner nations such as Japan, Ireland, Georgia, Finland, Sweden and Austria. The discussions covered not only the major future trends in the cyber domain and their related policy and strategy challenges, but also in-depth views from experts in Federated Mission Networking, Cyber Security, as well as contributions from industry and academia. The NCI Agency plays a critical role in cyber defence as the technical authority for NATO's Cyber Incident Response Centre (NCIRC) and through the NATO-Industry Cyber Partnership. This two-day event is the fourth in a series of workshops preparing for the 2016 Strategic Military Partners Conference (SMPC 2016), which will take place in Bucharest in October. The Commander has invited General Manager Koen Gijsbers to deliver a keynote address on cyber at the conference

On 18 and 19 May 2016, Allied Command Transformation (ACT), supported by the NCI Agency, held a workshop that brought together Allies and Partners to discuss military partnership and security networking in the cyber domain.

general 1 380 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-announces-winners-of-the-inaugural-defence-innovation-challenge.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency is pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. Small businesses and academia from all 28 Allies were invited to submit proposals in four focus areas of cyber defence, Internet of Things, military applications of blockchains, and cognitive computing and machine learning. The top 10 innovators and their technologies are RangeForce (Estonia) Hands-on cyber security simulation training for IT staff, discovery of new cyber talent internally, and recruiting external talent based on candidates' practical skills Osirium (United Kingdom) Management tool to monitor and control privileged accounts through identity and role, restricting abuse of privileged accounts QuarksLab (France) Incident Response and Malware Analysis (IRMA). AvePoint Public Sector, Inc. (USA) Automatic document classification Ntrepid Corporation (USA) A secure virtual browser to limit impact of attacks through browsers Vector Synergy (Poland) Cyber Defence training range and training tools NVISO (Belgium) Security sensors for IDS and data storage. Semi-automatic tagging and processing of alerts Digital Shadows (United Kingdom) A scalable data analysis platform that provides a complete, attacker's eye view of an organization's digital footprint Be Informed (Netherlands) Data analysis and visualization to identify relationships in network traffic Terida Systems (Canada) Protecting information flow for the supply chain and contractor logistics support The NCI Agency received a total of 65 proposals representing small businesses and academia from 12 Allies. The University of Nebraska at Omaha was the sole participant from academia, with a submission on SecuWear, an open source, multi-component hardware/software platform for exploring wearable security The large number of high quality proposals we received made selection difficult, said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers. However, it also signals the vast potential for small businesses and academia throughout the Alliance to contribute to NATO cyber defence, and we will be working hard in the coming months to create mechanisms for closer engagement with them. The top finishers' technology solutions will be showcased at the 2016 NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC16), 'Building Resilience through Secure C4ISR NATO-Industry Collaboration in a New Era', that will take place from 7 to 9 June in Tallinn, Estonia

The NATO Communications and Information Agency is pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities.

general 1 381 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-to-launch-small-business-mentoring-programme.aspx The NCI Agency is pleased to announce the launch of a Small Business Mentoring Programme to harness the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from across the Alliance to contribute to NATO cyber defence. Representatives from AT&T, BT, Leidos and Symantec, will meet with SMEs in one-on-one sessions during NCI Agency's annual flagship conference to be held from 7-9 June in Tallinn, Estonia. They will cover a range of topics, including product development, marketing, seed financing, technology scouting, best practices, and successful collaboration with partner companies and NATO SMEs are innovative, agile and often specialise in niche technologies or processes that have the potential to be at the forefront of improvements in C4ISR, IT and cyber security, though we lack mechanisms to easily connect them to NCI Agency business opportunities, NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers said. The Small Business Mentoring Programme aims to correct that imbalance. He added, This year's conference theme, 'Building Resilience through Secure C4ISR NATO-Industry Collaboration in a New Era,' reflects the new reality that NATO and the private sector share risk and responsibility in cyber space, and it will be an opportune time to kick off this programme. The Small Business Mentoring Programme is one of the initiatives implemented under the NCI Agency's SME Engagement Strategy. The strategy aims to maximize the potential of SMEs to deliver cost-effective capabilities in C4ISR, IT, and cyber security. Other programmes will be announced in the coming months. To register for the Small Business Mentoring Programme, please use the NITEC APP

The NCI Agency is pleased to announce the launch of a Small Business Mentoring Programme to harness the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from across the Alliance to contribute to NATO cyber defence.

general 1 382 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-cyber-team-wins-prestigious-awards.aspx NATO cyber team has been honoured in the SC Magazine’s 2016 European cyber industry’s most prestigious awards. The awards ceremony took place in London, UK, on 7 June 2016 Mr Ian West, the NATO Communications and Information Agency Chief Cyber Security has won a trophy as the Best Chief Information Security Officer . His team, the NCI Agency Cyber Security Service Line, qualified as Highly Commended Security Team of the Year . Receiving the awards is of great value to me personally. It is a big success for the NATO Communications and Information Agency team, but it is also strong independent validation of the NATO Alliance's commitment to cyber defence, said Mr West. yber threats are an enduring, dynamic challenge that NATO was early to recognize and is determined to meet he added Leading by example - one mission, one tea As part of a major NATO Agency reorganization (1 July 2012), Ian West was selected to construct and lead the team responsible for designing, implementing and operating all of NATO's cyber defence capabilities. This project brought together around 200 cyber staff members from different organizations and cultures and building a one-mission, one-team-oriented Service Line. Integration was achieved through a complete structural and process re-design, focusing on Agency and Alliance objectives, together with a very strong and transparent communications programme. Today, the NCI Agency Cyber Security Service Line provides efficient full lifecycle services across NATO's international locations and in support of the Allies. This includes defending NATO's networks 24/7, managing the development of new cyber capabilities in partnership with Industry and providing thorough and specialized cyber security subject matter expertise to NATO's IT programmes. At the NATO Summit in Wales, the Alliance undertook to enhance its collective cyber defence by engaging with Industry, in particular with regards to information sharing, dissemination of best practices and cyber innovation. Mr West and his team have been instrumental in taking these political-level aspirations and turning them into tangible and effective collaboration programmes benefiting both Allied Industry and NATO. They are key contributors to the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership, leading the introduction of a cyber innovation pilot, designed to include Small and Medium Enterprises as well as larger companies. NATO and Industry have found new levels of collaboration thanks to this project “The NATO Communications and Information Agency has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with eight private sector companies and this experience has proven invaluable to us as we develop the NATO cyber industry partnership for the future,“ said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, NATO Assistant Secretary General, Emerging Security Challenges Divisio

NATO cyber team has been honoured in the SC Magazine’s 2016 European cyber industry’s most prestigious awards. The awards ceremony took place in London, UK, on 7 June 2016.

general 1 383 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec16-day-1-need-for-partnership.aspx The speed of cyber threats and the need for partnerships this creates were recurring themes during Day 1 of NITEC16, as high-level speakers took a hard look at strategic challenge President of Estonia H.E. Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command Admiral Michael S. Rogers agreed that data integrity is a major concern Data is now a commodity that has value in and of itself, Admiral Rogers said, adding that big data analytics give adversaries a tool to generate meaningful insights with data President Ilves noted that the Internet of Things will be a prime target for hackers as society becomes more digitized. The thing to lose sleep about is the Internet of Things, he said Business executives and NATO representatives alike emphasized the need to bring the speed of acquisition processes into better alignment with the speed needed to defend against cyber threats. Admiral Rogers noted a new trend of government approaching the private sector with a problem to solve instead of asking for specific solutions, which may limit possibilities The stage is set for intensive discussion of NATO business opportunities on Days 2 and 3. Follow NCI Agency on Twitter for continued updates of NITEC 16 on 8 and 9 June

The speed of cyber threats and the need for partnerships this creates were recurring themes during Day 1 of NITEC16, as high-level speakers took a hard look at strategic challenges.

general 1 384 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec16-day-2-building-partnerships.aspx Building meaningful partnerships that can help the Alliance stay ahead of cyber threats will require more dialogue between NATO and industry partners and close collaboration at early stages to solve problems and deliver solutions. Day 1 established the need for partnerships; Day 2 saw more discussion about how to build them. U.S. Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen described a shift from government-issued requirements to team-built capabilities, emphasizing that government and industry teams need to work together from the beginning to deliver those capabilities. He also called for a series of connected companies to find answers to cyber challenges Industry panelists discussed the changing nature of the cloud and implications for NATO efforts to build a secure cloud. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Lofgren, Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Allied Command Transformation, laid out the 'mission requirements' for the NATO cloud speed, resilience and a cloud that connects to other clouds In a tangible step toward connecting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to NATO business opportunities, NCI Agency launched the Small Business Mentoring Program, with numerous one-on-one mentoring sessions between SMEs and large companies held on Day 2 of NITEC16 NATO senior managers also presented €3 billion of business opportunities in cybersecurity, cloud computing, command and control, and federated mission networking Follow NCI Agency on Twitter for updates from the third and final day of NITEC16 on 9 June

Building meaningful partnerships that can help the Alliance stay ahead of cyber threats will require more dialogue between NATO and industry partners and close collaboration at early stages to solve problems and deliver solutions. Day 1 established the need for partnerships; Day 2 saw more discussion about how to build them.

general 1 385 1 about-us/newsroom/cooperation-agreement-with-universidade-catolica-portuguesa.aspx On 23 May, on the occasion of the Portuguese Industry Day at NATO Headquarters, the Portuguese Representation to NATO hosted the signature ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement between NATO Communications and Information Agency and Universidade Católica Portuguesa The Agreement, signed between Dr Ricardo Reis, PhD, Associate Dean for International Affairs at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and the NCI Agency Director of Acquisition, Mr Peter Scaruppe, representing the General Manager Mr Koen Gijsbers, envisions collaboration with the future NCI Academy that is to be built in Oeiras (Portugal). However, both parties can benefit from sharing the expertise, know-how and branding as of now. This is an important opportunity, said the Portuguese Ambassador to NATO, Mr Luís de Almeida Sampaio. The Cooperation Agreement is the first document of this kind in the country linking the NATO Communications and Information Academy and a prestigious Portuguese business school, allowing them to connect on a practical basis. Win-win agreemen The mutual cooperation in the areas of Education and Training will include (but not be limited to) Cyber defence, Digital Transformation and Innovation in Information Technology Universidade Católica Portuguesa is proud to have this kind of initiative, which offers new opportunities that have so far not been available to researchers, professors or students. It supports research and teaching, strengthens cooperation and promotes innovation, but also helps to promote the country. It is a great day for the school. We are looking forward to a fruitful and successful partnership! added Dr Ricardo Reis For the NCI Agency, it is the first cooperation agreement that we have established with a Portuguese University. The agreement is about opportunities and sharing expertise; we bring cyber and IT expertise; you bring the innovation and the business expertise, said Mr Scarupp This Cooperation Agreement allows further Technical Cooperation Agreements to be added in the future, with no financial implications for either side. Backgroun An exploratory meeting took place at the university in Lisbon, between Jean-Paul Massart, NCI Agency Education and Training Service Line Chief and Dr Ricardo Reis, PhD. The aim was to establish a generic agreement to allow further developments concerning the exchange of know-how and professors This agreement is crucial for Education and Training as it opens doors for future cooperation with others and is an illustration of the Agency ambitions to form Partnerships, said Jean-Paul Massart. Portuguese Industry Day at NATO Headquarter Following the ceremony, the Agency and Portuguese Industry representatives discussed How to do business with the NCI Agency , shared the professional experience and reviewed the Portuguese Industry portfolio, with aim to highlight further potential opportunities that can be carried upon. The event was concluded with a very active networking session

On 23 May, on the occasion of the Portuguese Industry Day at NATO Headquarters, the Portuguese Representation to NATO hosted the signature ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement between NATO Communications and Information Agency and Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

general 1 386 1 about-us/newsroom/building-cooperation-between-nato-agencies-and-industry.aspx On 18 May 2016, the NATO Communications and Information Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers and the Director of Acquisition, Mr Peter Scaruppe attended the Spanish Information Day on NATO Business Opportunities Procedures. The conference was held at the Higher Centre for National Defence Studies (CESEDEN) in Madrid, Spain The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) was also in attendance and was represented by its General Manager Mike Lyden, and the Director of Procurement, Mr Patrick Fesquet The presentation by the NCI Agency highlighted the importance of cooperation between the NATO Agencies and industry. The day's programme also included a discussion between Mr Scaruppe and representatives from Spanish industry The excellent setup of this conference, presentations to a large audience combined with one-on-one meetings with Small and Medium Enterprises, allowed us to reach our goal for this event reaching out to and engaging directly with the very capable Spanish IT, C4ISR and cyber industry, said Mr Scaruppe, Director of Acquisition. This session gave Spanish companies the opportunity to ask specific questions or clarifications regarding procurement processes at the NCI Agency. A similar discussion session also took place between the NSPA Director of Procurement and local industry. The event provided an invaluable opportunity for the Spanish industry to meet face-to-face with the NCI Agency leadership and helped the audience to get a flavor of the Agency mission, objectives, activities and procedures, with special focus on the acquisition domain, said COL Manuel Herraiz Martínez, Spanish National Technical Expert A number of additional informative sessions took place during the conference, including a panel discussion titled 'Lessons learnt on procurement', during which COL Martínez discussed NCI Agency business opportunities

On 18 May 2016, the NATO Communications and Information Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers and the Director of Acquisition, Mr Peter Scaruppe attended the Spanish Information Day on NATO Business Opportunities Procedures. The conference was held at the Higher Centre for National Defence Studies (CESEDEN) in Madrid, Spain.

general 1 387 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-information-portal-reaches-initial-operational-capability.aspx The SHAPE Director of Management (DOM) and Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) staff signed the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the NATO Information Portal (NIP) on 24 April 2016. On 24 April 2016, the implementation and configuration of the NIP pilot site (SHAPE) was completed, and IOC was achieved. This milestone represents the first important step towards reaching the full roll-out of all Bi-Strategic Commands (Bi-SC) NIP sites. NIP basic functionalities are now available online. Allied Command Operations (ACO) IKM staff will start publishing the initial content in the coming weeks What is the NATO Information Portal The NATO Information Portal project is a web-based application that enables Bi-SC Automated Information System (AIS) network users to publish and maintain web content across commands and specific communities of interest. The NIP offers dynamic web pages that pull last available content through automatic queries from the authoring space instead of static textual pages. The NIP will provide new functionalities such as improved web hosting capabilities, improved federated search, web interfaces to data handling systems (DHS) and tasker tracker enterprises (TTEs). It will also provide social computing/networking functionalities. The NIP will not offer new document and tasker handling capabilities until a new project from the Capability Package 150 (CP 150) renews the DHS and TTE baseline. When authorized, the intention of the Nations was to leverage the NIP to - standardize and centralize a Bi-SC Information and Knowledge Management tool; the initial scope of the project is the Operational Network (ON), while the new project P100 will mirror same NIP functionalities on the Private Business Network (PBN) in 2017-2020 - offer NATO Functional Area Services (FAS) service-oriented, on-demand web hosting capabilities and a multi-tenant environment; the initial scope of the project is the delivery of a web hosting and multi-tenant environment, until a new project from CP150 enhances interoperability online services in accordance with the STANAG 4774 and the STANAG 4778 (2018-2020 time period, following the IKM Tools Programme's roadmap) The NIP is managed by MAJ Franck Bougeant, Project Manager of the Core Enterprise Services Service Lines (CES-SL), IKM Section. The NIP platform is based on SharePoint 2013 technology and implemented in the Mons Data Centre as the central farm, with real-time data replication to the Naples Data Centre. The geo-replication will be active by the end of May. The NIP project was awarded to a US Company, Creative Information Technology Inc., in 201 What is the IKM Tools Programme The IKM Tools Programme ensures that tools used for information and knowledge management are kept in line with the approved operational vision, improving the way NATO creates, uses and records information. The NIP is a first in a series of IKM Tools implementations, which will soon be followed by P95 and P100 (from CP150). These projects will re-align Portal, Search, Tasker Tracker and Document Handling services with future operational needs The NIP Contract can also play the role of framework contract for any other NATO/non-NATO Nation (third party) that decides to implement web-hosting services consistently with the NATO offer (NATO First Solution – N1S – following a smart-defence approach). The IKM Programme is managed by Mr Angelo Talarico, in cooperation with LTCOL Alberto De Sanctis, MAJ Franck Bougeant, MAJ David Fava, LTCOL Pol Deschuyteneer, Mr Christian Mason (Project Managers), and Mr Daniel Marco-Mompel and Mr Peter Reynolds (Scientists) What are the next steps in the NIP project The NIP project is currently in the site survey phase to assess any requirements delta from the initial project design in all Bi-SC Commands. The site surveys will enable the contractor to migrate the authorized commands' web content into the dedicated NIP centralized sites. The site surveys are sponsored and directly supported by Bi-SC AIS IKM staff members

The SHAPE Director of Management (DOM) and Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) staff signed the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the NATO Information Portal (NIP) on 24 April 2016.

general 1 388 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-and-afcea-renew-strategic-cooperation-arrangement.aspx On 13 June 2016, the General Managers of the NATO Communications and Information Agency and AFCEA Europe, Major General (rtd) Koen Gijsbers and Major General (rtd) Klaus-Peter Treche (DEU Air Force), have signed a renewed Strategic Cooperation Arrangement for another three years. The NCI Agency and AFCEA started their cooperation in 2013 to promote military C4ISR matters to NATO Nations, military, governments, academia and industry. The highlights of this cooperation have included the joint NATO C4ISR Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC) over the last three years in Bucharest, Romania, Madrid, Spain, and Tallinn, Estonia. These events have allowed the NCI Agency to present its Programme of Work and NATO IT standards and architectures to a wide community of interest. By renewing the Strategic Cooperation Arrangement, both parties will strengthen their effort to improve NATO and Nation's C4ISR support. Both General Managers are looking forward to the next joint event, NITEC17, taking place in Ottawa, Canada in April 2017 Beyond NITEC, the NCI Agency and AFCEA are cooperating on other events in the areas of training and the communication of military C4ISR matters to the public. AFCE – Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Corporation is a non-profit, non-lobbying, membership organization promoting military and homeland security C4ISR matters to governments, military, academia, and industry. AFCEA has about 32,000 individual members and 2500 corporate members, is headquarter in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, and has a strong European presence with an office in Brussels, Belgium

On 13 June 2016, the General Managers of the NATO Communications and Information Agency and AFCEA Europe, Major General (rtd) Koen Gijsbers and Major General (rtd) Klaus-Peter Treche (DEU Air Force), have signed a renewed Strategic Cooperation Arrangement for another three years.

general 1 389 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-supports-exercise-brilliant-capability-16.aspx Taking place in Szczecin, Poland just ahead of the Warsaw Summit, Exercise Brilliant Capability 16 (BRCY16) was critical to demonstrate the readiness of the Multinational Corps Northeas (MNC-NE) Deployable CIS in support of NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). The NCI Agency was responsible for the end-to-end provision of the Exercise Control (EXCON) network of this intensive exercise during a 2+ week deployment involving continuous support For MNC-NE, exercise BRCY16 was an opportunity to exhibit intensive effort and commitment to the Readiness Action Plan and prove themselves as operationally capable of exercising command and control of the NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) and Operational Control of a VJTF 1* HQ https //youtu.be/BRpGQuIh4K A successful exercis A 12-strong field team was led by LTN Alexander Aasen (CSU Stavanger). The team was composed of members of CSU Stavanger and CSU Torrejon, the CIS Sustainment Support Centre, and the Command and Control Service Line Missions Specific Systems team. Industrial reinforcements were delivered by Airbus Defence and Space The Agency team arrived in an empty building, did a survey, provided suitable equipment, unpacked, wired, plugged, configured, activated and tested 100+ terminals with a full CIS and Functional Area Services baseline. All the while, the Core Enterprise Services and Network Services and IT Infrastructure teams were designing a Mission Secret network from the ground up The end of the exercise was called on 3 June. BRCY16 was a great success for the Multinational Corps, and one that the NCI Agency is proud to have contributed to

Taking place in Szczecin, Poland just ahead of the Warsaw Summit, Exercise Brilliant Capability 16 (BRCY16) was critical to demonstrate the readiness of the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC-NE) Deployable CIS in support of NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). The NCI Agency was responsible for the end-to-end provision of the Exercise Control (EXCON) network of this intensive exercise during a 2+ week deployment involving continuous support.

general 1 390 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-supported-steadfast-fount-2016-exercise.aspx 6-10 June, Exercise Steadfast Fount 2016 took place at SHAPE, Mons. The Agency team played a significant role in the success of the exercise, providing their expertise and services. Their responsiveness and adaptability was positively commended by the exercise staff Fount is not only an exercise, but now also plays a significant role in the Graduated Response Plan (GRP) it synchronizes the GRP process with both the Force Generation and the Multinational Detailed Deployment Plan development. LOGFA LOGFAS enabled all NATO Response Force (NRF) Troop Contributing Nations and the NATO Command Structure to provide detailed deployment plans, logistics reports and sustainment plans, allowing SHAPE J4 Allied Movement Coordination Centre to create multinational detailed deployment plans for multiple options. LOGFAS helped users to understand the 'shape and size' of the eNRF force packages, achieve visibility of the logistic picture and analyse, both the strategic deployment and Reception, Staging and Onward Movements (RSOM) of the eNRF. This helped shorten the deployment times and reduce the logistics footprint through sharing This year was also the first time that SHAPE J4 and NCI Agency were able to collect the initial version of the Host Nation Support Capability Catalogue in a structured format from the NFIU nations with information on logistics infrastructure capabilities and uploaded into LOGFAS database National participatio A total of 20 Nations and 90 participants attended the exercise. Such wide attendance provided a unique venue to explore deployment dynamics. SSBA Service Line team has provided full range of services in the design and execution ranging from Subject Matter Expert (SME) services, mentoring and LOGFAS application support.

6-10 June, Exercise Steadfast Fount 2016 took place at SHAPE, Mons. The Agency team played a significant role in the success of the exercise, providing their expertise and services. Their responsiveness and adaptability was positively commended by the exercise staff.

general 1 391 1 about-us/newsroom/exercise-steadfast-cobalt-2016-testing-nato-deployable-cis-interoperability.aspx NCI Agency staff have been commended for their outstanding performance during a major NATO exercise, Steadfast Cobalt 2016. Agency experts made key contributions to the success of the exercise, which concluded in Bucharest, Romania, on June 3, 2016 Major General Walter Huhn, Commander NATO Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Group, handed over Certificates of Appreciation to the Agency's Michael Rudack, Krzysztof Krysiak, Kostas Kaltsas, Theo Bingham, Darius Dworznik, Philippe De Smet, John Henwood, and the Mission Support Services Team. He congratulated Steadfast Cobalt participants on their achievements. MGEN Kuhn said I have already received excellent feedback from many areas, highlighting well on your preparation, your conduct throughout the exercise and indeed your ability to simply do the job. I am hugely impressed by you all. Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 2016 was designed to test the interoperability of NATO's deployable communications systems, as well as that of Member Nations. It aims at improving the Alliance's readiness, in light of a changing security environment. The scale of this complex exercise reached unprecedented levels as personnel took into account requirements from the new NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania More than 1,000 troops and 55 NATO units took part in the exercise, with around 7,000 tests undertaken in just over a week, up from 5,600 in 2015. Agency experts were solicited throughout the set-up, particularly in the areas involving Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), NATO Response Force (NRF), and Joint Command and Control Capability (JC2C), among others. NCI Agency and CIS Support Unit (CSU) Naples supported JFC Naples by delivering secure, coherent, cost effective and interoperable communications and information systems and services through a continuous and reliable linkup. The exercise also covered Federated Mission Networking, testing all 'human-to-human' communication services, that is to say, e-mail, chat, video teleconferencing, document handling, web, and audio services The Agency's Subject Matter Expertise (SME) Services, which were deployed from their home locations, managed to solve many issues ensuring the readiness of the Enhanced NATO Response Force (ENRF) in the areas of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) A NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) team successfully demonstrated a malicious insider attack into the mission network. NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA) participated in the exercise in preparation for the NRF 2017 validation. Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 2017 is due to take place in Lithuania next year.

NCI Agency staff have been commended for their outstanding performance during a major NATO exercise, Steadfast Cobalt 2016. Agency experts made key contributions to the success of the exercise, which concluded in Bucharest, Romania, on June 3, 2016.

general 1 392 1 about-us/newsroom/protecting-nato-forces-against-improvised-explosive-devices-ieds.aspx Today, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) remain the most significant cause of casualties to NATO troops and civilian populations alike in conflict zones. One way that IEDs are triggered is through remote activation. The NCI Agency in The Hague recently hosted a hands-on technical training event focused on the exploitation of radio components used in IEDs. The training was delivered by an expert team from the United States Department of Defence, and was attended by specialists from NATO Nations and Ireland, a NATO Partnership for Peace Nation Data extracted through the technical exploitation of remotely controlled IEDs is essential to supporting the development of force protection systems and other technical intelligence efforts. Standardizing the IED exploitation proces This training event promoted the standardization of the IED exploitation process, so that a minimum quality of exploitation is ensured among Alliance members and partners. During the training, the Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) of the United States Department of Defence presented their development of a technical forensic and recognition toolset known as the Mobile Object Recognition and Aggregate Data Extractor (MOR/AADE). When used together, the MOR and AADE systems have the capability to perform an electronic exploitation of specified recovered material and a standardized forensic evaluation of the radio frequency characteristics MOR is an application that implements automated image recognition algorithms to support the identification of devices and is available on mobile devices. The AADE component has been developed by I2WD through a collaborative research agreement with industry and consists of a number of measurement instruments integrated into a mobile solution. Standard Operating Procedures have been encoded in software components by the I2WD team to significantly reduce the exploitation time USA Smart Defence initiative USA is leading a Smart Defence initiative that will give NATO Nations and Partner Nations access to both the commercial and governmental components of the MOR/AADE toolset. The training was delivered by an expert team from the United States Department of Defence, Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), the Communication and Electronic Research and Development Engineering Center (CERDEC), and the Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD), Technical Forensics Exploitation (TFE) Laboratory.

Today, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) remain the most significant cause of casualties to NATO troops and civilian populations alike in conflict zones. One way that IEDs are triggered is through remote activation.

general 1 393 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-senior-enlisted-advisors-appointed.aspx The NCI Agency appointed two senior non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to new posts in the Agency. Sergeant Major (SGM) Robert Hyatt, US Army, was appointed as the NCI Agency Senior Enlisted Advisor, and Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Shane Murphy, British Army, was appointed as the Director of Service Operations (DSO) Senior Enlisted Advisor. SGM Hyatt and RSM Murphy will maintain oversight, focus and responsibility in any area that the general Manager (GM), Chief of Staff (COS) or DSO directs. In doing so they represent the enlisted voice during meetings with leaders ranging from the executive management level to the civilian community, to the Command Senior Enlisted Leaders from the Bi-Strategic Commands, NATO and partner nations. Though not in the chain of command, SGM Hyatt and RSM Murphy serve as vital conduits from the GM, COS and DSO to the designated Senior Enlisted Advisors. Providing world class support to the Allianc As the Agency’s Senior Enlisted Advisor, SGM Hyatt is responsible for representing the enlisted force at the strategic level, defining and managing the NCO Support Channel, establishing and influencing non-commissioned officer (NCO) Professional Development and Leadership Development programmes for the benefit of NATO and the nations, and assisting the GM to maximize the potential of the enlisted force within the Agency. “We have a tough job here in the Agency. We need to provide world class support to the Alliance in tactical, operational and strategic domains, said SGM Hyatt. “As leaders we have a responsibility to the 28 nations, who send us their Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to be a part of our team as we carry out this challenging mission, to send them back to their post, camp, station or ship better off for having served here.” A time of progress and chang As the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Director of Service Operations, RSM Murphy is responsible for representing the enlisted force, while bridging the gap between the tactical and operational level. “Progress and change is coming and I hope all the nations get on board to further the development of their NCOs, said RSM Murphy. “Hopefully over the next two years the development of the NCOs within DSO CSUs and the wider NATO environment will progress further than before, and we will indeed send our NCOs back to their nations better developed and with a wider skill set. RSM Murphy and SGM Hyatt will have the challenge of defining the Senior Enlisted Advisor roles within the Agency. For some, the new posts will mean a shift in organizational culture. While enlisted leaders at the strategic level are common in some nations, leaders from other nations are not accustomed to having Senior Enlisted Advisors at this level. NATO, however, embraces the concept. NATO identified the need for Senior Enlisted Leaders in strategic imperative listed in the Bi-Strategic Strategy and NCO Guidelines. Among the imperatives are institutionalizing the role and function of senior enlisted leaders, and developing professional development programmes to prepare NCOs to face the challenges of operating in a multinational environment.

The NCI Agency appointed two senior non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to new posts in the Agency. Sergeant Major (SGM) Robert Hyatt, US Army, was appointed as the NCI Agency Senior Enlisted Advisor, and Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Shane Murphy, British Army, was appointed as the Director of Service Operations (DSO) Senior Enlisted Advisor.

general 1 394 1 about-us/newsroom/trident-jaguar-2016-coordinating-across-multinational-forces.aspx NCI Agency CSU Stavanger, Norway, provided crucial support during Trident Jaguar 2016, a joint headquarters exercise testing the units' ability to work together in the face of a security crisis The main focus of the exercise was to test the ability of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey to take on a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) role. CSU Stavanger held a number of essential roles at different stages of Trident Jaguar 2016. It provided communications and information systems (CIS) support to Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) J6 throughout the exercise from February 2015 until May 2016 It delivered the IT infrastructure and CIS support for locally hosted events, and it also established a local Event Support Desk with its own supervisors, four augmenters from US Navy Reserves, and two augmenters from 426 Airbase Support Information sharing with NATO Nations and partner Trident Jaguar 2016 tested the Alliance's military capacity and readiness. It is one of a number of yearly, multinational exercises aimed at improving joint forces' ability to coordinate resources and synchronize assets. Being able to share information quickly between NATO Nations and partners, is essential in order to tackle changing and complex security threats, as it allows commanders to quickly choose an appropriate course of action. Full operational capabilit As many as 380 Exercise Control (EXCON) participants took part in the Command Post Exercise (CPX) of Trident Jaguar 2016 in Stavanger and about 100 EXCON participants and about 500 Training Audience (TA) in Istanbul. A CPX is a computer assisted simulation with no live fire or manoeuvre exercises associated. This one was directed by Officer Directing the Exercise (ODE) at Joint Warfare Center in Stavanger. CIS provision included deployable communications and information systems (DCIS), provided by NATO CIS Group (NCISG), in combination with existing static infrastructure mainly in Stavanger and Istanbul. In addition and in order to provide the Turkish national C2 System Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information Systems (TacCIS) for the Land Response Cell at Stavanger, three TACCIS servers were build and configured on the NATO static domain in Stavanger. At the end of Trident Jaguar's Command Post Exercise, NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey (NRDC-TUR) headquarters achieved the NATO Response Force (NRF) certification. This means that NRDC-TUR is now fully operationally capable to take over the NATO Joint Task Force rotation for the next two years

NCI Agency CSU Stavanger, Norway, provided crucial support during Trident Jaguar 2016, a joint headquarters exercise testing the units' ability to work together in the face of a security crisis.

general 1 395 1 about-us/newsroom/an-exercise-before-the-exercise-student-E2809ChackE2809D-of-locked-shields.aspx For four months leading up to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) organized Locked Shields exercise this spring, a team of six graduate students from the University of Nebraska at Omaha searched for ways to attack devices that would be used in the competition. It was the first time a student group had performed an organized vulnerability discovery in the Locked Shields preparation phase, and their work for the NATO CCDCOE—along with the many other student contributions to the exercise—shows promising avenues for future academic cooperation with the NCI Agency-led NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) and overall NATO cyber defence Over the past year, NICP has evolved from words on a page into a set of significant partnerships that are honing how NATO and industry can better work together to defend against rapidly evolving cyber threats. Recognizing shared risks in cyberspace and the imperative of tapping the expertise resident in industry and academia, Alliance leaders endorsed the NICP at the Wales Summit in 2014 and launched it the following year. Collaboration with academia on cyber defenc Student involvement in the run-up to the NATO CCDCOE Locked Shields exercise illustrates the possibilities for NICP to deliver on its goal of working more closely with academia on cyber defence. In general students have brought a great value added to every Locked Shields exercise, CCDCOE Chief of Technology Branch Raimo Peterson said. We may say that Locked Shields is partly dependent on voluntary students' contributions. Locked Shields is known as the world's largest and most advanced international live-fire cyber defence exercise, involving over 550 people from 26 nations and including NATO bodies, industry, and academia. A team from Slovakia edged out NCI Agency's NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) to win this year Graduate students have long played an essential role in the set-up of Locked Shields, forming the Blue Teams that compete with each other during the test run. Tallinn University of Technology has been a long-term partner of CCDCOE on Locked Shields, and several universities are involved every year. Their participation allows CCDCOE to realistically test their systems without exposing the networks and systems to the real training audience Identifying 'vulnerabilities The main target audience for Locked Shields are the Blue Teams that must maintain the network services of a fictional country, taking into account social, political, and legal factors, as well as the media environment. This year, the Blue Teams also had to protect sensitive Industrial Control Systems (ICS) equipment from attackers. ICS equipment controls large industrial systems such as power plants, water treatment facilities, and pipelines in the real world. The UNO team, led by Dr Robin Gandhi, Dr William Mahoney and Dr Matt Hale, was tasked with finding vulnerabilities in the programmable logic controller (PLC), which was controlling the temperature of the server room. They described different attack vectors exploiting the unsecure configuration of the PLC, developing potential game challenges and attack scenarios that the Red Team could use during the exercise. In essence, they hacked the devices beforehand to help the Red Team's work As the technology was new in context of Locked Shields, the student work gave a good overview of different attack vectors, Peterson said Some of these attack vectors were successful during the Locked Shields competition A win-win collaboratio For their effort, the UNO students earned credit toward their Master's Degrees in Information Assurance, but also had the satisfaction of playing a role in advancing the Alliance's cyber defences. For students to be able to gain experience with and contribute to the premier NATO cyber security exercise was an amazing learning opportunity, Dr Robin Gandhi of UNO said. Feedback from NATO CCDCOE personnel on student deliverables always resulted in interesting and deeply technical discussions. This win-win collaboration bodes well for future efforts to tap into the energy, creativity and cyber expertise of students from across the Alliance

For four months leading up to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) organized Locked Shields exercise this spring, a team of six graduate students from the University of Nebraska at Omaha searched for ways to attack devices that would be used in the competition.

general 1 396 1 about-us/newsroom/exercise-boosts-nato-intelligencesharing-ahead-of-summit.aspx The Alliance's ability to share and process complex intelligence was significantly improved through Unified Vision 2016, a major 'trial' managed by Allied Command Transformation and NATO Headquarters in the context of NATO's Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance initiative 14 – 29 June The outcomes will improve how NATO runs multinational operations, responds to hybrid warfare and leverages the new Alliance Ground Surveillance capability What's the point of collecting tons of imagery, if you don't share or exploit it, said Ludwig Decamps, NATO's Joint ISR Capability Area Manager. The beauty of NATO is that Nations have unique expertise, for example in a certain geographic area or cultural context. If we link that up, we get more insight, more quickly. That allows NATO to react faster. During the event, a team of 400 participants from 17 Nations worked across 10 sites to rapidly address threats posed in five complex vignettes. These included convoy protection, hostage rescue, domestic terrorist threat and ballistic missile defence. New procedure The trial introduced and validated new procedures for 'Federated Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination' of intelligence. This new approach optimizes how vast volumes of intelligence are processed in Alliance operations, allowing teams to share the burden of analysing huge volumes of data and leveraging a given Nations' unique geographic, historical or cultural background. The challenge now is for Nations to embed these processes in their national doctrine and tactics The trial took place in 10 locations because that reflects NATO operations – various National units working together to a common purpose, said COL Mike Clark of Allied Command Transformation, the trial manager The locations taking part included Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Live assets used included the US RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk, the Romanian Hirrus, and the Belgian B-Hunter remotely piloted air systems. A Danish Combat Support Ship also took part in the trial. The command post was hosted by the United States Air Forces in Europe Warrior Preparation Center in Germany. Technical and subject matter expertise was provided by the NCI Agency

The Alliance's ability to share and process complex intelligence was significantly improved through Unified Vision 2016, a major 'trial' managed by Allied Command Transformation and NATO Headquarters in the context of NATO's Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance initiative 14 – 29 June.

general 1 397 1 about-us/newsroom/can-airport-security-be-increased.aspx Security surrounding air transportation has been a global concern for decades and has recently resurged in the headlines. These types of projects intend to examine how current operations can be improved upon and deliver suitable capabilities that will enhance the security level of NATO troops. However, while considering the implementation of new technologies, their cost, impact on wait times, operating procedures that must be put into place, as well as concerns such as the displacement of potential attack areas need to be taken into account. Technology alone cannot solve the issue of airport security and a combination of measures including personnel, detection dogs and technology is the best way forward. The security threats that we are exposed to constantly evolve. It is a collective duty of the society to get involved, analyse these threats and identify innovative solutions to maintain safety standards. NATO will continue to engage in discovering, experimenting and delivering new solutions to protect troops and civilians as decided through political guidance. The four industry partners that provided the sensors were Morpho (Safran group, FRA), Alfa Imaging (ESP), American Science and Engineering, Inc. - AS&E (USA) and Costruzioni Elettroniche Industriali Automatismi S.p.A. - CEIA (ITA) --------- This article originally appeared in the Innovation Special Edition of the NCI Agency Communicator Magazine. Download the magazine her or read a digital copy her .

NATO is developing cutting-edge concepts, technologies and capabilities to protect troops and civilian staff on mission against terrorist attacks. The NCI Agency’s scientific, technical, operational, and procurement expertise enables the Alliance to match military safety requirements to technologies developed by industry.

general 1 398 1 about-us/newsroom/change-of-command-at-csu-ramstein.aspx On 28 June a Change of Command took place at CSU Ramstein, to honor the outgoing Commander, Colonel Jeffrey A. Sorrell, who is leaving after only two years in post due to national duties COL Sorrell joined NCI Agency 26 June 2014. He quickly became a very popular commander within the CSU, due to his technical skills and personnel focused leadership, combined with a good sense of humor. During his two years at CSU Ramstein COL Sorrell has been active in the implementation and integration of Air Command and Control System (ACCS) and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) at HQ AIRCOM, and been an AirC2 coordination leader within the AirC2 community, as well as leading the CSU through restructuring phases whilst delivering several projects and supporting exercises The US Air Force now required his capabilities back home, and COL Sorrell will take up duty as Vice Wing Commander for 17th Training Wing at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas The Change of Command was attended by General Manager Gijsbers and Brigadier General Tomaiuolo, together with RSM Murphy and SGM Hyatt from NCI Agency. We were honored to have HQ AIRCOM represented by Major General Siegmann, Air Commodore Millington and COL Ciero All staff at CSU Ramstein would like to thank COL Sorrell for his good leadership, and wish him all the best for his future career The CSU also had the opportunity to welcome back Lieutenant Colonel Schaefer as the new Commander CSU Ramstein. LTCOL Schaefer was previously Deputy Commander for NATO CIS Services Agency (NCSA) Sector Ramstein. He will fill the post until COL Johnson US Air Force joins later in the summer

On 28 June a Change of Command took place at CSU Ramstein, to honor the outgoing Commander, Colonel Jeffrey A. Sorrell, who is leaving after only two years in post due to national duties.

general 1 399 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-expands-cyber-defence-coverage.aspx One year after the declaration of the Joint Formal Acceptance Inspection for the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability – Full Operational Capability (NCIRC FOC) in April 2015, the enhanced cyber defence coverage has expanded to protect three additional sites the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Torrejón, the NATO Point of Presence in Spain, and the Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) systems in Brussels. As of June 2016, these sites are protected with NCIRC FOC capabilities. The NATO Computer Incident Response Capability currently provides centralized protection on the sites of the Headquarters, Commands, Agencies and Nations Joint airspace surveillanc Established on 1 January 2013, CAOC Torrejón's primary mission is to plan, direct, coordinate, monitor, analyze and report on the operations of Air Policing assets assigned to it in peacetime, following the directives of NATO Allied Air Command. To fulfill this joint airspace surveillance, CAOC Torrejón has under its tactical command all radars, Control and Reporting Centres and Quick Reaction Alert aircraft from Allies located in the southern half of Europe. The Point of Presence in Spain, previously located at the Allied Force Command Madrid (HQ FCMD), moved to Torrejón Air Base when the HQ was deactivated in 2013. The Spanish Point of Presence connects many Spanish Defence Units and enclaves to the NATO Wide Area Network. Fundamental support during the NCIRC FOC delivery was provided by CSU Madrid, Allied Command Operations (ACO) and the Spanish Ministry of Defence for the accreditation of the installations In addition to CAOC Torrejón and the Spanish Point of Presence, the project team, with the excellent support from BICES personnel, successfully delivered the protection of the NCIRC FOC capabilities for the BICES systems in Brussels. BICES coordinates a classified multinational system between national military intelligence organizations and NATO to share and exchange information and intelligence. Continual enhancements to NATO cyber protectio The BICES Group Executive and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) have signed a Service Level Agreement for the provision of Intrusion Detection Service for the multinational BICES network With the excellent support from Bi-SC AIS Programme Management and Integration Capability (PMIC), the NCIRC FOC project team was able to effectively execute and monitor the implementation of these sites. The quality assurance of each delivery was assured based on a hybrid process that involves technical phases with a very detailed verification and validation process. This approach is used with several on-going projects such as the NCIRC FOC adaptations for the New NATO Headquarters Active Network infrastructure, the NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs), Multinational Division Southeast and the 10 Additional Sites NCIRC FOC Project. As cyber threats increase and the information infrastructures constantly evolve, the mission to continually enhance the cyber protection of NATO operations continues.

One year after the declaration of the Joint Formal Acceptance Inspection for the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability – Full Operational Capability (NCIRC FOC) in April 2015, the enhanced cyber defence coverage has expanded to protect three additional sites the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Torrejón, the NATO Point of Presence in Spain, and the Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) systems in Brussels.

general 1 400 1 about-us/newsroom/innovation-special-edition-of-the-communicator-magazine-released.aspx The Innovation Special Edition of the NCI Agency Communicator Magazin has been released NCI Agency General Manager MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers introduces this edition by discussing how the NCI Agency's Innovation Programme is working to help the Agency deliver fast, tangible results. Innovation must be seen as an investment in NATO's future. I see it as a parallel to training; if we do not invest and take some risks, we will not be prepared for tomorrow, said MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers What's inside This edition of the Communicator Magazine covers the relevance of innovation to the NATO Warsaw Summit, insight into using the Agency's on-demand interview service, and how the Agency is becoming a key player in the business of NATO learning Furthermore, the magazine features an article by NATO Chief Scientist MGEN Albert Husniaux focusing on the critical role that innovation plays in addressing challenges facing the Alliance, as well as in-depth pieces on big data analytics, cyber security innovation, C4ISR applications, and software development Download the magazine her

The Innovation Special Edition of the NCI Agency Communicator Magazine has been released.

general 1 401 1 about-us/newsroom/innovation--resilience-and-warsaw.aspx In the information age, NATO being able to innovate rapidly lies at the core of the challenges that will be discussed in Warsaw. The Alliance will only be truly resilient if – in the IT and C4ISR domain – it embraces the notion of permanent and continuous innovation and has the mechanisms to do so --------- This article originally appeared in the Innovation Special Edition of the NCI Agency Communicator Magazine. Download the magazine her or read a digital copy her .

What is the relevance of innovation to what NATO Heads of State and Government discussed at the Warsaw Summit?

general 1 402 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec16-recap--save-the-date-for-ottawa.aspx During NCI Agency's fifth annual conference, NITEC16, from 7-9 June in Tallinn, Estonia, NATO, industry and government speakers repeatedly called for partnership between NATO and industry—not just closer partnership, but better partnership. Estonia—known for its mastery of e-governance, its leadership of NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence, and its resilience during the 2007 cyber attacks—was a fitting location to consider the conference theme of Building Resilience through Secure C4ISR NATO-Industry Collaboration in a New Era. Organized in cooperation with AFCEA and the Estonian Ministry of Defence, the event attracted more than 550 participant , including senior government, military and industry leaders, and defence and security experts. Over all three days, strong consensus emerged around the idea that the nature of cyber threats—especially their speed—creates a need for qualitatively different partnerships than in the past, marked by closer NATO-industry collaboration at early stages to solve problems and deliver solutions Participants heard from Estonian President H.E. Toomas Hendrik Ilves and several Estonian officials about their country's successes in the cyber sphere. Their perspectives were energizing as NATO and industry representatives worked hard during the conference to find new and better ways of working together. New trend The Estonian Ministry of Defence Undersecretary for Legal and Administrative Affairs Erki Kodar described the cyber sphere as both a force multiplier and an equalizer of nations that challenges conventional thinking. Business executives emphasized the need to bring the speed of acquisition processes into better alignment with the speed needed to defend against cyber threats. Dr. Katrin Suder, State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry of Defence, underscored the need to think beyond classic models of public-private partnership to tackle challenges in cyberspace. Commander of U.S. Cyber Command Admiral Michael S. Rogers noted a new trend of government approaching the private sector with a problem to solve instead of asking for specific solutions. U.S. Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen elaborated on this theme, describing a shift from government-issued requirements to team-built capabilities. He emphasized that government and industry teams need to work together from the beginning to deliver those capabilities. NATO senior managers presented €3 billion of business opportunities in cybersecurity, cloud computing, command and control, and federated mission networking. Over 40 BOA sessions and over 220 B2B sessions, organized by AFCEA, were held. NCI Agency also took several steps to advance new forms of NATO-industry cooperation, including through two new initiative . Making NATO stronge In a tangible step toward connecting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to NATO business opportunities, NCI Agency launched the Small Business Mentoring Program, with over 30 one-on-one mentoring sessions held for SMEs and start-ups run by Leidos, Symantec, BT, and AT&T. Based on the success of this program at NITEC16, NCI Agency plans to offer more SME mentoring sessions at future events and through online tools, such as interactive webinars. In the inaugural Defence Innovation Challenge, NCI Agency recognized the top 10 innovators selected from 70 proposals from across the Alliance in the four focus areas of cyber defence, Internet of Things, military applications of Blockchains, and cognitive computing and machine learning. This initiative is aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. NCI Agency was also pleased to sign its 8th Industry Partnership Agreement with Leidos, focused on cyber information sharing The ingenuity and creativity of our private sector has always been a source of NATO strength, said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers in his closing address, The dialogue that happens here makes NATO stronger; particularly as we translate that dialogue into action. At previous conferences we spoke about engaging more with small and medium enterprises as well as focusing on innovation, including in cyber. At this conference we delivered on those themes. NITEC16 clearly established the need for new ways of working together to adjust to the new normal of constant cyber threats. The NCI Agency looks forward to building on this good work 24-26 April at NITEC17 in Ottawa, Canada. Save the date

During NCI Agency's fifth annual conference, NITEC16, from 7-9 June in Tallinn, Estonia, NATO, industry and government speakers repeatedly called for partnership between NATO and industry—not just closer partnership, but better partnership.

general 1 403 1 about-us/newsroom/forming-future-cyber-security-leaders.aspx The International Cyber Security Summer School is back next month following its successful inauguration last year. The 2016 edition of this event will run from 21 to 26 August and is being supported by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, as well as Europol's European Cybercrime Centre and The Hague Security Delta. In 2015, The Hague hosted the first edition of the International Cyber Security Summer School. The innovative course was established and delivered by the NCI Agency in cooperation with Europol and The Hague Security Delta. Taking place at The Hague Security Delta campus, the course helped prepare young professionals for the challenges of cyber security in international organizations. Students were taught by specialists in the field of cyber security, including experts from the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) Cyber Security Service Line and Service Strategy, Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) and the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre. A carefully selected group of 40 postgraduate students and recent graduates from around the world partook in the exclusive three-day course. Young professionals from NATO, national defence forces and defence industries were among participants https //youtu.be/sXjZNhfrDb The summer school was part of a series of activities focusing on integrating the NCI Agency into the local IT security ecosystem and reaching out to external partners, and was funded by the Agency Innovation Programme Preparing for the future of cyber securit One of the reasons why the NCI Agency, Europol, The Hague Security Delta and The Hague City Council teamed up to organize the International Cyber Security Summer School is because young people are central to the future of cyber defence. The age of convicted cyber criminals and those causing cyber-attacks shows that it's the relatively young who have the technical skills to cause problems in cyberspace, and it's the same demographic who have the skills and the imagination to help solve them, said Michael Street, the NCI Agency's Innovation Manager Learning from real-world project Technology issues topped the course programme, and the legal and policy components that are relevant to cyber security in international environments were also highlighted Students gained practical knowledge by working on a group of projects related to the NCI Agency's scientific work. Project topics included threats posed by insecure USB keys, and technical and policy issues linked to biometric identification methods and active defence. Students also tested two innovative technologies for biometric authentication and secure mobile messaging, both developed under the Cyber Security Technology Incubator initiative, providing a large set of well-regulated test data for the developers of those technologies Building a community of cyber defence professional The 2015 summer school saw great success, with positive feedback from students and mentors alike. Students benefitted from the opportunity to learn directly from experts at NATO and Europol about what international organizations are doing to ensure that the cyber world is secure. Mentors enjoyed working with motivated young professionals and were inspired by their skills, imagination and potential. The course also contributed to establishing a community of cyber defence professionals. In particular, the school provided a stimulating environment for the exchange of ideas and initiating further collaboration between lecturers, coming from industry, academia, international organizations and national governments, and students, said Konrad Wrona, Principal Scientist, Cyber Security at the NCI Agency In addition, the summer school helped participants understand the role that NATO and Europol play in the world of cyber security, therefore potentially increasing the quantity and quality of applications to future recruitment campaigns. For more information please visit www.summerschoolcybersecurity.or

The International Cyber Security Summer School is back next month following its successful inauguration last year. The 2016 edition of this event will run from 21 to 26 August and is being supported by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, as well as Europol's European Cybercrime Centre and The Hague Security Delta.

general 1 404 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-roundtheclock-support-to-ramstein-ambition-i-2016.aspx The NCI Agency provided crucial, round-the-clock support during Air Command's post exercise (CPX) Ramstein Ambition I (RAAN I 16) which took place between 20 June and 29 June 2016 Agency personnel not only provided a comprehensive simulation environment for the exercise, they also ensured that the 300 NATO air experts who took part in RAAN I 16, had access to a 24-hour helpdesk during the entire execution phase of the event. This helpdesk was supplied by CSU Ramstein and CSU Poggio Renatico, together with Communications and Information Systems (CIS) personnel from the Italian Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) The Ramstein Ambition series is conducted as a Command Post Exercise (CPX) twice a year, that is to say that the exercises are run as computer-assisted simulations with no live fire or manoeuvres associated This series of exercises is designed to train personnel dedicated to the Joint Force Air Component. In a combined effort between the host nation Italy and the NCI Agency's CSU Ramstein, CSU Poggio Renatico and the Education and Training Service Line, the team provided a robust environment in support of the exercise. Around 250 workstations, 400 monitors, 140 phones and 90 internet (VoIP Voiceover Internet Protocol) phones were prepared and deployed. The professionalism displayed by the Agency's CSU personnel on the ground and service line technicians ensured the movement of hundreds of exercise participants had no negative impact on training objectives

The NCI Agency provided crucial, round-the-clock support during Air Command's post exercise (CPX) Ramstein Ambition I (RAAN I 16) which took place between 20 June and 29 June 2016.

general 1 405 1 about-us/newsroom/nias16.aspx The NCI Agency is pleased to announce NIAS 2016, NATO's annual cyber security symposium, which will be held on September 7 and 8, in Mons, Belgium. At the July Warsaw Summit, Alliance Heads of State and Government made a historic decision to recognize cyberspace as NATO's fourth operational domain – along land, sea, and air. What will this mean for NATO and for Industry? Join us at NIAS to hear directly from top NATO decision-makers about how the Summit decisions will shape the next generation of the Alliance's cyber defence About the Conferenc NIAS is a must-attend event for today's security professional. This two-day event brings together leading security specialists, directors, and mid-managers to product developers and frontline IT staff, so they can exchange ideas, gain valuable knowledge to implement their security initiatives and share real-world experiences. NIAS 2016 addresses the latest innovations in cyber security and provides you with critical business insight, best practice examples, and practical case studies through sessions, exhibits, workshops and much more! As an Alliance, NATO's core mission is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members. To do this, NATO has to be strong, stable and secure. Defending against a growing cyber threat or containing intrusions begins with an internal perspective of good computer hygiene, threat vector analysis, and looking to the future. NIAS 2016 will discuss what NATO can do to increase its resilience in the context of ever-more sophisticated attacks, while ensuring NATO forces are secure and defended in a static or deployed readiness posture. NATO is looking inside its walls to see what it can do now to guarantee mission assurance, we will also analyse emerging threats, and look to the 2020 horizon in exploration of innovative solutions for the next generation of NATO's IT Services. NIAS highlight NATO's premier cyber conference · Over 1000 participants, top speakers · Direct interaction with NATO and National cyber leaders · Insight into the next generation Alliance cyber defence requirements · Cutting edge technology tracks, exhibition of latest technology and products · Direct interaction with national authorities responsible for cyber investments in NATO's 28 member states · Cyber innovation challenge and much more. Planning the next generation of North-Atlantic cyber security starts at NIAS16. Join us! Exhibitor Info Coast Swift Shore House 18 coast drive TN29 9NL, Kent UK T +44 (0) 1797 322 349 M +44 (0) 7935 123 442 nias@go-coast.co.u Delegate Info NCI Agency Oude Waalsdorperweg 61 2597 AK, The Hague NLD T +31 (0) 70 374 3090 M +32 (0) 475 700 537 events@ncia.nato.int Media NCI Agency Information Office Avenue du Bourget 140 1110 Brussels, Belgium T +32 (0)2 707 2731 M +32 (0) 475 90 7040 communications@ncia.nato.int

The NCI Agency is pleased to announce NIAS 2016, NATO's annual cyber security symposium, which will be held on September 7 and 8, in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 406 1 about-us/newsroom/successful-upgrade-of-air-operations-technology.aspx NCIAgency staff in Spain, successfully upgraded critical technology equipment atthe Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Torrejon (TJ). The Agency's CIS Support Unit (CSU) Torrejon executed two major improvements, refurbishing the video-wall and upgrading Tactical Satellite antennas. The previous video-wall was increasingly malfunctioning after reaching its end-of-life. As this asset is used 24/7 by CAOC in support of the Static Air Defence Mission to visualize Air policing issues within its Areas of Responsibility, it was essential for the CSU Torrejon to find a solution. A SXGA+ Engine LED was chosen to replace the faulty projectors keeping the structure of the system. Refurbishment was completed in collaboration with RPG Informatica, a specialist in A/V systems which was awarded the contract following a bidding process. The SXGA+ Engine LED has a lifetime of up to 100.000 hours of continuous operation, and since the works were concluded, the video-wall has been running smoothly with no incident reported. Meanwhile, the Tactical Satellite (TACSAT) antennas were also showing signs of wear. TACSAT technology provides Ultra High Frequency communication capabilities for CAOC TJ. As such, this equipment is crucial to the success of their mission. The CIS Sustainment Support Centre (CSSC) upgraded the system by installing two TRIVEC-AV-2011 antennas. The installation was done by the CSSC engineer Mr. Emin Karadag, supported by CSU Torrejon technicians. These antennas have a far greater power than the previous ones, doubling the gain of the old antennas CAOC TJ users have seen an impressive improvement in the performance of the Satellite communications service. CSU Torrejon will continue to look for improvement opportunities in close coordination with other air entities.

NCI Agency staff in Spain, successfully upgraded critical technology equipment at the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Torrejon (TJ).

general 1 407 1 about-us/newsroom/E2809Ctoday-i-go-back-home-after-182-days-in-kabulE2809D.aspx Meet Erik. Erik has been serving in the Spanish Army for 25 years, and last December, he was sent to Afghanistan to provide critical support to NATO personnel in operational theatre. Here is his story Erik Sepulveda Madsen from the NCI Agency's CIS Support Unit in Torrejon, Spain, worked as an Information Systems Expert in Afghanistan from December 2015 to June 2016 The Warrant Officer was deployed as part of the Agency's peace enforcement support to the Afghan Mission Network Operation Centre (AMNOC) in the North Hamid Karzai International Airport Base (HKIA), just 5km away from Kabul. Travelling to a country where violent terrorist attacks are a regular occurrence is a nerve-wrecking experience for anyone. Warrant Officer Erik Sepulveda Madsen was not sparred this anxiety when he first arrived in the central Asian country Six hours after landing in HKIA, a group of six Daesh terrorists attacked the Spanish Embassy in Kabul, killing two Spanish policemen , he recalled. In order to cope with this difficult environment, Erik kept in touch with relatives. The best way I found to fight against those stressful situations was phoning my family in Spain and trying to explain to them that the situation was better than was being showed in the news. He explained Even though the security situation in the whole of Afghanistan has been extremely bad for the last year - more than 5,000 civilian killed in 2015 according to the media - the working environment in HKIA and AMNOC is quite safe. However, during my tour we had many rocket and attack alarms, but fortunately we only had a couple of terrorist attacks towards NATO forces in the Kabul area. Erik revealed that he applied for this mission to fulfill a personal ambition. He said I was looking for new challenges and I believed that this deployment would help me progress in my military career. Erik held the position of Theatre Change Coordinator during his time in Afghanistan, and he was also the point of contact with Thales User Support Team in HKIA. As most of the Resolute Support Signal Support Group (RSSSG) personnel in Kabul, in order to accomplish our mission and tasks, we worked extended hours most of the days - from Monday to Sunday from 8am to 9pm. I found my post as Theatre Change Coordinator in RSSSG very demanding and interesting. During my tour in Kabul we handled more than 4,500 Requests for Change for all 22 different sites in theatre, including real-life operations. Erik was grateful to the CSU Torrejon Commander for supporting his request to be sent to the mission, and also thanked the whole Air Command and Control team who stayed behind in Spain with the extra workload during his deployment. I left Spain knowing that any family or personal problems that may arise during my tour in Kabul would be immediately taken care of by any of the Torrejón CSU members. I knew I could rely on all of them, from the fist soldier to the Commander! Despite the ongoing security situation, Erik enjoyed his time in Afghanistan. I can't mention best moments because all the 182 days I spent in theatre were quite good. I met such a good bunch of dedicated professionals, both military and civilian. I learned so much from their technical knowledge, managerial skills and NATO experience. I would said that every day had a best moment. And while everyone was working long hours during their tour of Afghanistan, there was still time to socialize. Every Saturday evening we had a Morale & Welfare approved event called Pizza-Poker Night during which everyone paid for the pizza. Our gambling stakes were that the one who lost the plastic chips first would be the 'pizza-boy' who had to carry the pizzas the following week. The one who won the game would be the 'king' and would not have to pay for his pizza the next week. Every evening we had multicultural, multinational gambling while sharing a really good time, telling stories with players from Poland, Belgium, Turkey, Romania, Lithuania, USA, UK and many more. I must also mention, I shared very special memories with the 10-member Spanish HKIA community, my military family, with whom I spent unforgettable times over Christmas and New Year's, birthday parties, etc. He added Definitely, one of the best times I had in Kabul was when I received a huge Christmas present full of Spanish delicacies from my CSU Torrejón colleagues. I wasn't even bothered by the fact that it arrived in March due to logistic problems!

Meet Erik. Erik has been serving in the Spanish Army for 25 years, and last December, he was sent to Afghanistan to provide critical support to NATO personnel in operational theatre.

general 1 408 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-announces-3-billion-eur-investment-in-defence-technology.aspx The NATO Communication and Information (NCI) Agency is announcing business opportunities in cyber, air and missile defence as well as advanced software, worth 3 billion EUR. This comes in parallel to decisions taken at the Warsaw Summit to strengthen the Alliance's deterrence and defence The investments, planned between now and 2019, will further strengthen NATO's cyber and air defence, satellite communications, Response Force, as well as command and control for complex multinational operations. The first contracts have already been put out for tender, with more to come in 2016 and early 2017. These will include a major contract for NATO satellite communications worth 1.5 billion EUR, the procurement of advanced software, and a further strengthening of NATO's air defences Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager, highlighted the strong partnership between NATO and Industry as he announced the investments. He stressed The ingenuity and creativity of our private sector has always been a source of strength for NATO. We, as an Alliance, have been able to maintain our technological edge over our adversaries for 67 years because the innovative capacity of our private sector is unparalleled. Today's technological change is driven by Industry and as NATO we are engaging Industry early on to ensure we tap into that creativity. NATO will only be resilient if we embrace and can do continuous, rapid innovation. From 7-8 September 2016, over 1,500 Industry representatives will meet with NATO officials and decision-makers to discuss current trends and the next generation of NATO cyber defence, at NIAS, NATO's annual cyber conference Increase in defence spendin At the Warsaw Summit, Heads of State and Government have welcomed that collectively, Allies' defence expenditures have increased in 2016 for the first time since 2009. Output is also important, in particular deployability and sustainability of Allied forces Mr Gijsbers commented The contracts we're announcing focus on one of the core tasks of the Alliance, to connect and link national forces and capabilities into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. By linking and connecting individual national capabilities NATO can do more that individual countries could do themselves. To track actual contract announcement, follow @NCIAAcquisition on Twitter or see https //www.ncia.nato.int/Industry/Pages/Home.asp

The NATO Communication and Information (NCI) Agency is announcing business opportunities in cyber, air and missile defence as well as advanced software, worth 3 billion EUR. This comes in parallel to decisions taken at the Warsaw Summit to strengthen the Alliance's deterrence and defence.

general 1 409 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-in-the-news-critical-trends-in-nato-battlefield-intelligence.aspx NCI Agency General Manager, Major General (ret) Koen Gijsbers, and Chief Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Services, Mr Matt Roper, talk about critical trends in NATO Battlefield Intelligence in the latest issue of European Security and Defence (ESD) magazine In the article, they focus on three major trends that Industry must know about Federated Mission Networking (FMN), the Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Initiative and NATO's transition to cloud-based operations According to MGEN (ret) Gijsbers The current geo-political landscape is a dynamic, complex and challenging environment. Intelligence estimates indicate this is set to continue as evidenced from recent global events See the full article her

NCI Agency General Manager, Major General (ret) Koen Gijsbers, and Chief Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Services, Mr Matt Roper, talk about critical trends in NATO Battlefield Intelligence in the latest issue of European Security and Defence (ESD) magazine.

general 1 410 1 about-us/newsroom/close-collaboration-to-align-capabilities.aspx NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, spoke to Fedscoop.com after his tour of the West Coast with US Defense Department Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen and his counterparts from several Allied Nations The tour, which included visits to Amazon, Microsoft, Google and other Industry leaders, was part of an ongoing strategic outreach. On the trip were CIOs or deputy CIOs from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers told Fedscoop.com What I took away from it was that first of all, industry is recognizing the specific position that defense has, and you see some of the cloud providers willing to develop on-premise or specific clouds. The visit was also a valuable occasion to bring together high-level representatives from defence institutions of several countries Talking about NATO, MGEN Gijsbers continued We very much have a responsibility in making sure that different capabilities of the nations can work together. And that's why it's very important to be part of the innovative activities, not only in the U.S., but also in Europe. The fact that we were together I think was also a good message to industry that we are very closely collaborating in order to get our capabilities aligned. See the full article her

NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, spoke to Fedscoop.com after his tour of the West Coast with US Defense Department Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen and his counterparts from several Allied Nations.

general 1 411 1 about-us/newsroom/information-technology-warfare-in-the-21st-century-the-allianceE28099s-invisible-threat.aspx NCI Agency Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator Nadja El Fertasi, and Executive Knowledge Coordinator Diana De Vivo discuss how NATO’s IT networks are integral to the Alliance’s resilience in the latest edition of Vox Collegii, the NATO Defense College Magazine. Today NATO faces the rise of new technologies, national powers, and non-state actors sophisticated, asymmetric and unconventional threats to the Alliance’s security. NATO’s Information Technology transformation in the 21st century is paramount; protecting NATO’s nervous system is critical and failure is not an option The article highlights the importance of IT as NATO’s central nervous system, allowing the Alliance to remain resilient as network warfare becomes increasingly widespread in the continuously evolving and unpredictable security landscape. “NATO is well aware of the technological advancements on the part of our potential state-based adversaries and also non-state actors, in the areas of both traditional military and hybrid capabilities. NATO as an organization and individual Allies need to be ever committed to maintaining our capability edge, including through continuous innovation, support to research and development and state-of-the-art technology, to deliver on the Alliance’s three core tasks,” said GEN Petr Pavel. Continue reading the full article her A condensed version of the article has been published in the NATO Review Magazin

NCI Agency Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator Nadja El Fertasi, and Executive Knowledge Coordinator Diana De Vivo discuss how NATO’s IT networks are integral to the Alliance’s resilience in the latest edition of Vox Collegii, the NATO Defense College Magazine.

general 1 412 1 about-us/newsroom/nias16-speakers-announced.aspx Join senior Defence and Industry leaders to hear about the future of NATO's cyber defence at the Alliance's prestigious cyber security symposium, NIAS, Mons 7- 8 September Taking place after the Warsaw Summit where Alliance Heads of State and Government made a historic decision to recognize cyberspace as NATO's fourth operational domain, NIAS'16 will bring together over 1,000 cyber security professionals and decision-makers to discuss NATO's future requirements for cyber defence and Industry trends https //youtu.be/N6Hj26KKiV

Join senior Defence and Industry leaders to hear about the future of NATO's cyber defence at the Alliance's prestigious cyber security symposium, NIAS, Mons 7- 8 September.

general 1 413 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-in-the-news-cyber-security--the-new-frontier.aspx NCI Agency Innovation Manager, Dr Michael Street, discussed cyber security with BNR Newsradio as the second edition of the International Cyber Security Summer School kicked off in The Hague on 22 August 2016 In the interview, Dr Street emphasized the importance of protecting NATO's networks to make sure that they are resilient, reliable, and that they provide trusted information These are fundamental challenges of cyber security and they are fundamental for the way that NATO operates in the 21st century, said Dr Street The International Cyber Security Summer School was established by cyber security experts as part of the NCI Agency's Innovation programme, in cooperation with Europol and The Hague Security Delta. It aims to help prepare young professionals for the challenges of cyber security in international organizations. See the full article (in Dutch) and listen to the radio interview (in English and Dutch) her .

NCI Agency Innovation Manager, Dr Michael Street, discussed cyber security with BNR Newsradio as the second edition of the International Cyber Security Summer School kicked off in The Hague on 22 August 2016.

general 1 414 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-holds-third-threat-vector-analysis-workshop.aspx NCI Agency and Industry experts have stepped up their collaboration aimed at improving our defences against cyber threats. As part of this ongoing cooperation, Agency and Industry representatives held a cyber Threat Vector Analysis workshop which was hosted by Fortinet in Valbonne, France on August 23, 2016. Building upon previous challenge This workshop focused on Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks, which is a threat that both NATO and industry regularly experience. The aim of this latest joint effort was to better understand the evolution of DDOS attacks in order to improve defences against them It was the third in a series of events held since February aiming to strengthen NATO and Industry cyber defences through collaborative identification of cyber threats as well as techniques, practices and procedures to counter those threats The TVA workshops illustrate what can be achieved when NATO and industry sit down together to tackle a common challeng , said Ian West, NCI Agency's Chief of Cyber Security and co-chair of the August workshop. Through this forum, we have identified obstacles to closer collaboration on countering cyber threats and have taken steps to overcome them. Each workshop builds upon the one before, improving the cyber defences of NATO and industry alike. Working together, we have already made advances in our understanding of these modern threats and how to defend against the . Smart and collective cyber defenc The Threat Vector Analysis (TVA) workshops are a key activity of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) and are focused on developing a common taxonomy for threats and the use of standards in exchanging cyber threat information in order to improve understanding and the efficiency of information sharing, ultimately leading to better collective cyber defence Alliance leaders endorsed the NICP at the Wales Summit in September 2014, recognizing that NATO and Industry face shared risks in the cyber domain, and that addressing these challenges requires new frameworks for action. Executives representing security and defence, IT, financial, and critical infrastructure sectors later formed an informal cyber defence working group to focus on priority areas where NATO and Industry can work together for mutual benefit both at a technical and operational level in order to develop greater momentum for information-sharing and collaboration. Through these initiatives, the Alliance is cooperating with Industry in new and innovative ways which benefit both parties - it really is both smart and collective cyber defence

NCI Agency and Industry experts have stepped up their collaboration aimed at improving our defences against cyber threats.

general 1 415 1 about-us/newsroom/new-commander-csu-ramstein.aspx COL Kevin S. Johnson, US Air Force, officially took over command of CSU Ramstein on 25 August. This was the second Change of Command for the CSU in 2 months, as LTC Schaefer temporary filled the gap between departure of COL Sorrell on 28 June and arrival of COL Johnson. COL Johnson arrived from Vandenberg AFB in California, together with his wife Laurie and youngest daughter. For more information, please see Col Johnsons biograph

COL Kevin S. Johnson, US Air Force, officially took over command of CSU Ramstein on 25 August.

general 1 416 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-to-explore-future-cyber-requirements-at-major-conference.aspx Over 1,000 Industry representatives and NATO officials are set to meet in Mons, Belgium, on 7 and 8 September 2016, to discuss the Alliance's future cyber requirements The NATO Information Assurance and Cyber Defence Symposium (NIAS), NATO's premier cyber conference, will be an opportunity for the Alliance to hear from Industry representatives about emerging trends in cyber security The two-day event will help NATO plan the vision for its future cyber defences, with invitations for bids expected to be released in 2017, and the first round of investments completed in 2018. Next generation starts no The Alliance took important steps at the NATO Summit in Warsaw to bolster our collective and national cyber defences, said NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, Ambassador Sorin Ducaru. NATO recognised cyberspace as a domain, which will enable us to better assure the protection of our missions and operations. Allies also pledged to strengthen and enhance the cyber defences of national networks and infrastructures as a matter of priority. Both initiatives form part of the continuous adaptation of NATO's cyber defences. Engaging industry is critical to this adaptation, allowing NATO to benefit from innovation in cyber defence. This will be vital for the next generation of our cyber defences. At the Summit in Warsaw (8-9 July 2016), Allies have committed to continue implementing NATO's Enhanced Policy on Cyber Defence and to strengthen NATO's cyber defence capabilities, benefiting from the latest cutting edge technologies. NATO has state-of-the art cyber defence hardware and software, and is constantly adapting to a rapidly evolving technology environment. This requires new tools and solutions and better engagement with industry, including through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership. In July, NATO announced business opportunities in cyber, air and missile defence as well as advanced software, worth up to 3 billion EUR. This includes planning to invest around 70 million EUR in a cyber technology refres . The Alliance has identified specific areas where it will seek Industry contribution, including secure mobility, multi-level authentication and the secure use of public cloud . NCI Agency General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers commented With 28, soon to be 29 NATO member countries, it is essential that we are all able to work together, accessing information quickly and securely from any location The use of cloud computing enables this and has a profound impact on operations – fewer servers, fewer generators, greater speed. The same applies to giving soldiers more information on smaller, more mobile devices which they can carry with them anywhere Of course, politically-sensitive intelligence cannot be shared on a public cloud, but routine business can be greatly facilitated by cloud technology. We also need to be able to trust that the person logging in is who they say they are, so we rely on multi-level authentication. In line with the next generation of cyber defence, NATO needs to continue to enable and develop rapid collaboration across the coalition of Allies. NIAS 2016 will offer in-depth workshops on four specific themes Building resilience from insid ; Moving from Information Assurance to Mission Assuranc ; Next generation cyber security challenges and solution ; and Securely enabling the mobile use Click her for the conference Agenda and to register. Or watch this short vide to get a glimpse of what's in store at the event. Join us to shape the future of NATO cyber defence

Over 1,000 Industry representatives and NATO officials are set to meet in Mons, Belgium, on 7 and 8 September 2016, to discuss the Alliance's future cyber requirements.

general 1 417 1 about-us/newsroom/testing-direction-finder-at-gps-jamming-trials.aspx In August, the NCI Agency participated at the annual navigation warfare (NAVWAR) trial in Sennybridge, Wales, United Kingdom, hosted by the UK Ministry of Defence. For the entire duration of the trial, broadcast authorities in the UK grant permission to deploy jammers to allow testing of GPS-equipment under realistic jamming conditions — this was a rare opportunity given the tight regulations! The trial, mostly supported by UK participants, was opened this year to attendees from NATO agencies, so the NCI Agency took the opportunity to test the GANDALF Mk II system About GANDALF Mk II syste GANDALF is an acronym for Ground-based Asset by NCI Agency for Direction and Location Finding and is an experimental system based on relatively low-cost components. The operating principle is based on measurements to allow estimation of the jamming signal's Direction of Arrival (DoA). Doing this for multiple locations allows the identification of a jammer's position. The receiver system employs software-defined radios, an in-house constructed antenna array and implements various algorithms to perform the DoA estimation. Moreover, GANDALF Mk II provides a powerful tool for the Electronic Warfare (EW) operator to characterize the precise type of jammer signal These activities are of great value to help maintain the Agency's technical expertise and keep abreast of new developments in radio software and hardware technology. Further, this experience is of direct benefit to the Agency role as 'smart buyer' in support of specialized procurement projects. Global Positioning Syste The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite service critical for navigation on the ground, sea and in the air. Civil aviation, maritime traffic and the TomTom boxes for cars all employ GPS. In addition, the timing GPS provides is essential for, e.g., synchronisation of mobile phone base-stations and computer networks. For this reason, the GPS frequency band is tightly protected around the world from interference or jamming

In August, the NCI Agency participated at the annual navigation warfare (NAVWAR) trial in Sennybridge, Wales, United Kingdom, hosted by the UK Ministry of Defence.

general 1 418 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-opens-flagship-cyber-event-with-vision-for-the-future.aspx Top NATO officials and industry representatives are discussing how to join forces and efforts to combat ever more sophisticated cyber threats at the Alliance's annual two-day cyber security conference NIAS 16 in Mons, Belgium Today's first day of the conference opened on the next steps for NATO's cyber defence from political, operational and technological perspectives Partnerships are essential. None of us alone is better equipped to fight cyber threats than all of us together, said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges Ambassador Ducaru emphasized the importance of cyberspace for NATO today and in the future We know that NATO's operations and missions are going to be unfolding in a heavily contested environment where our networks will be under attack. We had to recognize we are getting more and more dependent on our networks and that there is no such thing as a completely secure networks, added MGEN Walter Huhn, representing Allied Command Operations, A resilient force is one that can continue to function when its networks have been attacked or disrupted Never res In cyber, hubris is our worst enemy. Thinking that we have solved it, that we are safe. This symposium is the best antidote for that, RADM Thomas Daum, Chief of Staff of the NATO Communication and Information Agency, stressed in his opening address. At NIAS we always scare each other a little bit – we talk of the threat, how the attacker only needs to get it right once, how one e-mail can bring down networks valued at tens of millions. But we also inspire each other, including in the workshop sessions; we change, refresh our thinking. And we build connections, friendships. Among other topics, the conference will discuss a 70 million Euro cyber refresh that will begin in 2017 and will see a fundamental upgrade of NATO's cyber capabilities The event is NATO's largest annual cyber conference and brings together both Industry and national delegations The second day of the conference will see cyber leaders from the UK, US and France discuss their unique national perspective on cyber security. Industry experts will take to the stage to highlight emerging trends in cyber. Major investment The NCI Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks 24/7 as well as advanced technology acquisition. At the Summit in Warsaw (8-9 July 2016), Allies recognized cyberspace as an operational domain and committed to continue strengthening their cyber defence capabilities. NATO has state-of-the art cyber defence hardware and software, and is constantly adapting to a rapidly-evolving technology environment. This requires new tools and solutions and better engagement with Industry, including through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership Alliance leaders endorsed the NICP at the Wales Summit in September 2014, recognizing that NATO and Industry face shared risks in the cyber domain, and that addressing these challenges requires new frameworks for action. Executives representing security and defence, IT, financial, and critical infrastructure sectors later formed an informal cyber defence working group to focus on priority areas where NATO and Industry can work together for mutual benefit both at a technical and operational level in order to develop greater momentum for information-sharing and collaboration. Through these initiatives, the Alliance is cooperating with Industry in new and innovative ways which benefit both parties - it really is both smart and collective cyber defence Follow the event live at #NIAS16

Top NATO officials and industry representatives are discussing how to join forces and efforts to combat ever more sophisticated cyber threats at the Alliance's annual two-day cyber security conference NIAS 16 in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 419 1 about-us/newsroom/scale-of-cyber-threat-requires-partnership-says-nato.aspx Ransomware, cyber jihadism and emerging attackers were some of the topics of day 2 of NATO's cyber conference, NIAS, held in Mons, Belgium on 7-8 September, with over 1,300 senior NATO and Industry delegates attending The second day of the conference focused on two themes top National representatives outlining their national cyber security plans and Industry experts discussing emerging trends in cyberspace One such trend is the rapidly-growing scale of the cyber defence challenge During the span of NIAS [the conference] one million new devices will be connected to the Internet, said John Stewart of Cisco Sytems, who was voted best Industry speaker at the conference. He added Half a billion pieces of software were downloaded last year… Five terabytes of data will be generated per person within the next four years, all that data needs to be thought through now. Simplify, focus on the difficult task But the conference also offered notes of optimism. 70-90% of cyber attacks are preventable though basic cyber hygiene, said Ian West, Chief of Cyber Security at the NATO Communications and Information Agency, which organized the event. In addition to the powerful effect of getting the basics right, another recommendation was to focus on automating basic tasks and empowering regular IT staff to engage in basic cyber defence and maintenance, allowing top defenders to focus on the most difficult tasks This, alongside user education, is a core focus of the US Department of Defence's strategy said Richard Hale, stressing the size of the challenge for the Pentagon We have more IT workers than we have Marines. The ever-shifting nature of the battle was underlined several times. If you build an impenetrable fortress wall, the attacker will find another, they will find a tunnel underneath, stressed one expert The discussion set the context for what will be a major upgrade of NATO cyber defences in the 2017-2019 timeframe. The first contracts are expected to be put out to tender in 2017. We're about to embark on major refresh, worth about 70 million Euro, stressed RADM Thomas Daum, NCI Agency Chief of Staff. Today, cyber innovation is driven by the private sector. Several Nations have already embarked along the cyber domain route with industrial partners. This is why we want to have the conversation with you early, before we come to the actual acquisition stage. Eight information-sharing agreement At the conference, NATO emphasized the progress in the NATO-Industry Cyber Partnershi , with eight partnership agreements on information-sharing now signed and tangible practical work on threat vector analysi The conference followed decision at the Summit in Warsaw (8-9 July 2016), where Allies recognized cyberspace as an operational domain and committed to continue strengthening their cyber defence capabilities. The next edition of NIAS will take place on 20-21 September 2017, save the date today

Ransomware, cyber jihadism and emerging attackers were some of the topics of day 2 of NATO's cyber conference, NIAS, held in Mons, Belgium on 7-8 September, with over 1,300 senior NATO and Industry delegates attending.

general 1 420 1 about-us/newsroom/turbocharging-nato-software-development.aspx Italy is renowned for its ferociously fast cars. Now, the NCI Agency is looking at leveraging Italian Army expertise with agile software development to speed up combat software development in NATO The journey began earlier in the year with a joint Agile Software Engineering class, presenting a particular Agile methodology specifically created by the Italian Ministry of Defence to develop their Land Command and Control Evolution (LC2EVO) system. The system was extremely successful, dramatically reducing the cost of the two million lines of software code produced and delivering it on schedule. Although various elements of the NCI Agency have already been using Agile Scrum methods, it has not been widely used for software acquisitions from Industry. The Italian initiative has taken the methodology even further by looking at specific Agile implementations and has proven to be very successful In October 2016, the Agency is planning to introduce the concept to the Strategic Commands, holding a workshop with the goal to expose the innovative concept to our leaders and make it usable within the NATO The concept of Agile Software development is not new, but the way the Italian Army applied it makes it really innovative and successful Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager commented We are working on improving software development, and as one of the activities, based on the Software Intensive Projects study, we are looking into moving from Waterfall Methods to a form of Agile Software Development. We conducted this master class internally. The class was held by the Italian Defense & Security Software Engineers Association (DSSEA) that is exploiting a particular version of Agile (DSSEA iAgile®), which is used by the Italian Army to develop their Land C2 system. The class was very beneficial and we all learned a lot from it. The next step will be to involve Allied Command Transformation and Allied Commander Operations, expose them to this methodology and start rapidly embracing it. It will save us time, money and improves the quality of the delivered products. The challenge will be to develop with the Strategic Commands and the NATO Office of Resources a form of Agile that fits the NATO Capability Development Processes. Software Intensive Project In light of the Software Intensive Projects (SIP) initiative, the SIP Task Force outcomes and the Agency's lead role on two of the improvement measures, there is a need for the Agency and NATO stakeholders to better understand Innovative Software Engineering methodologies The first of these key principles states the need to deliver earlier and more often. This principle is aimed at changing the culture from one that is focused typically on a single delivery at the end of the development phase to a new model with multiple deliveries during development, leading to an ultimate version that supports the full set of requirements The second key principle states the need for Incremental and Iterative Development and Testing. This principle embraces the concept of incremental and iterative delivery, aiming to provide better outcomes than trying to deploy large complex IT network systems in one 'big bang' The Agile methodology clearly supports the previously mentioned principles. It does this by allowing the scope of the project to be adjusted if risks materialize while sticking to time and budget. This contrasts with classical project management techniques, which endeavour to deliver 100% of the scope, but then typically go over budget and deliver late in the process. This approach does require strong management and prioritization of requirements, but it allows the requirements to adapt as the project progresses, in particular removing requirements that become obsolescent as users innovate in how they use the early versions of the system Business benefit The Agile approach offers tangible benefits to the different stakeholders of software intensive NATO projects Operational users Frequent, incremental deliveries are defined up-front. Capabilities are never delivered late, although not all functionality is provided at once. Operational users play an active and continuous role in both the governance and the development and testing of the capability. Changes in scope are embraced rather than rejected Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Transformational capabilities get delivered sooner. Requirements from ACT remain focused on user needs and are provided at a higher level of abstraction, increasing the speed at which ACT can initiate capability delivery projects Investment Committee (IC) and NATO Office of Resources (NOR) By definition, projects are delivered on time and on budget. Financial expenditure estimates are greatly improved. Regular incremental deliveries of capability allow the IC/NOR to monitor progress through partial (e.g. annual) JFAI inspections. Agency performance is monitored through the scope delivered (an outcome) rather than money spent (an input). Type B Cost Estimates and invitation for bid documentation are simplified and made fit for purpose, shortening approval timelines Industry Risk to industry is reduced as it has greater flexibility in proposing solutions to user requirements, and through the prioritization of requirements it now has an explicit mechanism for handling project risks. (The current fixed-scope, fixed-cost, fixed-time and fixed-quality approach to NATO Security Investment Programme projects is unrealistic and simply leads to cost overruns and contractual disputes). Requirements are clearer due to continual user engagement NCI Agency Project delays and cost overruns are significantly reduced or eliminated. Capabilities are delivered earlier. Financial forecasting is improved. User engagement is improved. Risks are reduced and identified earlier. Software deployment timelines are known in advance and ease scheduling issues for the CSUs. Overall the approach meets the NCI Agency General Manager's vision to ...earn customer confidence through agility, innovation and by delivering coherent and cost-effective solutions For more information on innovative projects in NATO, download a copy of our Communicator magazin

Italy is renowned for its ferociously fast cars. Now, the NCI Agency is looking at leveraging Italian Army expertise with agile software development to speed up combat software development in NATO.

general 1 421 1 about-us/newsroom/video-nias-cyber-security-symposium-roundup.aspx NATO is constantly under attack in cyberspace. Every single day our centres detect around 240 million suspicious events – Ian West, NCI Agency Chief of Cyber Security - but we can narrow that down, using our technologies, to 4,000 incidents per year . NATO is increasingly turning to Industry as it plans a major upgrade of NATO cyber defences. NATO's annual Cyber Security Symposium, NIAS, brings together over than 1000 senior NATO and Industry delegates providing a unique forum to share a huge variety of solutions and innovative technologies to prevent current and future threats to the Alliance https //youtu.be/Mjh53iIW8k

NATO is constantly under attack in cyberspace. Every single day our centres detect around 240 million suspicious events – Ian West, NCI Agency Chief of Cyber Security - but we can narrow that down, using our technologies, to 4,000 incidents per year .

general 1 422 1 about-us/newsroom/ondemand-interviewing-boosting-recruitment.aspx The three main locations of the NCI Agency run more than 250 recruitment campaigns a year for more than 30 NCI Agency locations around the world. This means 21.000 received and assessed applications from all NATO member nations. Screening these applications down to the best fitting 250 candidates is timely when running a fair and transparent recruitment process in order to select the best candidates. At the NCI Agency where change, innovation and development are key words, a technological approach to processing applications is evident something better than an application form, but cheaper than an interview panel The balanced solution proves to be HireVue, an on-demand interview service Interviewing from the comfort of your chai On-demand interviews make recruitment more convenient, easier and efficient for candidates and hiring officials, when at the same time allow to assess a more diverse pool of candidates before choosing the most suitable ones to attend an interview in person The great thing for candidates about this is that they can improve their visibility. Seeing their audio-visual answers gives the recruiter and the hiring officials a better understanding of who they are and what their experience is. On-demand interviews greatly help to get a better understanding of the person behind the application The way it works is that the hiring team simply provides their questions, either as text or a short video, then candidates record their answers to these in a defined timeframe using their computer and webcam, or a mobile device. Multiple evaluators can then check candidates' responses, individually assess their skills and expertise against specific criteria precisely matched against the essential requirements of a position. Based on this evaluation, more informed decisions can be made on which candidates to invite to a face-to-face interview. On-demand interviews are focused on candidates. They can take their interview at their convenience, the questions are tailored to highlight their experience and particular skills in various areas of interest for each position. No more stressful blackout On-demand interviewing gives the opportunity to do some trials before the actual interview. Candidates can take this chance to prepare themselves in advance. Having a good Internet connection, a properly working device and quiet time and space for the interview are always essential for a successful run. Saving time, energy and cost With on-demand interviews, savings are a huge benefit. Not only travel costs are cut, but the time cost of panel members, as well. On the side of evaluators, they have different options to perform the assessment and can also share the results. The people involved in the recruitment process (the candidate, recruiters, hiring officials and panel members) are also able to do this work whenever and wherever they are. The system is being used from 6 00 am to 3 00 am, seven days a week. This technology enables staff members to be effective more often, at more places. Continuous improvement in recruitmen In the NCI Agency's effort to offer newly recruited staff members the best possible joining experience, the Talent Management Team is preparing an on-boarding module for new joiners. The implementation of Assessment Centres is in progress, which significantly will help improve the quality of the recruitment process. One of the other goals is to improve timelines and reporting processes, while revising and adapting the policies in the HR area of responsibilities. The Agency is highly interested in representatives of the new generation and is moving towards social recruiting (blogs, social media, etc.). Beside th NATO Taleo application syste , the Agency is present on Social Media, as well look for Agency job postings on LinkedI , too

The three main locations of the NCI Agency run more than 250 recruitment campaigns a year for more than 30 NCI Agency locations around the world. This means 21.000 received and assessed applications from all NATO member nations.

general 1 423 1 about-us/newsroom/donE28099t-miss-nato-it-business-opportunities.aspx A number of Invitations For Bidding (IFB) released by the NATO Communications and Information Agency have deadlines coming up in October They include - Functional Services for Command and Control of Maritime - Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure - Maintenance Service Contract for Data Centre at Lago Patria The NCI Agency is responsible for delivering advanced technology in support of NATO and its operations. Over 80% of our work is done through contracts with Industry. In sum, some 3 billion Euro worth of opportunities will be available between now and 2019 For more details, see our business opportunities Web page and for updates follow NCIAAcquisiton on Twitter

A number of Invitations For Bidding (IFB) released by the NATO Communications and Information Agency have deadlines coming up in October.

general 1 424 1 about-us/newsroom/agencies-cooperate-to-deliver-capabilities-to-nato.aspx NCI Agency and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) recently collaborated on a project to acquire Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) mobile detection equipment for NATO Response Forces The NATO Commands entrusted the two agencies to deliver this critical capability to NATO through a common funded project. The state of the art equipment is a self-powered mobile X-Ray system, built onto a Mercedes truck chassis and specifically designed for cargo inspection. A truly joint venture, NCI Agency is the project lead and NSPA’s Communications, Air and Missile Defence Programme assisted in acceptance of the requirement and advised on the in-service support after Final Acceptance of the equipment Read more on NSPA websit

NCI Agency and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) recently collaborated on a project to acquire Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) mobile detection equipment for NATO Response Forces.

general 1 425 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-enhances-cooperation-with-italy.aspx The Italian Ministry of Defence and the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency have stepped up their cooperation on the development of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD). At the end of September, the Ministry and the Agency signed an agreement, which will ensure interoperability between Italian BMD capabilities and NATO BMD This agreement will deepen the partnership between the Ministry and the Agency's Ballistic Missile Defence Programme Office and Services (BMD PO&S), mainly through information exchange and testing It also states that the integration of the Italian systems will initially cover the Surface to Air Missile Platform/Terrain (SAMP/T) block I weapon system, the TPS77 - Early Warning radar capability to be integrated into Air Command and Control System (ACCS) and the HORIZON Class Ship BMD is one of the most important programme's for NATO collective defence as confirmed by Heads of State and Government during the last NATO Summit in Warsaw. National contributions therefore are vital to support the overall NATO BMD capability and the contribution from Italy is very much welcomed The agreement was signed by the Italian Defence Secretary General and National Armaments Director, Lieutenant General Carlo Magrassi, and the NCI Agency General Manager, Koen Gijsbers

The Italian Ministry of Defence and the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency have stepped up their cooperation on the development of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD).

general 1 426 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-launches-cyber-acquisition-reform-study-with-rand.aspx NATO Allied Command Transformation and the NATO Communications and Information Agency have launched an independent research project to examine ways to streamline NATO’s cyber capability development and acquisition processes RAND was selected to lead the project. The project will aim to define the challenges NATO faces in adjusting its cyber development and acquisition processes and make recommendations on how to address them This study comes in parallel to decisions taken at this year’s NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, to strengthen the Alliance’s cyber defence. Innovation is vital for NATO to keep its technological and operational edge, and this extends to our cyber acquisition process, said Lieutenant General Jeffrey Lofgren USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation. “Through our work at ACT, we have already concluded we need a revised acquisition process that delegates authority, manages risk as opposed to eliminating it, and rewards quick delivery. This cyber acquisition study—unprecedented in scope—is a critical step toward achieving those aims, and I am pleased that the RAND will lead it. RAND is pleased to support this important study to examine ways to better streamline cyber acquisition efforts. In an environment where technological advances move at pace, it is critical that NATO is able to field capabilities which are current and flexible. We are confident our research will identify options to help NATO meet this challenge--both now and in the future, said Hans Pung, President, RAND Europe Need for spee At this year’s Warsaw Summit, Allied Heads of State and Government made a historic decision to recognize cyberspace as NATO’s fourth operational domain – along land, sea and air. They pledged to ensure the Alliance keeps pace with the fast evolving cyber threat landscape. NATO plans to invest around 70 million Euro in a cyber technology refresh over the next three years, with the NCI Agency responsible for the acquisition. NCI Agency General Manager, Major General (retired) Koen Gijsbers added “The dramatic growth in commercial innovation with military applications in the cyber domain along with the gravity and fastevolving nature of the cyber threat are driving the need for re-thinking how we acquire cyber capabilities. “We very much look forward not only to the results of the study, but also to implementing recommendations to make our cyber acquisition process faster, more innovative, and more flexible so we can fully tap the innovative capacity of large and small companies and academia across the Alliance in support of NATO cyber defence. This project will encompass the activities required to develop a report on the “Improvement of NATO Cyber Capability Fielding Process.” This includes analysing current NATO cyber capability development policy, processes and practices and proposing short- and long-term actions with the ultimate goal of permanent innovation, continuous engagement with industry and academia, and rapid identification of new requirements and acquisition of solutions The final report is expected in January 2017

NATO Allied Command Transformation and the NATO Communications and Information Agency have launched an independent research project to examine ways to streamline NATO’s cyber capability development and acquisition processes.

general 1 427 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-signs-milestone-partnership-agreement-with-poland--spain-and-the-uk.aspx The NCI Agency and representatives from Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, have signed the first Communications and Information Partnership (C&IP) on NATO Software Tools (NST). The ceremony took place on 12 October 2016 at the NCI Agency Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium with NCI Agency General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers in attendance. He was joined by three national representatives, MGEN Jose Luis Goberna Caride, Director of IT and CIS Centre, Spanish Ministry of Defence, COL Marek Gladysz, Chief of Command and Control Directorate, Polish Armed Forces, and COL Mark Purves, Joint Forces Command Capability Authority C4ISR, British Ministry of Defence MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers noted Today is a historical moment. Historical because it is the first Communication and Information Partnership Agreement. Historical also because today's signature is an important milestone in preserving the interoperability gains we made in Afghanistan. We see that interoperability is more important than ever, and we need to be interoperable at a lower level than before The long road to the achievement of this key milestone started in 2012 at the Chief Information Officers Conference when 8 NATO Nations, together with the NCI Agency, identified the need for a multinational approach to provide an enabling framework for nations that facilitate usage of NATO C4ISR Tools and Services for national purposes, including provision of essential support services to assure suitability and sustainability of the tools within the nations' C4ISR architectures. This has led to the establishment of this inaugural NST C&I Partnership, the preferred C4ISR Tools and Services Support to Nations framework, with the active involvement of Poland, Spain and the UK, as well as key support from France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Norway. These forward-thinking Nations as well as newly engaged Nations, such as Romania and Canada, are currently considering to join the Partnership next year The objective of the NST C&IP is to enable interoperability through the provision of services to nations and entities (Participants) in the use of these NATO software tools and to facilitate a coordinated approach in enabling Alliance and coalition missions to become more coherent and interoperable by using a common suite of C4ISR software for NATO and national purposes Key benefits for Participants include Facilitate implementation of the NATO First Solution (N1S) through reuse of common funded (CF) tools for national purposes and therefore increasing the national return on investment (ROI) on NATO CF capabilities National use of NATO Software, in NATO and non-NATO contexts, to improve operational effectiveness and interoperability Overall cost savings through economies of scale, such as reduced acquisition, training and operational support expenses by sharing costs Standardize on tools and processes for national, coalition and NATO missions, reusing mission-proven C4ISR capabilities A coherent, managed framework for the identification, vetting, and pursuit for inclusion of national requirements into the single NATO Software baselines, leveraging, engaging and getting agreement from within existing NATO governance and control framework Therefore, as more and more Nations join, NATO and the Nations will see an increase in interoperability and effectiveness in operations, while seeing a decrease in overall costs The NCI Agency and representatives from Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, participated in the kick-off meeting for the NATO Software Tools (NST) Communications and Information Partnership (C&IP) on 12 October 2016. As the Spanish Navy NATEX, CPT Juan Martin Nieto, so aptly put, It is appropriate that this day, 12 October, was chosen as the signature day for the NST C&IP. A much celebrated day in Spain, as Christopher Columbus arrived and discovered the New World, we are now embarking on a voyage of our own, together, as partners, to discover a new world of seamless interoperability amongst the Nations and NATO. Now with the milestone NST C&IP signature ceremony achieved, the reins of the ship have been handed over from Demand Management to the Directorate of Application Services' Command and Control (C2) Service Line to ensure the Partnership delivers value to the Nations by achieving the stated objectives and benefits, and by successfully managing and executing the annual Programme of Work (POW). The first step has been taken with convening the kick-off meeting of the NST C&I Partnership Committee (PC) in the afternoon following the Signature Ceremony to nominate and appoint the NST C&I PC Chairperson, to agree on the establishment of the NST C&IP Working Group (WG) and to approve the POW for Year 1. This has been achieved, with Spain appointed the Chair and the UK as Vice-Chair of the PC, and UK as Chair of the WG The NST C&IP POW provides a flexible mechanism to ensure the Partnership is able to meet the needs of the Participants, now and in the future. This includes the Foundation Services which provide the minimum set of services such as installation and deployment, education & training, remote operational support, Partnership management and Committee support services. This, together with the option for requesting additional tools-support services, via Supplementary and/or On Demand Support Services, ensures a managed, yet flexible means for satisfying the national requirements The tools selected by the Partnership for the Year 1 NST C&IP Baseline support major aspects of the Nations' C4ISR requirements, including Joint C3 (interim Geo-Spatial Intelligence Tool (iGEOSiT), Joint Tactical Chat (JCHAT), Joint Operations Centre Watch (JOCWatch), Networked Interoperable Real-Time Information Services (NIRIS)), Joint Targeting (Joint Targeting System / Functional Area Support Training (JTS/FAST)), Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) (Joint Operations Intelligence Information System (JOIIS), NATO Intelligence Toolbox (NITB)), Air C2 (Integrated Command and Control Software (ICC)), Logistics (Logistics Functional Area Services (LOGFAS)), and Operational Planning (Tools for Operations Planning Functional Area Services (TOPFAS) As envisaged from the inception of the NST C&I Partnership, the toolset baseline may be expanded as more Capability Packages deliver and Software Tools become available to NATO nations for multinational use, such as NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP), Intelligence Functional Services (INTEL FS), Logistics Functional Services (LOG FS), etc As the Partnership evolves and matures, the NST C&IP will offer the mechanism for collecting the national demand for software tools for possible inclusion in future NATO software acquisitions. Furthermore, it will help participating nations supporting the collection, consultation and integration of national requirements into the NATO baselines. For more information, please contact the NST C&IP Project Manager, Ms Mimi Nguyen (+31 (0) 70 374 3928, mimi.nguyen@ncia.nato.in )

The NCI Agency and representatives from Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, have signed the first Communications and Information Partnership (C&IP) on NATO Software Tools (NST).

general 1 428 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-welcomes-new-director-application-services.aspx The NCI Agency is pleased to welcome Ms Laurie Jo Litton as new Director Application Services (DAS). Ms Litton was appointed as of 24 October 2016. In this position, she will be responsible for Operational Analysis, Command and Control (C2), Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (Joint ISR), Service Support and Business Applications, and Education and Training During her long career, Ms Litton held a variety of leadership roles within the United States federal government mostly focusing on geospatial intelligence and navy warfare capabilities. Before joining the Agency, she served as Director of the National System for Geospatial-Intelligence Technology Opportunities. In this role, she broke new ground in achieving IT efficiencies through agile and streamlined processes, innovation, and evolving IT baselines by collaborating and engaging other community members The NCI Agency family would like to give its warmest welcome to Ms Litton and to also express its deep appreciation for her predecessor, Mr Guy Feat, who performed his role with invaluable dedication and commitment in the last few years

The NCI Agency is pleased to welcome Ms Laurie Jo Litton as new Director Application Services (DAS). Ms Litton was appointed as of 24 October 2016. In this position, she will be responsible for Operational Analysis, Command and Control (C2), Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (Joint ISR), Service Support and Business Applications, and Education and Training.

general 1 429 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-support-to-trident-juncture-2016.aspx More than 20 soldiers from 628 Signal Troop of NATO’s 1st Signal Battalion deployed to the former Cold War bunker that forms part of the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) facility for Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 2016 (TRJE16) Lieutenant Colonel Jason Burns, Deputy Head, CIS Branch, said “There will no doubt be a significant amount of preparatory work rolling-out the equipment and testing it for what will be a demanding exercise. It is good to see the Troop deploy from the UK to Norway and perform like a well-oiled machine. He was also echoed by Commander Svein-Inge Søndergaard, the NCI Agency CIS Support Unit Commander, who emphasized in an award ceremony for the CIS troop the importance of their effort along the local CSU staff, creating a training environment far beyond the size and complexity the Training Centre was built for. “Together they have now laid the foundation for a successful exercise”, Commander Søndergaard explained Continue reading on JWC websit

More than 20 soldiers from 628 Signal Troop of NATO’s 1st Signal Battalion deployed to the former Cold War bunker that forms part of the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) facility for Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 2016 (TRJE16).

general 1 430 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agencyE28099s-2017-annual-conference-to-focus-on-innovation.aspx The NCIAgency is pleased to announce the theme for its flagship Industry conference,NITEC17, 'Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and theInnovative Power of Alliance Industry' The annualthree-day event, which is organized jointly with AFCEA Europe (the Associationfor Communications, Electronics, Intelligence and Information Systems Professionals) and in collaboration with the Host Nation – Canada – will take place on24-26 April 2017 in Ottawa. Theconference comes as Alliance Heads of State and Government stressed the need tosupport innovation through greater collaboration with Industry at the 2016Warsaw Summit. NITEC17will offer a unique opportunity to act on NATO's innovation agenda throughstrategic dialogue with Industry partners about the applicability of advancedand emerging technologies in the military domain, and fresh approaches on howto implement them Workingtogethe Innovationis now more global, more rapid, and more concentrated in the private sector,where more commercial technologies than ever before have militaryapplications, NCI Agency General Manager Major General (retired) KoenGijsbers said. Thishas led to repeated calls—including at NITEC16 in Estonia—for a shift fromgovernment-issued requirements to team-built capabilities, where government andIndustry teams work together at earlier stages to solve problems and deliversolutions. NITEC17 will be an ideal platform to continue moving forward withthis new approach. Bringingtogether more than 500 high-level defence experts from across NATO, the Alliedmilitaries, Industry and academia, NITEC17 will build on the success ofNITEC16. WhileNITEC16 established a clear consensus about the need for partnership andinnovation, NITEC17 will focus on converting this consensus into action Businessopportunitie On Day Oneof the conference, senior decision-makers will discuss key trends in theinnovation landscape and how they are re-shaping traditionalgovernment-Industry collaboration, as well as the implications for NATO. Days Twoand Three will offer a forum to discuss with Industry the NCI Agency's businessopportunities worth 3 billion EUR, capability priorities in cyber security, airand missile defence, as well as advanced software and the latest technologicaldevelopments in C4ISR. In order to stimulate actionable priorities,simultaneous break-out sessions of smaller groups will consider focusedquestions—including those that arise from Day One sessions—on the challengesand opportunities of re-fashioning NATO-Industry collaboration to speedinnovative solutions. In additionto the AFCEA Technet International exhibition, B2B meetings and networkingopportunities, the NCI Agency will continue two well-received initiatives thatwere launched at NITEC16, the Defence Innovation Challenge and the SMEMentoring Programme. Both programmes are aimed at acceleratingtransformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business andacademia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities In a newfeature for NITEC17, NCI Agency will launch a Next Generation Innovatorsprogramme run in cooperation with Industry and academia to stimulate a knowledge for innovation approach and the types of skills necessaryto build next generation information security experts Find outmore information about NITEC17 on www.nitec.nato.int

The NCI Agency is pleased to announce the theme for its flagship Industry conference, NITEC17, 'Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry'.

general 1 431 1 about-us/newsroom/natoE28099s-two-largest-agencies-sign-historic-partnership-agreement.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency, and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency have signed a Partnership Agreement enabling increased cooperation and mutual support between both Agencies to better serve NATO and its Member Nations. The Partnership Agreement enhances and formalizes the working relationship between the two Agencies to further improve cooperation between the NATO Support and Procurament Organization (NSPO) and the NATO Communications and Information Organization (NCIO) in the best interests of NATO as a whole. It allows the two Agencies to draw on each other's expertise and capabilities to provide an optimum-level of service to their customers The Partnership Agreement was signed in July 2016 by the former NSPA General Manager, Mike Lyden At the ceremony, Mr Lyden paid tribute to his counterpart from the NCI Agency, Koen Gijsbers I would like to thank you and our respective staffs for working together to become one team with one mission With this new agreement we ensure that this partnership continues when you and I leave. MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency, noted that the cooperation between the two Agencies had progressed significantly, and the new agreement appreciates that we've moved – and that getting to this stage is important as it builds on the existing partnership which has existed between the two Agencies since their inception The agreement is in keeping with the NATO Agency Reform Initiative, focusing on efficiency and preventing duplication of functions. Each Agency is recognized for its prime expertise and responsibilities (as outlined in the partnership principles). The Agreement provides the mechanisms for both Agencies to rapidly exchange services between each other, and to cooperate in order to provide more effective support The Agreement respects the charters of both the NSPO and NCIO, but captures a simple and pragmatic way to work together which reflects the different organizations, different rules and regulations and different Agency Supervisory Boards (ASBs) that influence both. The legal teams of both Agencies developed a clear but innovative solution to the complex issue of liability The agreement builds on the partnership principles agreed by the two Agencies in 2013, and puts in place an updated mechanism for them to support each other and their customers. It supersedes the agreement between NAMSA, NC3A and NCSA, three former NATO agencies which were reformed into NSPA and NCI Agency in 2012 The partnership agreement places the following general responsibilities on staff, to Collaborate as Partners and as NATO staff in a spirit of trust, openness, full transparency and cooperation with respect of each other's roles Coordinate to avoid duplication of effort making maximum use of synergies Develop the Service Level Agreement (SLA) jointly when relying on cross-Agency functions, before starting the service support Maintain frequent and timely communication between them at the appropriate levels, as further defined Strive continuously to improve the Participants' joint efforts to deliver the best possible output to the Alliance and other Customers Seek to resolve all matters in a collegial manner in view of continuously enhancing the relationship between the Participants The signing of the Partnership Agreement by the Mr Lyden, General Manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency and MGEN (rtd) Gijsbers, General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information Agency adds another chapter in the partnership for NATO's largest Agencies to work together, build trust, and do what's best for NATO

The NATO Communications and Information Agency, and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency have signed a Partnership Agreement enabling increased cooperation and mutual support between both Agencies to better serve NATO and its Member Nations.

general 1 432 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-hosts-first-education-and-training-conference-ahead-of-oeiras-move.aspx The NCI Agency has hosted its first Education and Training conference, providing a forum for exchange between NATO and National training providers Over 90 senior NATO and national representatives from 18 Nations including Partners Sweden and Finland, attended the conference which took place in The Hague, Netherlands, on 18 and 19 October 2016 The two-day event gave the Agency an opportunity to brief its customers on the 2017 Training Catalogue, cooperation opportunities, and included an update on the planned move of the NATO Communications and Information Systems School in Latina, Italy, to the NATO Communications Information Academy in Oeiras, Portugal. This move is set to take place in mid 2018 NCI Agency Chief of Education and Training, Jean-Paul Massart was pleased with the success of this inaugural conference. The excellent discussions at the conference confirm the value of our services, he commented. With the planned new NCI Agency Academy in Oeiras Portugal, we look forward to continue to serve NATO individual training needs, physically in our Academy, and virtually everywhere . Around 8,000 NATO and national staff receive training from the Agency every year. The training is providing by the Education and Training Service Line across four locations - Latina, Italy, Glons and Mons, Belgium and The Hague, Netherlands It covers the entire range of C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), CIS and Cyber services provided by the Agency

The NCI Agency has hosted its first Education and Training conference, providing a forum for exchange between NATO and National training providers.

general 1 433 1 about-us/newsroom/fourth-cyber-threat-vector-analysis-workshop-focused-on-insider-threat.aspx NCI Agency and Industry experts gathered in Rome to exchange views and best practices on the detection and prevention of insider threat The workshop, hosted by Leonardo on 3 November 2016, was the fourth in a series of events held since February, aiming to strengthen NATO and Industry cyber defences through collaborative identification of cyber threats as well as techniques, practices, and procedures to counter those threats. “Sometimes we can focus too much on external threats, however, the unfortunate reality is that staff members pose a continuous and significant challenge to our operations and business by causing accidental or intentional security breaches,” said Ian West, NCI Agency’s Chief of Cyber Security and co-chair of the workshop “Numerous very serious security breaches remind us that we ignore the insider threat at our peril. Through the Threat Vector Analysis workshops, we have already made advances in our understanding of an array of cyber threats and how to defend against them, and I am confident that NATO and industry participants will come away from this discussion better prepared to detect and prevent insider threats. At this year’s Warsaw Summit, Allied Heads of State and Government pledged to ensure the Alliance keeps pace with the fast evolving cyber threat landscape and highlighted the importance of information sharing with Industry to improve understanding of cyber threats The Threat Vector Analysis Workshops (TVA) are a key activity of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). They are are focused on developing a common taxonomy for threats, as well as the use of standards in exchanging cyber threat information, in order to improve information sharing, ultimately leading to a better collective cyber defence. Alliance leaders endorsed the NICP at the Wales Summit in September 2014, recognizing that NATO and Industry face shared risks in the cyber domain. They recognized that addressing these challenges requires new frameworks for action. Executives representing security and defence, IT, financial and critical infrastructure sectors later formed an informal cyber defence working group to focus on priority areas where NATO and Industry can work together for their mutual benefit, both at a technical level and at an operational level, in order to develop greater momentum for information sharing and collaboration

NCI Agency and Industry experts gathered in Rome to exchange views and best practices on the detection and prevention of insider threat.

general 1 434 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-support-to-expanding-nato-footprint-in-romania.aspx The Romanian Defence Minister has thanked the NCI Agency for its support in establishing two new NATO headquarters in Bucharest. Minister Mihnea Ioan Motoc praised the Agency for successfully implementing CIS capability at the Multinational Division South-East (MND-SE) Static Headquarters and the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) Headquarters. Minister Motoc met the Agency's General Manager, MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers, in late October 2016, during the latter's official visit to Romania The Romanian Defence Minister also commended the Agency for cooperating with Romanian companies on the implementation of ongoing projects as well as the development of new ones. He concluded on the important objectives ahead relating to post Warsaw Summit Deterrence and Defence Implementation Plan for the south-eastern flank of NATO. MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers took the opportunity to reiterate the Agency's commitment to expedite the implementation of deployable CIS and to support Black Sea Region initiatives. The etablishment of a Multi-Year Program of Work was encouraged and supported by Romania MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers and Romanian officials also discussed the current implementation of Romanian projects and development perspectives during the General Manager's two-day visit. Brigadier General Becheru, Chief of Communications and IT Directorate/General Staff and Mr Lungu, Defence Integrated Planning Director and representative from the Strategic Planning and IT Directorates expressed an interest in seeing the cooperation between their country and the Agency reinforced in light of excellent results already achieved. The visits to the MND-SE Headquarters and the NFIU Headquarters were respectively led by Brigadier General Uifaleanu, MND-SE Commander, and Colonel Ticulescu, NFIU Commander. The trip was an opportunity for the General Manager to see the Communications and Information Systems implemented in by the Agency to the great satisfaction of the Headquarters. During his visit, MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers was accompanied by Mr Eric Lievre, Chief Strategic Partnership and Customer Relationship Management, and Mr Gilles Defourneaux, Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Principal and Project Manager

The Romanian Defence Minister has thanked the NCI Agency for its support in establishing two new NATO headquarters in Bucharest.

general 1 435 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-boosts-support-to-natoE28099s-presence-in-east.aspx Ensuring efficient and rapid technical support to NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence on its eastern flank was one of the topics at a conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, which brought together NATO's Force Integration Units in Eastern Europe. NATO is enhancing its forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, with four multinational battalions in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, on a rotational basis. NATO is also developing a tailored forward presence in the southeast of Alliance territory with a land element built around a multinational framework brigade, under Multinational Division Southeast in Romania and coordinated multinational training through the Combined Joint Enhanced Training Initiative. The NCI Agency has been responsible for providing IT support and connectivity to enable these deployments, including connectivity for NATO's six new NATO Force Integration Units in Eastern Europe, delivered under challenging timelines ahead of the historic Warsaw Summit We are proud of the fact that a core Agency responsibility is to move quickly to support Summit decisions and major political priorities, said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers. It is important that we do that as efficiently and effectively as possible, and that is the reason for our dialogue today. Stepping up suppor The conference, which took place on 18-20 October 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania, was chaired by Lieutenant General Manfred Hofmann, Commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) NCI Agency Director Demand Management Dr Shalamanov, and Principal Account Manager for NATO Force Structure Ms Els Boets represented the NCI Agency at the conference, which was also attended by senior officials from the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS), the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), and the NFIUs All participants expressed their appreciation for the NCI Agency's contribution to the successful establishment of the NFIUs and its support to the MNC NE. The Agency is expected to provide further assistance as NATO enhances its forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. NCI Agency General Manager MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers has signed a statement of commitment to the efforts of MNC NE and NFIUs in its Area of Responsibility, and other NATO activities related to the Enhanced Forward Presence. Based on this statement, the Agency hopes to build partnerships with the MNC NE and NFIU Nations, as well as JFC Brunssum, the United States Army Europe and Nations contributing to the forward presence. This cooperation will allow the Agency to provide the IT, communication and cyber support required for the implementation of Warsaw Summit decisions in the most effective manner. Following guidance from the operational community, stakeholders will be discussing the NATO Forces Readiness and Interoperability Partnership and the NATO First Solution at the upcoming Chief Information Officers Conference, taking place on 16 November 2016 in Brussels, Belgium

Ensuring efficient and rapid technical support to NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence on its eastern flank was one of the topics at a conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, which brought together NATO's Force Integration Units in Eastern Europe.

general 1 436 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-cyber-solutions-implemented-in-trident-juncture-2016.aspx NATO's 'flagship' exercise, Trident Juncture 2016 (TRJE16), which is supported by the NCI Agency, has been successfully completed. The execution phase of the event, which included a Communications Exercise and Exercise Control Training, was conducted between 10 October and 2 November across different locations including Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany The Agency's Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit (CSU) Stavanger supported all services locally at the Joint Warfare Centre. It also provided assistance to the Joint Task Force Headquarters and Initial Command Element from Joint Force Command Naples, the Joint Logistics Support Group, and the Special Operations Component Command of the Initial Command Element. Both the Joint Warfare Centre's main facility and the former Norwegian Joint Headquarters were used during TRJE16 because of the scale of the exercise and the requirement to support Training Audiences and Exercise Control Training CSU Stavanger was responsible for setting up interoperable systems using the Host Nation's infrastructure, which was challenging at first because of the condition of the equipment, as well as compatibility difference. As with all large exercises, the Agency would not have been able to meet requirements in Stavanger without the close coordination and commitment from external parties The CSU was assisted by 25 soldiers from the NATO CIS Group 1st NATO Signal Battalion Deployable Communications Module and five sailors from the US Navy Reserve during the preparation phase of the exercise which involved the set-up of CIS equipment. Military personnel also helped man two Event Support Desks during the execution phase. Supporting the cyber security training of the exercise proved to be an excellent opportunity for the Agency to show that it is a flexible, diverse and professional team. Tech Sergeant (TSgt) Justin Bullman, NCI Agency Squadron Cyber Security Technician, took the opportunity to augment an Exercise Control Response Cell, while continuing to support the CSU in his current role. His expertise and professionalism enabled realistic gameplay and provided tools for metrics not only for TRJE16, but for future events, as well. TSgt Justin Bullman was highly praised by the Joint Warfare Centre, Exercise Control and senior officers. Wing Commander Smeaton, TRJE16 Opposing Force Cyber Cell Chief During his own time, Bullman analyzed the challenge and the tools at hand and developed, doing his own scripting, a website that would track the 'hits' on his phishing e-mail. The solution was beautifully simple, secure and very effective. This solution also met a training requirement that Supreme Headquarters Allied Power Europe (SHAPE) Joint Cyber has raised with Allied Command Transformation and had not been met before. I intend to work with SHAPE Joint Cyber and the NCI Agency to develop Bullman's capability into a core element of the cyber awareness campaign during NATO exercises. TRJE16 proved to be a very challenging event with planning, co-ordination and CIS pushed to its limits. The exercise highlighted the importance of improving our processes and procedures within the Agency.

NATO's 'flagship' exercise, Trident Juncture 2016 (TRJE16), which is supported by the NCI Agency, has been successfully completed.

general 1 437 1 about-us/newsroom/kevin-j-scheid-selected-next-nci-agency-general-manager.aspx Representatives of the 28 NATO Nations have selected Mr Kevin J. Scheid (United States) as the next General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. He will succeed the current General Manager, MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers, on 1 July 2017. It's truly an honour to be selected by the 28 NATO Nations to serve as the next General Manager of the NCI Agency. I look forward to joining and leading the talented and committed team of civilian and military professionals of the Agency next July, said Mr Scheid Mr Scheid is a US Department of Defense (DoD) senior executive who has served in a number of positions within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. For the past two years, he has been on a special assignment from the US DoD with the MITRE Corporation where he served as the Special Advisor to the President and CEO. He previously served as Deputy Comptroller of the US Department of Defense; and acted as Deputy Chief Management Officer. From 2009 to 2013, Mr Scheid also served as the Deputy General Manager, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Acquisition of the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A). Prior to joining the Department of Defense, Mr Scheid served in the US Intelligence Community supporting the Director of Central Intelligence with budget and programmatic analysis of the Community's funding and resources. He began his professional career at the White House Office of Management and Budget where he oversaw the programmes of the Department of Commerce, the Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense. Click her for a full biography courtesy of The MITRE Corporation Major investments ahea The NCI Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks, as well as delivering advanced technology to support NATO missions, including air, missile and cyber defence Some 3 billion EUR worth of business opportunities are planned between now and 2019 in cyber, air and missile defence as well as advanced software. This includes a fundamental refresh of NATO's ICT infrastructure, satellite communication capabilities, as well as a 70 million EUR investment in cyber technology focused on secure mobility, multi-level authentication, and the secure use of public clouds

Representatives of the 28 NATO Nations have selected Mr Kevin J. Scheid (United States) as the next General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. He will succeed the current General Manager, MGEN (ret) Koen Gijsbers, on 1 July 2017.

general 1 438 1 about-us/newsroom/kuband-satellite-communication-for-alliance-ground-surveillance.aspx The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider and Patrick Biewer, Chief Executive Officer of GovSat, have signed a contract on the provision of satellite communication services. The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider and Patrick Biewer, Chief Executive Officer of GovSat, have signed a contract on the provision of satellite communication services. This service-based contract covers an initial period of five years and encompasses both satellite capacity in commercial Ku-band and capacity management services for a full end-to-end service provided by GovSat personnel embedded with the NAGSF (NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance Force) in Sigonella, Italy. It includes a ramp-up phase with additional options for larger volume and coverage capacity. Further options to be exercised at the discretion of the Purchaser, would extend the period of the services for up to another five years This contract constitutes an important milestone in the timely support of Luxembourg and NATO Communications and Information Agency to the operation of NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance Minister Schneider highlighted that Luxembourg is thus responding to essential NATO needs in the area of Joint Information, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and of Satellite Communication. He stressed By providing part of the needed satellite capacity of the AGS programme, Luxembourg shows its commitment and solidarity as a NATO Ally and contributes to the NATO requirements that enable the Alliance to respond to the current and future security challenges. Luxembourg's voluntary national contribution comes at no cost for NATO and represents a new and alternative way of providing capabilities to NATO. The NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) capability is set to become operational in 2017. The NATO AGS Core System consists of Air Segments, Ground Segments and Support Segments. The AGS Core Air Segments include the Global Hawk Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) entities and the UAV Command and Control (C2) entities. The AGS Core Ground Segments are composed of the Main Operating Base located at Sigonella, Italy, Transportable General Ground Stations, and Mobile General Ground Stations. To support its missions, AGS will use satellite capacities such as Ku-Band, Inmarsat and UHF Band as a mean of communication to pilot but also exchange data between the various Segments. The award of this contract confirms the capability of GovSat to address the secure communication requirements of a NATO defence program, including the handling of sensitive and classified material. GovSat is now de-facto operational in the defence segment, well ahead of the GovSat-1 satellite launch said Patrick Biewer, CEO, Govsat Backgroun In 2015, Luxembourg Authorities proposed to the other NATO Nations to provide the commercial Ku-Band capacity as a national voluntary contribution to the AGS programme over a period of 10 years This proposition was approved at the Investment Committee level and Luxembourg began discussions with both the Supreme Headquarters Allied Power in Europe (SHAPE) representing the user community (NAGSF) and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). These discussions have resulted in the successful signature of two major agreements between Luxembourg, GovSat, SHAPE and NCI Agency

The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider and Patrick Biewer, Chief Executive Officer of GovSat, have signed a contract on the provision of satellite communication services.

general 1 439 1 about-us/newsroom/expanding-nato-footprint-in-hungary.aspx Hungary, one of 28 NATO Allies has marked two milestone achievements with the successful establishment of a new NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) in Székesfehérvár, and the provision of a new hangar complex for the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) at the Pápa Airbase AC Hangar Complex in record tim The new SAC Hangar Complex was officially opened in November 2016 When the programme started operating in 2008 on Pápa Airbase, there was little infrastructure which could have satisfied the requirements of such an enterprise, housing three of the largest cargo aircrafts in the world. The need for an on-base hangar and new office and maintenance facilities was identified in 2012, and in 2015, construction works started A mere one and a half year later, a modern, large complex was built, which now can accommodate a Boeing C-17, as well as offices for 150 personnel, maintenance facilities and workshops right by the runway. The Strategic Airlift Capability is an outstanding example of NATO's 'smart defence . The programme, which hosts, operates and maintains three NATO-owned Boeing C-17s was set up in 2008 to function as a shared airlift capability for the ten NATO and two partner nations included in it. This solution is a unique partnership between NATO, the twelve member countries, the host nation and the Boeing Company. During the opening ceremony of the hangar complex, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Ernest J Herold emphasized SAC is a reminder how much we can achieve if we work together, and the cooperation is continuous . The new infrastructure was carried out by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), which teamed up with the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency as well for the project among other partners. NSPA procured the 'TEMPEST Facility Zoning' service from the NCI Agency's Customer Catalogue of Services. TEMPEST Facility Zoning is the provision of electronic evaluation of NATO Facilities and Buildings where NATO Classified information is processed in order to determine their Facility Zone Rating. New Headquarters in the Eas Hungary is the seventh country to host a NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU), after Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. Slovakia will follow in the near future, with the establishment of a small headquarters in Bratislava Once operational, these eight NFIUs will ensure that NATO has a visible and persistent presence in every Allied Nation along its Eastern border During the opening ceremony of NFIU Hungary in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, Hungarian Defence Minister István Simicskó said Today we can open this unit due to a commitment we were long due to make and we eventually made NFIUs fall under the command of NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCB). General Salvatore Farina, Commander of JFCB, noted that NFIU Hungary will reinforce the Alliance's collective defence and deterrence posture NFIUs are small headquarters, which help facilitate the rapid deployment of Allied forces to the Eastern part of the Alliance, support collective defence planning and assist in coordinating training and exercises. These small headquarters are part of the biggest reinforcement of NATO's collective defence since the end of the Cold War, and part of NATO's Readiness Action Plan; a comprehensive package of measures to respond to the changed security environment on NATO's borders. The NFIUs are a vital link between national forces and forces of other NATO Allies. The Communications and Information System, and CIS interoperability is provided and ensured by the NCI Agency The NFIU in Hungary is a great milestone in increasing the Alliance's responsiveness and also in providing a visible, forward NATO location from the East of the Central Europe Area of Responsibility, on the crossroad between East and West, with its strategic central location, in time of peace, and conflict and crisis. It will act as the eyes and ears on the ground, sharing information with its host country, and with higher commands, as well he said Colonel László Garas, Commander of NFIU Hungary, expressed his gratitude to the NCI Agency for its support in setting up the headquarters' IT infrastructure. We have brand new facilities here, which we are about to start using. The CIS infrastructure provided by the NCI Agency is the best in the world, so we are not expecting such technical challenges which could not be resolved by the Hungarian signal and CIS personnel, and with the help of the NCI Agenc , he added when asked about potential technical challenges Stronger togethe Minister Simicskó noted that hosting four NATO units (Startegic Airlift Capability, NFIU, r NATO Signal Battalion Deployable Communications Module and the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine) in Hungary has been very successful so far. He added that he hopes to see further cooperation between NATO and his country. The construction of a new SAC hangar complex and the delivery of an NFIU headquarters could not have been completed successfully without strong commitment from - and close cooperation between - NATO entities, the two larges NATO Agencies, Member and Partner Nations, as well as Industry.

Hungary, one of 28 NATO Allies has marked two milestone achievements with the successful establishment of a new NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) in Székesfehérvár, and the provision of a new hangar complex for the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) at the Pápa Airbase.AC Hangar Complex in record time

general 1 440 1 about-us/newsroom/kuband-satellite-communication-for-alliance-ground-surveillance-2.aspx The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider and Patrick Biewer, Chief Executive Officer of GovSat, have signed a contract on the provision of satellite communication services. This service-based contract covers an initial period of five years and encompasses both satellite capacity in commercial Ku-band and capacity management services for a full end-to-end service provided by GovSat personnel embedded with the NAGSF (NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance Force) in Sigonella, Italy. It includes a ramp-up phase with additional options for larger volume and coverage capacity. Further options to be exercised at the discretion of the Purchaser, would extend the period of the services for up to another five years This contract constitutes an important milestone in the timely support of Luxembourg and NATO Communications and Information Agency to the operation of NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance Minister Schneider highlighted that Luxembourg is thus responding to essential NATO needs in the area of Joint Information, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and of Satellite Communication. He stressed By providing part of the needed satellite capacity of the AGS programme, Luxembourg shows its commitment and solidarity as a NATO Ally and contributes to the NATO requirements that enable the Alliance to respond to the current and future security challenges. Luxembourg's voluntary national contribution comes at no cost for NATO and represents a new and alternative way of providing capabilities to NATO. The NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) capability is set to become operational in 2017. The NATO AGS Core System consists of Air Segments, Ground Segments and Support Segments. The AGS Core Air Segments include the Global Hawk Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) entities and the UAV Command and Control (C2) entities. The AGS Core Ground Segments are composed of the Main Operating Base located at Sigonella, Italy, Transportable General Ground Stations, and Mobile General Ground Stations. To support its missions, AGS will use satellite capacities such as Ku-Band, Inmarsat and UHF Band as a mean of communication to pilot but also exchange data between the various Segments. The award of this contract confirms the capability of GovSat to address the secure communication requirements of a NATO defence program, including the handling of sensitive and classified material. GovSat is now de-facto operational in the defence segment, well ahead of the GovSat-1 satellite launch said Patrick Biewer, CEO, Govsat Backgroun In 2015, Luxembourg Authorities proposed to the other NATO Nations to provide the commercial Ku-Band capacity as a national voluntary contribution to the AGS programme over a period of 10 years This proposition was approved at the Investment Committee level and Luxembourg began discussions with both the Supreme Headquarters Allied Power in Europe (SHAPE) representing the user community (NAGSF) and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). These discussions have resulted in the successful signature of two major agreements between Luxembourg, GovSat, SHAPE and NCI Agency

The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider and Patrick Biewer, Chief Executive Officer of GovSat, have signed a contract on the provision of satellite communication services.

general 1 441 1 about-us/newsroom/fifth-chief-information-officersE28099-conference.aspx The NCI Agency hosted its fifth Annual Chief Information Officers' Conference (CIOC). The event was chaired by NCI Agency General Manager Major General (ret) Koen Gijsbers. The conference, which took place on 16 November 2016, gathered Chief Information Officers from NATO and invited Partner Nations along with representatives from NATO HQ, ACO, ACT, NATO Force Structure (NFS) and other NATO bodies. This NCI Agency Flagship event is a forum for dialogue and the development of partnerships through bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation. The aim is to improve support to External Customers in the area of C4ISR capabilities development and service provision. The Conference provides an opportunity to discuss the level of support that Nations expect from the Agency in order to meet their ambitions of achieving NATO Force 2020, in particular through the re-use of what we already have (not only NATO-common funded but also National and multinational-funded solutions) through the NATO 1st Solution (N1S) concept in response to the NATO First Policies of many nations and NFS Elements The 2016 Conference was built around three sessions COMMITMENT, CONTINUITY and CHANGE in the context of the Long Term NATO Adaptation as endorsed at the NATO Warsaw Summit. The scene was set in Session 1 – Commitment – with Mr Jonathan Parish, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, providing a comprehensive review of the major decisions from Warsaw and how they will impact the C4ISR Community. The political decisions were translated into the operational perspective by Lieutenant General Jan Broeks, Director General International Military Staff, who highlighted that Command and Control is a crucial factor of modern military forces and the Alliance needs a comprehensive set of communications and information systems for all levels of command, from the strategic to the tactical level, supporting both the NATO Command Structure and the NFS in a cyber-contested environment. Session 1 concluded with a view from the Resources Community presented by Colonel Konstantin Nesterov who highlighted the tremendous cooperation that enable the Capability Packages for the NATO Force Integration Units to progress so quickly and thus to provide an example of how we can all take proactive and responsive approach to managing the delivery of common-funded capabilities for NATO During Session 2 – Continuity – we were provided with an overview of some real-life operational challenges facing the Nations (both NATO Members and Partners), the NATO Force Structure and our non-'Ministry of Defence Customers' with a clear message that enhancing readiness and interoperability is critical not just within NATO and the NFS, but also with Partners and many other actors in the Euro-Atlantic region. The session was supported by an influential set of speakers included Brigadier General Krzysztof Król, Deputy Commander, Multinational Corps Northeast; Brigadier General Dr Valentin Becheru, Chief of CIS Directorate, Romanian General Staff; Dr George Sharkov, Bulgarian National Cyber Resilience Coordinator; and Rear Admiral Juha Vauhkonen, Finnish Military Representative to NATO and the EU Considering the increasing demands from the External Customers as they face the challenges outlined in Sessions 1 and 2, the NCI Agency is taking a number of initiatives to improve the effectiveness and efficiency for the delivery of C3 capabilities and IT services to External Customers without adversely impacting core business from common funded entities (Internal Customers). In Session 3 – Change – the NCI Agency outlined some of those initiatives, including the establishment of an interim External Customer Support Office from 1 January 2017; the development of the Electronic Definitive Media Library as a follow-on to the Routine Delivery Software Download site; increased cooperation with Industry and not-for-profit (NFP) organizations such as scientific and Research and Development organizations through the development of N1S and NFP Basic Ordering Agreements; and cooperation through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership, which is a new initiative to strengthen collaboration between NATO and the private sector on cyber security. The CIOs and the Agency also benefited from feedback from the National Technical Experts (NATEXs), who were represented by the Canadian NATEX, Lieutenant Colonel James Bates Once again, the CIOC proved to be a significant event, adding value for the National and invited Partner CIOs, attracting excellent speakers and generating some lively debate, which, it is hoped will contribute towards the ACT Chiefs of Transformation Conference in December 2016 and the Defence Planning Symposium in February 2017, led by the Defence Policy and Planning Division. The Agency will provide a Conference Report by mid-December 2016 including suggested actions to address the discussed proposals The 2017 CIO Conference is planned to be held in November 2017, and, as in the past years, will coincide with the Fall NCIO Agency Supervisory Board and C3Board meetings. It is likely to focus on the NATO Forces Readiness and Interoperability Partnership in the context of the expected Summit decision on Long Term Adaptation and Forward Presence. However, we would welcome the thoughts of the CIOs on this proposal

The NCI Agency hosted its fifth Annual Chief Information Officers' Conference (CIOC). The event was chaired by NCI Agency General Manager Major General (ret) Koen Gijsbers.

general 1 442 1 about-us/newsroom/guy-charron-appointed-chairperson-of-the-agency-supervisory-board.aspx Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Mauris vulputate, velit sit amet dictum dictum, risus nisi commodo ante, id facilisis velit leo vitae nisi.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam mauris dolor, commodo feugiat maximus sed, consectetur posuere risus. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Cras in quam molestie, hendrerit nunc et, dignissim est. Etiam eu dictum ligula. Curabitur at metus euismod orci dignissim sagittis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sem mi, tempor a nisl et, tempor ultrices tellus. Nam vel faucibus libero. Quisque vitae elit nibh. Praesent non odio vitae neque mollis laoreet id sit amet mi. Mauris vulputate, velit sit amet dictum dictum, risus nisi commodo ante, id facilisis velit leo vitae nisi.

The next Chairperson of the Agency Supervisory Board will be Mr Guy Charron of Canada. Representatives of the 28 NATO Nations agreed on the selection on 15 November 2016. Mr Charron will take up his appointment in July 2017 for a two-year term.

general 1 443 1 about-us/newsroom/guy-charron-appointed-chairperson-of-the-agency-supervisory-board-2.aspx The nextChairperson of the Agency Supervisory Board will be Mr Guy Charron of Canada.Representatives of the 28 NATO Nations agreed on the selection on 15 November2016. Mr Charron will take up his appointment in July 2017 for a two-yearterm I am deeply honoured for the trust being placed in me by the Ambassador of Canada, Kerry Buck, and the entire NATO Alliance. I am following in the footsteps of my remarkable predecessor, Tim Harp, whose contributions have been exemplary. This organization has enduring purpose with many of the challenges ahead at a critical juncture, and I look forward to contributing to its success with my utmost support and dedication, said Mr Charron Mr Charron is the Director General Information Management Technology and Strategic Planning in the Canadian Department of National Defense's Information Management Group, where he has been working since 2013. He has more than 32 years of experience in the field of Information Management and Information Technology in both public and private sector. He has worked in several departments and agencies, ranging from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Border Services Agency For full biography click her Agency Supervisory Boar The Agency Supervisory Board (ASB) oversees the work of the NCI Agency. After consulting with the NATO Secretary General, NATO Communication and Information Organisation's (NCIO) ASB appoints the General Manager of the Agency. All NATO Nations are members of the NCIO. The ASB, which reports to the North Atlantic Council (NAC), issues directives and makes general policy decisions to enable NCIO to carry out its work

The next Chairperson of the Agency Supervisory Board will be Mr Guy Charron of Canada. Representatives of the 28 NATO Nations agreed on the selection on 15 November 2016. Mr Charron will take up his appointment in July 2017 for a two-year term.

general 1 444 1 about-us/newsroom/security-at-sea.aspx NATO is facing some of the greatest security challenges in a generation, with a more assertive Russia, growing instability in the Middle East and North Africa, and a permanent terrorist threat from ISIL and other groups with multiple collateral effects. Many aspects of these challenges involve activities at sea, and have once again placed maritime security high on NATO's agenda. This domain falls under the responsibility of the Headquarters Allied Maritime Command (HQ MARCOM), which is supported by the NCI Agency's CSU (CIS Support Unit) Northwood. Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone CBE, Commander MARCOM, believes that the main threats we face today in the maritime domain are three-fold, and that the Alliance cannot face them without investing in better communications technology. He counts among these threats, Russia's aggressive posturing in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas, the deepening migration crisis, and terrorism perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)/Da'esh which has caused increased insecurity in the Mediterranean. The threats are starting to affect the Sea, and it's probably the last great domain where there is complete freedom of movement, where good guy and bad guy can both operate and therefore we must think about it, VADM Johnstone explained And of course the Sea is not just the waters, it's what happens underneath, what happens above it and what happens in space – so we must think about how we are going to operate in that domain and that's my responsibility. With such a large responsibility, it is essential for the Commander MARCOM, and through him the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), to be in contact with scores of ships from Allied Member Nations at any given time. The NCI Agency is working with MARCOM to provide this critical capability Connecting National navies VADM Johnstone explained NATO Nations have a large number of ships at sea at any one time, with sometimes as many as 160 Allied ships, across the whole of the NATO area of responsibility. Some of these ships are assigned to MARCOM, while others remain under national operational control. Now they're at different stages of readiness, some of them are doing very basic training and all the rest of that, but that's a hell of a fleet. Again it ranges from little tugs up to aircraft carriers, but just imagine, if we can give them using NCI Agency's technology, the same picture, if we have an ability to talk to them If I have an ability to talk to the fleet commanders at their desk, not in a corridor, [or on a] phone down the road, if we can share this information and picture as a conversation then I don't need a standing naval group of 10 ships or whatever. VADM Johnstone noted the interconnectivity technology provided by the NCI Agency will eventually give him the flexibility to reach out to Member Nations and point to the same tactical picture. This will allow MARCOM to build on its maritime situational awareness in areas where Allied ships are already operating They will be doing national tasking but they will also be doing NATO tasking. And that interoperability process gives us a double plus rather than the single plus that we have at the moment. So there is a real virtual benefit out of connecting people better and talking to people better. We're not there yet… But we have a real route march to get there, and NCI Agency are fundamental in allowing me to do that because I need the picture and I need the communication systems. Without this type of technology, the coordination and management of NATO maritime tasking remains much more difficult. Building the bigger picture Allied and Partner Nations share information, but there are limits to what they share based on legal restrictions and other complicating factors, explained VADM Johnstone. Nations, businesses and other stakeholders interested in security may not be able to share all their information, but they may be able to share some of it, and this can add up to a better overall picture of daily activities at sea. So what I'm trying to do is build, with [the Agency's] help, data systems that allow them to share 5% of their national picture or 10% of their national picture. So little data, big difference. By giving us that 5%-10% times 5 or times 6, we have 100% if not 200% better situational awareness than we would ever have normally. And then that allows us to task other navies, the French the Spanish, the Italians, the Brits, the Americans, to go and plug the holes which we don't have the facility at the moment. So rather than giving warning times or stuff like that, what NCI Agency does is allows us to change culture and change behavior. Cooperating for safer Sea Operation Sea Guardian, which was created at this year's Warsaw Summit, is an example of NATO's renewed focus on the maritime domain, with Allied Nations providing ships to conduct a number of maritime security operational tasks in the Mediterranean. It succeeded Operation Active Endeavour which saw NATO ships patrolling the Mediterranean and monitoring shipping to help deter, defend, disrupt and protect against terrorist activity in the region. Sea Guardian kicked off in November 2016 with three NATO ships and two submarines – the Italian frigate ITS Aviere, the Bulgarian frigate BGS Verni, the Turkish frigate TCG Gemlik, the Greek submarine HS Papanikolis and the Spanish submarine ESPS Mistral – conducting the first patrols in the central Mediterranean The Operation covers a broader range of tasks, and is currently providing support to maritime situational awareness and to counter-terrorism at sea, as well as contributing to maritime security capacity-building I see Sea Guardian as almost Sea Guardian 1.0. We now need to build in Nations' confidence, get in more capability and technology – that's where NCI Agency comes in – so we can prove the value of what we are doing. We need to show that there is a demand signal for a Sea Guardian 2.0 which will give more freedoms, more strengths, more everything, and allow us to operate in the Mediterranean. VADM Johnstone believes that Sea Guardian could set a new standard for collaboration in the maritime domain which could then be applied to MARCOM's whole Area of Responsibility This would have the advantage of seeing the navies of Allied and Partner Nations all talking the same language and ready to assist when a situation arises. This sort of interoperability would reinforce partnerships with the European Union, such as the recent cooperation between the EU's border management agency Frontex and NATO in the Aegean Sea. An example of where MARCOM and the NCI Agency worked together very well and moved with speed was when we were asked by the North Atlantic Council to go into the Aegean. Within 18 hours we deployed task groups into the Aegean, we moved them from other parts of the world to cover and we took some precautionary steps but the thing that limited us was our ability to talk to FRONTEX and the ability to talk to NGOs and whatever. And NCI Agency was very quick in supporting us with laptops that allowed us to talk to FRONTEX on their least restricted communication circuits and talk to the EU. Now that worked really quickly, and because of the work that NCI Agency did and the work that my guys did here at MARCOM, we could have linked up with FRONTEX's most secure sites within days if not weeks.

NATO is facing some of the greatest security challenges in a generation, with a more assertive Russia, growing instability in the Middle East and North Africa, and a permanent terrorist threat from ISIL and other groups with multiple collateral effects.

general 1 445 1 about-us/newsroom/what-makes-a-great-cyber-leader.aspx The winner of the Chief Security/Information Security Officer of the Year (2016), NCI Agency Chief of Cyber Security Ian West provided an interview for the Agency magazine on what makes a great cyber leader Both you and your team were nominated for the prestigious SC Awards 2016 Europe. It is quite a compliment, were you surprised SC Magazine is probably the leading cyber security publication in the world, it represents all aspects of the cyber security spectrum and is relevant to all organizations, from Industry to governments and academia. So to find out first of all that I'd been nominated for this [Chief Security/Information Security Officer] award was quite a shock, and a very pleasant shock It's quite an accolade, and clearly not just for myself not just for myself but it is also a validation that what we do in NATO is being recognized and is seen as being successful, and it is clearly important Then we were told a little bit later that the cyber security team had been nominated for an award as well, that was more important to me, because there are 200 people who are doing a great job – and it's not just the people in the cyber security service line, we are supported by a whole range of folks from other parts of the Agency So winning these awards was incredibly important not just for those of us involved but to NATO as a whole. It really is that significant because when I talk about the team, everything that we do is guided by the [NATO Member] Nations. And the Nations over the years have shown supreme commitment to cyber defence with lots of initiatives at every Summit. It is a very big NATO team The recognition is made all the more special because the Awards were judged not just by SC Magazine, there was a panel with 25 experts from academia, Industry and government organizations so it's a huge honour and a great privilege to be a part of it What does it take to be a great cyber leader There is a phrase 'From server room to boardroom. And basically what this means is that you can be the best technician anywhere, but if you cannot explain to the boardroom why they need cyber security, then you are probably not going to be successful So the really important thing is engagement and communication with and across the whole organization to talk to our boardroom. It is really important to facilitate this interaction The other thing that we've learned is that nobody has the entire solution for cyber security, everybody has a piece of the jigsaw Of course, NATO has recognized this, you've got to work together, it's got to be a collective effort. That's why we work very closely with our Allies, our Partners, Industry and Academia, as well as the EU. Working together really does enhance our collective cyber defence. By the way, in February 2016, we signed the first formal agreement between NATO and the EU for years. It was signed between the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) which of course is part of the Agency, and the Computer Emergency Response Team – European Union (CERT-EU). There is a lot of commonality between the EU and NATO, particularly as we use similar technology and face the same cyber threats, so working together for the common goal is a win-win situation for us A cyber security leader must understand not just the importance of cyber security itself but how it should work within an organization and even globally Should every organization and company have a cyber security team then? The worst thing you can do is just implement very expensive technology, and get very scarce and expensive skills without knowing why you are doing it and what you are trying to protect You've got to identify what is critical – the critical components of a company's network or an organization's computer systems, communications systems – and then place the most security on the most important parts of those Now every organization – whether it's governmental, commercial, academic – that depends upon its computer network must have some form of cyber protection. And clearly if it's a smaller company or if the dependency is say less than that of a bank, then they'd need less of a solution but focused on their ‘crown jewels’. But everybody, every organization that depends on its networks has to have cyber security embedded into it What advice would you give to young new leaders who may work in other areas than cyber security There is a simple leadership principle that I was taught when I was in the UK Royal Air Force and it's that true leadership is about finding the optimum between three components the mission – 'getting the job done' - looking after the team, and looking after the individual. If you imagine three overlapping circles, if you concentrate too much on the mission without looking after your people or creating a team, then they are probably not going to be able to complete that mission. You've got to find the middle of these three overlapping circles and look after the team and the individuals to make sure that the mission gets done I am very lucky that I work with very special, skilled and dedicated teammates. We went from having a team of about 80 people to having a team of 200 people and I just about know everybody's name now. But it's not just about understanding what they do and knowing what their names are. You've got to know the people, you've got to know their capabilities, their shortfalls, their ambitions, their circumstances. Now, obviously I work with some other great managers and it's just impossible for me to do all of that for 200 people. But it's an ethos of mine that we do look after our people. They are part of that triad if you like. I am also lucky that our cyber security team is incredibly dedicated to the mission. Perhaps it is because it is very real. Every day, they are defending against real threats. They know that if they miss one attack, the effects to the Alliance's operations and business.

The winner of the Chief Security/Information Security Officer of the Year (2016), NCI Agency Chief of Cyber Security Ian West provided an interview for the Agency magazine on what makes a great cyber leader.

general 1 446 1 about-us/newsroom/ramstein-dustii-2016-E28093-testing-daccc-capabilities.aspx The NCI Agency was key in connecting NATO's deployable capability during Exercise RAMSTEIN DUST-II 2016 (RADT-II 16), which took place between 4 November and 2 December 2016. The Agency's CIS Support Unit (CSU) Poggio Renatico, Italy, ensured that NATO's DARS - the spearhead of NATO's Air Component deployable command and control capability – could successfully exchange operational services with the Deployable Air Operation Centre (DAOC) both at static and deployed locations NCI Agency, along with DACCC CIS, was responsible for integrating and testing radar feeds, provided by the Host Nation Italy, so that all participants could communicate and share the same air picture and information CSU Poggio Renatico specifically provided a large range of support services to all exercise participants onsite at Poggio Renatico, as well as remote support to those deployed to Sardinia. This included providing reach-back capability so participants could access their data at headquarters location on secure networks The Deployable Air Control Centre, Recognized Air Picture Production Centre, Sensor Fusion Post (DARS) and the DAOC are both elements of the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre – or DACCC. The DACCC protects European airspace and is the only deployable unit of NATO's Allied Air Command, which delivers air and space power for the Alliance on behalf of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe – or SACEUR Twice a year, the RAMSTEIN DUST exercise series tests the DACCC's ability to plan, manage and execute full-spectrum air command and control operations Major General Dré Kraak, Commander DACCC highlighted that such a complex exercise could not have been successful without the close cooperation of several entities I am proud of a successful second deployment exercise for the DACCC this year We have been able to accomplish our set goals of providing seamless air command and control both from Poggio and deployed at Decimomannu. This major success has been possible thanks to the great contributions from all stakeholders and participants; my special appreciation goes to Host Nation Italy for their outstanding suppor , he said The aim of the RADT-II 16 exercise was to execute a safe and effective deployment of equipment and personnel to Sardinia, and to ensure the adequate testing of interconnectivity, interoperability, and execution of live and simulated operations Training is a key element to NATO's readiness, said General Tod D. Wolters, Commander AIRCOM. Exercise RAMSTEIN DUST proved that our Deployable Air Command and Control Center, the DACCC, is capable and ready to provide Air Power to NATO's High Readiness Joint Task Force.

The NCI Agency was key in connecting NATO's deployable capability during Exercise RAMSTEIN DUST-II 2016 (RADT-II 16), which took place between 4 November and 2 December 2016.

general 1 447 1 about-us/newsroom/smsgt-wilson-selected-for-promotion.aspx NCI Agency staff member, Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt, OR-8) Andre Wilson, US Air Force has been selected for promotion to Chief Master Sergeant (OR-9). Only 1% of US service men and women gets promoted to this rank, so this is no small achievement on his part. Christmas comes early At the start of an Air Command and Control section meeting at NCI Agency CIS Support Unit (CSU) Ramstein on 7 December, the meeting was temporarily hi-jacked by Brigadier General Kevin Huyck (Allied Air Command Deputy Chief of Staff Operations) , Colonel (COL) Mark Ciero (Allied Air Command Director of Management & US Air Force Element Commander), and COL Kevin Johnson (CSU Commander) accompanied by a number of personnel from CSU Ramstein and Allied Air Command Headquarters. The reason for this unexpected event was for them to break good news to the section head, Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt, OR-8) Andre Wilson, US Air Force. He had been selected for promotion to Chief Master Sergeant (OR-9). I am truly humbled to be given the opportunity to serve as Chief. Working in NATO makes it special, as I get a chance to share our enlisted heritage with members of our multi-national team, commented SMSgt Wilson SMSgt Wilsons' last assignment was to Vandenberg Air Base in California, which also happens to be where COL Johnson had his last assignment. Although being assigned to different units, COL Johnson revealed in his comments that upon learning that they were both going to CSU Ramstein, he quietly sought out information about SMSgt Wilson from the Chiefs around the base. COL Johnson said, Everyone I spoke with was confident that SMSgt Wilson would be a Chie . They have been proven right SMSgt Wilson joined US Air Force in 1997. His career started out with 4 years as a vehicle operator, and has since been within the communications field. He has been assigned to California, Hawaii, Republic of Korea and Germany, with deployments taking him to Saudi Arabia, Africa and south-west Asia Born and raised in Germany, SMSgt Wilson is fluent in German, and was happy to get his second assignment to Germany. He joined the Air Command and Control section at CSU Ramstein on 1 August 2016. NCI Agency congratulates CMSgt-select Wilson on his selection for promotion

NCI Agency staff member, Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt, OR-8) Andre Wilson, US Air Force has been selected for promotion to Chief Master Sergeant (OR-9). Only 1% of US service men and women gets promoted to this rank, so this is no small achievement on his part.

general 1 448 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-force-integration-unit-project-completed-E28093-last-location-connected.aspx Approaching the end of year 2016, the NATO Force Integration Unit's (NFIU) final Network Point of Presence was established in Bratislava, Slovakia, to interconnect services and networks. The deployment marks the completion of the NFIU Communications and Information Systems (CIS) capability roll-out and follows successful installations in Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia and Hungary Cloud solutions on the Eastern border of NAT Fully centralized CIS services are being provided at all NFIU locations, leading the way for the Agency's future architectures and modernized IT infrastructure. There are no local servers at the NFIU, and users receive all application services from the Mons Data Centre, and through the Agency's new Mission Information Rooms, which provide a cloud-based application provisioning service for operations and exercises Cooperation across border Each NFIU provides its own local technicians for 'Touch Labour' to assist with all Level 1 technical support issues, however all service requests or incidents are managed from the central service desk since there are no Agency personnel deployed to the NFIUs. The NFIU project is also leading the way for the implementation of the NATO 1st Solution offering. The NCI Agency's service-based approach for 3rd party customers is supported by national funding, implementing the first truly catalogue-based Service Support Framework for External Customers Standard infrastructure for Force Due to the common approach across all NFIUs, the single sign-on and same work structures will be seen across each unit's work stations, ensuring that visiting forces will have the same experience no matter their location. Around 40 permanent personnel will work at each NFIU location to provide effective support when NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) deploys into a NFIU Nation in the context of NATO Response Force exercises or operations, providing coordination with the national government and on-the-ground logistic and legal support. The capability deployed within the NFIU will be able to support additional surge personnel from visiting units to aid coordination Delivering under tight deadline The Agency has been responsible for establishing CIS for the NFIUs under extremely tight timelines dictated by the Wales Summit declaration, and the Defence Ministers' political commitment in February 2015. Success has been achieved only thanks to effective teamwork, bringing together expertise from almost all areas of the Agency, with a can-do and problem solving attitude from all involved, monitored at director's level through the establishment of the Connected Force readiness program and praised by many at Ministerial level Read about the road to the final Point of Presenc Expanding NATO footprint in Hungar Agency boosts support to NATO’s presence in Eas NCI Agency support to expanding NATO footprint in Romania NFIU Poland Opening Ceremony NCI Agency supports NATO’s new Eastern Europe headquarters

Approaching the end of year 2016, the NATO Force Integration Unit's (NFIU) final Network Point of Presence was established in Bratislava, Slovakia, to interconnect services and networks. The deployment marks the completion of the NFIU Communications and Information Systems (CIS) capability roll-out and follows successful installations in Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia and Hungary.

general 1 449 1 about-us/newsroom/joint-effort-during-the-citadel-bonus-16-exercise.aspx From 14 November to 2 December, a combined team from the Agency supported the joint exercise Citadel Bonus 16 that was hosted by Joint Force Training Centre, Bydgoszcz, Poland The exercise constituted a critical step in the overall certification of Rapid Reaction Corps France as a Joint Task Force Headquarters. The final step should be accomplished during exercise Trident Jaguar 17 NCI Agency CIS Support Unit Bydgoszcz, hand in hand with Rapid Reaction Corps France (RRC FR) G6 and 4 s Sig Bn, provided expertise for the set-up and operation of the exercise CIS infrastructure. This allowed to simulate a deployed operation, for 301 participants, with reach-back to the main headquarters located in Lille at RRC FR HQ. The 18-day long execution of exercise generated ~300 CIS support requests that were ranging from simple user's account reset to modification of the Common Operational Picture (COP) dissemination within Command and Control (C2) structure Combined Team NCI Agenc Due to a tight cooperation within the Team, a real time simulation of NATO activities could be executed and the training audience could exercise joint air, land, maritime, special forces and logistic operations in a complex military-civilian environment Network Services & IT Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Operations Centre, General Services and C2 Service Line provided support to set-up and service operations of Mission Secret WAN network connectivity and data flows with the French cyber environment in a mission context, for VTC services and for the Land Command Control & Information Service (LC2IS), NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP), Integrated Command and Control (ICC) functional services Education and Training Service Line (E&T SL) provided a dynamic fictitious scenario using a joint simulation, agency-developed dynamic interfaces into the functional services listed above and a team of collective exercise modelling and simulation subject-matter experts Certification for JLSG and IC The exercise aimed at creating a pre-defined and dynamically managed set of training opportunities to certify Joint Logistic Support Group (JLSG) and Initial Command Element (ICE) staff and decision making processes. These opportunities were provided through structured story lines that were managed by the exercise control organization using the E&T service line's Joint Exercise Management Module (JEMM).

From 14 November to 2 December, a combined team from the Agency supported the joint exercise Citadel Bonus 16 that was hosted by Joint Force Training Centre, Bydgoszcz, Poland.

general 1 450 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-internship-from-school-bench-to-nato.aspx If you are a curious and enthusiastic student, an internship at the NCI Agency is without doubt something for you. I'm a Crisis and Security Management student and this year, I had the privilege to work at the NCI Agency for eight months and discover the workings of an international organization. At the beginning, it was a bit scary to work for this large organization, but once you are through the security doors, you start to feel welcome. It is fun and special working with people from so many different nationalities and academic backgrounds It feels good to step out of the university bubble and learn the tricks of the trade of Operational Analysis. Besides offering support to the day-to-day business, I was also given my own projects to work on. I enjoyed researching the many challenging dynamics of Afghanistan I am thankful for all the chances I received, this is definitely not an internship where all you do is get coffee or work the copy machine. My ideas, fresh perspective and questions were truly appreciated. I had the opportunity to make connections and present my work to stakeholders within and outside the Agency. Moreover, I appreciated the chance to not only learn about my department, but also discover the bigger picture of NATO. The business trips to Brussels HQ and SHAPE showed me how other departments work within NATO I am especially grateful to my direct colleagues who showed me the world of the Agency. After eight months at the Agency, I felt ready to leave the student benches and start my first official job <Read more about the Agency Internship Programme &gt <Check the Agency Internship Opportunitie in the Hague, Brussels and Mons&gt

If you are a curious and enthusiastic student, an internship at the NCI Agency is without doubt something for you. I'm a Crisis and Security Management student and this year, I had the privilege to work at the NCI Agency for eight months and discover the workings of an international organization.

general 1 451 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-fireeye-announce-cyber-information-sharing-agreement.aspx WASHINGTON, D.C. – The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and FireEye, Inc. signed on 15 December an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) on cyber information sharing, further strengthening NATO and industry collective cyber defence. The agreement will foster timely information sharing on cyber threats, allowing both parties to enhance situational awareness and better protect their networks. In practice it will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into the NCI Agency’s 24/7 detection and prevention processes further enhancing NATO’s cyber security posture If we are going to move faster than the cyber threats we face, then it is absolutely imperative that we exchange timely and actionable threat information with industry, said MGEN (ret.) Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency. Our existing IPAs have already shown impressive results that are making a real difference to the NCI Agency and our industry partners. FireEye’s depth of expertise from responding to many of the largest cyber breaches in the world will be very valuable to the IPA framework. We look forward to a productive partnership. Public and private sector organizations face the same challenge of managing a large number of low-fidelity data and alerts from traditional security offerings like next generation firewalls, endpoint, and intrusion prevention systems – masking real threats and slowing response, said Tony Cole, Vice President and global government Chief Technology Officer, FireEye. In forming an information sharing partnership with NATO, we add additional visibility to FireEye iSIGHT Intelligence that helps protect our customers and offer high-fidelity intelligence that enables better threat detection and faster response on NATO’s networks and systems. NATO Industry Cyber Partnership Following NATO’s Warsaw Summit earlier this year, where Alliance leaders emphasized the need for information sharing and strong industry partnerships to address cyber challenges, the agreement bolsters further a programme that is already benefitting NATO and industry. The IPA with FireEye is the ninth in a series of agreements through which the NCI Agency and industry partners generate high-quality data resulting in a mutually improved ability to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats. The agreement with FireEye represents an important part of the effort to bolster the Alliance’s cyber defence posture through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). Alliance Heads of State and Government endorsed the NICP in 2014 to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. For more information, visit www.nicp.nato.in .

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and FireEye, Inc. signed on 15 December an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) on cyber information sharing, further strengthening NATO and industry collective cyber defence.

general 1 452 1 about-us/newsroom/simulation-and-computerassisted-exercises.aspx Computer-assisted exercises (CAX) have become an indispensable part of the regular NATO training and operation exercises. They are cost-efficient and a highly effective means of reducing risk and facilitating multinational participation from different locations. From the Simulation Tools to the stimulation of the Command and Control Systems, the NCI Agency has the capability and knowledge to ensure they can fully encompass activities supporting CAX amongst other well-established exercise criteria Simulation is an interactive tool used (among others) to model Joint Air, Land and Maritime environment and behaviour. It consists of several component programs, which are closely related and integrated into a system allowing CAX Teams to create the required scenario databases, simulate aggregate unit behaviour, and report the results given. The process is designed to allow Training Audience decision-makers to develop plans and Fragmentation Orders, which can then be converted by a response cell into game directives. Simulation results are then sent from the model back to the response cells and for some elements directly to the Training Audience over their Command and Control Systems Trident Juncture 16 driven by Simulatio During exercise Trident Juncture 2016, the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway, was the primary enabler for computer-assisted exercises. The JWC was supported by the NCI Agency which provided Simulation Tools and the Command and Control Systems stimulation. The Agency's CSU Stavanger and the Education and Training Service Line both made significant steps in developing the way the NCI Agency provides support to the JWC on these CAX capabilities during this flagship NATO exercise. Trident Juncture 2016 involved many Nations with individuals from varied backgrounds. Its success demonstrated the determination and drive of all personnel involved, including that of the Joint Warfare Centre, the Agency's CSU in Stavanger and the Education and Training Service Line staff who collaboration to ensure the provision of a simulation environment Command and Control Systems Stimulatio The Simulation System has multiple interfacing options to stimulate the Command and Control Systems automatically. Link-16 messages to Networked Interoperable Real-time Information Services servers can be used to disseminate a Recognised Picture and feed the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) tool known a Link 16 Intelligent Decision Too (LSID). Over-the-Horizon Targeting-Gold messages to Maritime Command and Control Information System servers can be used to propagate Maritime tracks.

Computer-assisted exercises (CAX) have become an indispensable part of the regular NATO training and operation exercises. They are cost-efficient and a highly effective means of reducing risk and facilitating multinational participation from different locations. From the Simulation Tools to the stimulation of the Command and Control Systems, the NCI Agency has the capability and knowledge to ensure they can fully encompass activities supporting CAX amongst other well-established exercise criteria.

general 1 453 1 about-us/newsroom/french-ambassador-to-nato-visits-nci-agencys-cyber-operations-centre.aspx During her visit to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) H.E. Ambassador Hélène Duchêne, French Permanent Representative to NATO visited the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) Technical Centre in Mons, Belgium She received a briefing on how the Agency provides centralized and round-the-clock cyber defence support to various NATO sites. During the demonstrations by Agency's Cyber Security professionals, the Ambassador was shown how the Agency handles and reports incidents, and disseminates important incident-related information to system/security management and users H.E. Ambassador Duchêne found the visit to the Agency's Cyber Operations Centre very valuable I am impressed by the dedication and expertise of the professional staff who ensures the defence of NATO's network on 24/7 basis. Seeing first-hand what NCIRC Technical Centre does to ensure the integrity of our cyber space is impressive. Retaining NATO's technological edg Cyber-attacks are becoming more intense, complex and are increasing in their level of sophistication. An attack can range from the misappropriation of someone's official social media accounts to loss of life from degraded command and control. In light of this, Heads of State and Government at the Warsaw Summit in July 2016 endorsed an Enhanced Cyber Defence Policy, and recognized cyberspace as an operational domain Strengthening national cyber defences is critical and France plays an important part in ensuring global cyber space stability through its own cyber capabilities, bilateral cooperation with member states and multilateral cooperation with EU and NATO as well as other key organizations. France's Cyber Security strategy places an important emphasis on innovation to ensure the Alliance retains its technological edge. Both H.E. Ambassador Duchêne and Mr Gijsbers agreed that innovation is fundamental for development of next generation cyber capabilities. The NCI Agency defends NATO's networks 24/7 in an era where the entire globe is connected through cyberspace. In order to keep NATO's technological edge, innovation in cyber security and agile procurement of cyber defences is key in the evolving security landscape, said Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency

During her visit to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) H.E. Ambassador Hélène Duchêne, French Permanent Representative to NATO visited the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) Technical Centre in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 454 1 about-us/newsroom/natoE28099s-cyber-defenders-hacking--a-way-of-life.aspx Hacking is often seen as a danger to governments even to society, capable of causing chaos as we rely increasingly on digital data for our daily lives. But there are ethical hackers, and many of them work alongside organizations and companies constantly testing their defences to ensure that they are resilient enough to face cyberattacks Roberto Suggi Liverani was just five years old when he started playing with computers. He learned how to pick computers apart, how to code, and what began as child's play soon changed into a vocation. Making the jump to working in cyber security came naturally. Roberto has been a professional ethical hacker for over a decade and most recently for the NCI Agency, protecting NATO's networks and applications. People like us who hack professionally are called white hats, to indicate that our work is to secure networks, Roberto explained There are different groups. There are people working underground as black hats, there are people who are in between, 'grey hats' - sometimes they work with organizations or companies, sometimes they don't. Each of us at the Agency has a different background. In my case, it's a passion that has always been with me. And I taught myself many of the skills which I now use every day. In this field, experience and learning by doing is key, while academia does not always mirror the quick evolution of this industry. So after obtaining a scientific diploma, I began working as consultant. I was doing penetration testing for various customers in different industries, such as finance, banking, insurance and telecommunication, before joining NATO. International team and unique skillse The Agency's Cyber Security Capability Development team is located in two locations Mons, Belgium and The Hague, Netherlands. Cyber Security testing, validation and configuration is conducted from Mons while Cyber Security innovation, planning and design takes place in The Hague. Roberto works as a Senior Security Engineer for the Cyber Capability Validation cell based in Mons, which is made up of world-class security experts This is the team to be if you never want to stop learning, hack and break stuff professionally. We have excellent people, like Vincent Hutsebaut, who came first in international CTF [Capture the Flag] hacking challenges - these are global challenges played by people all around in the world. If you score high points, it means you are very talented. The Italian national and his talented colleagues are experts in defensive security, web application security, cyber defence exercises, network security and forensics. All of them also have a deep understanding of how malicious hackers operate. Part of their work involves penetration testing, that is to say looking for weaknesses in systems and reverse-engineering, which is a technique to hack into a software so as to understand how it works The cell also tests NATO networks by red teaming - simulating cyber-attacks from adversaries during exercises Continuous security testing With over 400 million cyber events processed by NATO Security Sensors daily in 2016, it's no surprise that our cyber defences need to be constantly checked and made stronger. A critical part of cyber security is to understand whether both in service systems and systems under development are appropriately protected. By assessing the strength of security mechanisms, improvements can be implemented before a vulnerability is exploited. What we do every day is we test everything before it gets deployed into NATO networks like software, everything that is used by NATO communities or NATO entities, Roberto said. It's necessary to have this team and exceptional skillset in-house. It's part of the life-cycle of software. As we speak, my two colleagues Diego Gianni and Francois-Xavier Stellamans have found vulnerabilities in two mainstream software products. We are very busy, we are so booked with tests that if you were to ask us today to test something, it would take place in [three or four months' time] because we are fully engaged. This critical work brings the cell in contact with many authorities and entities across NATO and Member Nations. The Internet is a jungle Roberto and his colleagues have a unique understanding of the threats NATO faces and their possible disastrous consequences. Given the unique nature of NATO's business, the failure or the compromise of a critical system could possibly jeopardize a mission and endanger the lives of civilians and soldiers. [A hacker] can break the system, can make something not work… They can make it so that no one else can connect to a website, or they can get into the website, change content, compromise the database and steal information, he revealed. We work on testing very sensitive, very critical systems, like Air Command Control systems. We have to have a certain level of clearance to do this type of work. We have to make sure that these systems cannot be attacked easily or cannot go down in theatre or during a mission. They have to remain available. What we do is all defensive so we try to find vulnerabilities and help the developers fix them to make our software and products more secure and robust. The internet is like a jungl , he added. Every day, every moment, there are always entities coming, new malicious hackers trying to get through, trying to get in. There is no face to the cyber attacker, you can be located anywhere, and in some countries you don't have any legal liability, so basically to me, we are always under attack. Hacker Community The Agency's cyber defenders are all active members of the wider cyber security community so their skills remain up to date and relevant. My colleagues and I are involved in the [cyber security] community. The community is a great way to exchange information techniques, discuss vulnerabilities. I presented at security conferences, like DEFCON, EUSecWest and Hack In The Box, where we exchange tips and tricks, produce security research. We publish articles from time to time, we also publish details of testing techniques, release scripts and tools. For instance, my colleague Filip Waeytens, one of the founders of Brucon [Hacking Security Conference in Belgium], has contributed to BackTrack, which is a collection of tools for ethical hackers. We are heavily involved in research. And when possible, we try to attend major security conferences where you can find fellow ethical hackers.

Hacking is often seen as a danger to governments even to society, capable of causing chaos as we rely increasingly on digital data for our daily lives. But there are ethical hackers, and many of them work alongside organizations and companies constantly testing their defences to ensure that they are resilient enough to face cyberattacks.

general 1 455 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-cyber-security-engineer-wins-prestigious-hacking-competition.aspx Vincent Hutsebaut, NCI Agency Senior Cyber Security Engineer, won the SANS NetWars tournament of champions that took place in Washington DC. After a fierce competition which lasted two nights from 17 to 18 December 2016, Vincent took the top prize, receiving a trophy from US Colonel Donald Bray, former Commander of the Cyber Protection Brigade SANS NetWars is a suite of hands-on, interactive learning scenarios that enable information security professionals to develop and master the real-world, in-depth skills they need to excel in their field. In 2016, SANS organized 20 Netwars Hacking competitions that gathered a total of 1920 competitors. As many as 85 (out of 260 people invited) top scorers attended the final tournament of champions. Vincent was one of them. He took this challenge as part of his 2016 annual training and personal development pla I am thrilled to have won this international competition, he said. It was a challenging contest, enabling each participant to enhance their technical skills. I would definitely recommend everyone to take on this challenge as a great learning opportunity. I would like to thank my management for their support in enabling me to participate to the NetWars tournament of champion . Vincent Hutsebaut works as a senior security engineer in the Capability Development Branch of the Cyber Security Service line based in Mons, Belgium. Vincent is particularly involved in the security testing of NATO CIS and works hard to ensure that all the vulnerabilities are found (and fixed) before a system is deployed By winning this highly challenging competition already for the third time (Vincent participated at three out of five editions), he confirmed the excellence of his technical skills and proved right Aristotle's famous saying 'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit'

Vincent Hutsebaut, NCI Agency Senior Cyber Security Engineer, won the SANS NetWars tournament of champions that took place in Washington DC. After a fierce competition which lasted two nights from 17 to 18 December 2016, Vincent took the top prize, receiving a trophy from US Colonel Donald Bray, former Commander of the Cyber Protection Brigade.

general 1 456 1 about-us/newsroom/major-step-forward-for-nato-land-command-and-control-information-service.aspx The NATO Land Command and Control Information Service (LC2IS) is the main functional service in NATO supporting land-heavy operations. In 2016, its operational implementation and planning both made significant progress The First German-Netherland Corps (1GNC) and the Rapid Reaction Corps France (RRC-FRA) have achieved their LC2IS Final Operational Capability in December 2016 LC2IS provides a rich set of functionality, enabling the effective Command and Control (C2) of NATO Land Forces, supporting improved Situational Awareness and decision-making of the Land Component Command (LCC). LC2IS also enhances interoperability and collaboration within the Land Community of Interest, the Headquarters, and across the NATO-National Command chain. It provides a critical link for C2 and Situational Awareness between the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and the NATO Force Structure (NFS). LC2IS is also a key enabler of the NATO-wide Common Operation Picture as it provides an efficient tool supporting the production and management of the Recognized Ground Picture. The LC2IS Increment 1.1 was successfully completed and implemented in the NCS following Final System Acceptance and Joint Formal Acceptance Inspection in 2015. Meanwhile, the implementation and employment in the NFS progressed significantly in 2016 Regular trainin LC2IS is currently used in exercises. The main NCS Command supported by LC2IS (LANDCOM) has refined its operating procedures in preparation of the exercises planned in 2017, after the use in 2015. Allied Command Operations (ACO) has recommended to employ LC2IS within the NATO Command Structure on a more regular basis in order to maintain the user skills With respect to NFS, LC2IS has been extensively used by 1GNC and RRC-FRA in exercises in 2016 certifying the command role as LCC or as Joint Task Force (JTF) in NATO led-operations. LC2IS will be used in these Commands on regular basis in 2017 and following years Operational implementatio LC2IS support for Crisis Response Operations (Kosovo Force) as requested by ACO was authorized in July 2016, the main contract was awarded in December 2016 and is now being implemented with an Initial Operational Capability in Q3-2017. LC2IS is intended to be used as the main C2 and Situational Awareness tool for the Kosovo Force, connected and fed by the Kosovo Force Tracking System (KFTS) Roadmap for LC2IS evolutio In parallel to the operational implementation and the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of LC2IS Increment 1.1, the roadmap for the evolution of LC2IS has made significant progress. The Agency submitted in July 2016 the authorization request for the evolution of LC2IS in the next five years ( Type B Cost Estimate for LC2IS Increment 2). Unfortunately, operational demand for the next increment significantly outstrips its planned budget. The Strategic Commands are currently have reassessed the minimum and urgent requirements and the Type B Cost Estimate for a smaller scope Increment 2 was submitted in December 2016. If authorized, it will provide a technology refresh and a significant interoperability enhancement of the current capability in 2018. The plan for the evolution of the capability (LC2IS Increment 3) with a major overall enhancement of the functionality, interoperability and technology will be addressed later in 2017, after an assessment of the lessons learned in 2016 and 2017 on the current capability Other NFS Commands have expressed their interest in the LC2IS Increment 2 to complement or replace National capabilities. Additionally, most NFS Commands have been involved in the specification of the next increments over the last years and are likely interested in obtaining this capability when delivered. This trend points to the likelihood of seeing in the next five to ten years, LC2IS widely employed in both the NCS and in the NFS. This is expected to result in a major enhancement of the technical and operational interoperability of NCS and NFS, together with a significant cost saving as a result of the adoption of a common software product and shared services.

The NATO Land Command and Control Information Service (LC2IS) is the main functional service in NATO supporting land-heavy operations. In 2016, its operational implementation and planning both made significant progress.

general 1 457 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-force-integration-unit-opening-ceremony-in-slovakia.aspx On 24 January 2017, an official Opening Ceremony for the Slovakian NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) was held in Bratislava, Slovakia. The Agency General Manager, together with the NFIU Project Manager and site implementation manager attended the ceremony NATO has been enhancing its forward presence in the eastern as well as south east part of the Alliance, with eight NFIU being established in Bulgari , Estonia, Hungar , Latvia, Lithuania, Polan , Romani , and Slovaki to meet the commitments made at the Wales Summit (2014). The NCI Agency has been responsible for providing IT support and connectivity for all eight NFIUs. The Agency has delivered these operational capabilities meeting extremely challenging timelines, and the success of this programme has exceeded the expectations of many stakeholders Peter Gajdoš, Defence Minister for Slovakia, congratulated the NCI Agency on realizing this important milestone for the Alliance, recognizing the dedication, professionalism and expertize of NCI Agency and NFIU personnel who worked together to deliver this capability for the Alliance in record time NATO's Secretary General was represented at the NFIU opening ceremony by Ambassador Tacan Ildem, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, and you can read his comments on the NATO website.

On 24 January 2017, an official Opening Ceremony for the Slovakian NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) was held in Bratislava, Slovakia. The Agency General Manager, together with the NFIU Project Manager and site implementation manager attended the ceremony.

general 1 458 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-launches-defence-innovation-challenge-for-smes-and-academia.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for the second annual Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small businesses and academia in support of NATO C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and cyber capabilities. For more information, check out the NITEC17 website her . Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and academic institutions operating at the cutting edge of technology from all 28 NATO Nations are invited to submit proposals in ten focus areas of critical importance to the Alliance mission Cyber security sensors, analytics, visualisation; Internet of Things (IoT) public protection and disaster relief in a smart city, federation of IoT communities, analytics for trust and scepticism in IoT data Long range wireless communications low-cost satellite communication services for remote IoT devices, satellite communication services for polar regions, resilient terrestrial long-range communication services Service management automation and analytics big data, business intelligence and cognitive analytics, proactive event management Rapidly deployable, scalable IT infrastructure; Software defined networks Cloud security; Secure voice interoperability, secure voice bridges; Security-accredited containerization; eProcurement services The creativity and dynamism of Alliance Industry have always been a source of strength for NATO, and we need to focus on connecting that innovative capacity to NATO challenges—including from small businesses and academi , NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers said. The outcome of the Warsaw Summit last year made it very clear that for the Alliance to keep its technological edge, NATO must identify advanced and emerging technologies, evaluate their applicability in the military domain, and implement them through innovative solutions. The Defence Innovation Challenge is a key step in harnessing the potential of small companies and academic institutions toward that effort, and we look forward to reviewing the submissions The deadline for entries has been extended to 15 March 2017 Top finishers will be announced on 31 March 2017 and invited to showcase their technology solutions at the 2017 NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17), Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry , that will take place on 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada. The top ten finishers will receive One full registration waiver Showcase space Participation in the award ceremony with NATO leadership Presentation slot during the plenary sessions Inclusion in the NITEC 17 report Inclusion in the Industry innovation report in the Communicator Magazine. Submission Guideline Proposals must include the following information Title page (Include company name, NATO Member Nation in which your company is registered, proposal name, focus area, date, point of contact name, e-mail address, phone, and address) Information on company size, indicating if your company is considered a small business in your national legislation; Proposal summary (2000 characters describing the unique aspects of your technology, its core of innovation and the proposed work as it relates to the focus area while highlighting its relevance to NATO. Identify whether the effort includes the pilot or demonstration of existing commercial technology, or the development of technology for potential defence application. If development or adaptation is proposed, identify a suggested path to mature the technology. Identify aspects which may be considered proprietary. Indicate if there are any large scale deployments already in operation, what is the predicted cost of deployment and what is the predicted cost of operation? Please submit proposals and/or any queries to the Industry Relations Office at industryrelations@ncia.nato.in

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for the second annual Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small businesses and academia in support of NATO C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and cyber capabilities.

general 1 459 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-sergeant-major-mentoring-future-communicators.aspx Sergeant Major (SGM) Robert Hyatt, the NCI Agency's Senior Enlisted Advisor, has recently been thanked for his service as the first Visual Information Visiting Chair at United States Defense Information School (DINFOS) by Colonel Martin Downie, Commandant DINFOS SGM Hyatt has been working in Brussels since April 2016, and has been fundamentally changing the approach towards non-commissioned officers by enhancing the communication between military and civilian staff. However, before he took on this challenging mission he had been the guy with the camera in combat. As a US Army photographer he has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as standing behind the lens and in the first row of the inaugurations of US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush I'm truly humbled, and honored to have been able to serve as the visiting chair. I tried, and will continue to try, to share as much as I can of what I've learned over my years of service as a visual communicator. I'm very excited for the Defense Information School and how they are moving into the future. -said SGM Hyatt The Defense Information School is designated by the Secretary of Defense as the organization responsible for public affairs and visual information training for the Department of Defense. It trains more than 2,500 U.S. military, DoD civilian, interagency and international military students per year across 32 different courses at the basic, intermediate and advanced levels. His achievements in the Army, and his degrees in Communications and Photojournalism made him the Defense Information School Visual Information Department's choice to be Visiting Chair for 2015-2016. In this capacity he participated in lectures, colloquia, panel discussions, site visits and other engagements to interact with students and faculty, sharing the most recent communication trends, techniques and strategies, and increasing the understanding of the dynamic communication environment. The goal of the Visiting Chair program, which is part of the US Defense Media Activity, is to partner with highly experienced and esteemed public affairs and visual communication professionals to enhance the overall effectiveness of DINFOS training programs Colonel Martin Downie, Commandant of DINFOS said You have been a dedicated champion for DINFOS by advocating for our vital training mission in the various forums in which you engage. Your efforts on behalf of DINFOS will be carried on by the multitude of service members and civilians you have mentored for years to come.

Sergeant Major (SGM) Robert Hyatt, the NCI Agency's Senior Enlisted Advisor, has recently been thanked for his service as the first Visual Information Visiting Chair at United States Defense Information School (DINFOS) by Colonel Martin Downie, Commandant DINFOS.

general 1 460 1 about-us/newsroom/the-messenger-of-the-sea.aspx Once Triton is tested and fully procured, it will be a common platform for monitoring military maritime activities throughout the entire Alliance. Nations and Commands will be able to share their maritime operations and exercises information live, in a consolidated system, so that Triton can live up to its name and become a true Messenger of the Sea for NATO and its Partners

Named after the messenger god of the sea, NATO's project Triton aims to provide one single platform for maritime missions.

general 1 461 1 about-us/newsroom/common-air-command-and-control-infrastructure-defending-nato.aspx ACCS (Air Command and Control System), NATO's most valuable programme to date, is set to cover 10 million square kilometres of airspace when fully deployed. This advanced system, supported and maintained by the NCI Agency, integrates such functions as aircraft control, air traffic control, command and control and airspace surveillance among others It will eventually replace National and NATO systems, interconnecting more than 20 military aircraft control centres in Europe https //youtu.be/TDOfWLZqwE The most important thing is that we provide [with ACCS] a picture to link between the technical and the operational level, said MGEN Dré Kraak, Commander of the Deployable Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC) in a newly-released NCI Agency documentary which can be found on our YouTube channel. So what we do here, the picture that we provide with ACCS can be linked directly to the higher headquarters so they know what's going on and they can take their decisions based on what ACCS and our system is providing. In 2016, the Combined Air Operations Centre for Northern Europe in Uedem, Germany (CAOC Uedem) became the second site across the Alliance to start using the Air Command and Control System (ACCS) for its operations after the DACCC in Poggio Renatico, Italy. The support and maintenance of the CIS infrastructure for ACCS is provided by the NCI Agency. ACCS continues to develop and improve, and it soon will be supporting NATO Ballistic Missile Defence operations, as well.

ACCS (Air Command and Control System), NATO's most valuable programme to date, is set to cover 10 million square kilometres of airspace when fully deployed.

general 1 462 1 about-us/newsroom/there-is-more-to-diversity-than-gender.aspx Beside NATO's aspiration to recruit the best and the brightest, it also promotes diversity in recruitment. NATO Deputy Secretary General Ms Rose Gottemoeller and Ambassador Marriёt Schuurman, Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, talked about the Alliance's Diversity Action Plan when visiting the NCI Agency Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium The two women were just as enthusiastic speaking about their agenda as the audience who actively engaged in the discussion. How to increase opportunities for young professionals at NATO, how to break through the 'administrator' wall, how to embrace a different culture or sexual orientation were all actively debated during the informal breakfast session NATO first decided to create a Diversity Action Plan during the 2002 NATO Prague Summit. Today, a Diversity Task Force with representatives appointed from all NATO bodies is the driving force behind the Action Plan. Currently, the Task Force is working to promote diversity-inclusion NATO-wide, and to expand the definition of diversity beyond gender, age, and nationality Diversity means breaking out of ghetto When speaking about diversity in an organizational environment, gender tends to be the first thing that comes to mind. However, diversity (as the word itself suggests) is much more complex than that. Diversity in the NATO context frequently seems to be treated as gender diversity. The Action Plan will look at this issue more broadly, and will look for ways to ensure that the workforce is reflected as the diverse societal demographics of the nations which comprise the organization, including race, ethnic origin, age, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation. said Ms Gottemoeller. NATO needs to get beyond the notion that we need to somehow break up the 'pink ghetto'. There are lots of ghettos around there. Adjusting to the rhythm of millennial Age diversity within NATO is another key area of the Diversity Action Plan. With millennials accounting for a growing presence in the professional world, it is essential for organizations to look at the issues and challenges that affect young professionals The Alliance is taking steps towards better recognizing the value that young professionals bring to the organization, including exploiting their digital native skills, new approaches to challenges and different solutions to problems. The first step to addressing age diversity is to understand the rhythm of millennials, their professional aspirations, and understanding the potential they have to offer Change comes with ris The Deputy Secretary General and the Ambassador also talked about how improvement comes with change in any organization, consequently in NATO, as well. They both shared their experience of taking the road less traveled and the risks with it, instead of staying in the safety of their comfort zones at times during their careers. Cultural change has to be inspired, it has to be pushed by the leadership, because mature organizations have inherited conservatism. said Ms Gottemoeller, while discussing how she sees change as an enabler instead of an obstacle. She also emphasized that staff members have to take their share of risk-taking and have to be brave enough to face change when it is due, too. Transforming an organization only works if there is a top-down and a bottom-up pursue at the same time. Ambassador Schuurman highlighted the fact that without risk there is no change, and that even though human nature by default is rather risk-avoiding than risk-taking, organizations should look to the future by enabling and trusting their people Risk-taking is not something that comes naturally. If you want to change the culture, it will certainly involve taking risks. You will have to let people know you trust them, allow them to make mistakes and back them up, if necessary.

Beside NATO's aspiration to recruit the best and the brightest, it also promotes diversity in recruitment. NATO Deputy Secretary General Ms Rose Gottemoeller and Ambassador Marriёt Schuurman, Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, talked about the Alliance's Diversity Action Plan when visiting the NCI Agency Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

general 1 463 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-extends-cyber-coalition.aspx NATO welcomes a new Industry partner in its fight against cyber threats. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Proximus signed on 16 February 2017 an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) on cyber information sharing. This agreement is the tenth in a series of agreements between the Alliance and leading Industry partners, aiming at improving both parties' ability to detect, prevent and respond to cyber threats quickly The agreement with Proximus will foster timely information sharing on cyber threats, allowing both NATO and the Belgium telecommunications company to boost their situational awareness and better protect their networks. NATO and Industry defences against common cyber threats are stronger because of these agreements, said MGEN (ret.) Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency. Through our information-sharing programme, hundreds of indicators of compromise (IOC) have been shared between NATO and our Industry partners, and the pace of exchanges continues to grow. As a company that is forward-leaning on the creation of information exchange platforms to foster new solutions for the digital age, Proximus will be a valuable partner on cyber defence through our IPA framework. Dominique Leroy, CEO of Proximus added To build trust in our digital economy, it's important that all actors continue to raise the cyber resilience. Today's threat actors are global and sophisticated cyber threats are rapidly increasing. In such context, trustworthy collaboration between major players is key. That's why this cyber partnership between NATO and Proximus will help both organizations to better protect their customers and critical infrastructure. In practice, the agreement will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into the Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes enhancing further NATO's cyber security posture. NATO INDUSTRY CYBER PARTNERSHI At NATO's 2016 Warsaw Summit, Alliance leaders emphasized the need for information sharing and strong Industry partnerships to address cyber challenges The agreement with Proximus represents an important part of the effort to strengthen the Alliance's cyber defence posture through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). Alliance Heads of State and Government endorsed the NICP in 2014 to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. For more information, visit www.nicp.nato.in

NATO welcomes a new Industry partner in its fight against cyber threats. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Proximus signed on 16 February 2017 an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) on cyber information sharing.

general 1 464 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-titus-sign-agreement.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed an agreement with TITUS on 10 February 2017 to extend the provisions of the company's classification and protection solutions to the NCI Agency, NATO countries and other NATO entities NATO's cyber defences need to remain robust as they face more than 550 million cyber events daily, a 60% year-on-year increase (see infographi ). Attacks are also growing in sophistication TITUS classification and policy enforcement tools are used by the Agency to help ensure that unstructured information in emails and in documents is classified, protectively marked and secured. They enable users to apply uniform, consistent, and comprehensive markings, help promote cross-domain sharing and reduce spillage of classified and sensitive information We are pleased to see the continuation and growth of our relationship with NATO, and specifically NCI Agency. While TITUS solutions have already been in use by some NATO member agencies, with this agreement in place we look forward to working more closely together to achieve consistent, effective information protection across the board, said Mitch Robinson, President and Chief Operating Officer TITUS.

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed an agreement with TITUS on 10 February 2017 to extend the provisions of the company's classification and protection solutions to the NCI Agency, NATO countries and other NATO entities.

general 1 465 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-support-to-multinational-telemedicine-system.aspx NATO has developed a multinational telemedicine system, enabling medical specialists to provide real-time recommendations to first responders at emergency scenes or in combat zones. NATO’s Communications and Information Agency provided expertise on communications technologies On Friday (24 February 2017), a high-level conference at NATO headquarters marked the completion of this project, supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. Read more her

NATO has developed a multinational telemedicine system, enabling medical specialists to provide real-time recommendations to first responders at emergency scenes or in combat zones. NATO’s Communications and Information Agency provided expertise on communications technologies.

general 1 466 1 about-us/newsroom/multinational-coalition-speeds-cyber-intelligencesharing.aspx A tool for NATO and partner countries to respond to cyber-attacks together more rapidly is making its debut in the Alliance's 24/7 cyber operations centre this week. The capability is part of a multinational effort to share intelligence, detect and thwart cyber threats at a faster pace and across multiple countries, with Finland set to join the coalition within weeks. CIIC (Cyber Information and Incident Coordination System) pronounced kicks , was developed by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency), NATO's IT and cyber arm, as part of the Multi National Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) project CIICS is currently used by Canada, the Netherlands and Romania and will be deployed later this year to Norway, as well as Partner Nations Finland and Ireland, which have all already started trialling the tool. It is an example of how NATO Nations can work together to fast-track capability development Manisha Parmar, Senior Cyber Security Scientist at the NCI Agency, explained CIICS not only alerts you about potential cyber-attacks but also allows you to respond to the attack with the help of other users. So for example, if I'm Romania and I have detected a cyber-attack which might be replicated against Norway or the Netherlands, I can share that information with these countries and they will get immediately alerted if a similar threat shows up It allows them to thwart the cyber-attack before it can take plac . Safer togethe MN CD2 was created in 2013 after five NATO Member countries – Canada, the Netherlands, Romania, Denmark and Norway - decided to join forces, leveraging on their respective expertise to improve their cyber defences. The principle of MN CD2 is that instead of Nations taking on the R&D [Research and Development] themselves, they share it with other Nations, so that they benefit from economies of scale, Ms Parmar noted It's a much cheaper and quicker process for them. Three of the MN CD2 founding Nations approached the NCI Agency seeking to develop a cyber intelligence sharing platform. Canada, the Netherlands and Romania quickly found that they shared common interests So we spoke to the Nations, and established what they wanted or needed to develop a single tool that would suit them all, that's how CIICS came about. The Nations came to the Agency because of our technical skills and our access to expertise from 28 Member Nations. So it's not just the financial benefit of the partnership, it's also about collaborating, sharing knowledge and best practices The advantage of approaching a project this way is that we get a mature tool much quicker Within month of gathering information on each Nation's requirements, we deployed a first work package Nearly four years on, we're on our fifth work package, we have a mature tool, three countries are using CIICS – soon six – and CIICS has been deployed on a trial basis to NCIRC TC (NATO Computer Incident Response Capability Technical Center) this week… It's a success stor . Constantly evolving technolog Ms Parmar remarked that being able to develop state-of-the-art technology quickly is essential to maintain strong and resilient cyber defences. When we sat down with Canada, they told us that they were interested in information sharing but they also wanted a tool to manage cyber-attacks… That's how the cyber incident management part of CIICS was born. Within the envelope of money we were given, we managed to provide them with both. And we're constantly enhancing CIICS, speaking to our community of users, adapting to new requirements Once the capability has been created, these Nations become torch carriers, they make the capability available to other Nations and encourage them to come on board. Expanding the cyber defence coalitio MN CD2 is open to all NATO Nations, while partner Nations must receive approval from the project's board to join. So far, other nations such as Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland have expressed an interest in CIICS, but no formal agreements are in place yet. Sarah Brown, CIICS Technical Lead at the NCI Agency, remarked CIICS proved its value when it was used by Nations in Cyber Coalition, one of the world's largest cyber defence exercise, as it enabled them to operate as a coalition, defending networks together This showed that CIICS can be of great benefit to the Alliance, helping forces communicate, train and operate better together in a Federated Mission Networking (FMN) environment Mr Arnold Colijn, Senior Innovation Project Manager at the Dutch Ministry of Defence, noted that the tool has been extremely beneficial to the Netherlands. The CIICS project is a meaningful project to our Nation, because it shows that capability-development with a few contributing NATO Nations can lead to an affordable capability. CIICS as a system is designed to support (inter-)national coordination on cyber incidents and on cyber information sharing and thereby leverages the possibility that Nations will really work together on cyber defence. We hope that the introduction of CIICS leads to a system that is used by all NATO Nations, supported at the NATO Secret level and used as one of the data-sources for creating overall Cyber Defense Situational Awareness.

A tool for NATO and partner countries to respond to cyber-attacks together more rapidly is making its debut in the Alliance's 24/7 cyber operations centre this week.

general 1 467 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-welcomes-new-director-of-demand-management.aspx The NCI Agency is pleased to welcome Mr Ludwig Decamps as the new Director of Demand Management. Mr Decamps was appointed as of 1 March 2017 In his new role, he will be responsible for strategic partnership and customer relationship management, and for the global account management For more information on his responsibilities as well as his past experience, please click her

The NCI Agency is pleased to welcome Mr Ludwig Decamps as the new Director of Demand Management.

general 1 468 1 about-us/newsroom/introduction-to-the-deployable-air-command-and-control-centre-daccc.aspx The Deployable Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC) is the spearhead of NATO’s deployable air command and control capability It provides NATO with a unique force projection capability that is deployable, sustainable and configurable for all air operations The NCI Agency is key in connecting the Allied Air Command's deployable capability during exercises and operations https //youtu.be/Z2nS4hYgo2

The Deployable Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC) is the spearhead of NATO’s deployable air command and control capability.

general 1 469 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-supreme-allied-commander-transformation-to-address-nitec17.aspx NCI Agency is honoured to welcome to NITEC17 General Denis Mercier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. General Mercier will deliver a keynote address on 24 April, the opening day of the conference The NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17) will focus on the topic Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry, taking place from 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada. Allied Command Transformation, under General Mercier's leadership, is the architect of NATO's adaptation to a new strategic environment that calls for a mind-set of continuous innovation in order to maintain superiority over any adversar , NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers said. Industry partnerships are essential for keeping NATO at the forefront of innovation, and we are fortunate to have General Mercier's perspective at NITEC17 to help shape dialogue on how we can advance those partnerships in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilitie . We live in a very complex world, where the fast-paced evolution of threats and technology calls for different, more adaptable and flexible answer , NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Denis Mercier said. In this context, a synergistic partnership between NATO and the civilian world that includes industry and academia, among others, is necessary to face contemporary and future challenges. I look forward to sharing at NITEC17 ACT's vision of how this partnership can help define future solution . NITEC17 is presented by the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and the Association for Communications, Electronics, and Information Systems Professionals (AFCEA Europe) in cooperation with the Department of National Defence – Canada. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in

NCI Agency is honoured to welcome to NITEC17 General Denis Mercier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. General Mercier will deliver a keynote address on 24 April, the opening day of the conference.

general 1 470 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-recruiting-air-and-missile-defence-director.aspx On 4 March 2017, the NCI Agenc launched a high-profile recruitment campaign for a senior official to lead NATO's integrated air and missile defence command and control programmes. He or she will be responsible for a budget of several billion Euro, currently NATO's largest common-funded defence effort The selected individual will be responsible for delivering command and control tools for NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence. To support the conduct of air and ballistic missile defence operations in both real-time and non-real-time environments, NATO is implementing a set of fully interoperable Command and Control functionalities. These systems provides the capability to plan, direct, task, coordinate, supervise, assess and report on the operation of all allocated air and missile defence assets. The system is used 24/7 to support NATO's air policing operations, and by Nations for their national air operations As proliferation of ballistic missiles poses an increasing threat to Allied populations, territory and deployed forces, the capability also supports NATO's territorial ballistic missile defence mission. In July 2016, NATO's ballistic missile defence shield reached initial operational capability (see vide ) and work continues towards full operational capability. Significant responsibilitie We are looking for a high-calibre individual with experience in managing large, advanced multinational C2 programmes, excellent communications with both industry/contractors, NATO stakeholders and Nations, stressed NCI General Manager Koen Gijsbers, He or she will face a high level attention to the programme, including at the political level. More than 300 programme staff will report to the selected official The selected senior program director will have the duty to ensure that programme and project implementation plans for both ballistic missile defence and air command and control capabilities are aligned and synchronized; that the programmes and related projects meet their objectives and deliver the projected benefits as agreed with the external and internal stakeholders, both in NATO and in Nations who participate in the capability; to optimize risk management across programmes; to secure the necessary investment for the Programmes; and to monitor and control the progress of the Programmes at a strategic level. Understanding the operational challenges and requirements of NATO's Air Power Community is very important as well For more information, see the job description her and apply her , and read more about NATO's integrated air and missile defenc

On 4 March 2017, the NCI Agency launched a high-profile recruitment campaign for a senior official to lead NATO's integrated air and missile defence command and control programmes. He or she will be responsible for a budget of several billion Euro, currently NATO's largest common-funded defence effort.

general 1 471 1 about-us/newsroom/nato--innovation--and-industry-partnerships-interview-with-canadas-ambassador-to-nato.aspx Fast-moving security challenges and rapid technology design in the private sector call for NCI Agency and Industry partners to work together in new ways in order to keep the Alliance's critical communications and information systems resilient. From 24 to 26 April in Ottawa, Canada, the Agency will explore new models for NATO-Industry collaboration and how they can be put into practice through its annual flagship conference, NITEC17, with the theme of Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry. As Canada prepares to host NITEC17, Ambassador Kerry Buck, Permanent Representative of Canada to NATO, discussed the importance of innovation for NATO, the role of Industry in supporting NATO's innovation agenda, and Canada's national innovation strategy. Read on for Ambassador Buck's thoughts on why procurement processes should consider multinational solutions, what NATO could learn from Canada's Defence Acquisition Guide, and more The 2016 Warsaw Summit Communique reinforced the imperative of supporting innovation through greater collaboration with Industry, emphasizing that to keep its technological edge, NATO should identify relevant emerging technologies in the commercial sector and implement them through innovative solutions. How will these efforts impact NATO's overarching mission The relationship with our defence Industry, throughout the Alliance, is vital in order to keep our technological edge. The NATO Communications and Information Agency plays an important role in that area by supporting innovation, evaluating products and implementing innovative solutions. In Warsaw, leaders also talked about greater defence industrial and technological cooperation across the Alliance, building relationships and partnerships toward a common goal. Our efforts to be more innovative have had, and continue to have, an overall positive impact on NATO. Embracing innovation through increased collaboration with our Industries, in order to acquire and adopt emerging technologies, strengthens our capabilities. NATO standing forces draw upon the military expertise and capabilities of our member nations. Implementing emerging technologies helps ensure they are kept well equipped, well-resourced and well trained in order to meet their objectives, whether engaged in crisis management, cooperative security or deterrence. In my view, NATO is doing a good job of collaborating with Industry and we are always working to improve that relationship. Take for example the NATO Industria Advisory Group, that has Industry experts from each of our Nations and Partne Nations that advise the Conference of National Armaments Directors. This is an important function for Industry inside NATO. There is the annual NATO Industry Forum, hosted by the Commander Supreme Allied Command Transformation and the Assistant Secretary General Defence Investment, where we can engage in high-level exchange with Industry leaders. Our procurement agencies hold annual Industry conferences that present upcoming business opportunities and I understand NITEC17 will once again include an innovation challenge. In addition, Industry has been invited to participate in NATO's Exercise Trident Juncture and Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise Partnerships with Research and Development (R&D) facilities is also important. In Canada, for example, the National Research Council (NRC) and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) are carrying out leading edge work involving Industry and academia, in collaboration with the Canadian Armed Forces to bring innovative technology to our military personnel. I should add that DRDC is also well connected with NATO's Science and Technology Organization. This industrial and technological cooperation across the Alliance allows us to benefit collectively Implementing innovative solutions responds to the challenge of operationalizing new technologies. This involves R&D and Industry, as well as acquiring these technologies through our procurement processes. Best value procurement has been a positive step forward in that regard, putting greater emphasis on the technical aspect rather than price alone. However, we need to be faster at implementing new capabilities and that is an area of focus not only at NATO but in our Nations as well. Innovative acquisition is our challenge and I am confident we will see progress in this area. In previous interviews, you have indicated that diplomacy itself is in need of innovation, as the highly networked world we now live in calls for new forms of engagement beyond traditional state-to-state relationships. How might efforts to improve NATO-Industry collaboration be part of an expanded approach to modern diplomacy? In 2013, the North Atlantic Council approved the Framework for NATO-Industry Engagement, an important document that speaks to the principles of NATO-Industry relations and the many avenues for those relations. Universal principles such as trust and transparency, fairness and inclusiveness, mutual benefit and cooperation, are fundamental to building strong relationships. The Framework also highlights two initiatives, Smart Defence and Connected Forces Initiative, which aim to generate opportunities for multinational cooperation where Industry can play a major role. It is this multinational cooperation and the universal principles mentioned above that bring our discussion in line with modern diplomacy. Improving NATO-Industry collaboration, by being more transparent and inclusive, would enable Industry to bring forward better informed solutions. This could in turn lead to NATO's needs and priorities being better served. After all, innovation occurs in the commercial sector and harnessing the benefits of innovation can help achieve our common objectives and strengthen our relationships, not just on a bilateral but also a multilateral level. Today, our NATO procurement process does not place value on bids from Industry that propose a multinational solution and perhaps it should. Encouraging multilateral Industry collaboration could support multilateral relationships and cooperation. Another potential area for consideration is the many Nations in NATO that are less active in NATO procurement or the defence Industry in general. Perhaps, we should look at how we acquire capability to strengthen the defence industrial base throughout NATO and the Alliance's overall capacity. Canada is pursuing an ambitious national innovation agenda. How does that strategy impact defence organizations in Canada and their relationships with Industry? Are there lessons for NATO The Government of Canada has a vision to build Canada as a centre for global innovation. The Innovation Agenda, led by our Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, touches all federal government departments, including Defence. It consists of six key themes entrepreneurial and creative society; global science excellence; world-leading clusters and partnerships; growing companies and accelerating clean growth; competing in a digital world; and ease of doing business Regarding Canada's approach to innovation, we have developed key national strategies that move us forward in the areas of science, technology and innovation, and other areas. We have put in place an economic action plan and have built science and technology partnerships with established and emerging innovation networks around the world. Partnerships are an essential catalyst for innovation because these collaborations accelerate the pace of discovery and adoption of new products. Canada puts considerable emphasis on supporting Industry and academic partnerships, has undertaken government-based R&D work, and is investing to support and encourage private sector investment in innovation. The Government of Canada continues to invest significant resources into ensuring that Canada retains its place as a global leader in science, technology, and innovation. Defence procurement creates conditions that encourage Canadian companies to innovate in order to improve upon existing products and technologies, as well as develop new ones, to serve domestic and international markets. It is important to nurture the relationship between defence and Industry so that the customer and provider are on the same page and capability demands are met. Ultimately our defence organizations benefit from these relationships with Industry and partnerships with innovation networks It is important to keep our defence Industry well informed about what we are doing and our capability needs. Take for example Canada's Defence Acquisition Guide, which is updated annually and available on the Internet. All of Canada's Defence programmes and projects are described in terms of requirements, budget estimate, timeline and point of contact for additional information. Canadian Industry called for that information and the government responded. Perhaps NATO could do the same with the capability packages. We want Industry to be engaged early, to allow it to deliver the best it has to offer and the innovative solutions we need. Canada is the host nation for the NCI Agency annual conference, NITEC17, from 24 to 26 April in Ottawa. The conference theme is focused on innovation. Can you give us a preview of the themes conference goers might expect to hear from Canadian Defence officials Canada is pleased to host NITEC17 in our nation's capital, the city of Ottawa, from 24 to 26 April. Similar to previous conferences, NITEC17 will present substantial NATO business opportunities to high tech companies attending and will offer participants an excellent networking opportunity. This is a great event for Industry I should also add that 2017 is a special year for Canada; it is our Nation's 150th anniversary. The city of Ottawa is ready to host the world, so come and join us for NITEC17 and experience not only a fantastic conference but also a fantastic 150th birthday celebration. Themes that conference goers might expect to hear about from Canadian Defence officials include the transatlantic bond between Europe and North America, which remains at the core of the Alliance; the security and defence advantage gained through innovation; the vital relationship with Industry in advancing innovation; and finally, the importance of partnerships between government, Industry, academia and international partners. With Industry from throughout NATO converging on Canada to attend NITEC17, let me say a few words about Canada's defence and ICT sectors that will be represented there and about doing business in Canada. You may be interested to know that Canada's defence sector represents about 700 firms doing approximately 10 billion CAD (7.5 billion USD or 7 billion EUR) per year in sales with activities spanning the full range of defence. Our ICT sector generated revenues of 172 billion CAD (129 billion USD or 121 billion EUR) in 2015 from 37,400 companies. As I have already mentioned, Canada has an assertive innovation agenda. Our high tech sector is highly innovative and we are open for business with Industry from likeminded NATO nations. Canada offers a competitive environment for investment, innovation, production and trade. We have a competitive tax regime; an open trading economy; integrated infrastructure and proximity to the US market; strong technical education; a skilled workforce; good R&D support infrastructure; and supportive government policies Visiting companies are welcome and encouraged to connect and partner with Canadian companies in pursuit of not only NATO business opportunities, but also North American defence and ICT business opportunities. Come to NITEC17 and let's talk. NCI Agency would like to thank Ambassador Buck and the staff of the delegation of Canada to NATO for their support of this interview. To register and view the full agenda for NITEC17, visit www.nitec.nato.in

Fast-moving security challenges and rapid technology design in the private sector call for NCI Agency and Industry partners to work together in new ways in order to keep the Alliance's critical communications and information systems resilient.

general 1 472 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-operational-analysts-brief-saceur.aspx Many staff members in the NCI Agency do extraordinary work in exciting places with tremendous people. Few get an invitation to brief SACEUR and the SHAPE Command Group on their project findings, drawing together World Bank economists, Iranian-born academics, and some of the world's leading experts on Pakistan, international extremism and counter-narcotics. But since 2008, this is exactly what Operational Analysis (OA) service line analysts get to do, in order to support and inform SHAPE's strategic periodic assessment of the NATO mission in Afghanistan. The latest, 1 t independent assessment workshop was recently held at SHAPE, drawing together Agency analysts, NATO stakeholders from SHAPE J5 (Strategic Plans and Policy) and Comprehensive Crisis and Operations Management Centre (CCOMC), Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre and a varied panel of external civilian experts. During intense four-day discussions, diverse issues such as assessing the prospects for the National Unity Government, the regional situation and the strength of extremist terrorist groups were addressed, and drawn together in a series of outbriefs, Q&A sessions and a written report which will inform the Spring 2017 periodic report for the NATO Resolute Support mission The project genesis dates from a 2008 SACEUR tasking to NC3A Operational Analysts (now the NCI Agency OA Service Line) to develop an initial operating capability to assist SHAPE in its understanding of progress towards strategic mission goals of the ISAF mission. Given the scope and scale of the mission, the complexity of the environment, and at that stage, the lack of an organizational structure or expertise within SHAPE to conduct such an assessment, the project proposed to develop an independent system-of-systems assessment framework based on the inputs and insights from a panel of civilian subject matter experts (SMEs), comprising world-class academics and practitioners with deep experience of Afghanistan, the region, and key non-traditional military areas such as counter-narcotics. The assessment framework continues to draw on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative indicators, drawn together into a synthesised analysis and report designed to complement existing assessments from within the chain of command. The OA Service Line takes great pride in supporting SHAPE in this highly valued but relatively low-profile project, which also draws on expertise developed from the year-round support provided by other analysts within the Service Line to HQ Resolute Support in Kabul and JFC Brunssum. To provide Operations Assessment support at these different HQ levels requires great flexibility, a diverse skillset and a high degree of customer focus The 15th independent assessment will take place in the third quarter of 2017

Many staff members in the NCI Agency do extraordinary work in exciting places with tremendous people.

general 1 473 1 about-us/newsroom/keeping-natos-deployed-forces-connected.aspx The NCI Agency and its Industry partners are progressing work in Belgium and Italy to upgrade satellite stations that link NATO's deployed forces, including the Alliance's Sea Guardian operation to help stem the flow of human trafficking in the Aegean Sea The Satellite Ground Station project is procuring two new multi-antenna stations on the sites of existing terminals in Belgium and Italy, and will upgrade two further stations in Greece and Turkey. It will also provide options for industrial support arrangement for the resulting capability for 20 years A vital lin Brigadier General Luigi Tomaiuolo, Director of Service Operations of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency, recently paid a visit to the Italian site, observing the implementation phase of the works During the visit, Lieutenant Colonel Diego Fasoli, Commander of the site, explained the construction and upgrade process and the progress of the works to date. Leonardo is the prime contractor for the work, along with Telespazio, ViaSat, Saint-Gobain, Siemens, and the support of local contractors Following the current physical infrastructure works there will be a technical upgrade of the system with a total four antennas that will be managed from a common control room Later this year, the NCI Agency will be competing a major contract, worth some 1.5 billion EUR for satellite bandwidth capacity, as well as a 200 million EUR contract for satellite terminals to support NATO's Response Force, designed to deploy anywhere in the world at short notice. Details will be briefed at the Agency's upcoming Industry conference, NITEC1 We have a static infrastructure that provides connectivity to our commands throughout NATO, located throughout our 28 nations. That static piece is one we sustain from day to day, and an important piece of that static communications is satellite. Deployments for operations have become a somewhat primary use of satellite communications for NATO We depend on industry heavily. Of course, we do have our ability from a ground infrastructure perspective to allocate bandwidth and do the separations that are necessary to get our abilities to deployed forces, said Dr Gregory Edwards, Director of Infrastructure Services at the NCI Agency about the importance of satellite capabilities for NATO

The NCI Agency and its Industry partners are progressing work in Belgium and Italy to upgrade satellite stations that link NATO's deployed forces, including the Alliance's Sea Guardian operation to help stem the flow of human trafficking in the Aegean Sea.

general 1 474 1 about-us/newsroom/natos-it-arm-boosts-us-eastern-deployment.aspx US Army Europe and NATO's IT arm have signed an agreement in March increasing support for the US elements of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence in the East, ahead of their deployment As part of the Joint Partnership Statement, the NATO Communication and Information (NCI) Agency will provide new solutions to US Army Europe, further enhancing how it interacts with forces from other Allied Nations. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, US Army Europe Commander, welcomed the partnership with the Agency. He commented US Army Europe considers NCI Agency a strategic partner in establishing and maintaining robust, reliable Command and Control networks. The enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) provides a real opportunity to validate Mission Command in support of the NATO Command Structure and formations from four different Nations. NATO decided at the 2016 Warsaw Summit to strengthen its deterrence and defence posture by establishing an enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. The United States is leading one of the four multinational battalion-size battle groups and will deploy troops to Poland in April. The other battalions based in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are led by the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany respectively. Critical capabilitie Lieutenant General Hodges explained that the Agency would support US Army Europe by developing and implementing a robust operational network at Mission Secret level for the eFP mission This will be done in collaboration with Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, in the Netherlands, and Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) in Szczecin, Poland. The eFP Mission Secret Command and Control network could be the first real world application of the Federated Mission Network concept and may prove value added to NATO alliance for years to come. Lieutenant General Hodges believes the Mission Information Room (MIR) provided by the NCI Agency, which uses the cloud to deliver the mission secret network and applications, will prove crucial to the success of US Army Europe operations. The Mission Information Rooms (MIR), as developed by NCI Agency and managed by JFC-Brunssum and JFC-Naples, hosting NATO's Functional Systems is a powerful concept and tool for multinational interoperability. The MIR, if used properly, could be a 'digital power projecting platform' allowing for planning and collaboration in the earliest stages of an operation then quickly translate into Command and Control functions for the follow on phases of the operation. He added Developing an MIR dedicated to the eFP mission for planning and Command and Control between MNC NE, the four contributing nation battlegroups, Host Nations and troop-contributing Nations would be the communication technology most required in order to face future operational challenges. The eFP mission is a forcing function to implement the full power of the Federated Mission Network concept and prove NATO's ability to quickly and seamlessly integrate multiple national forces providing a creditable example of assurance and deterrent within Europe. The key to success is that Mission Command capability is plug and play with all members of the Alliance. In order for units to be effective, they must be interoperable in three key areas. They must be able to talk secure voice, execute a digital fire mission and have the ability to see a Common Operational Picture. US Army Europe is the Agency's third customer to sign a Joint Partnership Statement. Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in Izmir, Turkey and Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, United Kingdom have both signed similar agreements, declaring their commitment to a strategic partnership in support of the NATO First Solution. The aim of the NATO First Solution is to re-use as much as possible the capabilities that NATO develops under common funding, promoting synergies between common and nationally-funded programs and services

US Army Europe and NATO's IT arm have signed an agreement in March increasing support for the US elements of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence in the East, ahead of their deployment.

general 1 475 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-gears-up-for-3-billion-eur-tech-refresh.aspx NATO is set to put 40 contracts out to tender in the next 18 to 24 months, as part of a 3 billion EUR tech refresh. The Alliance's tech and cyber arm, the NATO Communications and information Agency, will be previewing details of these business opportunities a its annual industry conference #NITEC17 www.nitec.nato.in ) next month. Service Line Chiefs and Programme Managers will discuss tangible opportunities coming to market during the event including international competitive bids in the following areas The expansion of satellite communication bandwidt which is vital for deployed forces (1.7 billion EUR), A refresh of NATO's cyber shield as part of investments in Cyber Security Services (71 million EUR) Command and Control software (800 million EUR) continuing upgrade of NATO's network (220 million EUR) Advanced softwar improving NATO's situational awareness and command and control in operations (180 million EUR) A key aim of the Ottawa conference will be to further expand NATO's Industry partnerships to engage small and medium enterprises, innovative, cutting-edge businesses, particularly in the light of cyber threats (a process that began at the 2014 Wales Summit, and was strengthened at 2016 Warsaw Summit) The three-day event will offer participants a unique opportunity for one-on-one meetings with our NCI Agency acquisition experts. Workshops on common mistakes in bid proposals, and the fundamentals of doing business with the NCI Agency will be run throughout the conference to encourage greater industry participation and competition. The 3 billion EUR opportunities are part of NATO's common funding, which is financed by all 28 Nations. The current business opportunities represent an increase over what was announced in 2015 (at that time some 800 million EUR), and are similar to those announced in 2016 (also about 3 billion EUR). They represent a steady, continuing and significant investment in maintaining NATO's technological edge, the ability to rapidly deploy and sustain forces and to address new threats and challenges (such as cyber threats) This flagship conference is held in cooperation with AFCEA Europe and the Department of Defence, Canada

NATO is set to put 40 contracts out to tender in the next 18 to 24 months, as part of a 3 billion EUR tech refresh.

general 1 476 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-signs-milestone-contract-for-it-modernization.aspx On 30 March 2017, the NATO Communications and Information Agency has signed a 80 million EUR contract with General Dynamics IT for the delivery of the first phase of NATO's IT Modernization programme. The contract also includes options for three future phases, up to a total value of 140 million EUR The project is the beginning of the largest modernization of NATO's IT infrastructure in recent years, further improving the resilience of NATO networks This contract will fundamentally reshape NATO's nervous system and allow us to reduce costs. In light of its importance to the Alliance's cyber posture, it is paramount that the work is executed on time, in scope and in budget. I look forward to our journey to the cloud with General Dynamics IT, said Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager The contract is part of broader, continuing investmen to ensure NATO maintains its technological edge Embracing the clou The contract represents an important step in the wide-scale adoption of cloud computing technologies in NATO. Among its benefits, IT Modernization will increase the availability of services, strengthen NATO-wide resilience capability, enhance information security, and increase the mobility and agility of the workforce The functional scope of the first phase includes the delivery of two Data Centres in Mons (BEL) and Lago Patria (ITA), as well as two geographically separated Service Operations Centres. The Data Centres will be based on a Dell Hyper Converged solution using VxRail technology as foundation. General Dynamics IT will also be responsible for the implementation of Enhanced Nodes in Norfolk (USA), Northwood (GBR), Izmir (TUR), and Sigonella (ITA), and for all the associated integration and transition activity. Enhanced nodes will host computer capabilities supporting applications not deemed to be centralized, increasing resilience and improving user experience. Under subsequent phases, General Dynamics IT will integrate NATO HQ in Brussels (BEL) as a third Data Centre and implement additional Enhanced and Standard Nodes across Europe. In total, ITM will deliver to seven sites during the first phase and to 44 sites across the entire programme. The first phase has a very aggressive schedule and is estimated to be completed by September 2018. General Dynamics is honored to have been selected to deliver this mission-critical project for NATO, said Bernie Guerry, senior vice president of General Dynamics Information Technology's Intelligence Solutions division. This IT modernization program comes at a critical juncture for the Alliance, and will be a significant contributor to delivering resilient and cutting-edge support to NATO at a time of unprecedented challenges on both the northern and southern flanks of the Alliance.

On 30 March 2017, the NATO Communications and Information Agency has signed a 80 million EUR contract with General Dynamics IT for the delivery of the first phase of NATO's IT Modernization programme. The contract also includes options for three future phases, up to a total value of 140 million EUR.

general 1 477 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-steps-up-technical-support-to-ukraine.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has stepped up its cooperation with the Ukrainian government as part of a project to help the NATO Partner Nation modernize its Command, Control, Communications and Computer (C4) capabilities Experts from the NCI Agency met their Ukrainian counterparts in March to discuss future information and knowledge sharing, an initiative which falls under the NATO’s Ukraine C4 Trust Fund The next round of in-depth workshops will take place in Ukraine from 15 to 19 May 2017. The Knowledge Sharing project enables Ukraine to benefit from the Alliance’s experience in command and control, situational awareness, and interoperability so that it can be in line with Alliance standards and doctrines. The ultimate goal of the project is to enhance Ukraine’s defence capabilities This is more than static information sharing, it is a collaborative programme that allows Ukraine to leverage the Alliance’s 60-year experience in situational awareness, rapid information-sharing, and how this can be implemented in Ukrain ,” said Ludwig Decamps, NCI Agency Director for Demand Management. This knowledge will also benefit Ukraine’s ability to work together with NATO forces and participate in NATO’s operations and exercise . Within this broad political framework, the NCI Agency is also supporting Ukraine as part of the Regional Airspace Security Programme (RASP) Broadening airspace cooperatio At the same time, on 28 March, the first RASP network project group took place, facilitated by the NATO’s Defence Investment Division. The key objective of RASP is to provide cross-border coordination capability for the handling of air security incidents between Ukraine and NATO. The project will also promote regional airspace cooperation and improve Ukraine’s internal civil-military coordination The project is currently monitoring the implementation phase which will establish – upon approval of the NATO C4 Trust Fund Lead Nations – the technical means and agreed procedures for sharing information between Ukraine and neighbouring countries. NATO Nations are currently discussing the potential broadening of the RASP concept to boost airspace security in the Baltic and Black Sea regions

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has stepped up its cooperation with the Ukrainian government as part of a project to help the NATO Partner Nation modernize its Command, Control, Communications and Computer (C4) capabilities.

general 1 478 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-announces-winners-of-second-annual-defence-innovation-challenge.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. The top 10 innovators and their technologies are Radionor Communication (Norway) Long range wireless communications resilient terrestrial long-range or rapidly deployable, scalable IT infrastructur Larus Technologies Corporatio (Canada) Service management automation and analytic Aditerna Gmb (Germany) Rapidly deployable, scalable IT infrastructur SpyCloud (USA) Cloud Security and Service Management Automation and Analytic Alessandro Busachi, Cranfield University and Babcock International (United Kingdom) Rapidly deployable, scalable IT infrastructur Dencrypt A/ (Denmark) Rapidly deployable, scalable IT infrastructur OMX Inc (Canada) eProcurement service SAAB Denmark (Denmark) Secure voice interoperability between multiple security classification level Oxford BioChronometric (United Kingdom) Cyber security sensors, analytics, visualisatio iDelft B (Netherlands) eProcurement service The NCI Agency received a total of 48 proposals representing small businesses and academia from 12 Allies. This challenge affirms that the cutting edge technology we need to stay ahead of emerging threats is out there, and we are committed to finding innovative ways to connect with the small businesses and academic institutions that lack visibility within NATO but have much to offer the Allianc , said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers. The top finishers' technology will be showcased at the 2017 NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17), 'Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry', that will take place from 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in Small businesses and academia from all 28 NATO Nations were invited to submit proposals in ten focus areas of critical importance to the Alliance mission Cyber security sensors, analytics, visualisation; IoT Public Protection and Disaster Relief in a Smart City, Federation of IoT communities, analytics for trust and scepticism in IoT data; Long range wireless communications Low-cost satellite communication services for remote IoT devices, satellite communication services for polar regions, resilient terrestrial long-range communication services; Service management automation and analytics big data, business intelligence and cognitive analytics, proactive event management; Rapidly deployable, scalable IT infrastructure; Software defined networks; Cloud security; Secure voice interoperability, secure voice bridges; Security-accredited containerisation; and eProcurement services

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities.

general 1 479 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec17-preview-of-day-2.aspx Industry experts from the technology sector and business accelerators will explore how to adapt current innovative practices to the NATO environment on Day 2 of NITEC17 There are ground-breaking ideas that have already proven themselves when it comes to tackling new defence challenges and speeding promising technology solutions to support defence objective , said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, NITEC17 will be a unique opportunity to hear about these approaches directly from the experts who are implementing them, and how they can apply to NAT . A discussion on Innovation as a Process will highlight case studies in which panellists successfully implemented an innovative approach to solve a defence challenge. Panellists include Dr. Kai Martius, Chief Technology Officer of Secunet; Mr Scott Johnson, Skype Enterprise Engineering, Microsoft Corporation; and Mr Chris Barnett, Chief Technology Officer of General Dynamics Information Technology Dr Greg Edwards, Director of Infrastructure Services at NCI Agency will moderate the discussion When we think about innovation, we sometimes forget to fully exploit the technology we already hav , Dr Edwards said, While new products and services are certainly important, it is also critical to bring new thinking to how we do what we do. As NATO seeks to optimize enterprise services to gain efficiency benefits, we are keen to learn how to best use what we have and if it is practical to take incremental steps to innovate. The distinguished technical experts on our panel will describe what innovative approaches they see to solve a problem, and explore what NATO could learn from the . A second panel on Accelerating Innovation, will feature representatives of business accelerators designed to bring together promising start-ups, security experts, mentors, and investors to spur innovative solutions to the defence marketplace. Mr Paul MacGregor, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Leonardo's Security and Information Systems; Mr Allen Dillon, Managing Director Cyber, New Brunswick Accelerator; and Mr Jeff Ryder, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Glacier Point, will discuss their approach and how it could apply in the NATO context Mr Steve Grundman, the George Lund Fellow for Emerging Defense Challenges at the Atlantic Council's Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, will moderate. Innovation' is today's watchword for how the US and its allies are going to sustain competitive military advantage into the 21st centur , Mr Grundman said. To achieve that ambition, our institutions are also going to have to innovate the way our acquisition systems engage industry's best. Our panel on 'Accelerating Innovation' focuses on how business accelerators and incubators can serve acquisitio . For Day 1 overview click her The NCI Agency Annual Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17) will take place from 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada, with the theme of Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in

Industry experts from the technology sector and business accelerators will explore how to adapt current innovative practices to the NATO environment on Day 2 of NITEC17.

general 1 480 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec17-preview-of-day-3.aspx A distinguished panel of defence experts will discuss how to bring innovation to defence acquisition processes to support rapid fielding of capabilities to defend against urgent and emerging threats on the closing day of NITEC17 It is well understood that there is a mismatch between the speed of technological development in the Alliance's dynamic private sector and NATO's agility in implementing that technolog , said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers. We look forward to hearing from defence experts who will offer fresh thinking on this challenge at NITEC1 . The panel on Innovating Defence Acquisition will include Admiral Matthieu Borsboom, Chairman of the Group of Senior Experts; Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Jeff Lofgren, Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, NATO Allied Command Transformation; Rear Admiral Patrick Finn, Assistant Deputy Minister (Material), Department of National Defence, Canada; and Mr Keith Webster, Director, International Cooperation for the Under Secretary of Defense (USD) for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L), U.S. Department of Defense Dr Cynthia R. Cook, Director of the RAND Corporation's Acquisition and Technology Policy Center, will moderate the discussion This panel will take a new look at an enduring topic improving defence acquisition processe , said Dr Cynthia Cook, Director of the Acquisition and Technology Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. Cyber defence requirements and new technology trends reinforce the need to field capabilities more rapidly. Our panel of defence experts have grappled with different aspects of this problem, and will cover some of the roadblocks to speeding acquisition, explore possible ways around them, and discuss the implications for NAT . In addition, NITEC17 will close with a presentation by rapporteurs assigned to the Working Better Together NATO – Industry Collaborative Workshops. They will report on the concepts that received special emphasis during the workshops and discuss the way forward See also Opening Day Key Topics Preview of Day The NCI Agency Annual Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17) will take place from 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada, with the theme of Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in

A distinguished panel of defence experts will discuss how to bring innovation to defence acquisition processes to support rapid fielding of capabilities to defend against urgent and emerging threats on the closing day of NITEC17.

general 1 481 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-app-store-leveraging-a-precious-legacy.aspx Each year, the Alliance invests several hundred million Euros in advanced software to support coalition operations. By nature, this software is ‘born interoperable’ and designed to help Nations operate together. More importantly, it is combat-proven, a direct legacy of operations in Afghanistan, Libya and the Balkans An innovative project, with an aptly cryptic technical name (Electronic Defined Media Library), now makes this software much more easily accessible to Nations interested in re-using it for national use. The project led to the creation of a ‘NATO app store’. Why pay twice Several Nations, including the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, have already made a policy to re-use existing NATO solutions to save on national investments while at the same time ensuring interoperability with NATO systems. The solutions are also available to NATO Partner countries The NATO Software Tools (NST) initiative covers 19 NATO software tools that can be used for free by NATO Nations for testing, evaluation and operational purposes. Consequently, 25 NATO Nations, six NATO Response Force units, US Army Europe and US Special Operations Command Europe have signed a licence agreement with the NCI Agency for the delivery of the NST. “For some NATO Nations, the fighting in Afghanistan, for instance in terms of the number of casualties or rounds fired, was the most intense land fighting since the Korean War,” stresses Koen Gijsbers, NCI Agency General Manager. “Afghanistan was perhaps the single biggest breakthrough for Alliance interoperability, how we can operate effectively as a coalition in terms of sharing information. That is a precious legacy that we need to preserve. The Electronic Definitive Media Library now provides a secure one-stop-shop for NATO software, accessible from anywhere in the world. It offers a number of specific benefits including user registration and controlled user access, public key encryption and access logging and auditing Better support to Agency customer The project, completed on schedule, was initiated by the Service Engineering and Architecture branch of Agency’s Service Strategy directorate with the support from Demand Management, Service Support and Business Application and the Service Management and Control teams and sponsored by the Command and Control Service Line Chief. “Our mission was to replace a manual software delivery process - costly and slow in terms of resources and performance - with a modern toolset providing fast and reliable services to a constantly growing customer base,” said Mariano Valle, NCI Agency Senior Architect, Service Strategy. “It was our answer to the NCI Agency’s call for an efficient use of IT resources, while providing a significantly more reliable, more stable and highly performant service to our internal and external customers. The service is now up and running, and has already been used to distribute NATO software to NATO Enterprise units, Nations and Partners. It is also used in support of operations such as patch management, and NATO Response Force Exercises Speeding delivery, fast projec In developing the project, the Agency focused on agile development, minimizing costs. The project is another step forward in NATO embracing the creative use of cloud solutions. The EDML is implemented in the public cloud and Agile (SCRUM) development based on three iterative Sprints with DevOps tools and best practices in line with the “Cloud First” approach stemming from the NATO Cloud Computing Policy stating that “All future ICT solutions within the NATO Enterprise should use the NATO Enterprise’s cloud infrastructure rather than deploying distinct additional infrastructures. For more information, contact the NCI Agency POC as follows For NATO customer For Nations and Partner customers Service Management & Control Service Lin P 0032 65 44 9063/908 Demand Managemen P 0032 2 707 8353 Mr. Calin Haiduc calin.haiduc@ncia.nato.in Mr. Michaël Danys michael.danys@ncia.nato.in Ms. Britta Schuessler britta.schuessler@ncia.nato.in

Each year, the Alliance invests several hundred million Euros in advanced software to support coalition operations. By nature, this software is ‘born interoperable’ and designed to help Nations operate together. More importantly, it is combat-proven, a direct legacy of operations in Afghanistan, Libya and the Balkans.

general 1 482 1 about-us/newsroom/special-programmes-for-small-and-medium-enterprises-sme-at-nitec17.aspx NCI Agency is pleased to announce a Small Business Mentoring Programme and an SME-dedicated exhibition space at NITEC17. Both initiatives are aimed at bringing visibility to the innovative solutions Small and Medium Enterprises can offer in support of NATO cyber defence The success of last year's mentoring programme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) at NITEC has moved us to not only continue it, but bolster it with an additional platform for small businesses and start-ups to engage with NATO staff and conference delegates about their technology solutions, said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers. We recognize the hurdles SMEs face in bringing their products and services to NATO, and we are dedicated to ensuring they have a channel to demonstrate the value they can contribute to NATO's C4ISR and cyber defence capabilities. Small Business Mentoring Programm The second annual Small Business Mentoring Programme will continue at NITEC17, to be held at NITEC 17 in Ottawa, Canada from 24 to 26 April 2017. Representatives from Leidos, AT&T, GDIT and Leonardo will hold one-one-one sessions covering a range of topics, including product development, marketing, seed financing, best practices, and successful collaboration with partner companies and NATO. To book your session, use the NITEC mobile app Small and Medium Enterprise Zon In a new feature this year, NCI Agency will host an SME Zone at NITEC17, providing SMEs an informal exhibition space and meeting point at no extra cost. The SME zone offers SMEs the opportunity to present their company's offerings, display material, and connect with peers, Industry leaders, and NATO and government officials. Interested SMEs are requested to send expressions of interest by 18 April to industryrelations@ncia.nato.in . You will be contacted with further information The theme of this year's NCI Agency Annual Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17) is 'Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry'. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in NCI Agency Small and Medium Enterprises Engagement Strateg The Small Business Mentoring Programme and NITEC SME zone are both initiatives of NCI Agency's Small and Medium Enterprises Engagement Strategy, which seeks to make NCI Agency acquisition as accessible as possible to SMEs, improve NCI Agency's interface with small businesses through more direct engagement, and ensure Agency acquisition strategies maximize the potential for SME participation at subcontract level

NCI Agency is pleased to announce a Small Business Mentoring Programme and an SME-dedicated exhibition space at NITEC17. Both initiatives are aimed at bringing visibility to the innovative solutions Small and Medium Enterprises can offer in support of NATO cyber defence.

general 1 483 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec17-opening-day-key-topics.aspx The impact of global challenges on the way defence organizations approach innovation and the implications for NATO of new trends in the defence innovation landscape will be key themes of discussion on the opening day of NITEC17. Day One of NITEC17 will bring together distinguished government, military, and industry speakers to advance our understanding of the combined impact of emerging threats and rapid commercial technology design, and how we can continue to modernize our approach in respons , said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers The first keynote session on Innovation as a Security Imperative will be moderated by Dr Seth Jones, Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation Our panel, which includes some of the world's top experts on technology and innovation, focuses on how global challenges are driving the need for better NATO-industry cooperatio , Dr Jones said. Our goal is to better understand global threats of significance to NATO members, examine why they require innovative responses, and discuss how industry and NATO can more closely cooperate on innovation effort . The panel will feature insights from Mr John N. Stewart, Senior Vice President and Chief Security and Trust Officer at Cisco; Mr. Dmitri Alperovitch, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Crowdstrike; Major General Greg Loos, CF J6 and Chief of Staff, Information Management Group, (COS(IM)), Canada; and Dr Hugh Thompson, Chief Technology Officer at Symantec. The second panel on Trends in the Defence Innovation Landscape will consider how these trends are giving rise to new models of collaboration between defence organizations and Industry and explore the implications for NATO. Mr George Little, a Partner of the Brunswick Group, will moderate the discussion Rapid technological change and the increasingly diffuse nature of the sources of innovation and technology are creating new challenges for defence organization , Mr Little said. The experts on our panel have addressed these trends from both the public and private sector perspective, and they will draw on this experience to explore how industry can support NATO's effort to adapt to the . Panellists include Mr Michael Brown (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Vice President and General Manager of RSA; Captain Ed Devinney, U.S. Navy, Director, Technology Outreach and Corporate Point of Partnership for United States Cyber Command; and Dr Christoph Erdmannn, Managing Director and Founder of Secusmart. Preview of Day Preview of Day 3 The NCI Agency Annual Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17) will take place from 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada, with the theme of Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in

The impact of global challenges on the way defence organizations approach innovation and the implications for NATO of new trends in the defence innovation landscape will be key themes of discussion on the opening day of NITEC17.

general 1 484 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-communicator-magazine.aspx We are proud to announce new issue (1/2017) of the NCI Agency Communicator magazine. This edition focuses on the Agency’s latest support to NATO operations, exercises and Member Nations. It also includes an interview with NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, who shares his vision of an adaptable Alliance which can stand up to any challenge. With each article, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the Agency’s diverse and crucial initiatives. To read the Communicator click her

We are proud to announce new issue (1/2017) of the NCI Agency Communicator magazine. This edition focuses on the Agency’s latest support to NATO operations, exercises and Member Nations.

general 1 485 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-launches-first-bids-under-major-tech-refresh.aspx On 24 April 2017, senior NATO officials briefed around 700 North American and European industry representatives on the first invitations for bids that will be launched in September as part of NATO’s major tech refresh The discussions were held at the NATO Communication and Information Agency’s flagship Industry conference, NITEC17, held in Ottawa, 24-26 April. In sum, 3 billion EUR will be put to market. The first round of contracts will be competed in September and October 2017 and will include Command and control software for land operations – 2 million EUR NATO Joint Targeting System – 8 million EUR Logistics for multinational operations – 30 million EUR Service Management and Control – 27 million EUR Air command and control – 320 million EUR New NATO messaging service, information services – over 70 million EUR Satellite communication services – approximately 1.5 billion EU The aim of the conference was to give industry an opportunity to prepare for these competitions, including teaming up with partners from both Europe and North Americ , stressed NCI General Manager Koen Gijsbers. Broad range of solicitations The 2017 business opportunities will be followed in 2018 by the next round of invitations for bids that will include a refresh for NATO’s cyber shield, investments in education and training, as well as further investments in air command and control, ballistic missile defence, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, business applications and advanced software to support NATO’s operations

On 24 April 2017, senior NATO officials briefed around 700 North American and European industry representatives on the first invitations for bids that will be launched in September as part of NATO’s major tech refresh.

general 1 486 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-welcomes-rsa-to-its-cyber-coalition.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and RSA Security, a Dell Technologies Business, signed on 25 April 2017 an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) on cyber information sharing in the margins of NITEC1 in Ottawa The agreement with RSA will foster timely information sharing on cyber threats, allowing both parties to boost their situational awareness and better protect their networks. The value that NATO and its industry partners are gaining from the IPA framework continues to rise as the pace of information exchanges grows, said MGEN (ret.) Koen Gijsbers, General Manager of the NCI Agency, The trust we have built through this programme has proved essential during incident response, resulting in faster communications and sharing of more contextual information that bolsters our collective cyberdefences. We are very pleased to welcome RSA as an information sharing partner in our fight against cyber threats. RSA is thrilled to be joining forces with NATO; we believe greater levels of collaboration between private and public sectors to fight common adversaries is an absolute necessity, said Mike Adler, Vice President, RSA NetWitness® Suite Threat intelligence is a crucial aspect to the RSA NetWitness Suite, which helps enable organizations to rapidly detect and respond to the threats that matter most. In practice, the agreement will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into the Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes enhancing further NATO's cyber security posture. RSA joins a steadily expanding cyber information sharing programme, as the third leading industry partner to join this year and the twelfth overall. NATO Industry Cyber Partnershi At NATO's 2016 Warsaw Summit, Alliance leaders emphasized the need for information sharing and strong Industry partnerships to address cyber challenges The agreement with RSA represents an important part of the effort to strengthen the Alliance's cyber defence posture through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). Alliance Heads of State and Government endorsed the NICP in 2014 to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. For more information, visit www.nicp.nato.in

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and RSA Security, a Dell Technologies Business, signed on 25 April 2017 an Industry Partnership Agreement (IPA) on cyber information sharing in the margins of NITEC17 in Ottawa.

general 1 487 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec17-innovation-is-mission-critical.aspx The need for NATO and industry to innovate in response to shared challenges stemming from a new, complex strategic environment was the common theme of remarks by high-level speakers at NCI Agency’s annual conference, NITEC17. This is the adaptation we are trying to realize in NATO not to expand our command structure, but to enhance our ability to connect with an ever-increasing number of partners, said NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Denis Mercier. Adding that best practices across Nations and within industry can be a source of innovative solutions for NATO, General Mercier said the Alliance will look at making policy changes that are necessary to keep pace with 21st century threats. Discussing the changing nature of these current threats, Deputy Minister of Defence for Canada Mr John Forster said Nowhere is research and innovation going to be more important than in defence and security . Ideas for partnershi Making the case for government-industry partnerships that can address cyber challenges, CenturyLink President and CEO Glen F Post III added We have found that our trusted partnerships play a critical role in combating the cyber threat, since we all bring different assets, approaches and specialized knowledge to the table. Mr Post continued Securing our collective networks against evolving cyber threats begins when organizations acknowledge we are all interdependent and that we face common threats and vulnerabilities. It is only by working together that we can create the best technologies, processes and world-leading solutions. CrowdStrike Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Dmitri Alperovitch and Cisco Senior Vice President and Chief Security and Trust Officer John Stewart agreed that innovation and acquisition lifecycles must be brought into sync, a topic that will be explored in more depth on Day 2 of NITEC17, with panel discussions on innovation as a process in addressing defence challenges and the role of business accelerators and incubators in spurring innovative solutions to the defence marketplace Around 700 participants from across the Alliance are gathered this week in Ottawa, Canada for the NCI Agency’s annual conference, NITEC17, with the theme of Sharpening NATO’s Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry . Follow the NCI Agency on Twitter (@NCIAgency) for continued updates on NITEC17 on 25 and 26 April.

The need for NATO and industry to innovate in response to shared challenges stemming from a new, complex strategic environment was the common theme of remarks by high-level speakers at NCI Agency’s annual conference, NITEC17.

general 1 488 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec17-innovation-is-an-ecosystem.aspx OTTAWA—Developing an innovation ecosystem that fosters dialogue with industry focused on outcomes rather than requirements and rewards learning instead of discouraging failure is necessary to bring innovation to NATO more rapidly, keynote speakers and panelists emphasized on Day 2 of NITEC17 Defence innovation isn't a scientific problem, said Vice Admiral Ron Lloyd, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. It's not a technical problem. It's not a procurement problem. It's an organizational problem. So we need to tackle it at an organizational level; we need to create a process that turns ideas into advantage as a natural part of our way of business. In a panel discussion on innovation as process, industry executives offered ideas about how NATO can better leverage the technology it already has, including prioritizing hands-on experience with the technology through conducting test trials in a lab setting A panel discussion about how to accelerate innovation concluded that this requires defence organizations to find new ways of interacting with an ecosystem of buyers, business managers, and financiers—including approaching companies with a problem to solve In a keynote address, Dr. John Zangardi, Acting Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Defense said, Working with industry so that industry is aware of our needs requires communication and true partnership. These partnerships take investment in time and effort. Mark Anderson, President of Palo Alto Networks, said in keynote remarks that industry is very supportive of the Cyber Defence Pledge, approved by Alliance leaders at the NATO Summit in Warsaw last year, because it can help deepen NATO-industry cooperation. We need to focus more on threat intelligence sharing, he said, noting that NATO and industry face adversaries that routinely share strategies about how to penetrate networks. Over 700 participants from across the Alliance are gathered this week in Ottawa for NCI Agency's annual conference, NITEC17, with the theme of, Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry. Follow NCI Agency on Twitte for continued updates on the final day of NITEC17, 26 April.

OTTAWA—Developing an innovation ecosystem that fosters dialogue with industry focused on outcomes rather than requirements and rewards learning instead of discouraging failure is necessary to bring innovation to NATO more rapidly, keynote speakers and panelists emphasized on Day 2 of NITEC17.

general 1 489 1 about-us/newsroom/clear-communication-essential-to-success.aspx Justin 'Tom' Unthank, Project Manager for the NCI Agency's Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line, was recently responsible for delivering the connectivity of five out of eight NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) in record time. In this article, he talks about getting the job done under tight deadlines. with the help of participating Nations Justin began managing communications and information systems (CIS) projects long before he was recruited by the NCI Agency. Prior to his current role, he served 24 years in the British Royal Corps of Signals of the British Army, sometimes in operational theatre. In 2012 for example, Justin worked as Technical Project Manager delivering Intelligence, Surveillance, Target, Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability to 72 locations across the Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan When asked about the difference between managing projects for the military and managing them for the Agency, Justin explained that Agency project management is very much in line with the defence sector. And he really enjoys working on Urgent Operational Requirements They [the requirements] need to be delivered very quickly, and without fuss. In the military, you have very clear chains of command through which decisions are pushed through rapidly and uniformly. In a customer-funded Agency, it is rather stakeholder and customer management together with clear and simple communication skills that are the vital mechanisms for succes , Justin said. Every project has a carefully planned timeline, group of stakeholders and budget. Nevertheless, when carrying out the plans, there is always an element of surprise, even for the project manager This is where the Program Manager really earns his or her salt! We had many instances such as these during the installation phases of the NFIU project . Justin recalled one of many emergency situations solved thanks to great teamwork On the third day of the installation of NFIU Slovakia, we visited both ends of the network, only to find that nothing worked! Not to panic, we tested our equipment and everything looked in good order. Some minor changes were made but there was still no connection. This is when stress levels in the technical team started to grow, but there was still no panic. After thorough testing by the service provider and by our team, who spent a day and night troubleshooting, plan B seemed to get closer and closer and with the clock ticking, it was looking increasingly uncertain that we would succeed in the allotted timeframe. But we eventually found a glitch in the service provider's network. It was as if a huge rock had fallen off our chests – the sun was shining again. After losing a day and a half with troubleshooting, we did what we're good at – we rolled up our sleeves and got back to work as quickly as possible to stick with the original plan and finish on time! The NFIU project stretches over the whole Eastern part of Europe. This sort of scope comes with complications, and delivering the NFIUS from Brussels may seem at the very least complicated if not impossible. In order to deliver the project successfully, Justin said he made sure to get personally involved, travelling to the various sites as often as needed, so as to have a better understanding of the customers' requirements. For me, the best results are achieved most effectively when requirements are discussed face-to-face. Sure enough, highly detailed and accurate project documentation sets are key for delivery, but I find that customers appreciate a more human approach. If you're present on site, you can manage tasks and resources first hand. You have to speak a language people understand, and make sure your message and directions are received clearly. This level of personal involvement and the number of NFIU locations meant managing the project required a lot of travel. While this sort of commitment might not suit everyone, it was part of the job's appeal for Justin the main elements that attracted me to the project was the travel and meeting people, and being able to engage with the . And what happens to a project manager when his project has come to an end? A well-deserved rest and a lot of self-reflection, before looking for new projects to lead. During the Project Delivery Phase, I would self-reflect on key points and ask myself 'Did that go well?' Or 'Could I have done anything differently?' I would recollect all the problems and challenges I had to solve and think 'What would have happened if I hadn't been there to deal with those issues?' So, in the end, feeling accomplished, feeling that I largely contributed to solving an 'unsolvable' problem is what really counts Now that my involvement with the NFIU project has all but come to an end, I have a number of new projects and activities in which I fully intend to deliver the same level of service. I will become the Change Project Manager for the Kosovo Force's Operations and Maintenance services, and who knows, maybe I'll be working on the NFIUs agai , Justin said.

Justin 'Tom' Unthank, Project Manager for the NCI Agency's Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line, was recently responsible for delivering the connectivity of five out of eight NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs) in record time. In this article, he talks about getting the job done under tight deadlines. with the help of participating Nations.

general 1 490 1 about-us/newsroom/cognitive-computing-the-rise-of-the-smart-machine.aspx Opportunities It is likely that we will see the introduction of these technologies into NATO systems in the coming five years. Some Nations are already using cognitive technologies for specialized analysis, particularly in the intelligence world or to supplement call centre staff One of the first areas we might see adoption is in the Centralized Service Desk (CSD) type of applications. Using technology that is available today, we can provide a 24/7 service that can resolve perhaps 50% of help tickets. This is in line with what is reported by large banks and other institutions that have adopted this technology. This can save money and increase service levels Cognitive technologies are very good at analysing large amounts of data and identifying anomalies. In our world, this could include automated extraction of intelligence data from video imagery, pattern analysis of maritime traffic looking for unusual behaviour – perhaps indicating smuggling or piracy – or looking for patterns of behaviour which could help identify insider threats Another area where we see this technology being adopted in the short term is in healthcare. These tools can be used to assist in a diagnosis, reducing the possibility that overworked or fatigued doctors might overlook symptoms. A doctor will still be involved, but as a tool assisting the doctor to make better diagnoses, this technology has great potential. We may see this in our medical applications and field hospitals Threats As smart machines become increasingly capable, they will become viable alternatives to human workers under certain circumstances, leading to what has come to be known as 'Virtual Talent'. This is likely to have a profound impact on the labour market. This may lead to a utopic society where robots do all the work and we enjoy much more leisure time. However, it is equally likely to lead to high rates of unemployment and unrest. This may create tensions in societies affecting our business A super intelligent AI will be extremely good at accomplishing its goals, and if those goals aren't aligned with ours, we're in troubl . - Stephen Hawkin We also have seen new types of cyber threats emerge as these technologies have proliferated. Because they learn from their experiences, they can be taught bad behaviours as well as good. There was a recent case where Microsoft released a 'chatbot' via Twitter named Tay that could reply to simple text exchanges in an intelligent way, providing a virtual friend. Within 24 hours of its launch, people had taught Tay behaviours associated with the Nazi regime and so it was decommissioned by Microsoft Well-respected scientists and Industry leaders are cautiously warning about the potential negative impacts of these technologies, prophesizing a danger to our very existence. As machines get smarter and more independent, it is possible that they will start to make decisions and take actions that are not to our advantage. Industry leaders such as Elon Musk are suggesting that there should be some sort of regulation of this technology to ensure it benefits mankind Conclusions Cognitive Computing is advancing rapidly and will affect us in many predictable and unpredictable ways. This advance cannot be stopped so we must be ready for it - either to adopt it to our advantage or to be prepared to defend ourselves against it. With the open sourcing of Google's TensorFlow, this technology is within everyone's reach – for good or bad

For decades, results of Artificial Intelligence (AI) research remained relatively unimpressive. But the creation of viable AI products, and this technology becoming more mainstream have changed the way we look at smart machines. We've seen the headlines Deep Blue, IBM's supercomputer, defeats chess champion Garry Kasparov – 1997; IBM's supercomputer Watson trounces its two competitors on television – 2011; Google's AlphaGo beats Go master Lee Se-dol – 2016. This technology is definitely arriving in a hurry. And if predictions on the rate of adoption over the next few years are accurate, this will transform our lives in many profound ways.

general 1 491 1 about-us/newsroom/eyes-on-isil.aspx The airborne IP chat capability was first developed to facilitate particpation of the NAEW&C Force in the Alliance mission in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2014. Since then, the Agency has continued to update the capability, to keep it as operationally effective and secure as possible. These efforts have also ensured the AWACS could contribute to the Coalition's efforts to counter-ISIL The airborne chat capability was an important entry ticket for the NAEW&C Force to get into the mission in Afghanistan, as the theatre commander required all key command and control assets to be able to coordinate within a common communications environment. Essentially, he said 'Unless you can get into the IP chat network, then don't come, because you won't be able to communicate with us'. It's the same now with their latest operation - in order to add real operational value, the AWACS must be able to share timely and accurate information collected with other players in the landscape, Mr Roper noted. The AWACS do not coordinate Coalition air strikes or provide command and control for fighter aircraft. However, their surveillance function can make a huge difference to operations. Air Commodore Paddy Teakle, Deputy Commander, NATO AEW&C Force Command, previously commented There are Coalition assets flying in Syria who have no picture of the air traffic and the movement of aircraft around them. AWACS can provide that picture which will give those pilots a greater situational awareness to be able to use the airspace safely. This is a true military capability and the coalition have been crying out for coverage in that region and NATO in direct support of the coalition are providing that picture in an area that previously has only been covered sporadically. The Agency is also working with the NATO AEW&C Programme Management Agency (NAPMA) to help keep the E-3A AWACS platform relevant until 2035 - when it is likely to be replaced. NAPMA and the NAEW&C Force have already identified a range of things they believe are essential to keep NATO AWACS operationally viable - some relate to the aircraft itself, others to the mission system, Mr Roper revealed. There is a need to ensure the air vehicle is able to operate safely and the mission system capability is operationally relevant in current and future NATO missions. Part of what we'll be looking at in the near future is ensuring the cryptographic capabilities are upgraded so all the information [from the AWACS] is protected. That's increasingly difficult in the cyber context of today's world

It is important that the NCI Agency moves as rapidly as the Alliance's operations demand. It is a badge of honour that our staff has directly supported every single operation and mission NATO has ever conducted. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when NATO's 'Eye in the Sky', the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft were sent to boost the Global Coalition to counter the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), NCI Agency services played a critical role.

general 1 492 1 about-us/newsroom/stateoftheart-training-among-the-fjords-of-norway.aspx NATO's Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) offers modern training facilities, equipped with advanced technological solu­tions, in an unparalleled location - the woods of picturesque Norway, looking over the Dale fjords, secluded from the busy city of Stavanger. Simulation in a real arena JWC is one of NATO's leading collective training and exercise facilities at the strategic and operational level, falling under the command of the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. Its 'old' wing was built in 2003, and a new complex has recently been added to the facility to fulfil the requirements of the operational training given to the highest ranking officials of NATO and Partner Nations. JWC plays a key role in NATO's most complex exercises, like the TRIDENT Juncture/Jaguar/Javelin series, the largest Command Post exercises in NATO's history to this day. Such exercises have immense personnel, logistics, infrastructure, and IT requirements, and JWC has to be prepared to model all possible operations scenarios and train commanders in all the above fields. Thanks to the facility's all-round approach to simulation and problem-solving, combined with its state-of-the-art equipment, JWC is the place where this can happen to the last tiny detail. When it comes to training military commanders, it is essential to provide them with realistic scenarios, which are at least as challenging as real life incidents might be. Therefore, the JWC provides training scenarios which take into consideration the moves of troops, the reaction of adversaries and the media environment. All these elements rely on a robust Communications and Information Systems (CIS) infrastructure to be effective, requiring continuous expert support. Highest standards in Communications and Information Services The NCI Agency's CIS Support Unit (CSU) Stavanger is responsible for delivering these CIS services to JWC. The Agency's role is two-fold in this special environment. On one hand, it provides the IT expertise needed for day-to-day business for permanent JWC staff, while on the other hand, it manages dynamic and flexible event services, such as setting up new, customized IT infrastructure every time in support of exercises at the same time. Communication among personnel who are participating in the training need to be simulated as if it was real. This means video conferences or telephone conversations need to be classified, when required, and networks and connection have to be just as mobilizable as they would be in operations. Since the Alliance has officially recognized Cyberspace as the fourth operational domain, beside Air, Land, and Sea, computer-assisted exercises (CAX) have become an even more indispensable part of regular NATO training and operation exercises than before. They are cost-efficient and a highly effective means of reducing risk and facilitating multinational participation from different locations. Trident Juncture 16 driven by simulatio Trident Juncture 2016 involved many Nations with individuals from varied backgrounds. Its success demonstrated the determination and drive of all personnel involved, including that of the Joint Warfare Centre, the Agency's CSU in Stavanger and the Education and Training Service Line staff who collaborated to ensure the provision of a simulation environment During exercise Trident Juncture 2016, and now lately the Trident Jaguar 2017, JWC was the primary enabler for computer-assisted exercises. The CSU provided Simulation Tools and the Command and Control Systems stimulation. Simulation is an interactive tool used (among others) to model Joint Air, Land and Maritime environment and behaviour. It consists of several component programs, which are closely related and integrated into a system allowing CAX Teams to create the required scenario databases, simulate unit behaviour, and report the results given. Apart from simulation, in reality, the Agency provides JWC an entire arena of CIS solutions, ranging from simulated news broadcast distribution to re-routing to air traffic control simulation; in Stavanger and at remote locations, just as it would happen in real life. Essentially, a virtual world built up for a specific purpose. All aided by computers. The Joint Forces Training Centre (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, supported by CSU Bydgoszcz, also conduct similar type of exercises, however on a operational/tactical level. The two training centres therefore together fulfill the overall requirement for staff training and preparation for future missions through advanced simulation and computer aided stimulation

NATO's Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) offers modern training facilities, equipped with advanced technological solu¬tions, in an unparalleled location - the woods of picturesque Norway, looking over the Dale fjords, secluded from the busy city of Stavanger.

general 1 493 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-signs-user-device-contract-worth-up-to-45-million-eur.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed a framework contract with Bechtle AG for the supply of equipment in support of NATO's IT Modernization (ITM) project.The contract is worth up to 45 million EUR and will be carried out over four years. Bechtle AG has agreed to deliver end-user equipment throughout the entire execution of the ITM project, which represents the largest upgrade of NATO's IT infrastructure in recent years ITM will strengthen NATO's IT, enhance information security, and increase the mobility and agility of the workforce, among other benefits. As part of the project, IT equipment across the Alliance will be refreshed, with Industry partners delivering standardized hardware and homogeneous applications. Bechtle AG will notably provide laptops, tablets, monitors and other end-user devices in strong partnership with Dell Inc General Dynamics IT was awarded the main ITM contrac on 30 March 2017. The multinational company is responsible for designing, implementing, testing and activating the project's new functional services, as well as installing and integrating user equipment provided by Bechtle AG. During the first phase of ITM, two data centres will be established at NATO sites in Mons (Belgium) and Lago Patria (Italy), while other locations such as Norfolk (United States), Northwood (United Kindgom), Izmir (Turkey), and Sigonella (Italy) will host enhanced computing capabilities. Two geographically separated Service Operations Centres will also be established Then, in subsequent phases, the ITM Project will integrate NATO HQ in Brussels (Belgium) as a third data centre, and implement additional enhanced and standard nodes across Europe. Seven sites will be upgraded in the first phase of ITM, which will eventually cover 44 sites. The first phase of the project has a very aggressive schedule and is estimated to be completed by September 2018

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed a framework contract with Bechtle AG for the supply of equipment in support of NATO's IT Modernization (ITM) project.The contract is worth up to 45 million EUR and will be carried out over four years. Bechtle AG has agreed to deliver end-user equipment throughout the entire execution of the ITM project, which represents the largest upgrade of NATO's IT infrastructure in recent years.

general 1 494 1 about-us/newsroom/natos-tech-arm-to-expand-presence-in-the-hague.aspx The Mayor of The Hague, Ms Pauline Krikke, NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, and senior Dutch officials took part in a groundbreaking ceremony on 22 May to mark the beginning of a major expansion of the NCI Agency's location in The Hague, Netherlands The project will see a significantly upgraded building, as well as an expansion of the space to accommodate additional NATO technical staff The works are paid for by the Dutch Government and will be executed in several phases, over a period of three years Consolidation of technical wor The expansion of NATO's technical footprint in The Hague is part of a broader effort to streamline NATO's IT by co-locating staff working on similar functions History is coming full circle; NATO came to The Hague in 1955 to establish what was called the SHAPE Air Defence Technical Centre, said NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers at the ceremony, Now we are bringing teams working on the technical aspects of Air Command and Control from across the Alliance here in The Hague, significantly expanding the technical work that will be done here. The NCI Agency, NATO's tech and cyber arm, is supporting NATO missions and operations at over 30 locations, but its technical work is concentrated in two Mons, Belgium, which focuses on operating and defending the Alliance's networks, and The Hague, the Netherlands, where advanced software is developed and maintained, and where NATO's cyber innovation team is located

The Mayor of The Hague, Ms Pauline Krikke, NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers, and senior Dutch officials took part in a groundbreaking ceremony on 22 May to mark the beginning of a major expansion of the NCI Agency's location in The Hague, Netherlands.

general 1 495 1 about-us/events.aspx 26-28 May 202 NITEC 202 We regret to inform you that we are postponing NITEC20 – NATO’s largest tech industry engagement. The event was originally scheduled to take place on 26-28 May in Austin, Texas, United States. This is why we are planning to host the next NITEC event in spring 2021. Stay tuned for the save the date announcement for our next event Read more about key event

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general 1 496 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-breaks-ground-on-portugal-it-academy.aspx On 23 May 2017, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers and top Portuguese officials marked the start of construction of a prestigious NATO training facility in Oeiras, Portugal The NCI Academy will provide expert training to civilian and military staff from NATO and its member countries on the Alliance's advanced IT and cyber systems, both software and hardware. Operators trained in the Academy will go on to man NATO's IT and communications systems, as well as its air, ballistic and cyber defences We are breaking ground on the construction of an Academy that will be a pillar of a modern, future-ready NAT , said the General Manager in his opening speech, The Academy will be a hub and incubator for Industry, academia and vendors involved in training technolog . State-of-the-art facilitie Not only will the subject matter taught at the Academy be cutting-edge. The facility itself will be state-of-the-art, with advanced technology connecting it to training locations in Nations, Industry and Academia Once fully operational, in the third quarter of 2019, it will replace several Agency training facilities, including the NATO Communications and Information Systems School in Latina, Italy, and the Air Command and Control Training School in Glons, Belgium A breathtaking locatio Construction works, worth around 20 million EUR and funded entirely by NATO's Security Investment Programme (NSIP), are set to be completed in October 2018 The public tender, approved by the Portuguese Council of Ministers in June 2016, was won by Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção S.A, a major construction company in Portugal. The contract for the construction was signed in March 2017 by the Portuguese Ministry of Defence and the company The contract foresees the construction of a 13,000sqm building. These facilities will be built within the scenic Compound Reduto Gomes Freire, in Oeiras, Portugal, the former home of Allied Joint Force Command Lisbon, which currently hosts NATO's Naval Striking and Support Forces, a detachment of the Alliance's Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre and a national Portuguese command The building of the Academy is part of the overall process of streamlining NATO's IT facilities, launched in 2012

On 23 May 2017, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, NCI Agency General Manager Koen Gijsbers and top Portuguese officials marked the start of construction of a prestigious NATO training facility in Oeiras, Portugal.

general 1 497 1 about-us/newsroom/supporting-allied-maritime-command-anytime--anywhere.aspx The keyresponsibility of this CSU unit, based in the United Kingdom, is to supportNATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM). In 2016, this support included 28 missionsto NATO flagships, 79 individual deployments to the ships, and 311 full workingdays of on-site support across 19 different locations Chock-a-block schedul Life at the NCI Agency's CIS Support Unit (CSU) Northwood is seldom dull and often choppy as our experts must be ready to deploy within a moment's notice regardless of limited resources. Of the many ships from the Allied Navies that conduct operations and exercises across NATO's Area of Responsibility, the four flagships groups – the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), SNMG2, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) and SNMCMG2 – generate the greatest workload for the CSU. These groups provide NATO with a continuous maritime capability in periods of crisis as well as peacetime, and CIS is a key enabler in support of their mission. Much of the groups' recent activities involved monitoring Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov battle group. Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's sole aircraft-carrying heavy cruiser set sail for the Mediterranean in October 2016 accompanied by nuclear-powered battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy, anti-submarine destroyers Severomorsk and Vice Admiral Kulakov and other support ships. The Admiral Kuznetsov battle group travelled as far as Syria and was eventually ordered back to base to get refitted early this year. This monitoring activity would not be possible without the CSU's support as it configures the equipment required for NATO Standing Naval Force flagships to share their maritime situational awareness and connect to one another. The CSU also provides remote support to NATO CIS services during the ships' tour of duty so that they can be in constant contact with the headquarters, through secure networks. Come hell or high wate 2017 picked up where 2016 left off, but with renewed intensity as CSU Northwood juggled simultaneous handovers for two of the Standing Naval Force (SNF) flagships. The efficient unit was also tasked to install a full suite of NATO CIS tools on Spain's frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón for her continued assignment to SNMG2. Conducting three simultaneous missions had a major impact on resources in Northwood and could have affected the CSU's support to Allied Maritime Command. After careful consideration, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications and Information Systems and the MARCOM Command Group accepted the risk to local services delivery during this intense period. Fortunately, the Agency was able to maintain its services, and this busy period passed without any incident. The year also kicked off with new partnerships for the CSU as it worked for the first time with the Estonian Navy during a transfer of CIS tools. The transfer was the culmination of an earlier site survey and many months of dialogue to ensure pre-installation work was carried out. Support from the Agency's Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line is critical at the installation phase and once again close co-operation with the team ensured connectivity requirements were met. Closer to home was the installation of a SNF CIS suite on the Polish ship ORP Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki during a port visit to Portsmouth, United Kingdom. This CIS system was de-installed and recovered from Greece in December and delivered to Northwood with days to spare. This illustrates the close cooperation between CSU Northwood and other stakeholders to meet tight deadlines. The Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki is the new flagship commanding a multinational integrated force that projects a constant and visible reminder of NATO's solidarity and cohesion in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The surge of SNF work in the first quarter of 2017 was completed successfully but further taskings are expected to be assigned as months go by. Another four missions relating to surveys and discrete support activities are being planned for execution for the first half of the year and as always, it's all hands on deck at CSU Northwood.

The key responsibility of this CSU unit, based in the United Kingdom, is to support NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM). In 2016, this support included 28 missions to NATO flagships, 79 individual deployments to the ships, and 311 full working days of on-site support across 19 different locations.

general 1 499 1 about-us/newsroom/from-nci-agency-intern-to-managing-director.aspx In 2012, Coen Janssen landed an internship at the newly-formed NATO Communications and Information Agency. Fast-forward five years, the Dutch national is now the Managing Director of a start-up company he co-founded with fellow whiz kid Maarten Engelen and satellite communications professional Ernst Peter Hovinga. And he's not even 30 years old yet. Here's what Coen had to say about his experience working for the NCI Agency and how it shaped his career choices. Valuable, practical experienc As an aerospace engineering and entrepreneurship student, I was invited to speak at the 2012 NATO Network Enabled Capability Conference on nanosatellites and the future of military operations There, I had the opportunity to meet many senior executives in the technology and defense Industry including Mr David Burton, former Chief Technology Officer of the NCI Agency, and the General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, who happily accepted my application for an internship which was a mandatory part of my Master's programme. During my internship, I had the privilege to look into innovation management and the organizational changes that were taking place at the time at the Agency. The amount of responsibility that was given to me from the start, and the help I received from colleagues and mentors such as Dr Paul Howland - the Agency's Chief of Command and Control Services - made a great impact on my professional career. Although I've always made career choices based on my interests rather than thinking about building the perfect CV, NATO is a great name to be able to mention during interviews and business conversations. But the real impact came from the experience I obtained and the people I encountered during my time at the Agency. I went on to work at XCOR, a commercial space company, Deutsche Bank, and after a quick stint at a strategic consultancy firm, I was approached by a venture capital advisory firm to consider investing in the new commercial aerospace market. Together with several professional investors, we founded a small investment firm and did several investments in the new space industry. Eventually, we thought it was time to create our own company. And we saw a niche market in the area of satellite communications, without too much global competition so we decided to work out the initial business plan and build a team around it. Over a year later, we launched Magnitude Space. We now have over ten staff members and we have raised our first funds Innovating to open new market Magnitude Space is a start-up in the aerospace market. It is building a nano-satellite platform to provide low-cost global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for sensors. This IoT connectivity allows us to provide global insights at an affordable cost. We do this by gathering sensor data in rural areas and delivering it via our web portal to our customers. These sensors could eventually collect information on sea currents, pipelines, animals, containers, allowing users to track data at a low cost. They could also gather simple observational data such as velocity, temperature, humidity, the presence of carbon dioxide, or even security data. There is a multitude of fixed applications which are currently not served by either terrestrial nor satellite infrastructure such as flood and fire warning systems, perimeter security, global net monitoring in remote areas… That's what we want to change. And in that respect, I think the vision of the Agency and Magnitude Space are pretty much aligned we want to be seen as a trusted enabler of information and we also want to earn customers' confidence through agility, innovation and affordable solutions. Innovation management and organizational changes are key for a start-up, although many other challenges arise when building up an organization instead of changing it. We also always have to be at the cutting edge of technology. We're providing global insights at an unprecedented cost level, enabling tons of new markets and applications. We can only do this with newly-developed technology and by building our own space infrastructure I think it's really interesting to see that the Agency's General Manager Mr Gijsbers has made innovation a priority within the organization, and that there is a renewed focus on partnerships with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Governmental and inter-governmental organizations usually have long 'sale cycles' and therefore are -somewhat challenging as first customers for SMEs. The decision-making processes in place are bureaucratic and slow, whereas start-ups and SMEs are usually more agile, quick to decide and adapt to new situations and innovations. But it's very positive to see that there is talk about streamlining these processes to make this sort of partnerships more likely

In 2012, Coen Janssen landed an internship at the newly-formed NATO Communications and Information Agency. Fast-forward five years, the Dutch national is now the Managing Director of a start-up company he co-founded with fellow whiz kid Maarten Engelen and satellite communications professional Ernst Peter Hovinga. And he's not even 30 years old yet. Here's what Coen had to say about his experience working for the NCI Agency and how it shaped his career choices.

general 1 500 1 about-us/newsroom/telemedicine-how-digital-technology-is-saving-lives.aspx Mortality rates can be reduced if information exchange is reliable, fast and accurate, so establishing rapid and reliable telecommunications systems specifically directed toward the disaster medical field is one of the most important challenges, Mr Hostiuc added During a disaster, communication may be congested or overloaded and the local administration may be damaged or not properly equipped to make contact with neighbouring areas to request help. Therefore, emergency communications systems, including contingency systems, should be quickly prepared and installed in areas where terrestrial communications lines or systems are unreliable, damaged, or non-existent. The team also had to take into account any potential legal or language issues that may arise during emergency situations to ensure that telemedicine could be deployed After two years of development, NATO's Multinational Telemedicine System was tested live successfully in two of the Alliance's exercises, in 2015 in Ukraine and in 2016 in Montenegro. The Science for Peace and Security Programme Conference marked the completion of the project on 24 February 2017. It has been suggested that this system could be used in the future by NATO in partnership with other organizations such as the European Union, the United Nations or the World Health Organization to provide humanitarian relief. Ambassador Ducaru remarked [This] system can improve access to health services and increase survival rates in emergency situations that spans both geography and time zones.

Over 50 miners are trapped underground after a sulphur mine collapsed in western Ukraine. At least five of the miners have suffered severe burns as a result of the accident which took place this morning at 5am, close to Yavoriv, a town near the Polish border. Dozens of people were also injured as a gas explosion in the mine, 300 metres below ground, triggered earth tremors which destroyed nearby buildings and roads. Emergency services fear further casualties as it is believed the quake may have caused a chemical leak when it hit nearby factories. Ukrainian authorities have now called for assistance with disaster relief efforts.

general 1 501 1 about-us/newsroom/afghanistan-marking-14-years-of-agency-support.aspx Mr Lesbaupin added Within the RS SSG, Agency personnel lead the Afghanistan Mission Network Operation Centre (AMNOC), coordinate the use and maintenance of all Functional Area Services (FAS), supervise CIS depot activities and support projects on site, including interfacing continuously with the outsourced CIS provider. So, although security responsibilities have been transferred to the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF), the mission continues to evolve and remains challenging. The Warsaw Summit committed NATO Support to Afghanistan until at least 2020. This means that in comings years, the NCI Agency will have opportunity to continue to improve its staff's experience and knowledge through the support it provides to RS, and by deploying personnel to Afghanistan.

The NCI Agency has been contributing to operations in Afghanistan since 2003, when NATO took the lead of the United Nations-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). While Afghan forces have now taken over responsibility for security from NATO, and the ISAF mission ended in 2014, the Agency continues to deploy personnel to the central Asian country to this day. It now provides operational analysis, cyber security and some CIS services to NATO's follow-on Resolute Support (RS) mission which aims to further train and assist Afghan security forces and institutions. Although Resolute Support is a 'non-combat' mission, it remains challenging, commented Erick Lesbaupin from the NCI Agency's Operations and Exercises Service Line.

general 1 502 1 about-us/newsroom/welcome-montenegro-E28093-connecting-natos-newest-ally.aspx My first involvement with Montenegro was in September 2016, with initial site surveys and participation in an ongoing Accession and Integration Working Group. These Working Group meetings have been taking place throughout the last two years, and will continue after the accession, because it is not only about establishing Montenegro within NATO, but also looking at developing their capabilities, and integrating them as they move forward. Accession is only the first step of that Mr Copner added. We received the project authorization in November 2016, and delivered the CIS required for accession ahead of the formal ceremony. The project was delivered on time and within budget. Montenegro became a full member on 7th June 2017, but the journey of defence capability development is just beginning. It became clear that we needed to share with Montenegro our experience and NATO's best practices for protecting CIS, in terms of understanding the NATO policies and procedures for secure networks. We have spent a lot of time working together on the procedural level. A representative of Allied Command Operations and myself headed back to Montenegro on the week of their accession to ensure that all went smoothly and to be certain that, before the secure networks went live, all of NATO's various security requirements were met.

As Montenegro became NATO's newest Member Country this June, the NCI Agency connected the Balkan Nation to the rest of the Alliance.

general 1 503 1 about-us/newsroom/knowledge-sharing-with-ukraine-gains-momentum.aspx In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict NATO's cooperation with Ukraine has been intensifying since 2014, especially in critical areas. The NCI Agency contributes to the Alliance's knowledge-sharing initiative with expertise in the field of Command, Control, Communications and Computer (C4), to help Ukraine build their own robust and resilient CIS capabilities. As a tangible step, the first NATO-Ukraine C4 Knowledge Sharing Workshop was launched by the NCI Agency in May, at the Military Institute of Telecommunications and Information in Kiev, Ukraine The main objective was to share NATO practices in developing C4 capabilities, and to assist the Ukrainians in developing their own programmes of work. NATO subject matter experts, including NCI Agency, NATO HQ, ACT, and national military representatives also helped to familiarize Ukrainian participants with NATO doctrine, standards and current operating procedures. Throughout its two-week duration, the workshop was attended by over one hundred Ukrainian staff from across its state security forcesand involved representatives from many different functional areas. The event was the first of a number of such occasions planned to be conducted under the NATO-Ukraine C4 Knowledge Sharing Initiative. In addition to the workshops, the Initiative will also provide funding for selected Ukrainian staff to attend key NATO-led C4 events and to attend selected C4 focused training courses both at the NATO School in Oberammergau and the NATO CIS School in Latina.

In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict NATO's cooperation with Ukraine has been intensifying since 2014, especially in critical areas. The NCI Agency contributes to the Alliance's knowledge-sharing initiative with expertise in the field of Command, Control, Communications and Computer (C4), to help Ukraine build their own robust and resilient CIS capabilities.

general 1 504 1 about-us/newsroom/happy-birthday--amnoc.aspx The Afghan Mission Network Operations Centre (AMNOC) facility has just celebrated its fourth birthday. The current centre was set up in June 2013 to ensure the interoperability of troops contributing to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan. While a previous operations centre existed on site, the 'new' AMNOC was purpose-built as a hardened facility to ensure continuity of CIS management and supervision. Over 70 people initially moved into the new building located in Kabul Afghanistan International Airport North and it has since hosted up to 100 specialists at a time AMNOC was designed as a Mission Critical round-the-clock capability providing System Management and Single Enterprise Service Management for all the NATO Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities deployed in Afghanistan. On 12 July 2013, the day of the centre's official opening ceremony, Major General Dieter Warnecke, the Deputy Commander of ISAF Joint Command at the time, commented The new AMNOC enables all communication links from the ISAF Joint Command to command and control its subordinate units. It also establishes connection to the higher echelon and flanking commands, as well as the gateway to NATO CIS back in Europe and North America. Moreover, the new AMNOC provides the 'plug in' for all National extensions of the Afghanistan Mission Network In 2017, AMNOC is still a state-of-the-art facility supporting one of NATO's most important missions. Four years later, we still have one of the best work-spots in the whole of Resolute Support. Everybody who visits this place is really taken by surprise that this well-maintained and nice working place exists in Afghanistan. After seeing it, all our visitors also understand that we are capable of providing a TOP CIS-services here in Resolute Suppor Walter Stienaers, AMNOC's current director said as he commemorated the special occasion

The Afghan Mission Network Operations Centre (AMNOC) facility has just celebrated its fourth birthday. The current centre was set up in June 2013 to ensure the interoperability of troops contributing to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan.

general 1 505 1 about-us/newsroom/top-us-official-takes-helm-of-nci-agency.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has welcomed its new General Manager. On 1 July 2017, former senior US Department of Defense official Kevin J Scheid officially took the helm of NATO's tech and cyber organization. He is the first US official to hold the post Mr Scheid will be leading NATO' 3 billion EUR technology and cyber refresh, besides ensuring that NATO's networks are secure and resilient. Mr Scheid previously served the Alliance. Between 2009 through 2012, he held the joint titles of Deputy General Manager, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Acquisition of one of the Agency's predecessors, the NATO Consultation Command and Control Agency (NC3A) Speaking about his new appointment, Mr Scheid commented At the core of the NCI Agency are not just big programmes or technology. At its core are its people – a tremendous collection of talented men and women from your Nations, personnel who work together daily to preserve peace and project stabilit . He also remarked that the Agency would have a big role to play in future capability development for the Alliance. Nations are investing more in defence and expanding their capabilities in Information Technology, cyber security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. These are the Agency's core capabilities, he noted Read our first interview with the new General Manager her Biograph

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has welcomed its new General Manager.

general 1 506 1 about-us/newsroom/conversation-with-kevin-scheid.aspx I do not have particularly good habits. I enjoy working, I am single, I don't have a family and I am a bit obsessive at work which is not healthy Knowing that, I am trying to get some balance by exercising a lot and that's where I got into mountaineering and climbing a few years ago. And the climbing is less important than the months of training that lead up to it and that's where it pays off health-wise As I hit some critical birthdays, it sort of reminded me I needed to take care of myself. Mountaineering is tough on the body, I've had altitude sickness a few times. It's a real personal challeng All you're doing is putting one foot in front of another. It's very simple in principle but it's very complicated when you try to climb at higher altitudes. And there's nothing gray about it, it's either black or white. You train and you train and you prepare, and you either make it or you don't I like that clarity about it, because there is only one spot at the top, so you work to get to the top. There's not a lot of clarity in modern life, but with climbing it is clear. Climbing is also a team sport. At higher altitudes, you are roped to your team members and you either work together or you fail. Unsurprisingly, his attitude to sport is not far off his attitude to business They're dependent on you, you're dependent on them and you have to work together as a team A lot of what we do with the Agency, a lot of what we do in business to achieve big things, means working as a team. So while he may be permanently assessing the situation and the people in front of him, and he may ask some tough questions, Scheid really is a team-player I want to walk the halls and meet people on the first day. I want to engage with people directly so that they know they can talk to the General Manager, and the General Manager hears what they are saying, knows what they are doing and that there is connection there. So be ready for that knock on your door because Scheid intends to move mountains with your help

Kevin J Scheid discusses his career to date and his plans for the NCI Agency as the new General Manager.

general 1 507 1 about-us/newsroom/a-history-of-nato-support.aspx The NCI Agency flag was first raised on 1 July 2012 in Kabul. It was a Sunday but a normal working day in Afghanistan and perhaps a symbol of our enduring commitment to operations. Shortly after the Agency was established came another Christmas challenge. The conflict in Syria was escalating and cities in nearby Turkey came under threat of Scud missile attacks. The Netherlands, Germany and The United States offered Patriot batteries to augment Turkey’s air defences. The Agency had two weeks over Christmas to connect these Patriot batteries to NATO’s command and control networks and the Alliance’s air commander in Ramstein, Germany. In one of the cities, 3 million people were at risk There is something about Christmases in NATO, said Alessandro Pera, the head of the missile defence programme at the time There is frequently a present in the form of a mission. The connection was done on time, levera­ging the first ever operational use of cloud computing to reduce the amount of hardware (and therefore logistics) needed, giving SACEUR the speed of response he needed. Given the sensitivity, this time there was no CNN visit NATO today is very different from the Alliance in 1955 or 1995. So is the technology community. In 2012, five key pillars of that community merged into one. But just like the Alliance’s fundamental values have endured, the core of what made NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe so proud in 1995 has not changed – a group of talented people determined to rise to any challenge in support of NATO’s soldiers, sailors and airmen and women

Compared to NATO’s nearly seven decades in existence, the NCI Agency seems very young, having been established on 1 July 2012. But our roots reach as far back as 1951 and we should be proud of our DNA. This year’s special anniversary is an opportunity to take an express ride through the rich history that makes us who we are today.

general 1 508 1 knowledge-resource.aspx As a Knowledge Centric Organization (KCO), the NCI Agency recognizes its people and their knowledge as its most valuable asset. The Agency’s Knowledge Management approaches offer staff a variety of means to find, create and share knowledge and experiences and some translate into publications or technical reports made available also to you via this resource. You can request NCI Agency’s knowledge and information materials from our database including technical reports, publications and other resources, up to three product per inquiry As each request must first comply with NATO Security and Information Management release policies, the NCI Agency cannot offer immediate download capabilities. Requests will be processed as soon as possible Please follow steps STEP 1 Search and add maximum 3 publications STEP 2 Complete the form to request resources

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general 1 517 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-cyber-defender-a-way-of-life-1.aspx Frederic Coene is one of the NCI Agency's cyber experts and a member of its Rapid Reaction Team. His mission is to defend NATO networks from cyber-attacks & support Allied Nations when and where needed. Find out more about his work https //t.co/IDpaybL15 . We are secure. We are united. #WeAreNAT https //youtu.be/TiK9IgvOo7

Frederic Coene is one of the NCI Agency's cyber experts and a member of its Rapid Reaction Team.

general 1 518 1 about-us/newsroom/quantum-leap.aspx What are quantum technologies The name comes from breaking down anything - light, matter and energy – into its smallest possible unit, a unit called a “quantum” (plural, quanta). At this scale, all objects stop behaving in the ways we’re used to, the ways classical physics describes them. Instead, quanta behave in ways that are difficult to comprehend. They often behave as if they’re two things at once, for example, a photon (a quantum of light) behaves as if it is both a particle and a wave. This results in quanta having two properties which have huge potential to transform technology. The first is that, at this scale, objects can be in two states or places at the same time (known as superposition); the second is that two quanta can affect each other even though they are far apart (known as entanglement) Both superposition and entanglement have the potential of transforming many aspects of our business in the future. Quantum computing and decrypting dat Superposition and entanglement offer tremendous possibilities for computing. Whereas classical computing uses units – ‘bits’ – which are either a “0” or a “1”, in a quantum computer, the quantum bits – ‘qubits’ - can be both 0 and 1 at once. This phenomenon, coupled with algorithms for quantum computing allows certain problems to be calculated with a much lower level of computational effort. Communications systems remain secure by making it prohibitively difficult to decrypt the transmitted information without access to the key. Variants of public key encryption (where everyone can see the public key which is used to encrypt the data, but only the recipient has access to the private key which is needed to decrypt it) rely on it being too difficult to calculate the private key to decrypt data, even when someone has the public key. As the key gets longer, it becomes exponentially more difficult to attack Attacking public key encryption involves a lot of computationally-intensive searching and factoring of large numbers. With traditional computers, these functions are very time-consuming, even for modern processors. So the security of public key encryption relies on searching and factoring numbers being very complex. However, algorithms for quantum computing that exploit the superposition property of quantum computers have dramatically changed this. A quantum computer can attack public key encryption much more effectively, drastically reducing the security of communications systems For example Shor’s algorithm can quickly factor numbers, while Grover’s algorithm speeds up searches. As factoring and searching are exactly the functions which make public key encryption so secure, advances in quantum computation, such as these algorithms, cryptographic problems which were difficult and not solvable in reasonable timeframes using conventional computing, have become fairly trivial problems for a quantum computer. Across the defence industry, it is evident that quantum computing poses a credible threat to some security mechanisms currently in use. In fact, it makes some of our current generation encryption technologies obsolete. In some cases, quantum computing effectively halves the length of the key. As quantum processing power increases and programming techniques advance, the threat to eavesdrop on traffic, or to decrypt historic data grows significantly as well. Quantum safe cryptograph Does quantum computing mean all encryption is compromised? Not completely. There are challenges to manufacture quantum processors which are effective against current algorithms. But state-of-the-art technology is advancing rapidly and the true capabilities available in most research labs remains secret (especially in some government research facilities). To counter the threat posed by quantum computing, the concept of ‘quantum-safe cryptography’ has developed in recent years. This uses encryption algorithms in conjunction with other mathematical functions to encrypt data in ways which are difficult for quantum computing to analyze. Quantum-safe algorithms have been developed, and equipment using these algorithms is beginning to become available commercially. In 2015, a small company specializing in quantum-safe cryptography participated in the NCI Agency’s cyber security technology incubator, as part of the Agency’s Innovation Programme. PostQuantum Ltd produced a messaging App which protects data with a quantum-safe algorithm and additional security features. PostQuantum Ltd is now delivering quantum safe cryptographic products to commercial telecom operators, IT providers and the finance industry. Quantum communicatio While quantum technologies pose a threat to encryption, they offer a solution to another communications challenge – detecting whether your communications have been compromised. Whenever an unknown quantum state is measured, the state changes in some way. This provides a very useful property to identify if communications have been intercepted and it is exploited in Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). QKD is the first quantum technology to emerge in commercial use. Civilian standards for QKD are already being developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and others, while companies such as IDquantique offer commercial services. QKD exploits the entanglement property of quantum mechanics to securely distribute keys for conventional communication - the most sensitive element of the communication process. Conventional security mechanisms (often employing quantum-safe cryptography) are then used to protect traffic transmitted conventionally The same quantum principles of QKD can be applied to the entire communication network. A 2000km quantum communication link now operates between Beijing and Shanghai demonstrating the concept is viable for long distances. In August 2016, China also launched a satellite purported to be able to generate and distribute quantum encryption keys from space. Most current technology addresses point-to-point communications, as using this technology for many-to-many network connections is complex. However, there is significant research activity in this area from both the government and commercial sectors, so rapid advances will happen And as the use of QKD becomes more widespread, this tool, while useful for national and international defence, could also pose a threat to our societies as it offers our adversaries coding techniques that are guaranteed to be unbreakable Quantum sensin Quantum technologies in sensing has huge potential, but is likely to have an impact beyond the three to five years window of our Technology Watch series. However quantum radar, and new mechanisms to sense minute changes in gravity, electric field or magnetism have the potential to detect hidden massive objects (machinery and weapons), or movement of people beyond the line of sight, for example in the urban canyons of a modern city environment. Quantum sensing could make our oceans essentially transparent. Quantum radars exploit entanglement and can significantly enhance target detection capabilities. These systems rely on entangled photons – the elementary particles of the electromagnetic field. As such, quantum radars offer a significant improvement in performance and the possibility of detecting and identifying stealth targets. Also, they are more resilient against the use of jamming countermeasures Quantum technology is now firmly into the realm of science fact rather than fiction, as it is providing (or promising) a step-change in the technological capabilities of C4ISR systems – and those of our adversaries

What are quantum technologies?

general 1 519 1 about-us/newsroom/supporting-the-afghan-mission.aspx Final destination, Kabul ” exclaimed the startled airport official, and with that, I found myself leaving the comforts of the Netherlands for the unknowns of Afghanistan. Shortly after starting at the NCI Agency, I heard about the possibility to deploy to the NATO Resolute Support Headquarters and work as an analyst within the Afghan Assessment Group (AAG). I was immediately keen to get involved. I figured deploying to Afghanistan would be a unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience of NATO operations, work closely alongside military and civilian colleagues from around the world, and be part of the broader effort to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces and institutions Boarding the plane at Schiphol in early April, I was very excited about this new challenge, but also unsure of what to expect when landing at Kabul Airport the following day The team I worked with, the AAG, is responsible for campaign assessments of the Resolute Support mission. This includes analyzing progress towards achieving campaign objectives, and improving the way operational data feeds into the commander’s situational awareness by applying both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Since 2011, the Operational Analysis (OA) Service Line (SL) has provided year-round support to this group, through both a deployed analyst on a two-month rotational basis, and also analytical reach-back support from analysts in The Hague, Netherlands. The OA SL analysts provide not only specific technical skills such as expertise in programming and statistics, but also a wealth of experience and ‘corporate knowledge’ gained through years of experience supporting the Resolute Support and ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) missions Some of the products provided by the AAG are only distributed within the Resolute Support mission but some analysis, such as the Periodic Mission Review, makes it all the way to national governments to inform their policy on Afghanistan Life at Resolute Support Headquarters is surprisingly comfortable and varied considering the compound only measures around 1sqkm. Everything is within quick walking distance. There are plenty of amenities including an Italian café, a Turkish and a Thai restaurant and a variety of shops and markets selling everything from authentic carpets, lapis lazuli stones and paintings by local artists. Every Friday, the headquarters welcomes a number of local traders into the camp for a ‘bazaar’ selling even more Afghan wares. This contributes to a source of income for the Afghans working there With an American friend, it’s also possible to head over to the US embassy next door to catch a recently-released movie in their cinema and even enjoy some freshly-made popcorn. The atmosphere on camp is generally very friendly and welcoming given that everyone is away from their friends and family, with military and civilians working together throughout nearly all departments. Our group held a weekly board game and pizza social night, with prizes awarded to the most successful gamer at the end of the month. This was a great way to relax with colleagues after a long working day. Every so often, the updates and sounds from outside the green zone, accompanied by the various alarms and klaxons provided a stark reminder of the situation on the other side of the huge concrete walls and the dangerous reality that the locals face As well as the analytical day job, we were fortunate to be involved in the mission’s Train, Advise and Assist efforts (TAA) which is one of the most fulfilling elements of any deployment to Afghanistan. Every week, we headed over to the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MOD) and provided training to the Plans and Strategy staff in Operations Assessment, Analysis and Data Visualization. A walk to the Afghan MOD, even though inside the ‘green zone’, required a full armed escort and we had to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). But the trip provided a brief and rare glimpse of life outside the compound. As most of the Afghan military don’t speak English, teaching was done through an interpreter. This brought a whole new level of difficulty to the task, and a 30-minute lesson could sometimes take over an hour. However, it was a great opportunity to meet and talk to members of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, who will be so vitally important to the country’s future. It was also an excellent reminder of the purpose of the NATO mission there Despite the longer working hours, and seven-day working weeks, time flew by in Kabul thanks to the interesting work, experiences and people from all over the world that I was lucky to meet

“Final destination, Kabul!” exclaimed the startled airport official, and with that, I found myself leaving the comforts of the Netherlands for the unknowns of Afghanistan.

general 1 520 1 about-us/newsroom/laying-down-the-cyber-law.aspx As the recent ransomware attack WannaCry revealed, cyber-attacks are by nature invasive, and can affect every layer of society. As such, only a comprehensive response, involving experts from a wide range of fields, can be effective. For this reason, every year, NATO, Allies and Partner Nations test their cyber resilience in the world’s largest and most complex international live-fire cyber defence exercise, Locked Shields. This exercise, which is organised by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, not only tests the skills of cyber security experts, but also the support they receive from their legal teams, among other specialists. In 2017 – and for the second year running – the NCI Agency’s team won Locked Shields’ legal challenge Cyber operations a law unto themselves In order to defend against malicious cyber operations, organizations must rely on security experts who can immediately defend, deter and repair computer networks under attack. While skilled computer analysts might be able to identify what has happened and trace the attack, further steps cannot be taken without first consulting a lawyer. The lawyer must analyze the applicable legal regime, and inform the cyber team of the boundaries of their actions. Making an assessment in a short timeframe can be challenging, especially in cyberspace as this requires on-the-spot interpretation of legal rules that were drafted a long time ago Depending on the nature and identity of the perpetrator, various legal remedies and frameworks may apply. In case of a local hacktivist group or a group of cyber criminals, legal remedies may involve a combination of international law enforcement measures and/or claims for damages in international private law. However, if the malicious acts were perpetrated by a State, the victim State could invoke the ‘law of State Responsibility’ and seek remedies under international law. Moreover, if the malicious cyber operation caused actual damage that amounted to a use of force by another State, it would possibly justify countermeasures or, ultimately, self-defence measures by the injured party. This is why it is crucial for a lawyer to be present at all stages of cyber defence, so that they can properly analyze the facts, and translate them into immediate legal actions in the limited time given For example, what can we do if another State hacks into a critical military airbase causing fuel leaks which might later set off fires and explosions? What are the scale and effects of this attack, and what are our options, legally? Are we allowed to use active defence measures beyond our own networks? Can we take countermeasures under international law against that State, in order to end their unlawful act? Or, can we even use force in order to prevent the damage from materializing? Could it even trigger an armed conflict and if so, would that impact the measures we can legally take? What if there is no certainty about the identity of the attackers? The examples given above were among the many different scenarios that the Agency’s legal advisors had to analyze during Locked Shields. Participants had to provide legal answers within a limited timeframe to add a sense of reality to the exercise. This time pressure emulated the requirements of military commanders and political decision-makers in the conduct of operations. The teams were also assessed on the clarity of their answers Cyber-attacks, attribution and the la The law usually responds to new developments in society, but when these developments arise at the speed of a fibre-optic cable, lawmakers can have a hard time keeping up. While rules governing international operations already exist, many of them have not been interpreted for cyber operations yet. This is why lawyers need to run through contemporary cyber legal matters, and translate existing legal standards to the cyber domain. Recently-released books, such as the Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Operations, try to provide legal guidance, helping organizations interpret existing rules and legal norms in the cyber context. This guidance along with the ongoing analysis provided by lawyers during cyber operations, can ensure that a State’s or an organization’s (re-)actions to cyber-attacks have a legal basis. This in turn creates new customary rules based on state behavior. It should be noted however that, even though these books provide scholarly guidance and practical tools to deal with cyberspace legal issues, many of the violations have not yet materialized. If they do, States may decide to respond very differently, and suggested legal actions or outcomes may not necessarily be followed by States. Attribution can also be a source of difficulty during cyber operations. The victim of a cyber-attack has limited legal response options, which can be seriously hampered when the perpetrator’s identity is not clear. Cyber security experts must be able to prove with reasonable certainty that a certain actor is behind malicious cyber operations for the victim State to take certain legal actions. While the author of a conventional use of force can usually be identified with certainty very quickly, cyber-attacks usually involve techniques that will make it difficult to attribute the attack to a specific State or group. This can effectively prevent the victim State from obtaining the needed legal basis to respond under international law.Therefore, lawyers may need to look at the context of a cyber-attack to determine its nature. For example, cyber-attacks carried out during a conventional conflict will probably be associated with the adversary. Also, as cyber-attacks are increasingly carried out by groups that only have a loose affiliation to the State where they are located, it is difficult to determine if that State is aware, involved with or even actively supporting the attacker. If the State concerned refuses to provide assistance in stopping attacks from a group on their territory for example, then the injured party may at some point conclude that this State is either supporting the group or the attack or unable to prevent the attacks from happening. In that case, a legal advisor must determine whether the attack can still be resolved under the applicable law enforcement regime, what the options are under international law, and possibly if it may justify a military response Finally, the effects of a cyber-attack may be overestimated initially. What may appear as a major attack may only create minor damages in the long term. For example, a denial of service attack, like the one that occurred in Estonia in 2007, will render websites inaccessible for a certain period of time, but may not cause permanent damage or loss of data. And if the injured party were to retaliate with a military response too quickly, they would run the risk of reacting in a disproportionate, and thus unlawful, manner. Most cyber-attacks that take place currently, however, do not reach the threshold of an armed conflict. They occur during peacetime. They include malicious activity such as breaking into military networks to steal classified information, espionage, website defacement and denial of service attacks. Although these attacks may not be legally sufficient to trigger an armed conflict, they do not prevent the victim from taking steps to protect their network and infrastructure, for example by filtering or blocking network traffic coming from certain regions. Defensive measures can also contribute to gathering evidence against an attacker, and using it through international treaties for policing and judicial cooperation Conclusio These examples highlight the need for legal staff to be constantly involved in cyber exercises, so as to simulate real-life decision-making processes, at all (political, operational, public relations and legal) levels. Exercises like Locked Shields help lay bare contemporary legal challenges and solutions and as such, provide deeper insight in the cyber domain.

As the recent ransomware attack WannaCry revealed, cyber-attacks are by nature invasive, and can affect every layer of society. As such, only a comprehensive response, involving experts from a wide range of fields, can be effective.

general 1 521 1 about-us/newsroom/defending-a-smart-city-federating-civil--military-things-and-data.aspx Internet of Things (IoT) technology has a huge potential for the military domain. Smart devices could help better protect NATO Member Nations, detecting threats more quickly, providing critical services to soldiers on the ground or even replacing them. However, IoT was never envisaged for defence use. IoT security is a particular area where standard IoT devices don’t meet typical defence security needs. Rather than add military security to these small, cheap, off-the-shelf devices – turning them into large, expensive, custom-built devices – experts from the NCI Agency recently tested available IoT security mechanisms in their most robust modes. The demonstration took place at the *International Conference on Military CIS (ICMICS) which brought together national research labs, NATO subject matter experts and Industry representatives in May 2017. Michael Street, the NCI Agency’s Service Strategy Innovation Manager said Our aim was to show ways of exploiting the IoT to support military functions, while at the same time addressing technology challenges in the military use of Io . The ‘Things’ in the Internet of Things typically use small microcontrollers with limited power consumption, limited processing and restrictions on their communication to the internet. This poses some challenges if you want to rely on them for something more critical than an IoT fridge ordering more milk. So we coupled traditional IoT security mechanisms with a number of other functions to increase resilienc . Hybrid situational awarenes The Agency team used IoT devices to which they added attribute-based encryption to protect data across the network, data analytics to determine whether the security of the device could still be trusted, as well as directional receivers to determine if the IoT devices had been moved or tampered with. They also worked with multiple sensor types and multiple networks to remove single points of vulnerability, and homomorphic encryption to allow partners to query encrypted data. The demonstration used a number of possible scenarios to explore the limits and potential of IoT in the military domain. As part of these scenarios, IoT devices collected a combination of data from NATO, national and civilian sources. The data was then analyzed to improve hybrid situational awareness, using intelligence at the edge to fuse inputs from disparate cheap, consumer-grade sensors to form an accurate, resilient picture, and using big data analytics techniques to separate trustworthy and non-trustworthy sensor data Information was harvested from both military and civil government IoT sensors. The former came from NATO and national military sensors, the latter coming from a number of local ‘smart city’ initiative ,” Dr Street explained. Tapping into the data from smart cities provided additional situational awareness of the urban area, for example checking environmental monitors or traffic cameras. Using civil sources requires careful filtering to prevent information overload, and analysis for signs of interference or manipulatio . Smart, resilient societie Data from NATO, Finnish, German and Polish IoT sensors was fused, filtered based on the geographic area of interest, and presented to commanders on a big screen in the simulated headquarters, and on a tablet in the simulated field. The tablet used the US Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) to visualize data on a mobile device’s common operating picture IoT is not only about sensing the environment. During the demonstration, once sensors were triggered by suspicious activity and data analytics deemed the incident worthy of investigation, a drone was deployed to the incident location. Artificial Intelligence on board the drone allowed it to navigate, track and classify objects autonomously. Meanwhile, a long-range, low power wireless platform (LoRa) communication module allowed the drone to report back to the headquarters over very long distances using low-power communications developed for IoT. Using Artificial Intelligence techniques at the edge reduces the bandwidth needed to communicate and the headquarters receives succinct information about the incident rather than a continuous stream that needs constant monitoring The live demonstration highlighted the need for an architecture for the devices and data which can draw on the best elements from NATO and from the commercial IoT worl ,” Dr Street went on The demonstration went down so well that after the planned event it was repeated for the national members of the NATO Science and Technology Organization’s Information Systems Technology Panel and for delegates at the Wireless Innovation Forum’s European conferenc . *The International Conference on Military CIS brings together scientific, engineering, and military communities from across the Alliance and its Partners to share information on the opportunities and threats which technology is bringing to the military CIS environment

Internet of Things (IoT) technology has a huge potential for the military domain. Smart devices could help better protect NATO Member Nations, detecting threats more quickly, providing critical services to soldiers on the ground or even replacing them.

general 1 522 1 about-us/newsroom/the-agency-in-norfolk-connected-today-for-the-partnership-of-tomorrow.aspx Nurturing NATO’s transatlantic bond might never have been as important as it is today. With the US administration re-positioning itself on the geopolitical stage, and a growing number of threats such as cyber and terrorist attacks affecting North America and Europe equally, the Alliance needs to stand united. The NCI Agency’s CIS Support Unit in Norfolk, Virginia helps reinforce the transatlantic bond by ensuring that Allied Command Transformation (ACT), NATO’s headquarters in the United States, is connected to its overseas counterparts at all times Norfolk is one of three locations (apart from Mons and Brussels in Belgium) where the Agency has also established a Strategic Partnership Office. The small office, which represents the Agency in the political arena of ACT, works alongside the local CIS Support Unit (CSU) staff to provide a coherent Agency presence for North America The American headquarters, driving transformatio ACT is one of two Strategic Commands in NATO, the other being Allied Command Operations, located in Mons, Belgium. ACT promotes and leads many initiatives designed to transform NATO’s military structure, its forces, capabilities and doctrine. Allied Command Transformation’s main responsibilities include education, training and exercises, as well as conducting experiments to assess new concepts, and promote interoperability throughout the Alliance. ACT is the only permanent NATO headquarters outside of Europe and the sole NATO headquarters in North America Multitude of customers While CSU Norfolk is recognized for supporting ACT, an often overlooked fact is that the unit also provides capabilities to a host of external customers. The biggest misconception is that CSU Norfolk’s sole purpose is to support the ACT Headquarters. Although, this is a major part of the workload, the unit is also the Agency’s technical footprint in North America. We provide support to a multitude of national customers in the US and Canad ,” said Phil May, Head of Infrastructure Management at CSU Norfolk. What is a CSU CIS Support Units (CSU) are small divisions made up mostly of technical experts. Their mission is to provide Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) services to the assigned NATO unit, uninterrupted and of a high standard. This means, they are located all over the Alliance, from Norfolk, US, through Lisbon, Portugal, to Stavanger, Norway. They make sure that NCI Agency’s NATO customers have technical representation at their location, at all times The unit’s support to ACT ranges from providing subject matter expertise and creating safe environments for innovation and experimentation, to its cyber team providing expert guidance on cyber security threats, trends and initiatives. However, the CSU’s role does not stop there. It has an important part to play in North America’s busy military calendar it connects participants and locations during exercises. In this, the unit has a reach beyond ACT Headquarters and provides vital support to 19 US and seven Canadian elements ensuring their connection to NATO, including extensive support to the US Navy fleet during training and exercises. A strategic lin Utilizing its geographic location alongside ACT and key national and multinational entities in North America, the American Strategic Partnership Office provides the Agency’s unique perspective on transformational activities affecting the Alliance, like enhanced education, interoperability and future challenges What is a Strategic Partnership Office The Strategic Partnership Offices provide a bi-directional gateway to interact between supplier and customer. From a formal Strategic Partnership perspective, they are responsible for relationship management; an enduring, day-to-day process to manage expectations, facilitating conflict resolution, and representing the Agency’s interests. More broadly, they provide a ‘one-stop’ NCI Agency presence dedicated for each of the customer groups and act as a trusted advocate for both supplier and customer Reinforcing the Agency’s presence with a small Strategic Partnership cell in Brussels and at the two Strategic Commands is an indication of how important it is to sustain and further develop relationships with these key partners. While the CSU is making sure that ACT’s day-to-day business runs flawlessly, the Strategic Partnership Office looks ahead to inform current and future decisions. We are an intelligence gateway between the Agency and the Command, a strategic representation of the Agency in NATO’s US headquarters ” says Strategic Partnership Officer Virginie Viscardy. From enhanced education, training, and exercises programmes, to engaging with ACT senior leadership, essentially representing the Agency’s General Manager, we are responsible for reinforcing the transatlantic bond through close cooperatio . Connecting transformatio The NCI Agency’s Norfolk staff not only makes sure that the Transatlantic Command is connected to Europe and to other partners via cables and through routers with the support of CSU Norfolk, but on the strategic level as well, thanks to the relentless work of the Strategic Partnership Office. Driving NATO transformation is a complex task. Being online and connected is the first step to do it well

Nurturing NATO’s transatlantic bond might never have been as important as it is today. With the US administration re-positioning itself on the geopolitical stage, and a growing number of threats such as cyber and terrorist attacks affecting North America and Europe equally, the Alliance needs to stand united.

general 1 523 1 about-us/newsroom/baltops-a-nato-maritime-exercise-with-46-years-of-history.aspx Maritime cooperation in the Eas The Eastern border of NATO has received considerable reinforcement in the past year not only with the creation of the NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs), the Alliance’s small headquarters in eight countries, but also with the establishment of an enhanced Forward Presence in four of these eight Nations. Baltic Operations (BALTOPS), an Allied maritime exercise taking place in the Baltic Sea might seem like an extension of that undercurrent, but in fact, it is one of NATO’s longest-standing exercises, having been conducted since 1971 Originally, BALTOPS was exclusive to NATO Member Countries. But since 1993, Partner Nations have also been invited to participate, extending BALTOPS to Partnership for Peace (PfP) efforts, focusing on joint maritime activities, with particular emphasis on submarine search and combat, mine warfare, air defence, and maritime missions Every year, the exercise is conducted by a different host. This year, the NATO Naval Striking and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO) took on the mantle. STRIKFORNATO is a rapidly deployable maritime headquarters, which provides scalable command and control for the Alliance. This organization which is managed under a Memorandum of Understanding, has a rich history. When it was created in late 1952, six Member Nations contributed to its personnel and it only operated in southern Europe. It now covers the entire NATO Area of Responsibility and comprises 12 Member Nations Connected at Se Carrying out such a large scale exercise requires a great deal of coordination, preparatory work, and state-of-the-art connectivity. As with most NATO training exercises, the NCI Agency played a key supportive role before and during BALTOPS. The Agency’s CIS Support Unit (CSU) in Lisbon was the main point-of-contact for BALTOPS17, starting preparations early in the year by attending the exercise’s main planning conference in Vilnius, Lithuania in February Although, the Agency only delivers a small portion of BALTOPS’ IT requirements, its role is important. It provides secure communications to one of the two flagships taking part in the exercise, HDSM ABSALON, a Danish frigate-sized support ship. The CSU also supports the Exercise Control element located ashore in Glücksburg, Germany. Despite the name of the exercise, Agency staff are not present physically anywhere near the Baltic Sea. Routing and connecting is done from the Agency’s technical centres in Mons, Belgium, and in The Hague, Netherlands Coordination and collaboratio BALTOPS is always a large scale exercise. This year, 14 Nations participated with about 5000 troops, 50 ships, and 50 fighter aircraft and helicopters in the southern and middle Baltic. Many of the countries with a coastline on the Baltic Sea served as the ‘land component’ of the exercise, so amphibious operations were conducted in Latvia, Germany, and Poland Given the number of Nations and NATO entities involved, BALTOPS remains one of the Alliance’s most complex maritime exercise testing NATO’s interoperability and the ability of its Member and Partner Nations to join forces at Sea

Maritime cooperation in the EastThe Eastern border of NATO has received considerable reinforcement in the past year not only with the creation of the NATO Force Integration Units (NFIUs), the Alliance’s small headquarters in eight countries, but also with the establishment of an enhanced Forward Presence in four of these eight Nations.

general 1 524 1 about-us/newsroom/cyber-defender-a-way-of-life-2.aspx The NCI Agency's Cyber Security team regularly supports NATO exercises, bringing their expertise to the field to improve the resilience of the Alliance. During Steadfast Cobalt which took place earlier this year in Lithuania, the team tested and validated NATO cyber defences ensuring that they are strong enough to withstand attacks If the communications systems go down, that can actually cause loss of life, and that's unacceptabl , commented Frederic Coene, NCI Agency Cyber Security Senior Engineer. Steadfast Cobalt was one of the largest and most complex tests of NATO deployable communication systems since the Fall of the Berlin Wall. From the communication and information systems point of view, it was a critical step towards the certification of the elements that will be on standby in 2018 for the NATO Response Force https //youtu.be/dX3QGUFlst

The NCI Agency's Cyber Security team regularly supports NATO exercises, bringing their expertise to the field to improve the resilience of the Alliance.

general 1 525 1 about-us/newsroom/cyber-defender-a-way-of-life-3.aspx Hacking is often seen as a danger to governments even to society, capable of causing chaos as we rely increasingly on digital data for our daily lives. But there are ethical hackers, and many of them work alongside organizations and companies constantly testing their defences to ensure that they are resilient enough to face cyberattacks Find out more about their daily work in this video as well as the article HER https //youtu.be/wgOw0VJsD_

Hacking is often seen as a danger to governments even to society, capable of causing chaos as we rely increasingly on digital data for our daily lives.

general 1 526 1 about-us/newsroom/icsss17-building-the-next-generation-of-cyber-defenders.aspx The NCI Agency last week welcomed promising students to its premises as part of a wider effort to train the next generation of cyber defenders Around 60 talented students visited the Agency in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24 August 2017, to learn about NATO's unique cybersecurity challenges and responses. The students were taking part in the third edition of the International Cyber Security Summer School 2017 (ICSSS17) – an event jointly organized by the Agency, the Hague Security Delta together with Europol, the Dutch Defence Cyber Command, Leiden University and the Dutch Innovation Factory Michael Street, Innovation Manager at the NCI Agency, commented We instigated the ICSSS in 2015 and we were pleased to get a very positive response from other international bodies in the Hague, who immediately came on board. The ICSSS has grown year on year, and has proved a success. There is a shortage of skilled cyber security professionals and as the past 12 months have shown, cyber-attacks affect us all and can cause chaos so there is urgent and critical need to train the next generation of cyber defenders. Building network The ICSSS aims to form a network of knowledgeable students, who understand the importance of cyber security for international organizations. The school helps prepare them for the challenges of cyber security in these complex environments. The International Cyber Security Summer School kicked off with a simulated crisis at Amsterdam Airport and ended with our team projects on password policies, dark web and quantification of cyber risk. It was an enriching experience between law and technology, gathering passionate students and reputed practitioners. I am grateful to the organiser ,” said student Valentia Vecchio, ICSSS17 Students were challenged to work on new solutions that contribute to making the internet a more secure place. The programme is comprehensive and addresses technical, legal and policy issues. Richard Franken, Executive Director The Hague Security Delta, added Without the influx of new young talent our digital safety is at risk. Aside from that the IT sector is growing rapidly. The newly created jobs need to be filled. Not just by the numbers but also with the experience to match the required knowledge. This is why educational programmes like this summer school are so important. The ICSSS is a small part of the NCI Agency's cyber security training, part of which will soon be provided at the NCI Academy in Oeiras, Portugal

The NCI Agency last week welcomed promising students to its premises as part of a wider effort to train the next generation of cyber defenders.

general 1 527 1 about-us/newsroom/cyber-innovation-at-nias-E28093-contest-for-innovative-small-businesses-and-academia.aspx For questions about the contest, please email industryrelations@ncia.nato.in Follow us on Twitter for updates and more news NCIAgenc

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is calling for submissions from innovative small and medium size companies and academia to showcase their cutting edge technology in front of NATO and Government leaders, executives and specialists from industry and cyber command leadership from across the Alliance.

general 1 528 1 about-us/newsroom/uk-visit-to-nci-agency-cyber-security-centre.aspx Mr Mark Lancaster, UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces, last week visited the NCI Agency's cyber security facilities in Mons, Belgium. The visit was hosted by the Agency's General Manager Mr Kevin J Scheid, who also welcomed General Sir James Everard, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), and Major General Walter Huh , Deputy Chief of Staff J6 and Cyber at NATO's Allied Command Operations. At the NCI Agency Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the visitors were briefed on the Alliance's cyber defence capabilities by Dr Gregory Edwards, NCI Agency Director of Infrastructure Services, Mr Ian West, Chief of Cyber Security, and Mr Frederic Jordan, Head of the Cyber Security Capability Development Branch. The Minister was introduced to the Agency's cyber mission, which is to defend the NATO Enterprise networks enabling mission assurance, as well as assuring the wide range of other critical Alliance activities such as Consultation, Logistics and Collaboration. Mr Lancaster also had the chance to view some of the equipment of the Agency's Rapid Reaction Team, which delivers cyber security where and when NATO needs it

Mr Mark Lancaster, UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces, last week visited the NCI Agency's cyber security facilities in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 529 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-calls-for-innovative-solutions-for-natos-cyber-shield-refresh.aspx The NCI Agency has called on Allied Nations and their Industries to propose innovative solutions for NATO's cyber shield refresh The Alliance's cyber and tech arm hopes to leverage the creativity of the private sector to refresh and boost the Alliance's existing Communication and Information Systems (CIS) security capabilities. The Agency's Acquisition team released a market survey request on 11 September 2017. Companies from NATO's 29 Nations have just over one month – until 18 October 2017 – to send their proposals. This is the first step of a fundamental upgrade of NATO's cyber capabilities, worth 70 million EUR. Frederic Jordan, Head of the Cyber Security Capability Development Branch at the NCI Agency, noted Though technology remains crucial, the possible reduction of operating costs over the whole lifecycle of security solutions is also a major objective for NATO. As a consequence, the NCI Agency is looking for innovative solutions – whether this stems from cheaper solutions, or more integrated and less vendor-specific options, is obviously a question better left to the expertise of the respondents. The information collected will solely be used by the NCI Agency to support architecture decisions, requirements and identify broad cost estimates for funding and affordability purposes. It will not be used in any manner to select specific products or vendor solutions prior to any formal NATO procurement process

The NCI Agency has called on Allied Nations and their Industries to propose innovative solutions for NATO's cyber shield refresh.

general 1 530 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-general-manager-reaffirms-support-to-saceur-and-allied-efforts.aspx The NCI Agency's General Manager, Mr Kevin J. Scheid, has emphasized the commitment of NATO's Cyber and Technology arm to supporting missions and operations across the Alliance during his meeting with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Curtis M. Scaparrotti This introductory meeting at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, on 14 September 2017, served as the perfect opportunity for NATO's commanding officer of Allied Command Operations and Mr Scheid to discuss matters of cooperation between the NCI Agency and the two Strategic Commands – Allied Command Transformation and Allied Command Operations – and reaffirm Agency support to exercises, missions and operations across the Alliance. As cyber is becoming an increasingly complex and important domain of operations for NATO, Mr Scheid underlined that it is indispensable to keep up with the pace of change, and ensure that Allied efforts are underpinned by robust, secure and resilient IT networks that ensure the safety and security of Allied forces in the theater of operations. These fruitful discussions have become a cornerstone of the General Manager's short period in charge of the Agency, and have been a fundamental part of his effort to review and restate the position of the Agency in the Alliance.

The NCI Agency's General Manager, Mr Kevin J. Scheid, has emphasized the commitment of NATO's Cyber and Technology arm to supporting missions and operations across the Alliance during his meeting with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Curtis M. Scaparrotti.

general 1 531 1 about-us/newsroom/my-nci-agency-internship-more-than-just-bullet-points-on-my-cv.aspx My name is Marte and over the past nine months I have been lucky enough to be an intern with the Operational Analysis (OA) Service Line. As my final day approaches I can say my experience of an internship at the NCI Agency has been the complete opposite of the stereotype of simply 'making photocopies'. Rather, my tasks have been varied, highly interesting, challenging and extremely relevant for my future career ambitions. In my role, I was introduced to the world of defence planning. I also assisted with developing an overview of stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, used new analytical tools to update a report on migration and attended a workshop on the 'Protection of Civilians' hosted by Allied Command Transformation, among many other things. A particular highlight has been working on a project that provides Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) with an independent assessment of developments concerning governance, regional relations and sustainability in Afghanistan, and their relevance to the NATO Resolute Support Mission there. I also participated in workshops at SHAPE where I had the unique opportunity to engage with leading subject-matter experts, many of whose work I had studied during my degree. The practical experience I have gained will not merely be summed up in a few bullet-points on my CV. It has increased my knowledge of current NATO missions and the process of assessing operations, as well as helped me improve and develop new professional skills. In addition, my understanding of OA, the NCI Agency and its role within NATO, as well as the organizational structure and internal procedures of the Alliance rapidly developed from the basic theoretical to the advanced practical in a matter of weeks In today's competitive job market – in which my university career advisors told me that doing two years of internships was becoming the new norm – my time here at the Agency helped kick-start my career. Not only have I developed skills and knowledge of interest to employers, but I have also been fortunate enough to be offered a position at the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre in the United Kingdom. This would not have happened without this internship And I should also point out that my internship has not been al work. I felt welcome from day one, and I appreciate that I have been included in a range of social activities, such as making our way out of Escape Rooms, meeting out in The Hague, and playing volleyball on the beach. To everyone in the OA Service Line and all other staff I have met at the NCI Agency, thank you for making this a great experience and preparing me for a career in the field of international security.

My name is Marte and over the past nine months I have been lucky enough to be an intern with the Operational Analysis (OA) Service Line. As my final day approaches I can say my experience of an internship at the NCI Agency has been the complete opposite of the stereotype of simply 'making photocopies'. Rather, my tasks have been varied, highly interesting, challenging and extremely relevant for my future career ambitions.

general 1 532 1 about-us/newsroom/niasE2809917-ready-to-open-its-doors-to-record-number-of-delegates.aspx NATO's annual cyber security symposium, NIAS'17, will open its doors on Tuesday 17 October to a record number of delegates. Over 1,600 participants have registered for this year's edition of the symposium, and over 90 exhibitors signed up for the three-day event which is taking place in Mons, Belgium. For live updates of the event, follow #NIAS17 and the Agency's Twitter (@NCIAgency) and LinkedIn accounts. DAY 1 Highlight - WORKSHOPS on emerging trends in cyber including artificial intelligence detecting adversaries on networks, advanced machine learning, quantum technologies - SPEECHES by the Director of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister responsible for digital affairs and NATO's newest Ally – Montenegro; followed by Industry keynote speeches by CISCO, BT, Leonardo, CenturyLink - OPPORTUNITIES to meet with Industry experts and exhibitors and learn about the latest advances in cyber technologies, as well as cyber-related threats and challenges NIAS1

NATO's annual cyber security symposium, NIAS'17, will open its doors on Tuesday 17 October to a record number of delegates. Over 1,600 participants have registered for this year's edition of the symposium, and over 90 exhibitors signed up for the three-day event which is taking place in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 533 1 about-us/newsroom/extending-natoE28099s-cybersecurity-protection.aspx The Agency has completed the deployment of the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) to additional sites of the Alliance, significantly improving cybersecurity protection of NATO networks The rollout of the '10 Additional Sites' project was finished ahead of schedule and on budget, implementing the full planned scope Implementing cybersecurity protection for NATO sites is extraordinarily challenging due to its complex and wide scope every site has different needs and requires a different blend of solutions, all this to be integrated with the centralized operations center. We worked hard to address these challenges and bring forward the success of the NCIRC, in order to fulfill NATO's cybersecurity objectives said Mario Beccia, NCIRC Project Manager (NCI Agency) The extended capability now enables enhanced cyber defence to more than 65 NATO sites and Headquarters throughout 29 countries. The contract for the project, worth 18.9M Euros, was awarded to Leonardo in August 2015

The Agency has completed the deployment of the NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) to additional sites of the Alliance, significantly improving cybersecurity protection of NATO networks.

general 1 534 1 about-us/newsroom/nias17-day-2.aspx Day 2 of NATO's annual cyber symposium, NIAS'17, started with a crowded room for keynotes by NCI Agency leaders highlighting the Alliance's cyber acquisition processes and future capability requirements. High-level industry experts then took to the floor to discuss Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Quantum Computing and Integrated Security in depth among other topics. The diverse industry panel was very well received by delegates who then had the chance to exchange best practices in specialized workshops. Highlights of the event can be found on flick Do not miss Day ….as we open the very last day of the conference with a keynote speech by NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Honorable Ms Rose Gottemoeller. Subsequently Netherlands; Estonia and Spain will provide their national visions for cyber command implementation. The Agency will also be holding an inaugural forum on Women in Cyber Security, in an attempt to raise awareness for the gender gap in cyber security and ways of addressing it. See you there tomorrow. Stay connected #NIAS17

Day 2 of NATO's annual cyber symposium, NIAS'17, started with a crowded room for keynotes by NCI Agency leaders highlighting the Alliance's cyber acquisition processes and future capability requirements.

general 1 535 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-deputy-secretary-general-attends-cyber-security-conference.aspx NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller, spoke of the vital importance of cyber defence when she addressed industry experts at the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) Cyber Conference today (19 October 2017) in Mons, Belgium. Cyber-attacks are serious. They have the potential to undermine NATO’s missions around the world and to hamper our ability to deliver collective defence. That is why cyber defence is a top priority for NATO and for NATO Allies,” said the Deputy Secretary General. “We have to be just as effective in the cyber domain as we are in the physical world ” added Ms Gottemoeller. The Deputy secretary General also addressed a workshop on Women in Cyber Defence. Cybersecurity is a team sport, but we’re leaving half our players on the benc ,” said the Deputy Secretary General For full story follow NATO HQ news HER NATO’s annual Cyber Symposium NIAS'17 has been hosted by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) Follow the event on twitter #NIAS17

NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller, spoke of the vital importance of cyber defence when she addressed industry experts at the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) Cyber Conference today (19 October 2017) in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 536 1 about-us/newsroom/nias17-day-3.aspx The last day of NIAS'17 provided an opportunity to meet NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoelle , participate at the first NATO 'Women in Cyber Security' workshop, follow the panel on national visions (by Netherlands, Estonia and Spain) for cyber command implementation as well as presentations addressing future plans and needs in cybersecurity. Before the end of the event, the winners of a 3-day Serious Game competition were challenged one last time during the final qui held at the main stage Thank you all for contributing to the success of NIAS'17 - we look forward to seeing you next year 16-18 October 2018 at NIAS'18 For pictures from the event – follow the Agency on Flickr

The last day of NIAS'17 provided an opportunity to meet NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller, participate at the first NATO 'Women in Cyber Security' workshop, follow the panel on national visions (by Netherlands, Estonia and Spain) for cyber command implementation as well as presentations addressing future plans and needs in cybersecurity.

general 1 537 1 about-us/newsroom/1st-agency-air-and-missile-defence-command-and-control-industry-forum.aspx The first NCI Agency Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) Industry Forum will be held from 13 to 14 November 2017 at NATO HQ in Brussels to discuss current and future business opportunities in the next phase of the NATO Air Command and Control/Ballistic Missile Defence Programmes The event is aimed at Industry with experience in Agile methodologies, Cloud computing, Virtualization techniques, System of Systems engineering or any IT component, methodology or technique that can be an asset and provide value to ongoing AMDC2 Programmes. It will also provide attendees an opportunity to sign up for bilateral meetings to obtain more information, or share their experience in key topics Registration and Agend The event is free of charge. Follow this website for any additional information, agenda, registration to the event and signing-up for bilateral sessions Walk-Ins without registration cannot be accepted due to NATO Security Regulations Locatio 13 November - NATO HQ Luns Theatre, Brussels 14 November, NCI Agency Bâtiment Z, Brussels (located at NATO HQ compound)

The first NCI Agency Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) Industry Forum will be held from 13 to 14 November 2017 at NATO HQ in Brussels to discuss current and future business opportunities in the next phase of the NATO Air Command and Control/Ballistic Missile Defence Programmes.

general 1 538 1 about-us/newsroom/connecting-forces-in-formidable-shield-2017.aspx The NCI Agency recently completed support for Exercise Formidable Shield 2017, a 24-day multinational live-fire Integrated Air and Missile Defence exercise conducted in the North Atlantic. Spearheaded by an Air Missile Defence Command and Control project team under funding from the US Navy, elements from across the Agency provided essential support, connecting forces during exercise integration and execution. This support allowed NATO naval forces to focus on exercising weapons and tactics in a realistic environment The NCI Agency validated the latest NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) architecture while leveraging the rare opportunity to observe a cooperative live BMD engagement involving Dutch and American ships. After the Dutch De Ruyter frigate provided an initial track on the ballistic missile target, the USS Donald Cook engaged and destroyed it with a SM-3 interceptor. This premier event occurred in a unique Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) context Spain's frigate and the Dutch Tromp frigate were simultaneously engaging three anti-ship cruise missile targets Besides the primary BMD intercept, three other FS 17 events provided participating NATO Nations with opportunities to engage subsonic and supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles with live interceptors. Nations contributed more than 14 ships, 10 aircraft and approximately 3,300 personnel from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Headquarters Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) conducted FS 17 on behalf of the US 6th Fleet. HQ Air Command (AIRCOM), HQ Maritime Command (MARCOM) and STRIKFORNATO followed the event using systems supported by the Agency Air Command and Control System, Air Command Control and Information Services, Integrated Command and Control System (ICC) and LSID FS17 Lessons Learne As with any complex venture, the path to success in Formidable Shield presented many challenges and identified various lessons. With stiff requirements for near real-time communications, one clear lesson was that a stable and consistent tactical chat architecture is essential. The FS 17 Joint Interface Control Officer required continuous chat service to the link operators on every ship. His No chat, no JREA dictate motivated the ships to maintain responsive chat services or risk having their JREAP data link to the exercise turned off. NCI Agency's Essential Contribution Following more than a year of planning and technical integration, the Agency provided support for the exercise by leveraging expertise across the organisation, and among the Nations, to ensure a stable exercise architecture. Support came from across almost every Agency directorate and Service Line BMD Integration Test Bed, the Centralised Service Desk, the Mission Services Support Group, Customer Support Units Formidable Shield 201 The next IAMD live fire events are already on the horizon. FS 19 planning begins on 8 November this year, and plans for the At Sea Demonstration 2020 event may include both maritime and land-based IAMD engagements. As these events approach, AMDC2 will work hard to incorporate FS 17 lessons into our documented processes Photos from US Navy Sixth Fleet website

The NCI Agency recently completed support for Exercise Formidable Shield 2017, a 24-day multinational live-fire Integrated Air and Missile Defence exercise conducted in the North Atlantic.

general 1 539 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-outlines-air-and-missile-defence-investments.aspx The NCI Agency's first Industry forum solely dedicated to the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Capability (IAMD) programme kicked off on Monday 13 November 2017 at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgiu The event, hosted jointly by the Agency's Director of Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) Michael Stoltz and its Director of Acquisition (ACQ) Peter Scaruppe, gathered 108 Industry representatives from 57 companies and 16 NATO Member Nations The Forum was aimed at raising the private sector's awareness on the AMDC2 portfolio (encompassing Air Command and Control as well as Ballistic Missile Defence) and related upcoming business opportunities - currently estimated at over 700 million EUR for 2018 and the coming years. Following an explicit mandate from the NATO Resource Committees, and within the framework of a holistic approach to the evolution AMDC2 effort moving forward, the Forum also aimed at soliciting Industry's inputs on how the programmes could be best transitioned from a single source of supply to an environment where contract awards can be placed by fair competition on price and technical excellenc – in Mr Scaruppe's words – thereby leveraging on the wide range of expertise attracted. Bilateral meetings held at the margins of the conference thus proved critical in providing insight into how such a move can be successfully made The Agency expects to have developed its competitiv strategy, and then be able to present a roadmap for competition to the appropriate NATO funding and governance bodies, by the first quarter of 2018. For this goal to be reached, and ultimately deliver and maintain a resilient, and state-of-the-art air and missile defence system for the Allianc (Kevin Scheid, NCI Agency General Manager) knowledge and experience sharing, as well as constant dialogue with Industry are key. In an increasingly challenging environment, which sees NATO as a potential target 'at 360 degrees, at any time', and therefore requires a much faster reaction in terms of implementing new capabilities, broadening the pool of brains which can help us in the endeavo becomes crucial, explained Mr Stoltz, Director of AMDC2. Building on this, his final words fully captured the spirit of the Forum Our future can only be shaped together with you, and I hope that also your future will be shaped by what we can bring to the tabl .

The NCI Agency's first Industry forum solely dedicated to the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Capability (IAMD) programme kicked off on Monday 13 November 2017 at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium

general 1 540 1 about-us/newsroom/natoE28099s-digital-endeavour-sixth-chief-information-officersE28099-conference.aspx On 15 November 2017, Chief Information Officers from NATO Member countries and eight partner nations gathered in Brussels for the sixth edition of the Chief Information Officers' Conference (CIOC). The aim of this NCI Agency flagship event is to provide an opportunity to build a CIO community, share strategic perspectives, exchange views on new ideas and business models, and trigger collaborative initiatives. Since its beginnings in 2012, the CIOC has evolved considerably in content, format and participation. This year, the invitation was extended to Interoperability Platform partner nations, and a new format with panel discussions and increased audience interaction via an online Audience Participation Tool was adopted The conference's executive summary will be released by mid-December. In the meantime, an overview is provided below In his opening speech, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, Mr Heinrich Brauss examined the geo-political challenges facing the Alliance in the near future. You, the Allied and partner Chief Information Officers and the NCI Agency, play an important role in mastering the broad spectrum of challenges and threats our Alliance is facing – threats and challenges that are increasingly complex and demanding, he stressed. In this context, technology is of key importance for NATO and for Allies. It is a critical enabler for the Alliance's adaptation to the changed and evolving security environmen . The first panel on 'Embracing Change in Cyberspace' was led by Mr Murray Davidson, NCI Agency Director of Service Strategy. It provided an excellent view into the threats and opportunities of future technologies, with inputs from Dr Thomas Killion, NATO Chief Scientist, and Mr Christian Lifländer, Head of the Cyber Defence Section of the Emerging Security Challenges Division at NATO The second panel, moderated by Dr Gregory Edwards, NCI Agency Director of Infrastructure Services, focused on NATO's Digital Endeavour and 'What is in it for me?'. Building on the first discussion, this panel explored the practical implications of the Digital Endeavour for Communities of Interest. Rear Admiral Önder Çelebi, Assistant Chief of Staff, Command & Control, Deployability and Sustainability - Allied Command Transformation, provided his thoughts on NATO's 'ability to share' through interoperability as a critical aspect of the Alliance's Digital Endeavour. Brigadier General Kurt Pedersen, Deputy Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces Cyber Defence and former Chairman of the Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Project Group, contributed to the panel by discussing some prerequisites for successful implementation of timely, innovative, digitalized, secure and redundant solutions to support modern war fighters Moderated by Mr Ludwig Decamps NCI Agency Director of Demand Management, the last panel 'How do we take it from here?' centred on the Nations, and ambitiously tried to sketch the way ahead. Major General Bruno Maurice, Officier Général Transformation Digitale des Armées, France, and Rear Admiral Maarten Tossings, Principal Director of Organisation and Chief Information Officer, Netherlands, both provided valuable insights into challenges and successes of digital transformation from their national perspective

On 15 November 2017, Chief Information Officers from NATO Member countries and eight partner nations gathered in Brussels for the sixth edition of the Chief Information Officers' Conference (CIOC). The aim of this NCI Agency flagship event is to provide an opportunity to build a CIO community, share strategic perspectives, exchange views on new ideas and business models, and trigger collaborative initiatives.

general 1 541 1 subscribe.aspx Subscribe to receive information from the NCI Agency Do you want to receive information from us abou upcoming events, news and other activities? Subscribe to our mailing list today subscrib Request publications, documents and other knowledge resources You can request NCI Agency’s knowledge and information materials from our database including technical reports, publications and other resources here Reques

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Offline 3 542 1 about-us/newsroom/natoE28099s-flagship-cyber-exercise-begins-in-estonia.aspx Cyber Coalition, NATO’s biggest and most important cyber defence exercise, is taking place this week. The exercise involves more than 700 participants from 25 Allies, as well as NATO partner countries, the European Union, industry and academia. Taking place for the 1 t year in a row, Cyber Coalition tests and trains cyber defenders from across the Alliance in their ability to defend NATO and national networks. From defence against malware, through tackling hybrid challenges involving social media, to attacks on mobile devices, the exercise has a challenging, realistic scenario that helps prepare our cyber defenders for real-life cyber challenges. The training includes testing of operational and legal procedures, exchange of information and work with industry and partners The 3-day exercise is managed from the NATO Cyber Range in Estonia, but the majority of the participants take part from their own work places Cyber defence is part of NATO’s core task of collective defence and staying ahead of the curve on cyber defence is a top priority for the Alliance. Exercises like Cyber Coalition are part of that effort. They help to improve NATO and Allies’ abilities to defend their networks, as well as our coordination in case of a cyber attack

Cyber Coalition, NATO’s biggest and most important cyber defence exercise, is taking place this week. The exercise involves more than 700 participants from 25 Allies, as well as NATO partner countries, the European Union, industry and academia.

general 1 543 1 about-us/newsroom/agencys-support-during-trident-javelin-2017.aspx The NCI Agency supported over 3400 users during NATO's biggest exercise of the year, Trident Javelin 2017 (TRJN17) CIS Support Unit (CSU) Stavanger, the Agency's team in Norway, contributed to setting up and sustaining the exercise's complex communication and information system environment across various locations. In this role, the team provided assistance to the NATO CIS Group, which took the role of overall CIS Coordinating Authority for Trident Javelin, held between 25 September and 17 November 2017 More than 1400 staff members from several locations - Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC Brunssum), Allied Land Command (LANDCOM), Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) and NATO Special Operation Forces - participated Major General Walter Huhn, Deputy Chief of Staff CIS and Cyber Defence at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Commander of the NATO Communication and Information Systems Group, praised the Agency for its support. On behalf of Allied Command Operations, I'd like to publicly thank and recognize the Agency for its outstanding work in support of Trident Javeli , he noted. This was a formidable challenge with a significant network and huge number of users to support; the great work is an example of outstanding teamwork and NATO at its fines . An Allied Command Transformation (ACT)-sponsored event, TRJN17 is a Command Post/Computer-Assisted Exercise (CPX/CAX) aimed at expanding NATO's command and control interoperability to conduct large scale joint warfare in a complex, multinational environment. The exercise was built upon a fictitious Article 5 Collective Defence scenario, where an attack on one Ally triggers a response from all 29 NATO Nations. The scenario saw the Norwegian Joint Headquarters (NJHQ) focusing on the interaction between the Norwegian civil government and the NATO Command Structure (NCS), while managing Norwegian Forces during a Transfer of Authority to the Joint Headquarters, JFC Brunssum. To do so, the NJHQ established Norway's Computer Assisted Exercises (CAX) systems at the training facility in Stavanger, which required the support of CSU Stavanger for the configuration of the simulation feeds from NATO MISSION SECRET CAX to Norway CAX The exercise's unprecedented scale very much tested the limits of the CSU's capabilities, and its successful completion was possible thanks to the unit's remarkable team effort and flexibility The exercise was executed within existing NATO CIS infrastructure, which offered a venue for achieving compliance with Federated Mission Networking (FMN) Spiral 1 specification – testing the ability of Nations with different networks to work together across domains. Cross domain access from NATO SECRET to MISSION SECRET domain was granted by the Mission Information Room (MIR) and its Information Exchange Gateways in Mons, Belgium. Local Event Support Desks were also established, and proved essential in providing great customer support in a timely manner The Agency's staff excellently managed close to 600 incidents and more than 400 change requests in support of the exercise. All participating Commands expressed appreciation for the CSU's knowledge, professionalism and timely response throughout Trident Javelin.

The NCI Agency supported over 3400 users during NATO's biggest exercise of the year, Trident Javelin 2017 (TRJN17).

general 1 544 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-supports-the-cyber-coalition-2017-exercise.aspx The NCI Agency's Team (Cyber Security and Education & Training Service Lines and the Legal Office) provided an important contribution to the success of the biggest Cyber Defence exercise NATO has ever held. The Cyber Coalition 2017 (CC17) exercise was conducted 28-30 November, with more than 900 participants from 29 nations and the EU. The aim of the exercise was to train collaboration and information sharing between NATO, nations and partners in response to cyber threats. The Exercise Objectives were set by NATO's Military Committee. The planning, preparation and execution of CC17 were orchestrated by Exercise Director LTC (OF4) Andres Kuusk from Allied Command Transformation (ACT). This was the 1 t edition of Cyber Coalition. The Agency has been involved in the exercises from the beginning, both as part of the Core Planning Team organising the exercise and as part of the Training Audience. The NCI Agency has consistently provided strong and welcome support from the very outset, at Cyber Coalition 200 , said ACT's Exercise director LTC Kuusk, The Agency's drive, determination and performance have continued to excel, becoming a critical success factor for all our events. The NCI Agency team is the corporate memory of Cyber Coalitio During the execution of CC17, the Exercise Control (EXCON) organisation was located in Tartu (Estonia), while the Training Audiences were located at their own home bases in more than 60 locations throughout Europe and North America. The agency's Training Audience consisted of a team from the NCI Agency Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at SHAPE, LEGAD support and a NATO Rapid Response Team (RRT) deployed to MARCOM, augmented with a RRT from Denmark. Alan Sewell, the leader for the RRT Storyline, commented Our objectives were to provide a realistic opportunity for a validation of the RRT's ability to deploy effectively and tackle technical challenges with a Mission Assurance focus, to trial working as a joint RRT for the first time, and to create military cyber-issues that would provide challenges for ACO's Task Force Cyber. The Storyline team was highly successful in these objective Friso Meijer (Agency Cyber Security Service Line) acted as the EXCON for NCSC and coordinated the Agency's support to the exercise. He declared The number of simulated cyber incidents happening concurrently at multiple NATO sites and at the participating Nations put a lot of pressure on NCSC. I am very proud of how the NCSC training audience handled this in collaboration with the other exercise participant . The exercise used an unclassified network environment - hosted on the NATO Cyber-Range - to simulate coordinated cyber-attacks against NATO, NATO Nations and partners, including the EU. As the exercise technical lead, Nick Virvilis (Agency Cyber Security Service Line) – who also coordinated all storylines simulated on the cyber range for the last years – explained The cyber range allows us to create a realistic environment in which nations can be trained on multiple technical aspects including incident handling, malware analysis, network and computer forensics. The cyber range storylines promote collaboration and information exchange between players, at the very technical levels up to the operational strategic leve . Representatives of the Cyber Defence Committee, ACO, ACT and NATO Coooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence took part in an EXCON site tour and attended a dinner, where NCI Agency staff members were awarded by RADM Çelebi (ACT ACOS C2DS) on behalf of SACT for their excellent support to NATO's flagship cyber exercise. LTC Kuusk concluded It has been a real pleasure to work with the NCI Agency's talented and dedicated professionals whose expertise underpins the technical, analytical, and many managerial aspects of this highly regarded series of exercises. Together with NCI Agency we have managed to continuously improve the content and quality of the exercise and I am looking forward to continued close cooperation with our Agency team continuing in the years ahead

The NCI Agency's Team (Cyber Security and Education & Training Service Lines and the Legal Office) provided an important contribution to the success of the biggest Cyber Defence exercise NATO has ever held. The Cyber Coalition 2017 (CC17) exercise was conducted 28-30 November, with more than 900 participants from 29 nations and the EU. The aim of the exercise was to train collaboration and information sharing between NATO, nations and partners in response to cyber threats. The Exercise Objectives were set by NATO's Military Committee. The planning, preparation and execution of CC17 were orchestrated by Exercise Director LTC (OF4) Andres Kuusk from Allied Command Transformation (ACT).

general 1 545 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-awards-contract-for-project-triton.aspx On 21 December 2017, at an official signature ceremony held in the Canadian Delegation of NATO HQ, the General Manager of the NCI Agency awarded the contract for Project TRITON to the Canadian company, MDA Systems. The ceremony was attended by the Canadian Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council, S.E. Ambassador Kerry Buck In his welcoming remarks, the General Manager of the NCI Agency, Kevin Scheid, highlighted the importance of NATO's investment in the area of command and control and stressed that the Alliance needs to be better at sharing data between member nations and their national forces and that we rely on our Industry Partners to rise to this challenge Kerry Buck, the Permanent Representative of Canada to NATO, noted, NATO is at the core of Canada's national security policy. We are proud that NATO will leverage Canadian technology and expertise to contribute to enhanced communications and support interoperability in NATO The TRITON contract, which was awarded using the NATO Best Value International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procedure, will provide the NATO community with an integrated, robust, and flexible maritime command and control capability supported by the Agency's Core Services available throughout the Bi-Strategic Commands Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS) to enable NATO and National forces to establish and share a common view of the battle space and to improve their situational awareness and decision-making processes TRITON will replace the operational level functionality of Maritime Command and Control Information System (MCCIS) and the MSA Demonstrator Prototype (MSA/BRITE) providing functionality that include building and disseminating the NATO Recognised Maritime Picture (RMP) and White Shipping Picture, Water Space Management and Prevention of Mutual Interference, as well as a variety of decision aid and operational support functions. TRITON will be interoperable with national systems and in full compliance with the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) specifications TRITON will further deliver a C4ISR Visualisation Component, a re-usable software product, to be utilised by other Bi-SC AIS Functional Services for displaying digital maps and geospatial information Once TRITON reaches its Full Operational Capability, it will become the main platform for conducting all military maritime operations throughout the entire Alliance. Nations and Commands will be able to share their maritime information in a live environment, mutually benefiting from shared data so that TRITON may live up to its name and become a true Messenger of the Sea for the Alliance

On 21 December 2017, at an official signature ceremony held in the Canadian Delegation of NATO HQ, the General Manager of the NCI Agency awarded the contract for Project TRITON to the Canadian company, MDA Systems. The ceremony was attended by the Canadian Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council, S.E. Ambassador Kerry Buck.

general 1 546 1 about-us/newsroom/acquisition-in-a-large-it-organization.aspx The IT acquisitions performed on behalf of the 29 NATO nations are key elements of NATO's defence and deterrence posture. Transparent and unbiased procurements, underpinning delivery of NATO capabilities and services, require a set of proper frameworks, policies, procedures, processes and people to turn the requirements into deliverables. The world is evolving – and so should NATO IT acquisitions; but do they really evolve in an adequate manner? This article provides an overview of past and current challenges and solutions and outlines expected developments in NATO acquisition of IT technologies and systems Evolution of NATO IT acquisitio In 1996, NATO revised its procedures for acquisition of commonly funded infra­structure under the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP). The procedures promoted full and open competition—International Competitive Bidding (ICB)—as the default procurement method, with the lowest compliant bid as the evaluation methodology, and were geared primarily to the acquisition of static IT infrastructure. Not surprisingly, this construct did not survive contact with real-time NATO opera­tions triggered by the crisis in the Balkans in the late 1990's. To improve NATO's ability to better respond to crisis situations, in 2002 the NATO nations approved a set of procedures aimed to significantly shorten procurement timelines and, at the same time, promote the broader participation of the small and medium enterprises in NATO procurements through the so called Basic Ordering Agreemen (BOA) Pro­gramme The unfolding NATO operations in Afghanistan led to a further consolidation of the regulations for the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) in 2011, provid­ing a set of procedures covering non-article 5 NATO-led operations, i.e. the Alliance Operations and Missions (AOM) NSIP Procurement Regulations In parallel, in 2009 the NATO nations also approved a policy for conducting interna­tional competitive bidding using a Best Value evaluation methodology So it looks like all regulations and other prerequisites are available – small and big scale procurements, lowest compliant and best value evaluation, peacetime and oper­ations-geared procedures. Is there anything that we are missing? In fact, one can ar­gue that there are remaining challenges, as well as opportunities to improve NATO's acquisition of IT systems Paradoxes of NATO IT procurement regulation There are a couple of paradoxes that mark the landscape of the NATO IT acquisitions when it comes to the NATO procurement regulations The most fascinating paradox, which is so much embedded within the NATO system that is hardly regarded as being anything out of ordinary, is that the fundamental cri­teria determining the applicable procurement procedures is … the source of funding. At the very top of all of the NATO procurement regulations are the NATO Financial Regulations – the NFRs, but right below there are three separate sets of procurement procedures – one for the NSIP, one for the Military Budget (MB), and one for the Civil Budget (CB). As the NSIP funds NATO investment in new infrastructures and systems, the MB pays for their follow-on operations and maintenance, and CB covers operation and maintenance of the NATO Headquarters. This ultimately implies that different sets of procedures apply to the different stages of a system's lifecycle. Another interesting aspect is that all NSIP contracts are, by rule, Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contracts. More flexible and innovative approaches to contract pricing, widely known and used in national systems, like incentive or performance based contracts do not exist in the NSIP regulations. Therefore, the only way to try to get NATO a better deal than a lowest compliant FFP contract is to opt for a best value FFP. But here comes another paradox – in the best value competitions the default weighting be­tween the top level criteria, price and technology, is … 50-50. Changing the weighting to account for greater share of the technology aspect must be properly jus­tified and agreed by the Investment Committee (IC). Ultimately, due to the default 50-50 rule, even in the best value competition it is still the lowest priced bid that stands the greatest chance of winning It can be expected that, over the coming years, there will be efforts aimed at closing the gaps created by these paradoxes – continuation of bottom-up enhancements, leading at some point to an adjustment of the overarching policies and procedures Full article available in Information & Security An International Journal, Volume 38, p.71-76 (2017 .

The IT acquisitions performed on behalf of the 29 NATO nations are key elements of NATO's defence and deterrence posture. Transparent and unbiased procurements, underpinning delivery of NATO capabilities and services, require a set of proper frameworks, policies, procedures, processes and people to turn the requirements into deliverables. The world is evolving – and so should NATO IT acquisitions; but do they really evolve in an adequate manner? This article provides an overview of past and current challenges and solutions and outlines expected developments in NATO acquisition of IT technologies and systems.

general 1 547 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-signs-contract-for-nato-communications-infrastructure-project.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency has signed a 40 million EUR contract with Airbus France for the delivery of the first phase of the NATO Communications Infrastructure Project. The contract also includes options for future phases of the project, worth up to 50 million EUR. The contract was signed at the end of 2017, with scheduled activities commencing March 2018. The NATO Communications Infrastructure project will replace a major part of the NATO General Communications System, affecting 72 NATO sites. It will provide a major upgrade of the wide area protected IP communications across the NATO Command Structure, NATO Headquarters and NATO Points of Presence in NATO Member Nations, delivering Upgraded IP access and transport services across different security classifications with significant increased capacity, Quality of Service and traffic engineering capabilities; NATO Unclassified voice services through the replacement of old telephony switches by Voice over IP telephony at 25 sites. The project's requirements demand the use of open standards and a low-risk approach to implementation, whilst also encouraging the contractor to consider a modern and efficient technical solution. Due to its high complexity (e.g. each of the 72 sites is unique in its network capabilities), the project requires a careful development phase with input from a broad cross section of expertise from the Agency. Design review is estimated to be completed in December 2018. The first phase of the project, which culminates in Wave 1 implementation, is estimated to be completed by November 2019. The NATO Communications Infrastructure Project, together with the IT Modernization Project and the Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure Project, is part of the wider IT Modernization Programm which aims to transform NATO's static IT infrastructure into a homogenous enterprise, customer-funded service delivery systems, with a common service management and control layer, increased levels of virtualization, modern cloud technology, and appropriate resilience mechanisms

The NATO Communications and Information Agency has signed a 40 million EUR contract with Airbus France for the delivery of the first phase of the NATO Communications Infrastructure Project. The contract also includes options for future phases of the project, worth up to 50 million EUR. The contract was signed at the end of 2017, with scheduled activities commencing March 2018.

general 1 548 1 about-us/newsroom/gm-welcomes-women-in-international-security-at-nato.aspx On 2 March 2018, the General Manager, Mr Kevin J. Scheid, met with the representatives of the Women in International Security (WIIS) at NATO to discuss on how to increase gender balance and empower women in the security, defence and technology sector So far, the cyber and technology sector has been largely a male-dominated environment. However, many talented women have joined the arena over the last decade and have emerged as skilled leaders. That said, robust barriers still exist in the industry that are preventing women from reaching their full potential and, hence, access to leadership positions. But not exclusively. As reported in the NATO Diversity and Inclusion 2017-2018 Action Plan, female senior leaders represented just 21% of NATO-wide Staff in 2016. WIIS at NATO representatives shared their ideas on how to improve the situation. For example, the establishment of Leadership programs dedicated to women and the possibility to identify high potential and high performing women in the Organization to engage them in professional development initiatives are some of the suggestions proposed by the group. WIIS is planning to engage with the Human Resources Departments both at NATO HQ and the Agency to launch concrete projects and activities dedicated to women's empowerment in the Organization The NCI Agency is recognizing the need to step-up efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion. It is critical that we keep gender balance high on the international agenda and continue to work to build more inclusive and diverse societies where the potential of all our citizens is valued , stressed the General Manager.

On 2 March 2018, the General Manager, Mr Kevin J. Scheid, met with the representatives of the Women in International Security (WIIS) at NATO to discuss on how to increase gender balance and empower women in the security, defence and technology sector.

general 1 549 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-launches-2018-defence-innovation-challenge-for-smes-and-academia.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for its third annual Defence Innovation Challenge The challenge is aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small businesses and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. It is open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions operating at the cutting edge of technology from all 29 NATO Nations. This year, the challenge focuses on digital innovation, with the NCI Agency accepting submissions in the following areas Mobile apps for defence users Mobile apps for government organizations Data science models for natural language processing and translation; speech to text Data science application of open source analytic tools Data visualization Internet of Things (IoT) autonomous sensors for the battlefield; IoT secure federation of IoT devices Top finishers will be invited to showcase their tech solutions at this year's NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC18), entitled NATO's Digital Endeavour Expanding the Ecosystem , taking place on 22-24 May in Berlin, Germany We are seeking to broaden engagement with innovative technology drivers as NATO undergoes its largest technological modernization in decades, said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Schei The top ten finishers will receive One full registration waiver Showcase space at NITEC18 Participation in the award ceremony with NATO leadership Presentation slot during the plenary session Inclusion in the NITEC18 report Inclusion in the industry innovation report in the Communicator magazine; Bilateral meeting with an NCI Agency expert; Mentoring session with one of the SME mentors Submission Guideline Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions from all 29 NATO Nations are invited to participate. Entries must be received by 6 April 2018 Winners announced on 30 April 2018 Proposal summary should demonstrate the unique aspects of your technology, its innovative core and the proposed work as it relates to the focus area while highlighting its relevance to NATO. To submit your proposal, please complete the for and send it to industryrelations@ncia.nato.in

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for its third annual Defence Innovation Challenge.

general 1 550 1 about-us/newsroom/a-historic-move.aspx On 19 March, the NCI Agency Headquarters in Brussels (Belgium) starts its move to the New NATO Building located just across the road. The move will take five days and will not affect any Agency business processes. The new headquarters is a state-of-the-art facility in its full sense, starting with the environmentally friendly construction, an adaptable and collaborative work environment, but also offering advanced network infrastructure for more than 4000 people that enables flexible, collaborative and secure communication. This network infrastructure was delivered under contracts with Industry overseen by the Agency A digital endeavou As I've said before, the new building is essentially a network wrapped in concrete and glass. The IT infrastructure enhances the ability of users to communicate safely on one network - be it from work, from home or while travelling said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid. But this is just the beginning of a larger digital transformation; NATO is currently undergoing the single largest modernization of its communication and information technology – a modern, and resilient Alliance Follow the NATO HQ sit for more information about the new headquarters. For Industry representatives - the Agency postal mail address remains unchanged, the address for deliveries has been updated. Please see below Postal Mai address Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussel BELGIU For deliveries New NATO HQ - Industrial Infrastructure Buildin Reception Service, 1, rue Arthur Mae 1130 Brussel BELGIU

On 19 March, the NCI Agency Headquarters in Brussels (Belgium) starts its move to the New NATO Building located just across the road. The move will take five days and will not affect any Agency business processes.

general 1 551 1 about-us/newsroom/E2809Ccyber-has-the-multidimensional-impact-on-maritime-operationsE2809D.aspx The Chief of Staff, RADM Dr Thomas Daum, represented the NCI Agency at the Maritime Operational Commander's Conference (MOCC18) in Northwood, London on 21-22 March. The conference discussed MARCOM's activities in 2017. In particular, the event addressed the operational engagement of the Standing Naval Forces, the need for Adapting and Operationalizing the Allied Maritime Posture, Advancing NATO Sea Power and Projecting Stability, especially highlighting Operation SEA GUARDIAN and the future of Maritime Security Operations. Discussions made clear that Cyber, as an operational domain, has the multi-dimensional impact on maritime operations. For example, ensuring secure and robust communications between land-based headquarters and afloat force commanders and between the warfighting units, tackling the challenge of interoperability of connecting multinational forces or maximizing the opportunities of modern technologies like autonomous maritime vessels or submerged drones, reflects RADM Daum He also adds that maritime operations need to cope with degraded environment, like physical limits in the high north degrading use of SATCOM, or denied environment, like operational or tactical limitations that are caused by Electronic Warfare or Cyber Attacks. Following the final closing remarks from COM MARCOM, it can be expected that MOCC19 will include a focus session on Cyber, says the Chief of Staff Chaired by Commander NATO Maritime Command (COM MARCOM), Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, the forum included two keynote speakers - Deputy Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Manfred Nielson and Deputy Allied Commander Operations, General Sir James Everard

The Chief of Staff, RADM Dr Thomas Daum, represented the NCI Agency at the Maritime Operational Commander's Conference (MOCC18) in Northwood, London on 21-22 March.

general 1 552 1 about-us/newsroom/first-training-at-nci-agency-training-facility-in-portugal.aspx On 6-8 March 2018, the NCI Agency Education & Training Service Line hosted its first training class, the NATO Functional Area Service (FAS) Overview Course, at its new interim facilities in Oeiras (PRT), at the same location where the future NCI Academy building is being constructed. This three-day course was delivered by NCI Agency Operational Analysis (OA) Service Line (SL) and Command and Control (C2) SL instructors to 12 course attendees representing ESP, GBR, GRE, HUN, ITA and POL. About the NATO FAS Overview Cours The course consists of an initial overview generic brief, followed by a more detailed brief for each of the 11 FAS that comprise the NATO Software Tools (NST) Communications and Information Partnership (C&IP) project baseline and relate to the military Operations, Intelligence, Logistics and Plans military functions It is imperative that the military user community understand how the NATO FAS combine as force multiplier to process support, situational awareness and decision making suppor , stresses Pedro Albano (OA SL), who delivered the training together with Rodrigo Leal (C2 SL) The initial brief focuses on the big picture and highlights the key processes supported by the FAS, with particular emphasis placed on their operational added value – the why the FAS is employed. Further, this brief lays the foundation of how an HQ may be put together from the point of view of the HQ communities of interest that employ the FAS to support their associated processes. This is followed by individual FAS briefs where greater detail is provided covering background, operational capability, processes supported, operational architecture, operational deployment, interfaces and features. These individual FAS briefs are supported by a practical demonstration, culminating in a final one that ties all the FASs together through a carefully arranged vignette. This enables the course attendees to visualise the integration of the FAS through information flow and hence the processes support Overall, the course capitalises upon the experiences gained from operational training and mentoring support through to requirements capture activities for the Resolute Support (RS), the previous International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Kosovo Force (KFOR) missions, as well as numerous NATO exercises and training events.The course is conducted within the umbrella of the NST Communications and Information Partnership (C&IP) project, and under the auspices of the NCI Agency Education & Training Service Line. It was designed by the OA SL (operational aspects) and the C2 SL (technical aspects) to meet an NST C&IP project objective of enabling students with the knowledge to explain and describe the background, operational use, architecture and the key capabilities for each NST NATO FAS. Evaluation of the cours At the end of course, all students receive Certificates of Attendance and are asked to provide feedback – a crucial tool for any potential improvements. At this first edition, the course instructors were praised on multiple occasion for their depth of knowledge and understanding of military processes (despite not being ex-military), which is a clear vindication of the level of understanding by the Agency and its employees of the military domain and the ability to speak their language and understand the issues faced by the military in 2 s century The combination of a great team of skilled and knowledgeable people combining together at a great location certainly contributed to the success of this course

On 6-8 March 2018, the NCI Agency Education & Training Service Line hosted its first training class, the NATO Functional Area Service (FAS) Overview Course, at its new interim facilities in Oeiras (PRT), at the same location where the future NCI Academy building is being constructed.

general 1 553 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-satellite-station-opens-its-door-to-high-school.aspx Over 40 high school students visited the NCI Agency's refurbished Satellite Communication Ground Station F14 in Lughezzano, Verona, on 10 April 2018 The students, who all attend secondary school A Malignani of Udine, were accompanied by their professors on the day tour, which offered them a glimpse of life at NATO. F14 Commander LTC Diego Fasoli welcomed the students, showing them the station's four huge new antennas and explaining the role of the Agency in support of NATO's mission to protect nearly 1 billion citizens. Speaking about the station's engagement with local community, Commander Fasoli noted We are really pleased to give young students an opportunity to see how a NATO base works, giving them a hint of what their future work environment could look like . We are NATO military and civilians, but also parents with sons and daughters just like them. We hope that the visit inspired them to consider a career in science and technology. Site Engineer Csaba Grunda provided a technical briefing to the group, explaining how the satellites are managed 24/7 by NCI Agency and will help connect NATO, Nations and forces when they are fully operational It was a great visit with a very detailed technical presentation. We are really interested in seeing the final result when SATCOM Ground Station becomes fully operational, was the overall feedback from the students

Over 40 high school students visited the NCI Agency's refurbished Satellite Communication Ground Station F14 in Lughezzano, Verona, on 10 April 2018.

general 1 554 1 about-us/newsroom/berlin-E28093-unique-preview-of-nato-tech-opportunities.aspx The upcoming flagship NATO event, NITEC18 – NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International – will provide detailed overview of NATO's digital transformation and highlight specific business opportunities in the next 18 months, worth about 1.6 billion Euro The areas to be addressed include NATO integrated air and missile defence, including upgrades to NATO's missile defence test and integration laboratory New competition of advanced software to support NATO's troop movements and logistics Information and knowledge management, administration applications Countering small unmanned aerial systems Education and training Update on competition for NATO's cyber shield C-IED technology for NATO's Response Force Check the NITEC websit for details Keynote Speaker The General Manager of the NATO Communication and Information (NCI Agency), who is responsible for NATO's digital transformation, will outline his vision for cooperation with Industry on NATO's digital endeavour The conference's Host Nation, Germany, will be represented by the German State Secretary for Defence, Mr Benedikt Zimmer, who will discuss national priorities. Senior Industry leaders will discuss what it takes to succeed in large scale digital transformation

The upcoming flagship NATO event, NITEC18 – NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International – will provide detailed overview of NATO's digital transformation and highlight specific business opportunities in the next 18 months, worth about 1.6 billion Euro.

general 1 555 1 about-us/newsroom/31st-tide-sprint.aspx The 3 s Think-Tank for Information Decision and Execution (TIDE) Sprint that discusses many of the most pressing interoperability challenges faced by NATO today just came to an end. The NCI Agency is proud to have taken part in the discussion, with its staff providing insights into various innovative solutions The event came two weeks after the TIDE Hackathon – held in Podgorica, Montenegro from 19 to 23 March, - which brought together 14 national teams of experts from defence, academia and industry to solve three Federated Mission Networking-related challenges identified at past TIDE Sprints (learn more her ). For more information about TIDESprint, please refer to the NATO ACT websit

The 31st Think-Tank for Information Decision and Execution (TIDE) Sprint that discusses many of the most pressing interoperability challenges faced by NATO today just came to an end. The NCI Agency is proud to have taken part in the discussion, with its staff providing insights into various innovative solutions.

general 1 556 1 about-us/newsroom/hacking-fmn-nci-agency-team-delivers-service-and-support-for-act-and-nations.aspx Held in Podgorica, Montenegro from 19 to 23 March, the 2018 TIDE Hackathon brought together experts and specialists to work on challenges that NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) identifies as most pressing, based on NATO and partner nations' input. The 14 national teams from defence, academia and industry – representative of United Kingdom, Denmark, Ukraine, Poland, Montenegro, Norway, Turkey, and Germany – competed in this third edition over three different challenges to support the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) the Modelling Challenge – whereby participants were asked to develop a set of architectural patterns representing how Coalition Operations can adopt Cloud Computing Services by applying ideas from state-of-the-art technologies and business practices; the Coding Challenge – where participants had to develop working software prototypes by applying ideas from state-of-the-art technologies; and the Joint Challenge – which was participants developing experimental or demonstration solutions to the problem of sharing and using unstructured information in a federated, distributed environment The NATO Systems provided by the NCI Agency - JCHAT, CoreGIS, symbology, NIRIS, IoT, radio networks and UX guidance) – were crucial to enable the participants to work and come up with really innovative solutions, all built around FMN 3.0 specificities - from an Augmented Reality COP, an FMN cloud-brokerage mechanism, to federated search and file. The teams were judged by RADM Çelebi, ACT ACOS C2DS, and Prof Pejanovic, former Minister of Defense. Many feedbacks noted the great job done by NCI Agency members, while the Montenegrin team cited one NCI Agency staff member as the main motivation not to give up but stay and finish . More details on the ACT TIDE websit and on ACT's LinkedIn stories

Held in Podgorica, Montenegro from 19 to 23 March, the 2018 TIDE Hackathon brought together experts and specialists to work on challenges that NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) identifies as most pressing, based on NATO and partner nations' input.

general 1 557 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-cyber-defenders-put-to-the-test-at-worldE28099s-largest-livefire-cyber-drill.aspx BRUSSELS, Belgium – From 23 to 27 April 2018, NATO cyber experts will come under attack in the largest international live-fire cyber defence exercise in the world, Locked Shields. NATO Blue team of 30 cyber defenders led by NCI Agency will be taking part in the week-long event, alongside 1000 experts from nearly 30 Nations. The competition has been organized annually by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) based in Tallinn, Estonia, since 2010 I am confident the NCI Agency team is ready to demonstrate their finely tuned cyber-net defence skills. Locked Shields is a seminal event in training our cyber experts because winning in the exercise environment demonstrates our team is prepared to successfully defend day-to-day against threats, said Dr Gregory Edwards, NCI Agency Director of Infrastructure Services Locked Shields offers a unique opportunity for NATO as well as national cyber defenders to test the protection of respective IT systems and critical infrastructure in a safe environment, while being aggressively challenged by world-class opponents It focuses on realistic and cutting-edge technologies, scenarios, networks and attack methods. CCDCOE integrates the technical and strategic game, enabling participating nations to practice the entire chain of command in the event of a severe cyber incident, from strategic to operational level and involving both civilian and military capabilities For more information about the exercise, follow the CCDCOE site her

BRUSSELS, Belgium – From 23 to 27 April 2018, NATO cyber experts will come under attack in the largest international live-fire cyber defence exercise in the world, Locked Shields.

general 1 558 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec18-strategic-dialogue.aspx We are pleased to bring you further updates on our upcoming flagship NATO event, NITEC18 – NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International – held on 22-24 May in Berlin, Germany Strategic Dialogu We are proud to welcome The Honorable Thomas B. Modly, Under Secretary of the US Navy, who will offer a strategic perspective on the digital transformation of the US Navy; NITEC also offers direct access to senior NATO officials responsible for the major business opportunities that will be briefed For a full list of keynote speakers, check the event’s website regularly High Level Panel on 'Competing for Talent The efficiency and competiveness of organizations are increasingly dependent on the skills, knowledge and creativity of their workforce. Tech skills in particular are in short supply. When organizations face skills shortages or mismatches, their productivity and innovation suffer. This is why a large and diverse talent pool, combined with the right recruitment and human resource policies and practices are essential to success As a result, the private sector is rethinking the way it attracts, fosters and maintains talent. Senior Industry leaders will hold a high level panel to discuss how NATO and Nations can benefit from Industry experience in securing what is a strategic asset – the competition for tech talent NATO's Largest Digital Transformation in Decade The Alliance is currently undergoing the single largest modernization of its technology since the end of the Cold War. Success will depend on Industry understanding the context of this transformation NITEC18 offers A comprehensive overview of NATO’s digital transformation, so that Industry has a good understanding of the overall context Detailed briefings on specific opportunities that will be going to market in the next 18 months (approximately 1.6 billion EUR) with direct access to the relevant programme managers Opportunities to build partnerships with European and North American industry in light of upcoming competitions Specific opportunities for innovative small and medium businesses, academia and not-for-profit research institutes For more information, follow NITEC websit Register her . See you in Berlin

We are pleased to bring you further updates on our upcoming flagship NATO event, NITEC18 – NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International – held on 22-24 May in Berlin, Germany.

general 1 559 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-wins-the-worldE28099s-largest-livefire-cyber-exercise.aspx NATO has won the world’s largest live-fire cyber exercise, Locked Shields 2018. After an intense competition from 23 to 26 April, NATO’s “Blue team” of 30 cyber defenders − led by the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency − took the top prize in Tallinn, Estonia. French and Czech teams placed second and third, respectively. In total more than 1,000 experts from nearly 30 nations participated this year. I could not be more proud of the success of our cyber-team that once again demonstrated the expertise of NATO’s technology agency. They are hard-working, dedicated and ready 24/7 to defend NATO networks,” said Kevin J. Scheid, General Manager of the NCI Agency For the full article see NATO websit

ATO has won the world’s largest live-fire cyber exercise, Locked Shields 2018. After an intense competition from 23 to 26 April, NATO’s “Blue team” of 30 cyber defenders − led by the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency − took the top prize in Tallinn, Estonia. French and Czech teams placed second and third, respectively. In total more than 1,000 experts from nearly 30 nations participated this year.

general 1 560 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-announces-winners-of-third-annual-defence-innovation-challenge.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is happy to announce the winners of the third annual Defence Innovation Challenge! The top finishers are invited to showcase their tech solutions at this year's NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC18) - 'NATO's Digital Endeavour Expanding the Ecosystem', which will take place on 22-24 May in Berlin, Germany Compan Countr Focus are SensorUp Inc Canad IoT Secure federation of IoT device ID Quantiqu U IoT Secure federation of IoT device Dogtown Medi US Mobile Apps for defence users Kognitiv Spar Canad Mobile Apps for defence users Rasdaman Gmb German Data science application of open source analytic tools Eomax Corp Canad IoT Secure federation of IoT device Defence Innovation Greenhouse & InnoVet Europ Netherland Mobile Apps for government organisation Alessandro Busachi (Academic Research Ital Data science application of open source analytic tools Troika Solution US Data visualisation CybExer Technologies O Estoni Data visualisation The challenge was aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small businesses and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. It was open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions operating at the cutting edge of technology from all 29 NATO Nations. This year, the challenge focused on digital innovation, with the NCI Agency accepting submissions in the following areas Mobile apps for defence users Mobile apps for government organizations Data science models for natural language processing and translation; speech to text Data science application of open source analytic tools Data visualization Internet of Things (IoT) autonomous sensors for the battlefield; IoT secure federation of IoT devices We are seeking to broaden engagement with innovative technology drivers as NATO undergoes its largest technological modernization in decades, said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Schei The top ten finishers will receive One full registration waiver Showcase space at NITEC18 Participation in the award ceremony with NATO leadership Presentation slot during the plenary session Inclusion in the NITEC18 report Inclusion in the industry innovation report in the Communicator magazine; Bilateral meeting with an NCI Agency expert; Mentoring session with one of the SME mentors

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is happy to announce the winners of the third annual Defence Innovation Challenge!

general 1 561 1 about-us/newsroom/4th-nato-cyber-defence-smart-defence-projects-conference.aspx Built upon the encouraging results of last year, the t edition of NATO Cyber Defence Smart Defence Projects Conference (CD SDP), NATO–EU Cooperative Cyber Defence Capability Building , was held on 19 April at the Military Academy in Lisbon (Portugal), with a focus on how smart defence, pooling and sharing can foster cooperation, transformation and innovation RADM Chief of Staff Thomas Daum and Mr. Jean-Paul Massart, Education and Training Service Line Chief, were part of the debating panels and represented the Agency at the event – intended as an opportunity to explore new ideas towards a more synergetic approach between all the NATO Cyber Defence Smart Defence Projects. With that view, enhancing cooperation with industry and academia to transformation, innovation and capability building and reinforcing the NATO-EU complementarity of efforts on the field of Cyber Security and Cyber Defence were discussed – cyber being a key area of cooperation under the common set of proposals endorsed by NATO and EU Councils on 6 December 2016 Commenting on the value of NATO-EU cooperation in a digital era marked by a rapidly evolving threat landscape, Dr Daum put forward the idea of making the NCI Academy - the education and training hub for NATO's Digital Endeavour - a shared lighthouse , serving as a focal point for the NATO-EU collaboration on the field of Education Training Exercises and Evaluation (ETE) and the main source of high quality Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and Cyber Training for the two organizations In light of the commonality of tech used, threats shared and set of forces available, a transformational initiative of key importance would then be the establishment of joint cyber 'career paths' – to be coordinated between the EU and NATO so as to make deployment to both organizations easy Through the idea of the cyber 'career path' […] and the Academy as a focal point of joint NATO-EU training we will significantly strengthen a mission that both the EU and NATO share – defending our citizens against a new generation of threats, emphasized Dr Daum The diversity and scope of participants' knowledge, profiles and expertise - from civilian to military backgrounds, from government to private sectors, from national to International participants – proved crucial to a rich and intense discussion, which provided lots of food for thought on the next steps NATO and the EU need to make together towards a unified and coordinated Cyber Security and Defence posture The summary of the conference is available her

Built upon the encouraging results of last year, the 4th edition of NATO Cyber Defence Smart Defence Projects Conference (CD SDP), NATO–EU Cooperative Cyber Defence Capability Building , was held on 19 April at the Military Academy in Lisbon (Portugal), with a focus on how smart defence, pooling and sharing can foster cooperation, transformation and innovation.

general 1 562 1 about-us/newsroom/one-week-to-nato-industry-conference-in-berlin.aspx Only one week left to our NITEC18 conferenc - this year to discuss NATO's largest digital transformation in decades NITEC18 – NATO's Digital Endeavour Expanding the Ecosystem offers a unique opportunity to discuss how the private sector, think-tanks, academia and the NATO Communications and Information Agency can work together to leverage new-generation information technologies to advance the Alliance into the digital future. This includes preview of bids NATO will be releasing in next 18 months, worth over 1.6 billion Euro NATO integrated air and missile defenc – over 200 million EUR, including upgrades to NATO's missile defence test and integration laboratory New competition of advanced software to support NATO's troop movements and logistic – up to 100 million EUR Information and knowledge management, administration applications – over 70 million EUR Countering small unmanned aerial system – 10 million EUR Education and training Update on competition for NATO's cyber shield C-IE technology for NATO's Response Force Exclusive The event will also preview a new NATO architectural blueprint for deployable communication systems (including upcoming bids in this area). The briefing is highly recommended for Industry partners interested in supplying NATO with deployable communication systems NITEC18 Programme and Speakers Check the event's websit for the most up-to-date programm as well as our keynote speaker NITEC18 is a collaborative venture between the NATO Communications and Information Agency and AFCEA Europe. This is the first time the prestigious event is held in Berlin and under the auspices of the German Ministry of Defence

Only one week left to our NITEC18 conference - this year to discuss NATO's largest digital transformation in decades.

general 1 563 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-to-sign-new-cyber-partnerships-with-industry-in-berlin.aspx Four new bilateral industry partnership agreements on cyber information sharing will be signed at the NCI Agency's NITEC18 conference held in Berlin, 22-24 May 2018, between the NATO Communications and Information Agency and Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, AT&T, CY4GATE (an Elettronica Group company) and Thales Communications & Security S.A.S The NCI Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks. Enhanced cooperation and rapid information-sharing between public and private sector proves to be one the most effective defences in terms of the highest-impact, lowest-cost and fastest way to increase cyber resilience, improve incident handling and mitigate vulnerability to attack The collective approach and above all expertise of the private sector is crucial in addressing the current and future challenge , said NCI Agency General Manager, Kevin J. Scheid These four bilateral agreements will be the latest in a series of important contracts with industry in the framework of the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). The agreement will foster timely information sharing on cyber threats, allowing the parties to enhance situational awareness and better protect their networks. In practice it will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into the NCI Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes further enhancing NATO's cyber security posture

Four new bilateral industry partnership agreements on cyber information sharing will be signed at the NCI Agency's NITEC18 conference held in Berlin, 22-24 May 2018, between the NATO Communications and Information Agency and Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, AT&T, CY4GATE (an Elettronica Group company) and Thales Communications & Security S.A.S.

general 1 564 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-to-unveil-new-tech-at-berlin-event.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency and Industry partners will unveil new blueprints for NATO's deployable communications and information systems at NITEC18 in Berlin on 23 May 2018 These ground-breaking advances will dramatically reduce the size, weight and preparation time of NATO's deployable CIS, while at the same time increasing their resiliency. The blueprints are the result of a technology challenge launched at the NCI Agency's flagship industry conference NITEC17 in Ottawa, Canada, in April 2017. Today the Agency's Industry partners – including HP, CGI, Microsoft, VMware and Cisco – will demonstrate solutions that are based on these radically new blueprints and architecture The new architecture will deliver a number of benefits; an expected weight reduction of 1.8 tons, a 50% reduction in the size of the equipment and a reduction by half of the power consumptio , said Murray Davidson, NCI Agency Director for Service Strategy That is less fuel, fewer generators, and simplified logistics. But the technology is also easier to setup and inherently scalable, allowing NATO to mount operations more rapidly; we expect service set-up time will be reduced by more than 50% and require far fewer personnel Mobility, resilience, not just for NAT The new architecture is open and platform agnostic, so we believe it is very relevant not just for NATO's own needs, but also for national authorities as they look at their own deployable communications and information system , Mr Davidson added The mobility and resilience of NATO's communications and information system underpins not only NATO's operations, but also its ability to manoeuvre as part of its enhanced forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance The new architecture, which is open and available to all Industry partners, will be the basis for NATO's upcoming procurements for deployable communication information system, worth over 150 million EUR, with the first invitations for bids due out this quarter The NCI Agency will discuss over 1.6 billion EUR worth of investments that will go to market in the next 18-24 months at the upcoming NITEC18 in Berlin, Berlin, on 22-24 May. Industry representatives interested in attending can visit http //www.nitec.nato.int for further information

The NATO Communications and Information Agency and Industry partners will unveil new blueprints for NATO's deployable communications and information systems at NITEC18 in Berlin on 23 May 2018.These ground-breaking advances will dramatically reduce the size, weight and preparation time of NATO's deployable CIS, while at the same time increasing their resiliency.

general 1 565 1 about-us/newsroom/record-number-of-organizations-attending-nitec18.aspx BERLIN, Germany – Up to 300 organizations will be represented at NITEC18, the NCI Agency's industry conference which aims to boost cooperation between external partners and NATO This is a notable increase on 2017 when 260 organizations – from the private and not-for-profit sectors, national delegations and academia – attended NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC) The high-profile event, which is taking place at the InterContinental Hotel in Berlin, Germany, is set to open its doors to nearly 700 delegates today. This year's edition is already delivering on its promises to expand the ecosystem , with 240 B2B meetings of 300 requested set up over the next three days. This represents a 70% increase on 2017 when 140 B2B meetings were held This year we've expanded our outreach to industry, not-for-profit organizations and academia to expand the NATO ecosyste , NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid commented. The response has been outstanding, more companies and organizations have joined us this year than ever before. More competition is good for NATO – it drives innovation, lowers costs and raises qualit , he added The conference, organized jointly with AFCEA Europe and in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry of Defence, will kick off at 11 30am as participants will be given a chance to mingle with 55 industry exhibitors Mr Scheid and Erich Staudacher, General Manager of AFCEA Europe, will take to the stage in the afternoon, with introductory speeches. NCI Agency representatives will then highlight upcoming business opportunities, while senior government and industry speakers will discuss the best practices which have driven their own digital transformation efforts Roger Krone from Leido , The Honourable Thomas B. Modly, Undersecretary of the US Navy, Robert D Solis from MIT Lincoln Labs and Sabine Bendiek from Microsoft will share their insights on Day One. Follow us on Twitter #NITEC18 or visit our event's websit for more information on the NITEC18 programme and speakers

BERLIN, Germany – Up to 300 organizations will be represented at NITEC18, the NCI Agency's industry conference which aims to boost cooperation between external partners and NATO.This is a notable increase on 2017 when 260 organizations – from the private and not-for-profit sectors, national delegations and academia – attended NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC).

general 1 566 1 about-us/newsroom/competing-for-talent-in-tech.aspx NITEC18 is in full swing. The exhibition area in Berlin's InterContinental Hotel is crowded with delegates busy networking, while B2B meetings are fully booked Senior keynote speakers from Cisco, Thales, Bitkom and the German Federal Ministry of Defence will lead the #NITEC18 conversation on Wednesday morning, evaluating new trends in digital transformation. Together with moderator RADM Dr Thomas Daum, the NCI Agency's Chief of Staff, panelists will discuss how current practices and processes can be improved, in order to inject renewed agility and boost the effectiveness of digital transformation efforts. Meanwhile, the 'Competing for Talent' panel, moderated by Dell's Pascale Van Damme, and comprising Christina Balis from QinetiQ, Kristie Grinnell from General Dynamics Information Technology and Alisson Reardon from AT&T, will address current challenges - as well as opportunities – on the job market In the afternoon, subject matter experts will highlight NATO business opportunities in the areas of Command and Control, Joint Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance; air and missile defence; education and training; IT infrastructure; business applications and cyber. Conference participants will also be offered interactive sessions on NATO bidding methodology and how to succeed in doing business with NATO Last, but not least, Agency experts will unveil the new blueprints for NATO's deployable communications and information systems – further details on this exciting project can be found her or at NITEC18.

NITEC18 is in full swing. The exhibition area in Berlin's InterContinental Hotel is crowded with delegates busy networking, while B2B meetings are fully booked.

general 1 567 1 about-us/newsroom/new-natoindustry-cyber-partnerships-signed-at-nitec18.aspx Berlin, Germany - The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed new bilateral industry partnership agreements with CY4GATE, Thales, and Vodafone. The partnerships, formalized at NITEC1 , are the latest in a series of agreements between the Alliance and leading Industry partners. They will enable the participants to share critical information on national security cyber threats, improving both parties' ability to detect, prevent and respond to cyber threats quickly NATO's new cyber partners commented on the milestone agreements after their respective signature ceremonies, which took place on 23 May 2018 at the Agency's flagship conference in Berlin, Germany. Eugenio Santagata, Chief Executive Officer, CY4GATE, said With the signature of this new agreement which follows the participation of CY4GATE to the Malware Information Sharing Program (MISP), the company confirms its strong commitment to join the NATO cyber community in the fight against cyber threat Hervé Derrey, Chief Operating Officer, Secure Communications & Information Systems, Thales, added Over the years, Thales has built on its understanding of five major markets (aerospace, space, ground transportation, defence and security) to develop systems and solutions that are 'cybersecure by design', actively helping the people who make the world go round as it becomes increasingly connected. For 40 years now, Thales has been supporting more than 50 countries including NATO countries as a trusted partner to improve their cybersecurity capabilities. We are proud to reinforce once again our relationship with NATO, helping the organisation and its members to reinforce resilience and security of its system . Meanwhile, Vodafone Global Enterprise director Erik Brenneis said Collaboration is critical to success in tackling national security cyber threats. This agreement will lay the frame work for both organizations to establish more resilient responses and processe . The Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks. Rapid information sharing has proven to be one the most effective defences in cyberspace Enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to increase cyber resilience, improve incident handling and mitigate vulnerability to attack NATO Industry Cyber Partnershi The agreements with Vodafone, Thales and CY4GATE are an important part of the effort to strengthen the Alliance's cyber defence posture through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). They will foster timely information-sharing on cyber threats, allowing participants to enhance situational awareness and better protect their networks. In practice, it will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into the NCI Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes further enhancing NATO's cyber security posture

Berlin, Germany - The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed new bilateral industry partnership agreements with CY4GATE, Thales, and Vodafone. The partnerships, formalized at NITEC18, are the latest in a series of agreements between the Alliance and leading Industry partners. They will enable the participants to share critical information on national security cyber threats, improving both parties' ability to detect, prevent and respond to cyber threats quickly.

general 1 568 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-helps-protect-nato-operations-against-drone-attacks.aspx Drones are widely-used for inspection, photography, farming and parcel delivery, and have gained a huge popularity as toys among the general public. With ever-growing capabilities in performance, cameras, GPS, and radio links, the number of drone applications is rapidly expanding, stirring the imagination of inventors and hobbyists alike Sales for personally owned drones have soared in 2016, they reached the 800 million USD mark in the US alone, and reportedly exceeded the 1 billion USD mark in 201 For the military, drones are a dream come true they are small, essentially disposable and can be used in a wide range of roles such as surveillance and weapons delivery, without running the risk of physical harm to own forces All these advantages that have become available to NATO forces are equally accessible to our adversaries. Readily available and adaptable, drones can be equipped with sensors or weaponized by non-state actors, lone wolve or terrorists, and then used to monitor our operations or to put our soldiers in harm's way — all of it at little risk to the attacker As a result of their small size and the materials from which they are constructed, drones are difficult to detect and track – especially in an already complex and cluttered operational environment. This makes it a huge challenge to identify their presence and neutralize or destroy them before they become a threat to our forces and operations Over recent years, the NCI Agency has acquired a deep understanding of drone detection and countermeasures. As a centre of excellence for Electronic Warfare and sensor systems, the Agency's Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) team is well positioned to apply knowledge gained through the delivery of operational capabilities using similar technologies to help the counter-drone challenge The Agency also has a thorough grasp of the available counter-drone systems on the market, acquired through a recent market survey performed in the last quarter of 2017. Our scientific and operational expertise has been recognized by the NATO Operational Commands in their selection of the Agency as the procurement lead for the acquisition of a capability for the protection against drones in multiple areas of NATO's current operations As such, the Agency plans to release an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for NATO procurement in mid-2018 Threats posed by terrorist misuse of drones are challenging NATO traditional strategy for force protection, demanding for new capabilities to be developed, deployed and used, commented Dr Claudio Palestini, Officer, Counter Terrorism Section, Emerging Security Challenges Division, NATO Headquarter NATO is addressing these challenges from several strands of work and is working to setup a comprehensive framework for putting together in a coherent way the different efforts on-going. The expertise and knowledge of the NCI Agency is key in contributing to this framework. If required, the NCI Agency is able to apply its expertise to perform further similar acquisition activities for individual Nations, Multinational trust funds, NATO entities or other International organisations POCs René Thaens and René van der Heide Electronic Warfare & Sensors Branch, JISR Service Line, The Hagu https //www.statista.com/chart/9525/sales-of-consumer-drones-to-dealers-in-the-us

Drones are widely-used for inspection, photography, farming and parcel delivery, and have gained a huge popularity as toys among the general public. With ever-growing capabilities in performance, cameras, GPS, and radio links, the number of drone applications is rapidly expanding, stirring the imagination of inventors and hobbyists alike.

general 1 569 1 about-us/newsroom/trident-jaguar-2018-tests-natos-readiness.aspx Hosted by the NATO Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) and CSU Stavanger, Norway, the first iteration of Trident Jaguar 2018 (TRJR18-1) - a joint headquarters operational exercise testing the Alliance's military capacity and readiness - successfully concluded in May 2018. An Allied Command Transformation sponsored exercise, TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018 aimed at training and evaluating Multinational Joint Headquarters Ulm and their attached Joint Logistics Support Group (JLSG) to plan and conduct land-heavy Non-Article 5 Small Joint Crisis Response Operations under direct command of SACEUR As many as 550 Training Audience (TA) and 350 Exercise Control (EXCON) participants took part in the Command Post Exercise – a computer assisted simulation with no live fire or maneuver exercises associated - held at the JWC training facility, with bunker facilities at Jaatta used for EXCON instead. The Joint Warfare Centre developed the complex, fictitious exercise scenario SKOLKAN 2.0 to stimulate the Training Audience for cooperation and coordination, across all domains. The two-level Command Post Exercise allowed JWC to simulate, in real time, different conditions in the computer-based scenario, and enhance the processes and concepts being tested in the exercise. First iteration of TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018 a rough start turned into a succes NCI Agency CSU Stavanger provided crucial support throughout this first half of the exercise. Key provisions included core services, the normal mix of NATO Response Force type Command & Control (C2) and Community of Interest (COI) systems, to include 2 SIGINT COINS installations, a total of 8 VTC suites (including 3 deployable kits from NCI Agency CIS Sustainment Support Centre), and infrastructure to support reach back to a German national system. Despite a few difficulties faced by the team at the offset, which hindered timely deliveries, CSU successfully pulled itself together, and towards the end of the Communication test exercise (COMMEX) the status lights were again at its expected green. Throughout the exercise a total of 151 incidents were responded to and resolved, 291 Request for Changes managed and implemented, 2790 user accounts created on 3 different networks TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018 also revealed the vulnerability we face when dealing with such complex, multi-site infrastructure supported events. As the exercise was conducted over extended days, weekends and public holidays, having support personnel available at many sites turned out to be very difficult. This added to several incidents which hindered e-mail exchanges across domains and the access to a number of COI services through the central gateways for several days. All in all, however, the CSU proved to be a reliable service provider, whose assistance was a key contribution to TRJR18-1 success. As noted by US Navy Cdr Patrick Boyce, JWC's Deputy Officer of Primary Responsibility for TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018, indeed, key training objectives were met, so that's a major success […] in NATO's overall readiness. Ready for round I The second phase of the exercise, with NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Greece (NRDC GR) as Training Audience, begun on 2 June. Unlike TRJR18-1, conducted in Stavanger in its entirety, the exercise now covers three locations – with the JLSG in Sindos and NRDC GR at Assiros, both of them near Thessaloniki, in Greece. The Joint Warfare Centre is present in Assiros as well, with an EXCON Forward element. For this exercise, the NRDC GR also use their C2 system JSDEP which is also accessible via web in Stavanger. At this moment, most services are being provided with success. In a distributed exercise of this kind, however, communication challenges are again likely to affect both the exercise performance and the quality of the service provision. For more information on TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018 please refer to the JWC's websit

Hosted by the NATO Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) and CSU Stavanger, Norway, the first iteration of Trident Jaguar 2018 (TRJR18-1) - a joint headquarters operational exercise testing the Alliance's military capacity and readiness - successfully concluded in May 2018. An Allied Command Transformation sponsored exercise, TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018 aimed at training and evaluating Multinational Joint Headquarters Ulm and their attached Joint Logistics Support Group (JLSG) to plan and conduct land-heavy Non-Article 5 Small Joint Crisis Response Operations under direct command of SACEUR.

general 1 570 1 about-us/newsroom/cwix-2018-supporting-the-allianceE28099s-transformation.aspx Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination eXercise (CWIX) will kick off next Monday, June 11, at the Joint Force Training Centre in Bydgoszcz, Poland. This computer information systems event brings together Alliance and Partner nations to solve interoperability challenges by federating people, processes and technology. The NCI Agency plays a key role in providing technical expertise and reference NATO Command and Control capabilities to enable interoperability testing with different partners Endorsed by the North Atlantic Council and directed by the Military Committee, CWIX will take place on the Combined Federated Battle Laboratory Network (CFBLNet) – a testing, training, research and development environment which relies on a distributed wide area-networking infrastructure. Over 1000 participants from 29 Alliance and Partner Nations will take part in the exercise, deploying over 300 capabilities. Montenegro, Slovakia and Ukraine will participate as observers Improving interoperability with other NATO and partner system The ability for multinational units to act together is the foundation for all NATO joint, multinational, and interagency operations. Providing a platform to improve information system interoperability in a collaborative environment, CWIX ensures that NATO and Partner Nations can operate together effectively from the outset, to keep our nations safe 'One interoperable NATO is greater than the sum of its parts' CWIX verifies and improves interoperability of Command and Control (C2) systems in support of NATO and coalition operation – thereby making a significant contribution to Smart Defense, while also allowing Alliance and Partner Nations to pool and share resources – thus proving crucial to Federated Mission Networking (FMN), Cyber Defense and Communication and Information Systems (CIS) capability development Providing significant operational and cost benefits, CWIX - the greatest test of NATO's interoperability - is thus key in supporting the ongoing transformation of the Alliance and its Partners for defense, deterrence, and projecting stability Mitigating the risk of CIS failure in NATO exercises and missions CWIX strives to improve the resilience and agility of operational, deployable Communication and Information Systems capabilities by improving interoperability Testing and verifying interoperability before deployment, CWIX provides Commanders with confidence that people, processes and technology are ready and fit for purpose so that NATO missions and exercises are day-zero ready. The risk of technical failure prior to deployments is reduced thanks to a program of testing activities that allow nations to try, fail, fix, try again By allowing the NCI Agency and Nations to undertake technical CIS validation well ahead of the NATO Response Force verification, CWIX also ensures readiness and resilience of deployed CIS capabilities to support NATO's core tasks Allowing to innovate and progress in Capability developmen CWIX successfully federates Industry and Research & Development with operators, planners and technicians on a distributed network using distributed processes and innovative technology. In this way, it enables the NCI Agency to move forward in capability development insofar as future systems and processes are continuously introduced alongside existing fielded CIS. Exploring and experimenting, CWIX identifies requirements that help to prepare Alliance and Partner Nations to meet future interoperability challenges by supporting the introduction of emerging technology. Simply put, it keeps NATO one step ahead.

Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination eXercise (CWIX) will kick off next Monday, June 11, at the Joint Force Training Centre in Bydgoszcz, Poland. This computer information systems event brings together Alliance and Partner nations to solve interoperability challenges by federating people, processes and technology. The NCI Agency plays a key role in providing technical expertise and reference NATO Command and Control capabilities to enable interoperability testing with different partners.

general 1 571 1 about-us/newsroom/supporting-natoE28099s-most-complex-cis-exercise-to-date-steadfast-cobalt-2018.aspx NCI Agency experts have been praised for providing the 'backbone' of NATO's most complex CIS exercise to date – Steadfast Cobalt 2018 A team of Agency engineers participated to the successful planning and execution of the command and control structure exercise, which concluded in Kaunas, Lithuania on Thursday 31 May 2018. Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 2018 (SC18) is the NATO Communications Information Systems Group (NCISG) annual field evaluation exercise. The Agency's dedicated team of experts was present on site from 25 April, with the last member leaving the theatre on 5 June Addressing them, RADM Dr Thomas Daum, the NCI Agency's Chief of Staff, commented You are the backbone to this exercise. I am happy to have heard several times during my stay in Kaunas, from both the Officer conducting the Exercise and the operational sponsor , that this exercise would not be possible without the Agency. You make it happen. RADM Dr Daum added We also work as one team to send a clear signal that the NCI Agency is well-prepared for the upcoming Trident Juncture 18, one of the largest NATO live exercises to date. Steadfast Cobalt is an annual exercise which is focused on testing and developing all elements of NATO's command and control structure in support of the Enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF). Over 800 participants took part in the event, which involved activities in over 20 different sites across 15 countries. Due to the number of simultaneous scenarios that it was tasked to test and de-risk on the same network. Steadfast Cobalt has been described as NATO's most complex Communication and Information System exercise to date. As emphasized by NCISG Commander, Major General Wolfgang Renner, Steadfast Cobalt 18 took place in challenging times, marked by a highly demanding security situation requiring the Alliance to adapt its structure and 'mindset' accordingly We must continue to be imaginative and devise very practical ways to prepare for various scenarios, also in CIS term , MGEN Renner said The success in achieving SFCT18's goals, despite a considerable number of challenges, is a sign that we are on the right path, while paving the way to Exercise Steadfast Cobalt 19 – due to take place in Romania next year

NCI Agency experts have been praised for providing the 'backbone' of NATO's most complex CIS exercise to date – Steadfast Cobalt 2018.

general 1 572 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-awards-contract-to-airbus-to-enhance-the-allianceE28099s-information-security.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed a three-year firm fixed price contract for 13 million EUR with Airbus UK for the delivery of the Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure Project (E-NPKI). The contract also includes five 12-month option periods for operation and maintenance support totalling 7.2 million EUR. The contract was signed on 1 June 2018, with scheduled activities commencing in July 2018. The E-NPKI service will be incorporated in the NCI Agency service catalogu The E-NPKI Project will design, implement and deliver a framework of services for the management of public key certificates for NATO, including Digital Signature, Encryption, Identification and Authentication services. The purpose is to facilitate the secure electronic transfer of information between people and entities, using techniques of asymmetric cryptography. E-NPKI will enable security services, such as confidentiality, integrity, non- repudiation, and authentication, by applying rigid processes of registration and issuance of digital certificates that bind public keys with respective identities. The E-NPKI project will deliver benefits to the NATO enterprise, augmenting the legacy secure communications among NATO organizations as well as between NATO and other organizations and countries. It will be able to offer certificate services accredited for use in all NATO environments, delivering services to up to 70,000 users and devices. Initial deployment will be to 52 sites in 20 countries covering elements from the civilian, military, NATO Command and NATO Force Structure. This initial deployment can be subsequently expanded to 23 Optional sites in 13 countries. The contract includes setting up a dedicated E-NPKI Service Desk that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will ensure system availability, incident and configuration management as well as certificate and digital identity card management The Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure Project, together with the IT Modernization Project, the NATO Communications Infrastructure Project and the Service Oriented Architecture Identity Management Project, is part of the wider IT Modernization Programme - recently expanded in scope and renamed Polaris Programme. Polaris is one of NCI Agency's flagship initiatives to lead NATO's digital transformation. It will deliver a wide range of benefits to IT administrators and users, enabling centralized management and control, increasing the availability of services, strengthening NATO-wide resiliency, enhancing information security, and increasing the mobility and agility of the workforce

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed a three-year firm fixed price contract for 13 million EUR with Airbus UK for the delivery of the Enterprise NATO Public Key Infrastructure Project (E-NPKI). The contract also includes five 12-month option periods for operation and maintenance support totalling 7.2 million EUR. The contract was signed on 1 June 2018, with scheduled activities commencing in July 2018. The E-NPKI service will be incorporated in the NCI Agency service catalogue.

general 1 573 1 about-us/newsroom/third-education-and-training-conference-to-take-place-in-lisbon.aspx The NCI Agency’s third Education and Training Conference will take place on 23 and 24 October 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal, and will be followed by an Information Session for Industry, Academia and Military on 25 October 2018 The NCI Agency is a major provider of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), CIS and Cyber Education and Training through its training facilities at NCISS Latina, Glons, Mons and The Hague. The conference provides a forum for information exchange and improved collaboration with its student community and cooperation with other NATO and National Training providers in the C4ISR and Cyber world The conference venue this year is on the premises of the Universidade Catolica in Lisbon. The conference will include a field trip on 24 October to the location of the future NCI Academy building in Oeiras, Portugal Discussions on Day 1 of the conference in plenary session, will address a wide range of topics and information going from the NCI Agency vision and ambition with regard to the 2019 Training courses, Cyber Defence and Cyber Security training, the future NCI Academy and the NCISS relocation to Portugal, the Collective Training and Exercises portfolio to the Training Modernization efforts On Day 2 the attendees will split into syndicates covering individual training, including the Education and Training catalogue and tool for seat allocation, an Education and Training Exercise and Evaluation tools update, Cyber Defence and Cyber Security training, and an opportunity to discuss and exchange experiences. In the afternoon of Day 2, a site visit to the new NCI Academy building in Oeiras will be organized, including an update on the NCI Academy development Click her for the conference program and registration lin The E&T conference is not open for industry participants. However, potential partners (industry, academia, military) are welcome to attend a special NCI Academy information session, organized in the same venue on 25 October 2018 - you can register for the NCI Academy Information session via the registration lin . The brochure for the Information session can be found her The NCI Academy sees partnerships with Academia and Industry as an opportunity to raise the quality of Education & Training services to higher standards. The aim of this information session is to allow interested parties to learn more about the NCI Academy and its plans The online registration for the Conference (23-24 October) opens on 1st August 2018

The NCI Agency’s third Education and Training Conference will take place on 23 and 24 October 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal, and will be followed by an Information Session for Industry, Academia and Military on 25 October 2018.

general 1 574 1 about-us/newsroom/leaders-to-meet-at-natoE28099s-largest-cyber-security-conference.aspx The NCI Agency is pleased to announce that NATO’s largest cyber security conference this year will focus on cross-domain applications of cyber security, scheduled from 16 to 18 October 2018, in Mons, Belgium. This prestigious three-day event, organized by the NCI Agency, brings together an audience of over 1,600 national leaders and leading cyber security specialists from across the Alliance to discuss evolving policy and technology. It is accompanied by an exhibition of some of the most innovative solutions in the area of cyber security. Following the NATO Summit, this year’s event will focus on the theme of Securing NATO’s Digital Endeavou and how cyber affects other domains – land, sea and air as well as areas such as joint intelligence and reconnaissance and civil-military cooperation. This year’s edition will feature the following panel The cyber pledge Innovative partnerships The military perspective Ensuring freedom of manoeuvre in cyberspace From banks to drones Securing our societies across all domains Attracting diverse talent As in previous years, the event will provide a unique platform to connect with top Industry and NATO security leaders, explore cutting-edge technology and participate in world-class workshop . The discussions will include An introduction to the brand new NATO’s Cyberspace Operations Centre concept Operating Cyber Rapid Reaction Teams Exploring Secure DevOps (DevSecOps) An introduction to the US cyber threat framework Running military operations from the cloud White-hats’ testimonial successful compromise of enterprise networks Attendance is free of charge for NATO and EU Nations, civilian and military officials, and media representatives. NIAS Website Visit nias2018.com for more info and to be kept abreast of NIAS18 programme details and updates. Media accreditation requests to be submitted by sending email to communication@ncia.nato.in https //youtu.be/4cQLvb58QU

The NCI Agency is pleased to announce that NATO’s largest cyber security conference this year will focus on cross-domain applications of cyber security, scheduled from 16 to 18 October 2018, in Mons, Belgium.

general 1 575 1 about-us/newsroom/from-interns-to-nato-civilians.aspx Marina Papassarantis took part in the 2017 NCI Agency Internship Programme. Her hard work and dedication eventually landed her a job as a contractor And this year, the Belgian native was offered a role as a NATO International Civilian after competing for - and winning - the role of Service Support Officer in the Transmission Infrastructure Services division. I have always been fascinated by geopolitics, politico-military strategies and engineering – in particular, the ingenuity of human beings in the pursuit of progress and innovation for the common good. My desire to learn and to know these fields inspired my education and career path. Fresh out of the university after a Master's Degree in Political Science, I wanted to translate theory into practice, and most importantly, to challenge myself. I aimed at achieving two goals my dream to work in NATO, a politico-military organization which secures peace in Transatlantic Europe, and, building extensive knowledge of IT in the NCI Agency through the understanding of the service-oriented approach of NATO Communications and Information Systems (CIS) support. My internship came as an ideal opportunity to start building my own professional experience in the organization. Having obtained an internship position, I found myself in a team that encourages its members to share their opinions freely and recognizes individual contributions. Over the months, I was empowered to take on increasingly complex tasks and projects as well as to take initiative. This was a great source of motivation and encouragement for me to undertake a second Master's Degree in Management Science, and, to seek further opportunities within NATO after my internship. Collaborating with colleagues from 29 NATO countries, and with the support of my close colleagues in the Transmission Infrastructure Services team, I have seen myself growing personally and professionally. Persevering, broadening my knowledge, as well as being part of a team - a family - has convinced me that I made the right decision in taking up this internship which has resulted in becoming a NATO International Civilian, almost a year and a half later. Elma Mujollari took part in the 2016-2017 NCI Agency Internship Programme. Her team was so impressed with her performance that she was later hired as a contractor And this year, the talented Albanian native was offered a role as a NATO International Civilian after competing for - and winning - the role of Principal Assistant in the Operational Support division I was completing an MBA at the University of Brussels in 2017, whilst embarking on an internship with the NCI Agency. Nowadays, achieving academic success is no longer enough, internships can give you an edge by fostering global competency, increasing your marketability and leading you towards a greater overall job satisfaction In my case, working as an intern allowed me to understand the flow of the organization and it also helped put my learning into context. I could observe the organization through the eyes of an MBA student. I felt like this experience helped me develop my knowledge and grow as a person, in a very relaxed and calm atmosphere. I am very grateful to all my colleagues for those early days. Besides supporting day-to-day business operations, I was excited to work on my own projects. I could observe and research the dynamics of business management within my department, the Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Service Line. The NCI Agency's internship programme brings together individuals with different demographic, social and educational backgrounds into a large diverse and multicultural organization. This builds a strong team, where ideas flow, innovation succeeds and results are acknowledged. This internship provided me the platform to learn, going beyond academia. I chose to continue working at NATO because I know my job directly contributes to the Alliance's role and responsibilities across the world. This is why I am happy I chose NATO instead of working in the traditional business world. It makes me feel like through my work, I am contributing to people's lives.

Marina Papassarantis took part in the 2017 NCI Agency Internship Programme. Her hard work and dedication eventually landed her a job as a contractor.And this year, the Belgian native was offered a role as a NATO International Civilian after competing for - and winning - the role of Service Support Officer in the Transmission Infrastructure Services division.

general 1 576 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-leaders-call-for-greater-collaboration-in-cyberspace-at-nias18.aspx NATO'slargest cyber security conference NIAS'18 kicked off in Mons, Belgium, on 16October with a record number of 1800 delegates registering for the three-dayevent. This year's edition of the annual conference focuses on 'Securing NATO's Digital Endeavour and how cyber security affects other domains – land, sea and air - as well as areas such as joint intelligence and reconnaissance and civil-military cooperation. Industry has the innovation, has the technology, they bring in new talent. Clearly [our partnership with] industry is key to bringing innovation, technology and new talent to secure the Alliance said the NCI Agency's General Manager, Mr Kevin J Scheid, as he addressed national leaders and leading cyber security specialists from both sides of the Atlantic. In his opening remarks, Mr Scheid reaffirmed the Agency's commitment to NATO's role in cyberspace. He noted that the Agency has taken several initiatives to drive cyber security progress across the Alliance and protect NATO networks. He remarked We are already involved in daily information exchange with Allies. We want to strengthen that exchange with the national cyber security centres [from NATO Member Countries].This is why we are deploying improved tools to enhance real-time information exchange and collaboration. We are also expanding our curriculum at the NCI Academy to cover advanced cyber security training for the military. Dr Antonio Missiroli, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, told the audience that NATO has to adapt to this world where we face not only the risk of attacks in the traditional domains, but also the thousands of cyber events that fall well below the traditional level of activity that a military alliance might respond to . The Assistant Secretary General emphasized that such challenges can only be tackled by a collaborative approach to cyber security. Moving forward, given the cutting-edge developments in the cyber domain, such as Artificial Intelligence, we will need to do more to leverage the power of industry and academia and closer align this cooperation to our requirements. Major General Wolfgang Renner, Deputy Chief of Staff Cyberspace of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, shared his military perspective on the topic. There are two fundamental realities First, what happens in cyberspace absolutely affects how we fight – no matter where or when the next crisis occurs. And second, what happens in cyberspace is integral to the collective defence of the Alliance, Major General Renner said Day one of NIAS'18 also included two national perspectives on cyber partnerships. Mr Len Bastien, Chief Information Officer for Canada's Department of National Defence, remarked that information is one of the most precious commodities for the defence sector. The value of information is priceless. We have to protect it, we have to move it, we have to make sure it is available, and we have to make sure it is secure, that it has fidelity. Mr Bastien shared his country's approach to attracting cyber security talent from the private sector. He mentioned Canada's initiative to build a 'cyber reserve' of industry professionals and academics who dedicate one weekend a month to supporting the Canadian Armed Forces as cyber warriors. Meanwhile, Mr Kusti Salm, National Armaments Director for Estonia's Ministry of Defence, discussed his country's efforts to become more cyber resilient. He explained that Estonia aims to create a 'self-inducing' innovative machine by engaging more with subject matter experts, academia, cyber enthusiast and youngsters, so that we can implement their best ideas back into military exercises that we are conducting. For more NIAS18 updates, please follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/NCIAgenc

NATO's largest cyber security conference NIAS'18 kicked off in Mons, Belgium, on 16 October with a record number of 1800 delegates registering for the three-day event.

general 1 577 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-expands-cyber-coalition-at-niasE2809918.aspx Mons, Belgium – The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed new Industry Partnership Agreements (IPA) on cyber information sharing with Indra and Atos on 16 and 17 October 2018 respectively The partnerships were endorsed at NATO's largest cyber security conference NIAS'18. These latest agreements between the Alliance and leading industry partners will work towards boosting situational awareness information on national security cyber threats, improving the parties' ability to detect, prevent and respond to cyber threats quickly We are reinforcing cyber security partnerships across the board to enhance our support to NATO's consultation and collective defence missions. Only by working together, can we respond to the myriad of digital threats we fac , said Mr Kevin J. Scheid, the General Manager of the NATO Communications and Information Agency https //www.ncia.nato.int/NewsRoom/PublishingImages/IPA_NCIAgency_Indra_16102018.jp Mr Miguel Acitores (left), Head of Security Business Development of Indra and Mr Kevin J. Scheid (right), General Manager of the NCI Agenc Mr Miguel Acitores, Head of Security Business Development of Indra commented We are very proud to sign this Industry Partnership Agreement to collaborate with the NCI Agency on the cyber security field, being the first Spanish company to do so. Indra is willing to contribute and share its knowledge with the NCI Agency, as we are convinced that a trustful public – private cooperation in Cyber Security is of the essence. We need to enhance our respective cyber forces in an efficient and coherent manner. In this context, the timing is very convenient, as Indra's experts are running one of the NIAS 2018 workshops on the current trends and challenges for cyber defence training. https //www.ncia.nato.int/NewsRoom/PublishingImages/IPA_NCIAgency_Atos_17102018.jp Mr Stéphane Janichewski (left), Head of Defence & Aerospace Market of Atos and Mr Kevin J. Scheid (right), General Manager of the NCI Agenc ​Mr Stéphane Janichewski, Head of Defence & Aerospace Market of Atos adde We are thrilled to share our knowledge with the NATO Communications and Information Agency. This partnership will enable both organizations to reinforce their capabilities in the exchange of information on security and threats. NATO will benefit from the expertise of a global cybersecurity leader, also specialized in defence and public markets NATO Industry Cyber Partnershi The agreements with India and Atos are an important part of the effort to strengthen the Alliance's cyber defence posture through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). They will foster timely information-sharing on cyber threats, allowing participants to enhance situational awareness and better protect their networks. In practice, it will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into the NCI Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes further enhancing NATO's cyber security posture The Agency is responsible for operating and defending NATO's networks. Rapid information sharing has proven to be one the most effective defences in cyberspace Enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to increase cyber resilience, improve incident handling and mitigate vulnerability to attack ** About the NCI Agenc The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is NATO's technology arm and has been a part of NATO for more than 60 years. Today, the NCI Agency primary's mission is to lead NATO's digital endeavour. Our people - over 3000 of them - work across our 30+ locations to protect nearly 1 billion citizens 24/7. We serve the Alliance's 29 Nations by defending NATO networks, and providing real life-support to NATO operations and missions. We help our Member Countries communicate and work together in smarter ways. Our technological solutions help Allied leaders and troops collaborate effectively and make the right decisions at the right time on land, in the air and at sea. The Agency cooperates with industry, academia and not-for-profit organizations to provide resilient C4ISR technology that saves lives and safeguards peace. We are committed to strengthening the Alliance through the unique understanding of NATO, the Nations and the power of technology. More www.ncia.nato.in About Ato Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 73 countries and annual revenue of around € 12 billion. European number one in Big Data, Cybersecurity, High Performance Computing and Digital Workplace, the Group provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting-edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across various business sectors Defense, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Energy & Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline. Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index. More atos.net/en About Indr Indra is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers world-wide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and the leading firm in Digital Transformation Consultancy and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2017 financial year, Indra achieved revenue of €3.011 billion, with 40,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries. More www.indracompany.com/en

Mons, Belgium – The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency signed new Industry Partnership Agreements (IPA) on cyber information sharing with Indra and Atos on 16 and 17 October 2018 respectively.

general 1 578 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-speeds-up-contractor-recruitment.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency has awarded 10 new framework contracts, with the aim of speeding up the recruitment of contractors over the next five years. The Agency signed the 10 contracts for Advisory and Assistance Services (AAS) on 17 October in Brussels. The contracts, which are worth an estimated 350 million EUR, will enable the Agency to hire over 400 interim workers, ensuring that the organization always has access to top industry talent at short notice, during surge periods. They were awarded following a strict international competitive bidding processes, to the following companies from NATO Member Countries 1. Airbus Defence and Space (Norway) 2. Atos Belgium (Belgium) 3. Booz Allen Hamilton (United States) 4. EMW (United States 5. Global Technologies (France 6. IBM Belgium (Belgium 7. LA International Computer Consultants (United Kingdom 8. MCR Federal (United States 9. NCIM Groep (The Netherlands) 10. Vector Synergy (Poland The framework contracts combine the existing Support Service Contract (SSC) and many other NCI Agency interim recruitment processes The AAS contracts is a result of an organizational re-think regarding NCI Agency internal processes and the external factors that best enable our success. They will serve as a competitive pool from which we can acquire interim workforce, containing industry leading companies with substantial experience delivering qualified and capable personnel

The NATO Communications and Information Agency has awarded 10 new framework contracts, with the aim of speeding up the recruitment of contractors over the next five years.

general 1 579 1 about-us/newsroom/the-nci-agency-experts-support-trident-juncture.aspx On 25 October, NATO launched the biggest exercise since the end of the Cold War. Trident Junctur , which is happening in the air, on land and at sea, gathers around 50000 personnel from all 29 Allies, as well as NATO partners Finland and Sweden The purpose of Trident Juncture is to ensure that NATO forces are trained, able to operate together, and ready to respond to any threat from any direction. The exercise is not directed against any country. The participants will play a fictitious but realistic scenario. It will test the Alliance's ability to support an Allied country with troops and equipment. 65 ships, 250 aircraft, 10,000 vehicles have arrived from North America and from across Europe. The NCI Agency is proud to support NATO's largest exercise in recent history. Seamless communications between all entities are essential to the execution of Trident Juncture. The Agency has been at the core of preparations. Our teams have worked hard to establish secure communications, data management and critical apps. During the exercise, our experts are supporting military Headquarters in 8 NATO and 2 Partner Nations with reliable and secure networks, resilient IT infrastructure, command and control systems, a 24/7 operations centre and mission information room services. The NCI Agency has cooperated with NATO's Communication and Information Systems Group to deliver secure communication services in 17 deployed locations. Trident Juncture, which takes place in central and eastern Norway; the surrounding areas of the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, including Iceland and the airspace of Finland and Sweden, will conclude on 7 November 2018

On 25 October, NATO launched the biggest exercise since the end of the Cold War. Trident Juncture, which is happening in the air, on land and at sea, gathers around 50000 personnel from all 29 Allies, as well as NATO partners Finland and Sweden.

general 1 580 1 about-us/newsroom/highlights-of-the-2018-cyber-security-summer-school.aspx NATO’s Communications and Information Agency and its partners successfully completed their fourth summer school. The program is a six-day learning opportunity in The Hague designed to immerse students and young professionals in the challenges of international cybersecurity The 60 attendees of International Cyber Security Summer School 2018 gained a deeper understanding of issues and policies around cybersecurity through site visits, lectures and assignments. The group represented 21 different countries and brought backgrounds in technology, policy and law. This fourth iteration of the program wrapped up on Aug. 24 Designed to help people at the start of their careers in cybersecurity, this summer school gives them an introduction to industry challenges in an international environment. Not only does the school give young professionals an international perspective, it also seeks to give them a multi-disciplinary one by mixing technology-driven discussions with ones that tackle legal and policy questions https //youtu.be/ho7YUe8P5a Cybersecurity experts from the NCI Agency explained to students visiting their facility in The Hague how they use technology from a variety of sources to secure NATO’s information technology infrastructure “This summer school is a very good opportunity to meet different companies, but also students and young professionals from all over Europe,” said Sander Bannink, a then-master’s student in information technology. “I think this is a great opportunity to really build the bridge between like more the law, policy people, and the more technical part of cybersecurity. Most of the summer school attendees were students, and eight of them were pursuing doctoral degrees. Eleven of the attendees were young professionals. “What I would like to do is build a more cyber resilient world. Because of all the different devices we have here, everything can be hacked,” Bannink said. “And we really need to work together — with both the governments, the public sector, private sector, academia — everyone needs to be together in this to make this a better world, to make the world more cyber resilient.” The summer school’s attendees can exchange their thoughts and knowledge, said Annámaria Beláz, a cybersecurity Ph.D. candidate at Óbuda University “I do really like the lectures — and also the challenges — together with the others,” Beláz said, referring to the multi-disciplinary challenges set by the organizers and other partners such as Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Thales and Dutch cyber training company Certified Secure The NCI Agency, Leiden University, Europol, EY, The Hague Security Delta and the Dutch Innovation Factory put together the program, with speakers from several cybersecurity companies and organizations. “Today you can ruin a country by attacking countries in a digital way,” said Jan Peter Balkenende, former prime minister of the Netherlands. “We are aware of the fact that the risks are changing. Balkenende, a professor at Erasmus University is the most notable tutor of the summer school, which includes cybersecurity experts from the NCI Agency, Europol, Leiden University and leading cyber security companies. He believes in the young generation “They are willing to think about the future,” he said. “They are innovative. They are involved in startups. It’s always good to listen to young people, Balkenende said. “They know that the world is changing,” he said. “The question is ‘How can we contribute to that better world?’” The International Cyber Security Summer School encourages young people to do their part in assuring a safer, more secure, digital world. Check out the video to see the highlights from this year’s summer school

NATO’s Communications and Information Agency and its partners successfully completed their fourth summer school.

general 1 581 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-tackles-hefty-project-to-modernize-cryptographic-equipment.aspx NATO's Communications and Information Agency is on track to wrap up in the new year a complex project to modernize maritime cryptographic assets The project, focused on replacing NATO's maritime cryptographic equipment reaching its end of life with modern equipment, is scheduled to be completed in January, said Fred Jordan, head of the cyber security capability development branch for the NCI Agency. The Maritime Broadcast Cryptographic Modernization project is one of several in the cyber security project portfolio A team of six or so specially trained in installing cryptographic equipment is working on the effort, he said It's not just plug and play, it's far more intricate than that, Jordan said of the project. The agency has to replace both hardware and software, and do so in a way that minimizes disruption to the services using the equipment. Adding to the complexity is the fact that these cryptographic units were designed in the 1980s, so they require that know-how to be able to replace them, Jordan said. Naval assets such as ships and submarines communicate with the alliance's naval bases to accept new information, such as plans or missions, Jordan said. Part of this communication takes place through high frequency and very low frequency broadcast. The cryptographic equipment -- which is specifically designed for the maritime broadcast environment -- secures those channels. The agency is working to modernizing that equipment across 10 multinational sites. We're protecting the confidentiality and integrity of the information being sent to and from a NATO naval base to a naval asset, Jordan said. If this information is compromised, so in other words if an adversary can actually read those messages, then this could compromise the effectiveness of that mission. Though the agency will have completed its project in January the work isn't quite over, Jordan said. NATO nations have to do the same work to modernize equipment on their own naval assets, he said. When you are encrypting the communication link the two parties basically have to share the same technology, the same algorithms and the same keys, he said. Each NATO nation has their own schedule for updating the cryptographic equipment, but some nations have already begun modernizing their units, Jordan said Though the NCI Agency team modernizing the equipment has faced some obstacles, it has been able to tackle them, thanks to the experience and knowledge of the team, Jordan said. That's what NATO is about when there's a problem we work together to find solutions, Jordan said.

NATO's Communications and Information Agency is on track to wrap up in the new year a complex project to modernize maritime cryptographic assets.

general 1 582 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-challenges-techies-to-identify-propaganda.aspx Ongoing work in NATO to identify propaganda may get some help from a new source. NATO's Communications and Information Agency encouraged participants in a recent hackathon to use technology to identify propaganda and inflammatory information. The agency's challenge was one of six proposed to the 127 people from around the world who participated in the Hackathon for Goo in The Hague on Nov. 17 - 18 The Hague Data Science Initiative hosted the Hackathon for Peace, Justice and Security, a weekend for participants to work on activities proposed by the NCI Agency, other international organizations based in The Hague and nonprofits. Twenty-seven teams representing more than 22 nationalities spent their weekend developing solutions to address one of the six problems. Hack4Peace, a team of graduate students from Eindhoven University of Technology, was one of five teams who addressed the agency's challenge. The team came in second place and won 5,000 euros. Hack4Peace developed a browser extension that detects and filters propaganda. The solution used image analysis and machine learning to provide a confidence score. The first-place team won a cash prize of 10,000 euros with a solution to identify land in danger of illegal sale or exploitation. The prizes were provided by The Hague Data Science Initiative and selected by a team of judges Images are increasingly used in digital propaganda to make messages more appealing. That's why the agency challenged participants to develop a tool that would identify objects and text within images and determine if they were propaganda. The agency gave participants a training set of images, half of which were anti-NATO propaganda, and half of which were general NATO images Several people from the agency's data science team supported the event. In addition to proposing the challenge, the team produced data sets for the participants to train and test their solutions. During the weekend-long event the data science team gave guidance on the challenge, reviewed progress and supported the judging panel We were really excited about the whole initiative, said Ivana Ilic Mestric, senior data scientist at the NCI Agency. From what we saw it looks like there are some really good techniques being developed here. Plus, it was a lot of fun to be a part of. The hackathon gave the agency access to a very different talent pool, with different perspectives and unique approaches to problems. The compressed duration of the Hackathon also forces participants to produce a working prototype in just two days, allowing potential solutions to be tested quickly The agency's challenge was taken from work it is doing to support NATO in applying innovative technologies to challenging problems. Developing tools to help identify propaganda and misinformation is just one of many data science team-run projects designed to bring big data analysis, data visualization and machine learning to NATO Agency staff liked the tools and approaches participants used at the hackathon, and will look to incorporate them into the work they are doing for NATO. They have already been through the code developed by the Hack4Peace team to see what elements could be adopted It's not a replacement for our conventional procurements and our conventional work with industry, but it's in addition to, said Michael Street, innovation manager at the agency. And it's comparatively low-cost, low-effort. NATO is increasingly looking to this sort of approach for the early stages of development, from Allied Command Transformation's hackathons, which the agency supports, to the Cyber Security Incubator. NATO is exploring innovative ways to work with academia and industry to bring innovative technology into use faster and more effectively, Street said

Ongoing work in NATO to identify propaganda may get some help from a new source. NATO's Communications and Information Agency encouraged participants in a recent hackathon to use technology to identify propaganda and inflammatory information. The agency's challenge was one of six proposed to the 127 people from around the world who participated in the Hackathon for Good in The Hague on Nov. 17 - 18.

general 1 583 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-delivers-two-new-radars-to-go-live-in-lithuania.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency successfully handed off two new radars to the Lithuanian Air Force on 4 December 2018. The milestone, marked by a formal ceremony in Aukštadvaris, Lithuania, was reached after years of collaboration with Lithuania to procure fixed air defence radars. The NCI Agency brought expertise from managing the same work for other NATO Nations including the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The Lithuanian radars are now contributing to NATO's air surveillance capability as part of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System. In return, Lithuania receives the combined NATO Air Surveillance data, allowing visibility on air traffic way beyond the nation's borders. Today's event – the initiation of this radar system – continues Lithuania's steadfast endeavour to secure its freedom and to never allow the atrocities of the past to be repeated. NATO stands with you in this endeavou , said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid at the ceremony The operational launch of the two long-range radars marks a huge qualitative leap in strengthening both Lithuania's national and NATO's air surveillance capability, a part of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Syste , Deputy Defence Minister Edvinas Kerza said on 4 December, during a visit to the Airspace Surveillance and Control post in Antaveršis In this regard, this is not just a state-of-the-art radar system, but a technological declaration of independence. And how appropriate that this declaration comes on the 100th anniversary of Lithuanian Independenc , said Mr Scheid We have a wealth of experience, not just in the procurement domain but also in the technical domai , noted Rene Thaens, Head of the Electronic Warfare and Sensors Branch for the NCI Agency. Mr Thaens is also the project manager for the Lithuanian Air Surveillance project. Prior Lithuanian radars dated back to the era before the nation acceded to NATO in 2004. The capabilities of these systems could not meet NATO's needs, leading Lithuania to seek a modern air surveillance capability. The nearly 40 million EUR project began with a study, conducted by the Agency, on the country's radar capabilities. Based on the study's outcome, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence requested the Agency run the procurement, which began in 2010 Spanish company Indra provided the radar systems. The NCI Agency conducted factory acceptance tests, site acceptance tests and live flying tests, where an aircraft will fly against the radar to see if it can perform against a target Work to arrange secure communications was added to the scope of the project over time, Mr Thaens said. Communications must be secured between the radar and the central node digesting the data, which requires particular cryptographic equipment The Lithuanian government also chose to exercise an option for a third radar. The Agency expects to complete work on the third radar by around 2020. Utilizing NATO's best practices and standards to complete the project has several benefits, including interoperability, Mr Thaens added. Nations can do such work independently, but that route can be difficult because the radars must be integrated into NATO's air surveillance system. Nations who choose to standardize on a particular radar can also benefit from collective buying power around maintenance.

The NATO Communications and Information Agency successfully handed off two new radars to the Lithuanian Air Force on 4 December 2018.

general 1 584 1 about-us/newsroom/announcing-nitec19-the-agencyE28099s-flagship-industry-event.aspx We're gearing up for NITEC19, our annual industry conference, and we want you to be a part of it. This year's conference, NATO and the High North Technology Ultramarathon, will be held in Oslo, Norway on 20-22 May 2019. We will be focusing on advancing technological solutions and business practices to strengthen NATO operations from the South to the High North Organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence, Norway, the conference will bring together more than 700 senior government, military and industry leaders. Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to keynotes and discussions on central focus areas for NATO such as big data, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and machine learning. There will also be a chance for attendees to get a first look at upcoming business opportunities to support NATO and its mission. Small and medium-sized businesses can even participate in a one-on-one session with NCI Agency acquisition experts and industry peers. It is a great way to learn best practices for competing for NATO contracts. And academia and small businesses will be able to showcase their state-of-the-art technological solutions through an innovation challenge designed especially for them. The 2019 conference is designed to build on Trident Juncture 2018, NATO's largest exercise in recent years. NITEC19 will help industry leaders learn how they can support Alliance operations in the High North. Allies in the region are embracing innovative partnerships with the private sector to combat the extreme climate and lack of satellite coverage. It is important work, as it will help the Alliance continue to safeguard peace and stability not only in the High North, but across the NATO nations. Not only would improving communications in the region lead to more security, but it could help our ally Norway strike a balance between conservation and sustainable use of Arctic resources To learn more about what NITEC 19 has to offer, or to register for the conference, visit nitec19.com

We're gearing up for NITEC19, our annual industry conference, and we want you to be a part of it. This year's conference, NATO and the High North Technology Ultramarathon, will be held in Oslo, Norway on 20-22 May 2019. We will be focusing on advancing technological solutions and business practices to strengthen NATO operations from the South to the High North.

general 1 585 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-responds-to-fictional-threats-in-successful-cyber-exercise.aspx NATO Communications and Information Agency staff practiced defending NATO networks from cyber assaults last month as a part of the Alliance's most important cyber defence exercise The staff, which monitors NATO networks 24/7, sprang into action to safeguard the networks from cyber incidents contributing to an elaborate fictional scenario NATO's flagship cyber defence exercise Cyber Coalition began 26 November 2018, and concluded 30 November 2018 in Tartu, Estonia. Though it was only an exercise, the scenario participants faced was realistic, and they followed procedures implemented for a real cyber event. Cyber Coalition is a chance for NATO, its Allies and its partners to test their procedures, communication and collaboration in a safe environment. In its eleventh iteration, the exercise brought about 700 participants from 28 NATO Allies and four partner nations together to tackle an elaborate scenario This year's exercise centred on NATO troops that were deployed to defend the fictional country Tytan from its adversary, the country Stellaria. Adversaries were attempting to interfere with the country's upcoming elections and several cyber incidents were incorporated into the exercise. Among them, the networks supporting the mission suffered cyberattacks, and the critical infrastructure in the country experienced severe outages. The aim is to give NATO, that's the Allies, the partners and the NATO structures themselves, an opportunity to do all of the good things that you do in exercising. That includes testing and validation and practice and training, said Alan Sewell, NATO Cyber Security Centre exercise coordinator. The exercise has a deterrence effect, added Jeremy Tod, head of Plans and Business Management for the NATO Cyber Security Centre. NATO's systems are protected by professional, dedicated teams, Tod said Though the sources of cyber threats to NATO, in general, haven't changed, threats are becoming more targeted during high-profile NATO events, and the attempts NATO is seeing are increasingly sophisticated, Tod said. NATO faces a constant battle against an increasing number and complexity of attacks, Sewell said The NCI Agency lent its technical expertise to the exercise in several ways, including supporting the cyber range that allowed participants to play without damaging NATO's real operational network. Staff also helped to develop part of the story framing the exercise. And of course, others in the Agency participated in the exercise. They did not know the scenario ahead of time, and had to adapt and respond to information in real time. It usually feels like crisis management, said Emmanuel Bouillon, head of the Cyber Security Incident Management Section at the Agency. Although we are prepared, the amount of information and events and incidents we have to deal with in this short period of time… is out of the ordinary. For Bouillon's team, which monitors NATO networks 24/7 in real life, the exercise is basically one month of activity crammed into just a few days. His biggest challenge is managing the team's workload— and its stress level. The exercise, he said, is a good opportunity for them to practice using their tools and procedures in a near-crisis situation. So his staff used its day-to-day procedures and tools, and operated for the exercise out of its usual workspace in Mons, Belgium. Following routine was also crucial to making the exercise feel like a real event. The exercise is technically challenging, and Bouillon had to ensure his team did not get stuck in a technical rabbit hole. You could spend the whole exercise trying to solve one single issue, and there are times where we have to prioritize, Bouillon said. We have to tell one of our technicians to stop, saying 'okay you've gone far enough now. We need to move on.' or 'This is not your priority anymore.' The exercise is meant to overwhelm the team with information, but they needed to take a step back and look at the bigger picture to explain it to the stakeholders, Bouillon said. The organizers developed a very complex narrative to link the different cyber events thrown at the exercise participants. Though the basic scenario has been used in other exercises, the focus on elections was different, and the link between the different incidents was more difficult to pin down than it was in past years. Yet the training audiences across NATO and the partners were incredibly resourceful and organized in their approach to understanding how these challenges were interlinked, Sewell said. They were highly effective at explaining that in ways that were relevant to the simulated peacekeeping mission that was being conducted. Being a really good technician isn't necessarily enough, Sewell said. It is important that the staff can deliver solutions that solve technical challenges, but also support the commander's intent and the needs of the mission. The technicians need to have a good understanding, then, of what role the system plays in that mission During the exercise the Agency also deployed one of two Rapid Reaction Teams. Sewell is the coordinator for those teams, which serve as CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Teams) that can deploy where they are needed They reacted in a really effective manner, Sewell said of the team deployed. They were activated quickly, they assessed the situation well before they went so they deployed with the right people, the right skillsets, the right equipment. Their briefings were also accurate and clear, he added Though the exercise has concluded, that doesn't mean work has ended for the Agency. Now the staff must identify what it could do better next time, and turn lessons identified into lessons learned The whole point is for us and nations to learn from this. So I think the team is very cognizant of this and despite the fact that in the moment it's sometimes very difficult, sometimes frustrating, we are all aware that we are actually very, very lucky to be offered this space, this opportunity to learn, in a safe environment, Bouillon said. From this exercise NATO will identify gaps, promote successes and prepare to respond even more effectively during next year's exercise We can't stand still, Sewell said. We have to make sure that in this growing area of cybersecurity we constantly develop and stay ahead.

NATO Communications and Information Agency staff practiced defending NATO networks from cyber assaults last month as a part of the Alliance's most important cyber defence exercise.

general 1 586 1 about-us/newsroom/behind-the-screen-faces-of-the-nci-agency.aspx When he joined the Agency in 2016, Pierre Pradier was immediately redirected from the role he was hired to perform to lead the Active Network Infrastructure (ANWI) programme at the New NATO Headquarters (NNHQ). Pradier has demonstrated superb programme leadership and management. He analyzed programme issues and developed a get-well strategy that had immediate, near and far term measures of success. It was his methodical, systematic and orderly leadership that drove achievements in the programme. He articulates problems and offers practical solutions and courageously defends positions with poise and professionalism under intense schedule or management pressures What was the hardest project that you've worked on? Pierre Pradier said ANWI was a long journey, marked by many challenges, in an initially cold and empty building… But one thing was there from the start and never faltered our team spirit. It led us through the storms to our final success bring IT life to the New NATO Headquarters. As someone once said, 'It is a fact that in the right formation, the lifting power of many wings can achieve twice the distance of any bird flying alone.'

Meet Agency experts awarded NATO medals for their service. The NCI Agency is constantly evolving to respond to advances in technology and guard NATO against new threats.

general 1 587 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-launches-2019-defence-innovation-challenge-for-startups--smes-and-academia.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for its fourth annual Defence Innovation Challenge The challenge is aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses and academia to support NATO's C4ISR* and cyber capabilities. It is open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and academic institutions operating at the cutting edge of technology from all 29 NATO Nation . Mike Street, Head of Innovation and Data Science at the NCI Agency, said The NITEC innovation challenge is a great way for a wide range of companies and organisations to share their innovative products and services with the NCI Agency. It is one of the routes we use to ensure that NATO's technology experts stay aware of how innovative technologies are being applied. This year, the challenge focuses on data scienc and natural language processin . The NCI Agency is accepting submissions in the following priority areas Data science tools and approaches for a) Natural Language Processing for semantics and sentiment analysis, or b) processing data from maritime environments Capabilities for sensing the maritime environment Solutions to the telecommunication challenges of the High North Top finishers will get an opportunity to showcase their tech solutions at the NCI Agency annual industry conference NITEC19 NATO and the High North Technology Ultramarathon. This year's conference is on 20-22 May in Oslo, Norway. A selection board will choose the top ten finishers that will receive One registration waiver for admission to NITEC19 Sales pitch presentation of 5 minutes during the plenary sessions of NITEC19 Free showcase space in the Exhibition area (standard space) Participation in the award ceremony with NATO leadership; an Mention in the NITEC19 report. A monetary prize of 10 000 EUR will be awarded to the best proposal out of the top ten finisher . As a part of winning, they will be given the ambitious task of running a formal pilot with the NCI Agency to demonstrate their solution Participants of the conference will also have an opportunity to join B2B meetings, mentoring sessions and bilateral meetings with the NCI Agency managers. Submission Guideline Start-ups, SMEs and academic institutions from all 29 NATO Nations are invited to participate. Entries must be received by Friday 22 March 2019 The winners will be announced on Monday 8 April 2019 A concise proposal summary should demonstrate the unique aspects of your technology, its innovative core and the proposed work as it relates to the focus area while highlighting its relevance to NATO. To submit your proposal, please visit www.nitec19.co and complete the online for Please read carefull the terms of referenc before applying *Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanc

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for its fourth annual Defence Innovation Challenge.

general 1 588 1 about-us/newsroom/inside-a-nato-maritime-change-of-command.aspx Imagine completely dismantling and re-installing an entire communications system every four to six months, in as little as three days. The tight schedule and continuous rotation is a challenge, to be sure, but it is one the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is prepared to handle When the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 completed a change of command in January, the NCI Agency's Customer Support Unit (CSU) in Northwood did the behind-the-scenes work to power down the communications system on the outgoing vessel, relocate it, install it, conduct all required maintenance and updates, and test it. In as little as three days It's a routine the Unit conducts every four-to-six months when the ship that carries the commander rotates out and a new one deploys. The Unit visited 13 different ports in nine different countries last year to support 17 Communication and Information Systems (CIS) operational handovers. This particular rotation at the Port of Copenhagen included a change of command from Commodore Anders Friis, Danish Royal Navy, to Rear Admiral Edward Cashman, United States Navy. Each handover presents its own unique challenges, be it the weather delaying ships or space constraints making it difficult to place equipment. In conducting its work, the Unit has learned to adapt. CSU Northwood includes 18 military or civilian technicians who carry out different aspects of the handovers. They are grouped according to their skill sets and sent out in small four-person teams. In addition to these handovers they also support other tasks at MARCOM Headquarters and across the U.K. Chris Taylor, Head of the Automated Information System Core for CSU Northwood, led a four-person team in conducting this time-pressed transfer. We're typically doing, in effect, a system refresh every four to six months because we're dismantling it, we're powering it down, we're picking it up, we're moving it, we're transferring it and we're powering it up again, Taylor said. Training between the two staffs took place aboard the Danish Royal Navy's ship, while the Unit conducted maintenance on the equipment Using a crane, the Unit successfully transferred the equipment to the United States Navy's ship and installed it, completing the work on time. The US Navy played a big part in ensuring the work was completed in the three-day window. Sailors pre-installed more than 3,000 feet of network cabling in the ship to connect the server rack to the staff rooms. The communications system is important, as it helps different NATO vessels communicate with each other up to the NATO Secret level. It includes email, chat, web browsing, secure voice and formal messaging between commands. And a new feature has been added to the portfolio recently a way for the vessel to communicate with non-NATO nations called SEMARCOMM+. The additional system was installed on the US ship as a part of the package. Because these ships are sailing around the world, as these ships approach different coastlines the navies of those coastlines may want to join the operation for a couple of weeks to do some training with the NATO ship, Taylor said. So this gives the Commander the ability to speak with these non-NATO nations and possibly engage in training opportunities.

Imagine completely dismantling and re-installing an entire communications system every four to six months, in as little as three days.

general 1 589 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/what-products-are-included.aspx BOAs are used to procure a wide range of products and services. You can review our list of categories here

BOAs are used to procure a wide range of products and services. You can review our list of categories here.

general 1 590 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/what-are-the-main-advantages-of-a-boa.aspx There are many advantages both for NATO and for the companies participating in the BOA Programme. The BOA implements a standardised contract format and contract terms and conditions for all suppliers throughout NATO Nations All essential contract terms are already determined by professional contracting staff Avoids unnecessary and repeated negotiation by local purchasers (often leading to variable results) May operate irrespective of the source of authorized fund Automated NATO access to information from hundreds of suppliers on the latest IT products, services and prices, and company points of contact Most favoured customer pricing and terms and conditions Considerable reduction on commercial prices due to potential of large aggregate quantities Orders can be placed by local offices at anytime during validity of the BOA Although no total or minimum quantities may be agreed when the BOA is established, suppliers have access to a wider market with the advantage of a central negotiation and reference point in the NCI Agency Pricing and technical information updated regularly Faster and simpler processing of competitive procurements

There are many advantages both for NATO and for the companies participating in the BOA Programme. The BOA implements a standardised contract format and contract terms and conditions for all suppliers throughout NATO Nations All essential contract terms are already determined by professional contracting staff Avoids unnecessary and repeated negotiation by local purchasers (often leading to variable results) May operate irrespective of the source of authorized fund Automated NATO access to information from hundreds of suppliers on the latest IT products, services and prices, and company points of contact Most favoured customer pricing and terms and conditions Considerable reduction on commercial prices due to potential of large aggregate quantities Orders can be placed by local offices at anytime during validity of the BOA Although no total or minimum quantities may be agreed when the BOA is established, suppliers have access to a wider market with the advantage of a central negotiation and reference point in the NCI Agency Pricing and technical information updated regularly Faster and simpler processing of competitive procurements

general 1 591 1 about-us/newsroom/new-nato-hub-will-gather-the-alliances-cyber-defenders.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has taken a critical step towards launching a new community for technical cyber defenders across the Alliance. On 12 February 2019, Allied Computer Emergency Response Teams from the first set of five Nations – Belgium, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States, were connected to NATO's protected business network. This will allow Nations to quickly and securely share information with each other, and with the Agency Access to the network, which provides an encrypted workspace with secure video, voice, chat and information gathering, will roll out to all 29 Nations later this year. This step will enable the NCI Agency to begin creating an information hub for Allies called the Cyber Security Collaboration Hub, which is only one of the Agency's recent innovations to better secure NATO's networks. In his speech at the Cyber Defence Pledge Conference on 15 May 2018, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg outline NATO's key roles in cyber space. One of those three key roles, the Secretary General said, is to act as a hub for information sharing, training and expertise. While the Agency is spearheading this effort, it intends to coordinate with all NATO stakeholders in cyber space to develop a meaningful source of information sharing and collaboration General Manager Kevin Scheid said Through our Cyber Security Collaboration Hub, the NCI Agency will develop a community that trains together and learns from each other. With this new hub, we are bringing to life the Secretary General's vision. The Agency already provides information to Nations' CERTs, but there is no NATO CERT community. Through the Cyber Security Collaboration Hub, the NCI Agency endeavours to create one For example, if a Nation has good advice that could be relevant to other Allies, the Agency could post it on its portal to make it available to other cyber defenders in the Alliance. NCI Agency Cyber Security Chief Ian West sai To defend against dynamic threats, we need to act quickly. Email and telephones just aren't effective anymore. This is our first step towards building a modern, secure network among CERTs. We are grateful to have received offers of support from several Nations as we begin this critical effort. As a part of creating a true hub for information, the Agency also plans to strengthen the community with meetings and workshops. Work to create this hub did not require any additional funds or staff, or changes in policy. The collaboration is facilitated through existing Memorandums of Understanding with NATO Nations https //youtu.be/4yGjGQMIEF

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has taken a critical step towards launching a new community for technical cyber defenders across the Alliance.

general 1 592 1 about-us/newsroom/defence-innovation-challenge-offers-international-visibility.aspx All about our Defence Innovation Challenge, from our 2018 winners. The NATO Communications and Information Agency caught up with a few organizations that won our 2018 Defence Innovation Challenge The winners said the event, which is part of our annual industry conference NITEC, helped them meet new people, gain credibility and gauge interest in specific technical areas. For example, competing was part of Rasdaman Gmb 's strategy to enter the security and defence market, said Dr Peter Baumann, its Founder and CEO. Getting the honour of being acknowledged as NITEC Innovation Challenge winner turned out to be a visibility booster with customers as well as potential partners, Baumann said Rasdaman, which is focused on big data analytics, has very promising leads in both the U.S., and in Europe, Baumann said in November. Baumann suggests that 2019 challenge participants come with a clear statement on the innovation, and its value proposition for the existing or anticipated customers The Defence Innovation Challenge is specifically designed for small businesses and academia. Those who finish in the top 10 present their proposals at NITEC. The 2018 conference was held in Berlin from 22-24 May. The NITEC innovation challenge is a great way for a wide range of companies and organizations to share their innovative products and services with the NCI Agency, said Michael Street, Innovation Manager at the Agency. It is one of the routes we use to ensure that NATO's technology experts stay aware of how innovative technologies are being applied. The Agency launched a call for papers to kick off the competition. A selection board evaluated the papers and chose 10 winners, who presented their solutions at NITEC. The challenge was open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions with cutting edge technology from all 29 NATO Nations. During the challenge, winner CybExer Technologie focused on data visualization for cyber exercises, said Merle Maigre, Executive Vice President for Government Relations. Maigre encouraged more Northern and Eastern Europe companies to participate in the challenge. It was boosting to get recognition for our revolutionary data visualization tool only two years after the company's inception, Maigre said in December. It shows how an Estonian company can develop new technologies that strengthen the Alliance's cyber capabilities. Feedback from conference attendees helped a different challenge winner, Troika Solution , confirm there was an interest in battlespace data fusion and visibility. The company received other opportunities based on the work it presented at the challenge, though those prospects were not specifically tied to people the company spoke with at NITEC, said Pam Rooney, who is in International Operations at the company The company has also been working on a project to expand a demonstration of in-field drone repair using additive manufacturing (3D printing) and drawings authenticated by blockchain technology, Rooney said in November Troika Solutions demonstrated the in-field drone repair work at a NATO exercise called CWIX, the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXercise, Rooney said. Rooney's advice for the 2019 challenge participants was to prepare yourself to hear relevant speakers and understand NATO priorities and processes! SensorU Founder and CTO Steve Liang also had advice for future participants to build something disruptive and massive. Participating in the challenge added credibility to the company, Liang said. At NITEC the company's presentation focused on enabling a standards-based Common Operational Picture for the internet of military things. Several commands will share an identical display of important information like troop positions, called a Common Operational Picture, to plan collaboratively. Asked what the company has been up to since the challenge, Liang said SensorUp has expanded from 10 full time employees to 15, and expects revenue to triple in 2019. The next NITE , NATO and the High North Technology Ultramarathon, will be held in Oslo, Norway on 20-22 May 2019 You can enter this year's Defence Innovation Challenge at bit.ly/2019DI

All about our Defence Innovation Challenge, from our 2018 winners. The NATO Communications and Information Agency caught up with a few organizations that won our 2018 Defence Innovation Challenge.

general 1 593 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/do-our-staff-need-security-clearances.aspx Security clearances are not required to obtain a BOA but they may be required for certain projects. These security requirements will be specified in the particular bidding instructions. All questions regarding security clearances need to be addressed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country of incorporation or to the National Delegation at NATO for the foreign nationals concerned.

Security clearances are not required to obtain a BOA but they may be required for certain projects. These security requirements will be specified in the particular bidding instructions. All questions regarding security clearances need to be addressed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country of incorporation or to the National Delegation at NATO for the foreign nationals concerned.

general 1 594 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-launches-exciting-opportunities-for-students.aspx Students can now apply to intern at NATO's technology and cyber hub. The NATO Communications and Information Agency is recruiting again for its successful internship programme, a perfect fit for people who are currently taking or have just finished their academic studies Since 2015, the Agency has seen around 100 interns take on projects and gain new skills through its internship programme. This year, the Agency plans to recruit 65 interns The programme is designed to give Agency staff a chance to transfer knowledge to a younger generation. And it helps the NCI Agency develop a younger workforce to prevent future skills shortages. If you don't have much practical experience yet, don't worry. We recognize that these students might not necessarily have any relevant practical experience. But they will have a wealth of theoretical and academic studies within their chosen skill set or business area, said Lindsey Stone, Talent Attraction Team Lead at the Agency. So it's our opportunity as their future employer to show that we support ongoing practical development, and enabling students to test out theoretical skills they've built up. The internship is a two-way initiative where the Agency passes on its knowledge and how it works as a business, and the interns bring the Agency a completely different perspective. Interns will challenge Agency staff, go against the status quo and ask relevant questions, Stone said. Cem Erey, who completed in December a ten-month internship at the Agency, said the programme was a chance to work with a highly talented team while getting mentorship and feedback There aren't many organizations that will let you work on projects that are in use, so it's definitely a unique opportunity, said Erey, who worked as a junior Java developer. I do feel like my contributions have made a difference. It's really been worthwhile for me. Recent graduates will also have another unique opportunity to apply for in the coming weeks. The Agency will be launching for the first time a three-year job programme designed especially for them. Erey plans to apply for the graduate programme after finishing the last year of an undergraduate degree in software engineering at the University of Technology Sydney The graduates will work as normal employees in the Agency for three years, but will be offered special programming to guide their development. The three years are an opportunity to learn, and a chance to demonstrate that they can deliver on projects. The graduate programme is about developing our talent for the future, attracting individuals who want to learn, build their skills and join a team of world-class tech savvy experts Stone said The Agency will give graduates resources and training to help them succeed, including help from a new graduate development staff member. The staffer will look at what competencies, technical skills and behaviours the graduates should exhibit. The Agency is hoping the programme can bridge the gap for students who may have done an internship with the Agency and then graduated. Stone wants to entice those candidates, and other young talented professionals, to work for the Agency. To survive in a competitive IT candidate landscape we've got to do something different to attract and retain new talent, Stone said. The graduate programme allows us to leverage the skills and experience our interns bring to the Agency and hopefully retain them. When the NCI Agency recruits for the new graduate programme, it will look for people who have a clear motivation to work for the Agency. For graduates, I'd expect that they have already made a conscious decision to work within the defence and technology industry, Stone said. Graduates should be able to demonstrate they have relevant experience for the area they are applying to, and they should be able to explain how the Agency fits into their career path. Graduates are paid as other staff members, and receive the same benefits. Interns are also compensated. The Agency is planning to recruit interns and graduates for a variety of different areas in the Agency, in both technical and administrative roles. No matter where they work in the Agency, these new recruits will get a chance to work for an organization that satisfies their ethics and values. When you join NATO you're working for an organization that is more than just the bottom line profit, more than just the pennies in the purse or a new product to sell, Stone said. For me that's important, to feel a part of something with purpose. To learn more about internships, please visit our websit

Students can now apply to intern at NATO's technology and cyber hub. The NATO Communications and Information Agency is recruiting again for its successful internship programme, a perfect fit for people who are currently taking or have just finished their academic studies.

general 1 595 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/is-having-a-boa-a-justification-for-receiving-a-company-security-clearance-from-national-authorities.aspx Normally national security authorities require proof of doing business with NATO in order to issue a company security clearance. Having a BOA in place is not sufficient proof for these purposes. Should your company win a BOA competition, that would constitute “Business with NATO.

Normally national security authorities require proof of doing business with NATO in order to issue a company security clearance. Having a BOA in place is not sufficient proof for these purposes. Should your company win a BOA competition, that would constitute “Business with NATO.

general 1 596 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-to-offer-cloudbased-app-delivery-service-to-the-alliance.aspx It all began with a problem delivering applications easily and securely to NATO Nations. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency wanted to eliminate the need to purchase and burn software to 6,500 DVDs every year But the solution, a cloud-based App Store developed in 2016, did much more than bring the Agency's software delivery process into the digital age. The Electronic Definitive Media Library, or EDML as the Agency calls it, is transforming the way the NCI Agency does business by proving that it can use public cloud without compromising on security And instead of mailing out software releases on DVDs, the new versions can be accessed any time, from anywhere. In a few months, EDML will be available for reuse as an individualized, costed service for interested Nations. By buying the service a Nation would be able to create its own version of the App Store, so its staff too can easily, and securely download software or media. The foundation of all of this is cloud, said Mariano Valle, a Senior Architect and the Lead on Cloud Architecture in the Service Engineering and Architecture branch of the Agency. It has been the major driver for all this. Reduce, Reuse, Recycl The App Store drastically reduces the time it takes Nations to access new software. EDML is one part of a two-fold Agency effort to improve applications, and their delivery, called the NCI Agency Software Factory. Right now there is one version of EDML, which all 29 NATO Nations can access. But in a few months, that will change. The ultimate goal of EDML 2.0, Valle said, is to offer a multi-tenant service. What does that mean, 'multi-tenant service'? In a nutshell it means that I can have different EDMLs for different cases but that do more or less the same thing uploading and downloading media, Valle said. Each Nation's data would remain separate The Agency would offer support for the App Store. Changing the way the Agency does busines It only took 32 days to build EDML. The Agency embraced commercial cloud and developed the application in an agile way, breaking up the product development into small deliverables that were tested before moving on. We fixed a problem, but we understood and embraced digital transformation strategies, said Detlef Janezic, Chief of Service Engineering and Architecture at the NCI Agency. Because it was kind of an opener for us in terms of the cloud development environment. Though the application was quick to build, it did take time to get approved, due to security concerns about using the public cloud. But the effort was worth it, Valle said, as it helped the Agency better learn how it could adopt cloud computing technologies After going through this experience, other areas of NATO are looking at how they can help change the culture to better embrace cloud computing And the NCI Agency is continuing to seek better ways to collaborate with the Nations to give them the technology they need as quickly as possible. When developing the NATO App Store, Valle noted that the Agency pushed out six releases of it in one year, with a user-experience similar to what you get at home on your smartphone. But the Agency wants to go even further. The Agency is exploring partnerships with NATO nations to give them new versions of the software in EDML much, much before they are ready for production. It would give those Nations an early situational awareness of what software is coming later. They could test whether it would continue to be interoperable with their Nation's systems, and also allow them to line up their roadmap with NATO's About NATO's journey to the clou This article is part of an ongoing series focused on how the NCI Agency is embracing state-of-the-art cloud computing technologies. The Agency has organized its efforts in this area into a Cloud Adoption Roadmap with pragmatic goals to move key services to the cloud to enable reliable, 24/7 service. The Agency, which leads NATO's digital endeavour, is focused on driving technological progress across the Alliance. Such a digital endeavour means examining, of course, everything from NATO's global communications to its applications. The Agency will continue to map out this journey to the cloud in May through a panel discussion at its annual industry conference NITEC19. To learn more, or attend, visit nitec19.com

It all began with a problem delivering applications easily and securely to NATO Nations. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency wanted to eliminate the need to purchase and burn software to 6,500 DVDs every year.

general 1 597 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/what-if-our-prices-for-services-are-high-in-comparison-with-that-of-other-companies-and-cannot-be-reduced.aspx With respect to service type agreements where Task Orders are involved there are, of course, a number of variables to consider. Total price is just one factor.. Rates, levels of expertise, availability, support and maintenance, and travel requirements may all be a factor The rates used as part of the BOA, however, set a baseline and provide information to enable potential purchasers to price, and order if necessary, individual levels of expertise. For example, if a purchaser requires 10 days of engineering support he can readily identify potential sources, price and order this. Whereas price is important and forms a critical part of the BOA, it is not necessarily the only criteria to be used The NCI Agency understands that prices quoted in the BOA are indicative only. Hence, prior to any procurement via BOA, the NCI Agency will contact the potential supplier directly and request a firm price quotation for each specific requirement.

With respect to service type agreements where Task Orders are involved there are, of course, a number of variables to consider. Total price is just one factor. Rates, levels of expertise, availability, support and maintenance, and travel requirements may all be a factor The rates used as part of the BOA, however, set a baseline and provide information to enable potential purchasers to price, and order if necessary, individual levels of expertise. For example, if a purchaser requires 10 days of engineering support he can readily identify potential sources, price and order this. Whereas price is important and forms a critical part of the BOA, it is not necessarily the only criteria to be used The NCI Agency understands that prices quoted in the BOA are indicative only. Hence, prior to any procurement via BOA, the NCI Agency will contact the potential supplier directly and request a firm price quotation for each specific requirement.

general 1 598 1 about-us/newsroom/international-womenE28099s-day-nato-agency-diversity-advocate-offers-perspective.aspx At a quarterly breakfast, women of NATO gathered to discuss issues critical to the Alliance's success. Attendees of the second-ever breakfast held just a few weeks ago discussed technology and security with Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller We want to leverage the voices of women in international debates like this one, said Diana De Vivo, who works on Stakeholder Engagement and serves as a Diversity Advocate for the NATO Communications and Information Agency. In anticipation of International Women's Day we caught up with De Vivo to discuss her work, which includes a focus on closing the gender gap. The breakfasts are just one part of an effort she leads to harmonize the Agency's work to increase diversity and foster a culture of inclusion. We started to talk about the issue, De Vivo said of the effort she leads. Because we felt that there were not enough forums to talk about diversity and inclusion, and gender equality, and what we can do to improve those metrics as an organization. The Agency works in coordination with NATO Headquarters, and ensures its work is complementary The value that we want to bring to the overall NATO efforts is to enhance diversity and inclusion in technology, De Vivo said. Being a military organization, NATO has considerable gender imbalance among its staff. Women made up 17 percent of the Agency's civilian workforce in 2017. People across the Agency are working together to lessen the gap, De Vivo said The Agency must look to do more than increasing diversity in hiring. It must work to offer more opportunities to women in leadership roles and ensure their ideas are supported, De Vivo said. We shouldn't be looking only at diversity, but also at establishing an inclusive environment every day, De Vivo said. Because diversity is the metrics, but inclusion is the culture. So there must also be initiatives that are complementary to diversity that foster inclusion in the organization. Ultimately, it's about creating a culture where everyone feels welcome. One positive move in this direction, De Vivo said, is the Agency's recently established induction boot camp. The three-day event introduces new hires to the Agency, and to NATO. It's designed to give them the tools they need to succeed at the NCI Agency and feel part of the mission from their first day in the job. At the Agency you can do important work, while enjoying practical benefits like flexible distance working when needed, De Vivo said. The NCI Agency is place where you can contribute to a mission larger than yourself, De Vivo said. I encourage you to apply, and help us make a difference. Click on these two interviews of Diana De Vivo, to better understand how she is challenging misperceptions about who belongs in defence and security https //youtu.be/VhVzq9HeE_ https //youtu.be/Gs_KXikskB

At a quarterly breakfast, women of NATO gathered to discuss issues critical to the Alliance's success. Attendees of the second-ever breakfast held just a few weeks ago discussed technology and security with Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller.

general 1 599 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/who-can-use-boas.aspx Though primarily used as a procurement method by the NCI Agency, any NATO Body, governmental agencies (including military forces) of any of the NATO Member Nations, and, on a case by case basis, the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) Nations are eligible users of BOAs.

Though primarily used as a procurement method by the NCI Agency, any NATO Body, governmental agencies (including military forces) of any of the NATO Member Nations, and, on a case by case basis, the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) Nations are eligible users of BOAs.

general 1 600 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/which-of-the-eligible-purchasers-are-exempt-from-vat.aspx NATO Bodies are exempt from paying VAT. Enlargement and PfP Governmental Authorities as well as NATO National Authorities may also be exempt if purchasing for a NATO project with a NATO authorised budget or, in some cases, when these authorities have been authorised by NATO to purchase under NATO

NATO Bodies are exempt from paying VAT. Enlargement and PfP Governmental Authorities as well as NATO National Authorities may also be exempt if purchasing for a NATO project with a NATO authorised budget or, in some cases, when these authorities have been authorised by NATO to purchase under NATO.

general 1 601 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/would-it-be-possible-for-us-to-include-another-companys-products--for-which-we-are-a-vendor--in-our-boa.aspx Yes, other company’s products and services can be included in your BOA

Yes, other company’s products and services can be included in your BOA.

general 1 602 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/we-cannot-provide-warranty--maintenance-and-support-natowide-is-that-a-problem.aspx Subject to the requirement and/or project concerned, this may be a limitation for your company to be compliant in certain bids. However, alternative methods of warranty, maintenance and support are available such as by using subcontractors, immediate replacement warranty/maintenance, etc., depending on the type of products involved.

Subject to the requirement and/or project concerned, this may be a limitation for your company to be compliant in certain bids. However, alternative methods of warranty, maintenance and support are available such as by using subcontractors, immediate replacement warranty/maintenance, etc., depending on the type of products involved.

general 1 603 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/can-a-company-that-has-established-a-boa-still-participate-in-icbs-how-does-that-company-then-get-included-in-the-icb-process.aspx Yes. ICB and BOA competitions have separate procedures – one does not interfere with the other. Regardless of whether a company has a Declaration of Eligibility for establishing a BOA, separate Declarations must be issued for each ICB. For more information visit the NCI Agency Procurement Method section of the website, and our presentation on Common Bidding Mistakes'

Yes. ICB and BOA competitions have separate procedures – one does not interfere with the other. Regardless of whether a company has a Declaration of Eligibility for establishing a BOA, separate Declarations must be issued for each ICB. For more information visit the NCI Agency Procurement Method section of the website, and our presentation on Common Bidding Mistakes'

general 1 604 1 about-us/newsroom/the-nci-agencyE28099s-software-factory-a-new-way-to-collaborate-with-industry.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency is responsible for delivering the latest and greatest technology and services to the Alliance. To do that, the Agency is piloting a new way to work with the fast-paced tech companies developing NATO's software the DevTest Platform. Released last year as a part of the NCI Agency Software Factory, this collaborative platform offers those companies a chance to quickly get feedback on what they are developing. Roughly 200 people from the NCI Agency, industry and Nations are now using the DevTest Platform Here's how it works. When someone in NATO needs new software the Agency will work with them to develop a detailed description of what they need. Companies that could fulfil those needs compete to get the contract. The company who wins the work typically needs time to prepare the solution for NATO. With the Software Factory, namely its DevTest Platform, there is an established way for NATO and the company to work together as the company builds that solution. It's also a way for NATO and the Nations to test the product before the company is done making it The DevTest Platform is hosted in the cloud so that everyone who is authorized can access it. The platform includes infrastructure, compute and storage. On the platform, industry can develop and test new software in small chunks The Agency can validate industry partners' work by testing it as it is developed. It makes it easier for companies to get feedback on their work more quickly and make changes. So far, seven teams working on NATO applications have been migrated to the DevTest Platform, where they can connect on a daily basis The platform will speed up the time it takes to develop applications for NATO. The idea is develop as small as possible, deliver as quick as possible and fail as fast as possible and recover as fast as possible, said Mariano Valle, a Senior Architect and the Lead on Cloud Architecture in the Service Engineering and Architecture branch of the Agency. The platform is also an enabler for smaller businesses to work with NATO on applications, Valle said. This new work space could facilitate the collaboration of smaller companies together with bigger companies, together with us, said Detlef Janezic, Chief of Service Engineering and Architecture at the NCI Agency NATO's contracts for large software projects, like those for physical infrastructure, focus on asking for one big, specific deliverable. That methodology makes sense for what it was originally designed for something of more physical permanence like a building or runway, but not for software applications But NATO is in the process of changing the way it contracts for software to make it easier for industry to incorporate new technologies into a project as it works on it. NATO also wants to help industry deliver software in small increments, so NATO and the Nations can test it as it is developed. NATO wants to harness commercial innovation and reflect the fast pace of the technology industry, and the Software Factory is helping NATO undergo its digital transformation. There is a big push by Nations to NATO so that the procurement policies might be changed and adapted to this new way of doing business, Valle said. About NATO's journey to the clou This article is part of an ongoing series focused on how the NCI Agency is embracing state-of-the-art cloud computing technologies. The Agency has organized its efforts in this area into a Cloud Adoption Roadmap with pragmatic goals to move key services to the cloud to enable reliable, 24/7 service. The Agency, which leads NATO's digital endeavour, is focused on driving technological progress across the Alliance. Such a digital endeavour means examining, of course, everything from NATO's global communications to its applications. The Agency will continue to map out this journey to the cloud in May through a panel discussion at its annual industry conference NITEC19. To learn more, or attend, visit nitec19.com Miss our story about the other part of the NCI Agency's Software Factory? Read all about the NATO App Store here Also, read more about NATO Community Development (NCoDe)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency is responsible for delivering the latest and greatest technology and services to the Alliance.

general 1 605 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/will-information-on-potential-procurements-be-available-to-a-company-that-has-established-a-boa.aspx Yes, from various sources including the Delegations, NATO Military Commands, NATO Agencies, etc. depending on the project and/or budget involved. The NCI Agency also maintains a Business Opportunities section of the website, and a Twitter account @NCIAAcquisitio ) for this purpose.

Yes, from various sources including the Delegations, NATO Military Commands, NATO Agencies, etc. depending on the project and/or budget involved. The NCI Agency also maintains a Business Opportunities section of the website, and a Twitter account (@NCIAAcquisition) for this purpose.

general 1 606 1 about-us/newsroom/italian-students-supported-by-nci-agency-win-innovation-award-at-national-science-competition.aspx Students from all over Italy gathered in Rovereto on 8-9 March 2019 to compete in the national FIRST LEGO League Into Orbit Challenge. FIRST LEGO League releases each year a worldwide multi-part challenge on a scientific topic. This year's competition, Into Orbit, is focused on space. One of the teams competing in the Italian challenge, the MyCollego Team, had a little help from the NATO Communications and Information Agency. Military technicians and civil engineers from the NCI Agency Satellite Ground Station F14, in Lughezzano, mentored the team leading up to the challenge And the MyCollego Team won a national Global Innovation Award, which it will receive in Rome. Now the team will prepare to compete in the international competition for the award. If it is one of 20 teams selected, the team will go to San Jose, California, for the final judging. The team also won a slot to compete in the Open International Lebanon competition in June 2019, and received a scholarship to visit the Space Camp in Izmir Turkey in June. Regarding space, I think it is a very broad subject and a bit far from our reality as young students, but also very interesting, said MyCollego teammate Elena Pomari, who is 12 years old. This activity has made us want to study and investigate new topics. Pomari said robotics are our future. Therefore, it is very important to learn how to programme because knowing how to do it will open up new avenues in our working future, Pomari said. The competition includes a robot game, a technical test and a scientific project presentation. For one portion of the competition, students were asked to programme an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field. In another component, teams were asked to identify a physical or social problem humans face during long duration space exploration. The students designed a solution to share during the competition. competition. We really liked their approach, said 13-year-old MyCollego teammate Giulia Piccoli of the NCI Agency mentors. For example, in the coding of the robot they did not do the work for us, but gave us inputs, ideas. And then we were the ones who found the solutions. Piccoli said the team enjoyed the NCI Agency staff's mentorship because it gave them a chance to practice different languages. We also liked the fact that we had to get involved with our skills in foreign languages, since the civil engineers spoke mainly in English or French, and their Italian was very limited, Piccoli said. Many months of preparation went into last week's challenge. Teachers assigned the students topics to study related to space travel. The students would share what they learned about their particular topic with their classmates. Agency technicians and engineers held meetings to help the students develop an approach to tackling the project. They gave the students a method that would help them hone in on one problem, and develop a solution The students had to compete to get on the MyCollego Team. They gathered three afternoons a week to work on their challenge. I loved to work as a team during the afternoon with other students of various classes and ages, and do school differently than in the morning, said teammate Alessia Castagna, who is 13 years old. The MyCollego Team won its regional qualifier on 26 January 2019 in Reggio Emilia, Ital Thanks to this competition, I discovered a great passion for science and the desire to become a researcher in the field of physics, said Luca Corbioli, who is 13 years old For the project portion of the competition, the MyCollego Team developed a prototype for electromagnetic shoes to anchor astronauts at various work stations. Currently, astronauts on the International Space Station just slip their feet into straps attached to the floor. Csaba Grunda, a Site Engineer for Satellite Ground Station F14, provided his expertise on the prototype My goal is not to tell them what to do and how, but to teach them the ability of design-thinking and object-oriented problem-solving techniques so that they can do the work themselves, Grunda said. I am very happy to see that the idea is working at every age and they are succeeding with their project. Local sport shoes factory Gaibana, which already produces training shoes for European Space Agency astronauts, was also involved in the project. The factory physically created the shoe prototype presented during the challenge Our team has been participating in this competition for 5 years because it gives us many opportunities and allows us to discover new things while having fun, said Sofia Brunelli, who is 13 years old

Students from all over Italy gathered in Rovereto on 8-9 March 2019 to compete in the national FIRST LEGO League Into Orbit Challenge. FIRST LEGO League releases each year a worldwide multi-part challenge on a scientific topic. This year's competition, Into Orbit, is focused on space.

general 1 607 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/can-products-be-added-after-a-boa-has-been-signed.aspx Products and services as well as price lists can always be added to the BOA.

Products and services as well as price lists can always be added to the BOA.

general 1 608 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/how-is-boa-comparison-done-when-it-concerns-consultancy-services.aspx NCI Agency procures consultancy services through support services contracts, as well as BOAs. The evaluation method depends on the particular requirement or project. It ranges from a simple comparison of rates based upon lowest compliant to detailed statements of work where the total price for completion is evaluated. In every case the criteria for evaluation will be specified in the bidding documents.

NCI Agency procures consultancy services through support services contracts, as well as BOAs. The evaluation method depends on the particular requirement or project. It ranges from a simple comparison of rates based upon lowest compliant to detailed statements of work where the total price for completion is evaluated. In every case the criteria for evaluation will be specified in the bidding documents.

general 1 609 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/in-which-currency-do-we-publish-our-prices.aspx Prices can be published in any of the NATO Members’ currencies including multiple currencies if appropriate.

Prices can be published in any of the NATO Members’ currencies including multiple currencies if appropriate.

general 1 610 1 about-us/newsroom/working-for-the-nci-agency-more-than-a-job.aspx I believe that NATO is a symbol of unity and integrity. Working for NATO is not just a point on a CV. It's a chance to be a part of something bigger than a typical job. I moved in April 2016 from Albania to Brussels, Belgium to begin working as an intern in the Business Management Section of the Finance Team for the NCI Agency The start of my internship was a bit different from what I expected. At the beginning, you are given time to adjust to the new environment. You aren't fully loaded with responsibilities, as it takes time for a newcomer – especially a young professional – to get a sense of such a huge organization. While I expected to be overloaded with assignments, I now really appreciate that the workload increased gradually. As an intern, I told management that I was interested in opportunities to continue working for the Agency. At the end of my internship, I was offered the chance to work for the organization as temporary staff. But working on temporary contracts does not offer a lot of stability, so I tried to make the most of what I had, not knowing when it might end. Whenever I saw relevant vacancies, I would apply. In summer 2017, I applied for one position through the NATO recruitment website while I continued working on temporary contracts. I completed testing and my interview by the end of 2017. By July 2018, I received a formal offer to be a senior accounting assistant as a NATO International Civilian. When I became a NATO civilian, I participated in the Agency's Induction Bootcamp. The bootcamp is a way to welcome newcomers to the team. We had the chance to visit the Agency's three main locations Brussels and Mons in Belgium and The Hague, in the Netherlands. While I was not exactly a newcomer, I still thought the experience was awesome. I met new colleagues from other locations, so it was an incredible opportunity to network and feel part of a community. It was also a good chance to ask questions and contribute new ideas. This journey has challenged me professionally and personally, and as a result I have grown and advanced in my career. When I started my internship I couldn't see where exactly it would lead me. Of course, I wished that eventually I would become a NATO civilian, but I didn't have a real plan. My priority was always to work energetically and enthusiastically, and learn as much as I could from the experience. I feel particularly inspired by the Agency's leadership. They cope well under pressure, maintaining a calm demeanour and a sense of humour. Interacting every day with people from different cultural backgrounds and working styles has made me more flexible and culturally aware. The way we work together is a demonstration of the power of diversity. It is also fun to work in my team because there are a lot of young people. We work in an open space so there is a lot of interaction during the day. People are connected to each other, and hang out after working hours. It's definitely not a boring work environment, a place with people in suits who never smile This is just my own story, but I've heard a lot of stories like mine, of other international civilians in te Agency who started out as interns or contractors. I strongly encourage students and recent graduates to apply for the internship programme if they would like to have an international experience, and be part of an incredibly diverse workforce. It is a great opportunity to grow and to learn. Besjona Koprencka, 28, holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Tirana, and a master's degree in finance and banking from the European University of Tirana

I believe that NATO is a symbol of unity and integrity. Working for NATO is not just a point on a CV. It's a chance to be a part of something bigger than a typical job.

general 1 611 1 business/do-business-with-us/basic-ordering-agreement-programme/what-is-the-next-step-after-our-company-has-digested-all-the-available-information-and-decides-to-solicit-a-boa.aspx If you are interested in signing a BOA with the NCI Agency, please fill out the BOA Applicatio following the instructions, and email it to BOA@ncia.nato.in .

If you are interested in signing a BOA with the NCI Agency, please fill out the BOA Applicatio following the instructions, and email it to BOA@ncia.nato.in .

general 1 612 1 about-us/newsroom/digitally-transforming-nato-our-work-explained-.aspx NATO, like any organization, must digitize or risk becoming irrelevant. And the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is responsible for guiding the Alliance through this transformation. The NCI Agency delivers the critical technology that enables 29 Nations to communicate with each other and work together The Agency is working to deliver a secure, modern digital infrastructure to NATO – wherever the Alliance is working. This effort to modernize NATO's infrastructure is known in the Agency as the digital endeavour This effort is important, and the stakes are high. NATO is responsible for safeguarding peace and stability for nearly one billion citizens. Before hearing too much about the Agency's plans for digital transformation, it is important to understand the Agency's mission. General Manager Kevin J. Scheid can explain https //youtu.be/PCQEtpG770 The NCI Agency is leading NATO's digital endeavour. But what does that really mean? What kind of progress is the Agency trying to achieve? Get the basics on NATO's digital journey https //youtu.be/BH4snSnImf As a technology organization, the NCI Agency is charged with driving technological progress across the Alliance. Learn more about the Agency's ongoing projects that will propel NATO into the future https //youtu.be/ov_4uN7yNj

NATO, like any organization, must digitize or risk becoming irrelevant. And the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is responsible for guiding the Alliance through this transformation. The NCI Agency delivers the critical technology that enables 29 Nations to communicate with each other and work together.

general 1 613 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-leads-nato-team-to-tough-cyber-exercise.aspx A team of nearly 40 cyber security experts led by the NATO Communications and Information Agency will compete this week in Locked Shields 2019, a live-fire cyber exercise conducted from Tallinn, Estonia More than 1,000 international cyber security experts and decision makers will gather from 9 to 12 April 2019 to participate in the exercise. Organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, the event uses a game-based approach to allow participants to take on roles in fictional response teams. Their goal is to assess the situation, maintain availability of services and defend networks that have fallen victim to cyber-attacks. After winning last year's competition, the NCI Agency decided it would contribute its expertise this year by forming a team of not only Agency experts, but with representatives from several NATO Nations The NCI Agency has welcomed 10 members from six Nations to be part of a united NATO team. Six Nations –Turkey, Norway, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia – volunteered cyber experts to participate. During the several-day exercise, the NATO team will act as a Blue Team protecting networks. In this elaborate fictional scenario, the Island of Berylia is in the midst of attempting to restore services after extreme flooding and landslides when it is hit with cyber-attacks. NATO Deterrent Forces commanders and international advisers are also accused of accepting money in exchange for helping traffic refugees to Berylia. Those commanders are asked to step down from their posts, and others take on leadership roles. DF troops, as well as advisors, direct their personnel to conduct a humanitarian aid mission alongside the Berylian troops in hopes of changing public opinion in favour of an international presence. Blue Teams such as NATO’s can expect to notice quite a few vulnerabilities in the systems they must protect. They will have limited access to the environment before the exercise, so they will have to quickly assess the situation once Locked Shields begins The exercise takes place in a lab environment, so no production networks are used. Preparing for this exercise was a two-way mentoring effort, where the experts learned from the Agency, and the Agency learned from them. Forming this team was another way for Agency to strengthen the community of cyber security experts it is building under its Cyber Security Collaboration Hub initiative. The Agency took the first ste to launch the Hub on 12 February 2019. Allied Computer Emergency Response Teams from five Nations – Belgium, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States -- were connected then to NATO's protected business network. This pilot programme will allow Nations to quickly and securely share information with each other, and with the Agency Access to the network, which provides an encrypted workspace with secure video, voice, chat and information gathering, will roll out to all 29 Nations later this year

A team of nearly 40 cyber security experts led by the NATO Communications and Information Agency will compete this week in Locked Shields 2019, a live-fire cyber exercise conducted from Tallinn, Estonia.

general 1 614 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-inks-deal-with-british-telecom.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed an information technology support contract with British Telecom, following an open competition. The 5.9 million EUR contract has a service period of nearly three years This partnership with BT will ensure the advanced information systems at the NATO Headquarters are maintained to the highest standards. This agreement, which consolidates several contracts into one with BT, is a more efficient and cost-effective way to manage the Agency’s systems Tens of thousands of components, network systems, licenses and other devices are covered under this arrangement, making it the first of its kind on such a scale for the Agency. A full-time representative from BT will be on-site to immediately fix problems, replace parts and bring on specialized expertise when needed This news demonstrates General Manager Kevin Scheid’s commitment to leveraging industry in advancing NATO’s digital endeavour.

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed an information technology support contract with British Telecom, following an open competition.

general 1 615 1 about-us/newsroom/five-steps-to-doing-business-with-the-nci-agency.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency acquires, deploys and defends communications systems for the Alliance's political decision-makers and Commands. And we need your innovative technology and solutions to do that. The Agency looks to industry to provide their solutions in areas such as air command and control, cyber security and big data and analytics. Our acquisition process may seem overwhelming at first, but it is designed to make sure company proposals are looked at fairly. Below we have outlined a few things you should do to work with us. We have also addressed some of your frequently asked questions These five steps are not the only things you can do to get started. For example, your company could attend our annual flagship industry event NITE in May. This year's event is in Oslo, Norway, and will bring together more than 700 senior government, military and industry leaders. At NITEC you can meet NCI Agency managers and acquisition experts. It is also a great opportunity to meet potential partners for NATO competitions. And the event will offer a preview of our upcoming business opportunities. Every fall, we also host our cybersecurity conference, the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) in Mons, Belgium And now, here are five steps to doing business with us to help you get started…. STEP 1 Decide if you are a fit for our Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) Programm The BOA Programm is an accelerated procurement procedure used by NCI Agency to acquire commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and services. This procedure might be a good fit for you if your company is a small-to-medium enterprise. BOA competitions have short-term performance periods and are COTS-oriented It is a two-step contracting procedure. First, you and the NCI Agency establish a framework agreement, specifying all basic contract provisions, for a range of COTS goods and services. Your company would also have to get a Declaration of Eligibility. For more on that, see Step 3. Once this step is completed your company will be included in our BOA vendors database. The second step takes place when there is an actual BOA competition. The contracting officer would match the vendors in the database with the requirements for the competition, and the solicitation documents would be sent out to those vendors All open BOA competitions can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the Contracting and Procurement page of our websit . Questions on our BOA Programme should go to BOA@ncia.nato.in . STEP 2 Check out our open competition If the BOA Programme does not seem like the right fit for your organization there are other options. And even if your company joins our BOA Programme, you might still want to consider bidding in our open competitions. We hold open competitions through Invitations for Bid, or IFBs, where we use two different evaluation methods to determine the awardee Lowest compliant In this situation, only price criteria will determine the award Best Value Price will not be the main driver for best value competitions. Other qualitative criteria will also be considered Open competitions are listed her and information is presented in chronological order from the nearest bid closing time. The opportunities are separated into three categories Requests for Information (RFI), International Competitive Bids (ICB), and BOAs You can also follow the @NCIAAcquisitio Twitter handle for acquisition news. Other interesting information can also be found by following us on LinkedI , Twitte , Faceboo and YouTub . For general acquisition questions you can contact General.Acquisition@ncia.nato.in STEP 3 Get a Declaration of Eligibilit Now that you have decided to compete for an Agency contract, you need to work with your national delegatio to get a Declaration of Eligibility. The Declaration of Eligibility certifies that your company has the necessary financial, technical and professional competence to bid. Prior to a competition, the Agency will issue a Notification of Intent, which alerts industry to an upcoming business opportunity. The notification will include a deadline for the Agency to receive Declarations of Eligibility for all companies interested in competing. The Declaration of Eligibility is how our acquisition office will know you are eligible to bid in the competition. STEP 4 Prepare a competitive bid Study the solicitation documents closely to make sure you understand the requirements. You will need to prepare a few documents, such as a detailed proposal and a bid schedule where you will propose your prices. Create a detailed outline of your bid, and make sure you address the information specifically required by the bidding instructions. After we issue an IFB, we sometimes add additional information in the form of amendments. Make sure you also address the content of amendments, if needed, in your bid Take advantage of question-and-answer sessions before the bid closes. Ask any questions you may have in writing, and confirm that we receive them. Q&A sessions are also the only opportunity you will have to get approval for a waiver, or deviation from our requirements. Q&As are sent to all bidders to ensure fairness and transparency without identifying the bidder, so be careful not to reveal your technical solution in the question When in doubt, contact the project's contracting officer! STEP 5 Learn from the proces If your company is selected, congratulations! The work is not over. Now you will need to deliver on what you proposed in your bid. If your bid was unsuccessful, don't give up! We have a plan in place to make sure your company can learn from the experience. You can ask for a debriefing on why your company was not selected by contacting the contracting officer. Anyone who asks will get one. It can be in-person or by Skype During the debriefing we will not compare your bid to other companies' submissions. The debriefing we provide is tailored to your company and specific aspects of the bid your company submitted. During the debriefing, you will learn the strengths and weaknesses of your bid. Don't miss out on this opportunity! The debriefing will give your company extremely important information to better your chances in future competitions Frequently Asked Question Q Where do I find info on upcoming contracts? A Check out our websit , and follow us on LinkedI , Twitte , Faceboo and YouTub . We also have the @NCIAAcquisitio Twitter handle just for acquisition news. Q What networking opportunities does the Agency offer? What are your major conferences A Our annual flagship industry event NITE is coming up in May in Oslo, Norway. It's a great opportunity to meet potential partners for Agency competitions. Later this year we will also be hosting our cybersecurity conference, the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS). You could also attend an industry day. Nations organize such events, and invite companies to attend. Our Agency sends a speaker, who briefs attendees on upcoming opportunities and how to do business with us. Q Who should I talk to if I have questions A For general acquisition questions you can contact General.Acquisition@ncia.nato.in . Questions on our BOA Programme should go to BOA@ncia.nato.in . To get involved in any industry initiatives feel free to email IndustryRelations@ncia.nato.in . Q Why should I consider partnering with larger companies? A Partnering with (or subcontracting to) a prime contractor can be a profitable experience as well as a growth opportunity for a small business Q How can I find out why I didn't win a bid? A You can ask for a debriefing! We discussed this above in Step 5. Q What are the common mistakes made by industry when competing for NATO contracts? A Here are a few common mistakes Submitting your bid late, or submitting an incomplete bi Taking exception to any terms or conditions in the contract provision Imposing conditions that would modify the IF Imposing a condition that would limit your liability to the NCI Agenc Limiting the NCI Agency's rights under any articl Failing to acknowledge a material amendment to an IF Unqualified bidder (not from a participating Nation, not nominated by a participating Nation when required, not a BOA holder if it's a BOA competition Your bid should be… Logical, coherent, and easy for the NCI Agency evaluation team to read and understan Submitted before the deadlin Detailed enough to show you have a good understanding of the problem and technical approach presented in the solicitatio Able to answer the question how are you going to accomplish this requirement? An accurate explanation of your company's qualifications and capabilities as they relate directly to the requirements identified in the solicitatio Focused on technology you have already delivered, not on aspirational capabilities. Submitting a bid is serious business.

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency acquires, deploys and defends communications systems for the Alliance's political decision-makers and Commands.

general 1 616 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-industry-cocreate-modern-architecture-for-deployable-system.aspx The NCI Agency is building its future Deployable Communications and Information System on the DCIS Cube effort, with industry's help Last year the NATO Communications and Information Agency worked with 12 industry partners in a completely new way. The Agency wanted to improve NATO's Deployable Communications and Information System (DCIS) by using industry best-practice early, well before writing a statement of work. Agency staff did that by involving industry-leading architects in architecting and testing a new approach for a modern DCIS the DCIS Cube, a deployable mini datacentre. And it worked. So well, in fact, that the Agency is planning to work with an even larger group of companies this year on other aspects of the DCIS Through workshops and architectural demonstrations, the NCI Agency and representatives from the 12 companies worked together to draft an architecture, which is like a technical blueprint, for the DCIS. Last May they published a whitepape outlining that architecture, which they called the DCIS Cube. Through this approach, initiated by Service Engineering and Architecture Branch of the Agency, the idea of collaborating with Industry to architect common and reusable building blocks materialized. The effort was also supported by architects from other service lines in the Agency. Now the Agency can procure DCIS kits based on the latest commercial industry best practices. And through the process of developing the architecture, companies were able to get a better understanding of NATO's needs, said NCI Agency Enterprise Architect Dr Hermann Wietgrefe We get confirmation that our concepts can be met with state-of-the-art technology, Wietgrefe said. And industry gets an advance understanding of what our requirements are, and is therefore better tuned to assess how this should influence their portfolio. A modern DCIS When NATO units deploy they carry the technology they use to communicate, the DCIS, along with them. The DCIS capability consists of a static portion, located in NATO data centres, and deployable points of presence. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) portion of a deployable point of presence is basically a transportable mini datacentre. The DCIS implementation in service today comes in boxes of different sizes and weights, and not all of them can be carried easily. Some of them weigh as much as 150 kilograms. So what NATO needs is one standardized box that is easy to carry and replace. The new DCIS Cube is a blueprint for just that. The crucial element of the DCIS Cube is that it's supposed to be more agile in all the ways that you can understand it, said Marc Van Selm, an Enterprise Architect focusing on communications architecture. It's supposed to reduce the logistical footprint, it's supposed to support a quick deployment. It should be lower cost, simpler to operate. And it is open to NATO and Nations and industry to use, or reuse or adapt. Instead of having boxes of varying sizes and weights that can serve as different parts of a communications system, the DCIS Cube calls for one common box that can be programmed to serve those different purposes. That also means NATO forces would only need to carry a single box of spare parts with them to repair what breaks, Van Selm said. Instead of having a shelter full of spare parts, now you bring along a box along of 60 cm in square, Van Selm said. And that can replace any of the components that could fail. The DCIS Cube can be carried by two people, making it a great fit for deployments. It gets its functionality by putting software on it, and it can be programmed automatically in a matter of hours, or a day at most. That time depends on the service complexity of the headquarters, and number of DCIS Cubes that need to be aggregated to deliver the services. The Agency intends to use the architecture developed with industry in upcoming procurements, but there isn't a specific project called the DCIS Cube. The Agency expects to get around 30 Cubes from a larger infrastructure contract known as the Firefly projec . The contract award is planned for 2019. Several companies collaborated with NATO on developing the architecture for the DCIS at their own expense, with lead architects, solution engineers and proof-of-concept prototypes. It was agreed that the main product, the whitepaper, be made available to everyone online for use and reuse. There is also a DCIS Cube Architecture Definition Document that the NCI Agency can make available to Nations and companies upon request. The DCIS Cube architectural concepts are Intellectual Property Rights-free and openly available to ensure that the International Competitive Biddings principles are respected Basically the industry that participated in the architecture development have a chance to also see implementations from the Nations following the same principles, Wietgrefe said. They have a multiplier of opportunity by us publishing this as a NATO standard way of doing things. Collaborating on DCIS Cube 2. Twenty-Five companies are expected to participate in DCIS Cube 2.0, the next round of related initiatives. The Agency has already held the first two architecture meetings for DCIS Cube 2.0. The Agency, with industry, hosts one DCIS Cube-related workshop a month on average. The Agency plans to update the public on these efforts at its annual industry conference NITEC, which will be held in Oslo in May For the first DCIS Cube architecting initiative, a company or small group of companies would build a prototype and take it to the Agency lab in The Hague. There they tested and validated key aspects of the architecture with real systems. Their goal was to prove that what they described on paper functioned with a real kit The Agency has four focus areas it is exploring in DCIS Cube 2.0. For example, through connecting the Cube, the Agency wants to take a closer look at the Wide Area Network, the satellite link that connects a deployment to different commands. This time we're going to look there, see what we can do to improve our satellite connectivity, Van Selm said. DCIS Cube 2.0 will also look at using the Software Factory as a collaboration space to manage the services run on the DCIS Cube. As a part of its Software Factory effort, the NCI Agency is piloting a new way to work with the fast-paced tech companies developing NATO's software. The DevTest Platform, as it is called, offers companies a chance to quickly get feedback on what they are developing. For DCIS Cube 2.0, the Agency intends to bring that collaborative and agile requirements management approach to the way it manages services run on the Cube. Then the Agency will be bringing best practices from software development to how it develops, tests and deploys ICT services in this context. Learn more about the DevTest Platform her . And to register for our flagship industry conference, please visit the NITEC websit .

The NCI Agency is building its future Deployable Communications and Information System on the DCIS Cube effort, with industry's help.

general 1 617 1 about-us/newsroom/estonian-president-visits-the-nci-academy.aspx The NCI Academy in Oeiras, Portugal, received a visit on 17 April from Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid. The NCI Academy, NATO's newest training centre, is set to open its doors in September 2019. The school will provide expert training on NATO's advanced IT and cyber systems to more than 4,000 students annually The delegation received a general overview of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency, with particular emphasis on the new Academy, and how it and the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia might cooperate and collaborate. NCI Agency General Manager Kevin Scheid outlined the Agency's role in enabling NATO to perform Article IV (consultation) and Article V (collective defence). The General Manager praised Estonia's strong commitment to the Alliance, and noted in particular its role as a leading nation in cyber defence. Considering Estonia's expertise, the meeting explored ideas like adopting a federated approac between the Estonian Cyber Range and the Academy Cyber Laboratory. In the future, the two could exchange subject matter experts, jointly develop scenarios or align training and education in this domain. The delegation concluded the visit with a tour of the new Academy, including its laboratories, classrooms and 256-seat auditorium The Academy's world-class facilities are located in Oeiras, just 20 km from Lisbon, Portugal's vibrant capital. This 20 million EUR state-of-the-art project will ensure the Alliance remains at the forefront of technology, and continues to ensure peace and security for nearly 1 billion citizens No

The NCI Academy in Oeiras, Portugal, received a visit on 17 April from Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid. The NCI Academy, NATO's newest training centre, is set to open its doors in September 2019. The school will provide expert training on NATO's advanced IT and cyber systems to more than 4,000 students annually.

general 1 618 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-to-launch-eprocurement-tool.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is set to launch a new online procurement tool in the fourth quarter of 2019. The tool, called 'eProcurement,' will transform the way industry partners interact with the Agency. Through eProcurement, industry partners can receive regular updates on bids and contract awards. It will streamline discussion between the Agency and industry, helping the Agency to foster relationships with both prospective and existing suppliers. Interim Director of Acquisition Simona Rocchi sai Our priority is to maintain a rich and engaging dialogue with the private sector to deliver the best capabilities and services to the Alliance. Implementing technology such as eProcurement is in line with this vision. The eProcurement system, an Oracle-based technology, has two major components a Supplier Portal and a Sourcing Module. Combined, these solutions will enable the Agency and industry to easily interact in a more automated and standardized fashion. The move to eProcurement is part of a wider Agency effort to boost collaboration with the private sector by promoting visibility into past, current and upcoming business opportunities. Through this wider effort the Agency is also aiming for faster competition cycles, contract awards, and account management. This new capability, and the benefits it will bring, will be looked at in greater detail at NITEC, the Agency's upcoming industry conference. NITEC will take place in Oslo on 20-22 May 2019 Rocchi said I encourage all industry players to join us at the upcoming NITEC and find out more about how NCI Agency's engagement with industry will be transformed for the better. Click here to learn how you can attend NITEC About the technolog The eProcurement system has two main components the Supplier Portal, and the Sourcing Module. The Supplier Portal is an IT application that allows suppliers to easily maintain their records with a self-service profile management tool. The Supplier Portal will support industry partners throughout the procurement process, enabling them to upload invoices, for example. The Sourcing Module is an online platform designed to simplify the overall competition and source selection process.

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is set to launch a new online procurement tool in the fourth quarter of 2019.

general 1 619 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-eu-discuss-cyber-threats-ahead-of-european-elections.aspx On 25 April 2019, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and the Computer Emergency Response Team for the European Union's institutions, bodies and agencies (CERT-EU) held a cyber workshop ahead of the European Parliament elections in May The NCI Agency, CERT-EU and industry experts discussed measures to counteract potential threats to devices and systems related to the 2019 European elections. Attendees identified techniques such as spear phishing and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks as potential threats to watch. (A typical DDoS attack disrupts a server's normal traffic by overloading it with internet traffic from compromised systems, like computers or devices.) Attendees also discussed the issue of disinformation. The workshop highlighted the need to continue to focus on training and educating users, in areas such as guarding against social engineering attacks, like phishing. Governments and their industry partners must also continue to collaborate and share threat information NCI Agency Cyber Security Chief Ian West said As Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said, NATO must act as a hub for cyber information sharing, training and expertise. Through our agreement with CERT-EU, the NCI Agency's NATO Computer Incident Response Capability can further this aim by convening its industry partners to discuss potential threats, suggest measures to counteract them and explore ways to disseminate such information. Though nations are primarily responsible for securing election systems, NATO stands ready to support with information about the threat landscape, as well as processes and techniques we use to secure high-profile events CERT-EU Head Saâd Kadhi said The European Union and NATO both face an ever-shifting, complex cyber threat landscape. Leveraging their 2016 Technical Agreement, CERT-EU and NCIRC have worked increasingly closely to tackle the challenges they mutually face in cyberspace. The exchange of best practices, sharing of information and frequent bilateral meetings are key to strengthening our strategic partnership. This joint workshop comes at an important time, a month ahead of the European elections, and is an excellent example of the growing engagement and concrete cooperation between our cyber defence teams About the NCI Agency and CERT-EU partnershi The NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) and the Computer Emergency Response Team of the European Union (CERT-EU) signed a technical arrangement on 10 February 2016, establishing a robust partnership based on thorough cyber defence information sharing to improve incident prevention, prediction, detection and response. The NCI Agency is responsible for defending NATO networks 24/7. The NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) Technical Centre, part of the Agency, provides specialist services to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber security incidents. CERT-EU supports the various IT security teams in EU institutions, bodies and agencies in defending against cyber threats. It also acts as the incident response a coordination and information exchange hub for its constituency For more information see www.ncia.nato.in www.cert.europa.e NATO and the European Union enhance cyber defence cooperatio - 10 February 201 EU and NATO increase information sharing on cyber incident - 10 February 201

On 25 April 2019, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and the Computer Emergency Response Team for the European Union's institutions, bodies and agencies (CERT-EU) held a cyber workshop ahead of the European Parliament elections in May.

general 1 620 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-races-to-the-cloud-for-unclassified-portals.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency is making major changes to the way it manages many of its unclassified web portals Through a new enterprise agreement the Agency is migrating many of them from its internal data centres to a vendor's public cloud, saving space in the new server room in The Hague and offering customers increased reliability and improved levels of service. Forty-five portals have already been migrated The extranet portals, which hold unclassified information, can be accessed as necessary by partners or customers and are exposed to the public internet We are getting rid of all of the burden of having to support hardware for some unclassified services, said Head of Service Engineering Jose Luis Herrero Pascual. However, it doesn't mean that we are removing the need to have administrators, or people. We are in fact creating new positions due to the need to manage public cloud services. Though the Agency doesn't need people to take care of the hardware's lifecycle it will need people to monitor costs consumed to make sure the portals don't exceed the money allocated to them Now we are brokers between the cloud service provider, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, any other, and our customers, he said The move to a public cloud offering didn't increase costs for customers. The cost to migrate itself will be absorbed by internal Agency funding, and the Agency is maintaining the same price levels customers are paying now for the on-premise standard portals And we are increasing the availability, we are increasing the response times and we are increasing the reliability, he said. We are offering the customers free migration with zero-cost impact and improved service. The portals will also have increased support for cyber protection through the industry partner, Herrero Pascual said This effort began in early 2017, when the Agency's security authorities conducted an analysis of several non-classified communications and information systems. They determined the hardware supporting several portals holding NATO unclassified information needed a proper security assessment. And the hardware, they decided, needed replacing or a major upgrade Instead of replacing the hardware, the Agency's Chief Architect leadership, with support from Service Lines, decided that this could be a good time to move these portals to the cloud For a year or so they worked to inform managers in the Agency and draft an enterprise agreement with the vendor in coordination with the Agency's Legal Office and Directorate of Acquisition The Agency signed a service-based contract, which is a different model from many of the Agency's contracts, Herrero Pascual said. The contract was analysed by the Agency's acquisition and legal office The good thing about this contract is that we don't have to pay anything upfront, he said. We'll pay only for what we consume. The agreement also addresses NATO's unique needs when it comes to data sovereignty and law enforcement Any data hosted by the vendor needs to be physically located in a NATO country. The company is obligated to make sure that the data doesn't leave the region NATO has designated for it to reside. In this project the data will be hosted in datacentres in Germany In the near future, the Agency will look at the possibility to migrate other unclassified portals. There is also potential for the Agency to provide these services to the Nations if they ask The architecture allows for expansion, for compartmentalization for national purposes or services, Herrero Pascual said. And we have people trained to do the job. About NATO's journey to the cloud This article is part of an ongoing series focused on how the NCI Agency is embracing state-of-the-art cloud computing technologies. The Agency has organized its efforts in this area into a Cloud Adoption Roadmap with pragmatic goals to move key services to the cloud to enable reliable, 24/7 service. The Agency will continue to map out this journey in May through a panel discussion at its annual industry conference NITEC19. To learn more, or attend, visit nitec19.co

The NATO Communications and Information Agency is making major changes to the way it manages many of its unclassified web portals.

general 1 621 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/international-competitive-bidding-icb.aspx ICB is the standard competition method used within the Agency under formal bidding for acquiring goods and services. The NCI Agency ICBs are issued under sealed bidding procedures known as Invitations for Bid (IFB). How are they advertised Competitions following this procedure are formally announced though a Notification of Intent (NOI) and posted on the Agency’s business opportunities page. The NOI contains a synopsis of the upcoming competition and provides a timeline for the Agency to receive the Declaration of Eligibility from the NATO Delegations Who is eligible Companies interested in participating in an NCI Agency ICB must be from a participating NATO Nation funding the requirement. ICBs that are common funded by all NATO nations are open to industry from all NATO nations To be included in the Bidders List and receive a copy of the IFB, interested and eligible industry must contact their national authorities or national delegation to NATO referencing the IFB number as posted on the NOI and request inclusion in the Bidders List for the upcoming IFB. The NATO delegation will nominate for inclusion the firm through a Declaration of Eligibility in accordance with the deadlines and instructions provided within the NOI advertising the upcoming competition Consult our Business Opportunitie They are organized chronological order from nearest bid closing time. All dates stated are current best estimates Business Opportunitie

ICB is the standard competition method used within the Agency under formal bidding for acquiring goods and services. The NCI Agency ICBs are issued under sealed bidding procedures known as Invitations for Bid (IFB). How are they advertised Competitions following this procedure are formally announced though a Notification of Intent (NOI) and posted on the Agency’s business opportunities page. The NOI contains a synopsis of the upcoming competition and provides a timeline for the Agency to receive the Declaration of Eligibility from the NATO Delegations Who is eligible Companies interested in participating in an NCI Agency ICB must be from a participating NATO Nation funding the requirement. ICBs that are common funded by all NATO nations are open to industry from all NATO nations To be included in the Bidders List and receive a copy of the IFB, interested and eligible industry must contact their national authorities or national delegation to NATO referencing the IFB number as posted on the NOI and request inclusion in the Bidders List for the upcoming IFB. The NATO delegation will nominate for inclusion the firm through a Declaration of Eligibility in accordance with the deadlines and instructions provided within the NOI advertising the upcoming competition

general 1 622 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/basic-ordering-agreement-boa-competitions.aspx BOA competitions are an approved competition method used for the solicitation of commercial-off-the-shelf items. NCI Agency BOA competitions are issued as Requests for Quotation (RFQ). How are they advertised? Competitions following this procedure are posted on the Agency’s Business Opportunities page with the source list attached. Who is eligible Competition is limited to eligible industry participants holding an active BOA with the NCI Agency. If a source list to a specific BOA RFQ posted on the Agency’s portal does not list your organization, and you have an active BOA, simply contact the contracting officer listed in the RFQ and request to be included by providing your organization’s BOA identification number. More information about the BOA Programme and how to register a BOA can be found on our BOA page Consult our Business Opportunitie They are organized chronological order from nearest bid closing time. All dates stated are current best estimates Business Opportunitie

BOA competitions are an approved competition method used for the solicitation of commercial-off-the-shelf items. NCI Agency BOA competitions are issued as Requests for Quotation (RFQ). How are they advertised? Competitions following this procedure are posted on the Agency’s Business Opportunities page with the source list attached. Who is eligible Competition is limited to eligible industry participants holding an active BOA with the NCI Agency. If a source list to a specific BOA RFQ posted on the Agency’s portal does not list your organization, and you have an active BOA, simply contact the contracting officer listed in the RFQ and request to be included by providing your organization’s BOA identification number. More information about the BOA Programme and how to register a BOA can be found on our BOA page

general 1 623 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/boa-.aspx BOA + is a competition method used for the solicitation of commercial-off-the-shelf items. It maximises the participation of interested and eligible firms by forming the Bidders List from BOA holders and non-BOA holders nominated by the delegations through Declarations of Eligibility (DoE). NCI Agency BOA+ are also issued under Invitations for Bid (IFB). How are they advertised? Competitions following this procedure are formally announced though a Notification of Intent (NOI) and posted on the Agency’s business opportunities page. The identified BOA holders are provided as the initial Bidders List as an annex to the NOI. In addition, the NOI contains a synopsis of the upcoming competition and provides a timeline for the Agency to receive DoEs for non-BOA holders from the NATO Delegations Who is eligible Companies interested in participating must either be a BOA holder or must be from a participating NATO Nation funding the requirement BOA holders not listed on the initial Bidders Lis If the initial Bidders List does not have listed an interested BOA holder, the BOA holder simply contacts the Contracting Officer listed in the NOI and requests to be included by providing the identification number of their BOA. Non-BOA Holders To be included in the Bidders List and receive a copy of the IFB, interested and eligible industry must contact their national authorities or national delegation to NATO referencing the IFB number as posted on the NOI and request inclusion in the Bidders List for the upcoming IFB. The NATO delegation will nominate the interested and eligible firm through a DoE in accordance with the deadlines and instructions provided within the NOI advertising the upcoming competition. Consult our Business Opportunitie They are organized chronological order from nearest bid closing time. All dates stated are current best estimates Business Opportunitie

BOA + is a competition method used for the solicitation of commercial-off-the-shelf items. It maximises the participation of interested and eligible firms by forming the Bidders List from BOA holders and non-BOA holders nominated by the delegations through Declarations of Eligibility (DoE). NCI Agency BOA+ are also issued under Invitations for Bid (IFB). How are they advertised? Competitions following this procedure are formally announced though a Notification of Intent (NOI) and posted on the Agency’s business opportunities page. The identified BOA holders are provided as the initial Bidders List as an annex to the NOI. In addition, the NOI contains a synopsis of the upcoming competition and provides a timeline for the Agency to receive DoEs for non-BOA holders from the NATO Delegations Who is eligible Companies interested in participating must either be a BOA holder or must be from a participating NATO Nation funding the requirement BOA holders not listed on the initial Bidders Lis If the initial Bidders List does not have listed an interested BOA holder, the BOA holder simply contacts the Contracting Officer listed in the NOI and requests to be included by providing the identification number of their BOA. Non-BOA Holders To be included in the Bidders List and receive a copy of the IFB, interested and eligible industry must contact their national authorities or national delegation to NATO referencing the IFB number as posted on the NOI and request inclusion in the Bidders List for the upcoming IFB. The NATO delegation will nominate the interested and eligible firm through a DoE in accordance with the deadlines and instructions provided within the NOI advertising the upcoming competition.

general 1 624 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/request-for-bidders-views-rfbv.aspx The purpose of an RFBV is to solicit comments from Industry and to engage firms in a dialogue as to whether the draft solicitation documents are sound from a contractual and technical perspective RFBVs are issued in a three-step procedure where the primary task of the Agency being to judge whether or not the solutions to be offered by Industry would meet the stated requirements. How are they advertised RFBVs are formally announced through a NOI and posted on the Agency’s Business opportunities page. Interested and eligible firms must be nominated through their respective delegation through a DoE in order to receive the documents and participate in the effort Who is eligible Companies interested in participating in an NCI Agency RFBV must be from a participating NATO nation funding the requirement To be included in the Bidders List and receive a copy of the draft solicitation, interested and eligible industry must contact their national authorities or national delegation to NATO referencing the RFBV number as posted on the NOI and request inclusion in the Bidders List for the upcoming RFBV. The NATO delegation will nominate the firm through a DoE in accordance with the deadlines and instructions provided within the NOI advertising the upcoming endeavor. Consult our Business Opportunitie They are organized chronological order from nearest bid closing time. All dates stated are current best estimates Business Opportunitie

The purpose of an RFBV is to solicit comments from Industry and to engage firms in a dialogue as to whether the draft solicitation documents are sound from a contractual and technical perspective RFBVs are issued in a three-step procedure where the primary task of the Agency being to judge whether or not the solutions to be offered by Industry would meet the stated requirements. How are they advertised RFBVs are formally announced through a NOI and posted on the Agency’s Business opportunities page. Interested and eligible firms must be nominated through their respective delegation through a DoE in order to receive the documents and participate in the effort Who is eligible Companies interested in participating in an NCI Agency RFBV must be from a participating NATO nation funding the requirement To be included in the Bidders List and receive a copy of the draft solicitation, interested and eligible industry must contact their national authorities or national delegation to NATO referencing the RFBV number as posted on the NOI and request inclusion in the Bidders List for the upcoming RFBV. The NATO delegation will nominate the firm through a DoE in accordance with the deadlines and instructions provided within the NOI advertising the upcoming endeavor.

general 1 625 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/market-surveys.aspx Market Surveys and Requests for Information are used when the Agency does not presently intend to award a contract, but wishes to obtain price, delivery, other market information or capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Agency to form a binding contract. Not responding to a market survey does not preclude participation from an eligible firm in any future solicitation, if any is issued How are they advertised Market Surveys are announced through a Sources Sought Notification which is advertised on the Agency’s Business Opportunities page and sent to the delegations for national dissemination. Who is eligible Interested firms must be from a participating NATO nation DoEs are not required in order to participate in an NCI Agency market survey and instead the company can directly contact the Contracting Officer to express its interest in participating Please consult our Business Opportunitie for current opportunitie Consult our Business Opportunitie They are organized chronological order from nearest bid closing time. All dates stated are current best estimates Business Opportunitie

Market Surveys and Requests for Information are used when the Agency does not presently intend to award a contract, but wishes to obtain price, delivery, other market information or capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Agency to form a binding contract. Not responding to a market survey does not preclude participation from an eligible firm in any future solicitation, if any is issued How are they advertised Market Surveys are announced through a Sources Sought Notification which is advertised on the Agency’s Business Opportunities page and sent to the delegations for national dissemination. Who is eligible Interested firms must be from a participating NATO nation DoEs are not required in order to participate in an NCI Agency market survey and instead the company can directly contact the Contracting Officer to express its interest in participating Please consult our Business Opportunitie for current opportunitie

general 1 626 1 business/do-business-with-us/5-steps/step-1-decide-if-you-are-a-fit-for-our-basic-ordering-agreements-boa-programme.aspx The BOA Programm is an accelerated procurement procedure used by NCI Agency to acquire commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and services. This procedure might be a good fit for you if your company is a small-to-medium enterprise. BOA competitions have short-term performance periods and are COTS-oriented It is a two-step contracting procedure. First, you and the NCI Agency establish a framework agreement, specifying all basic contract provisions, for a range of COTS goods and services. Your company would also have to get a Declaration of Eligibility. For more on that, see Step 3. Once this step is completed your company will be included in our BOA vendors database. The second step takes place when there is an actual BOA competition. The contracting officer would match the vendors in the database with the requirements for the competition, and the solicitation documents would be sent out to those vendors All open BOA competitions can be found her . Questions on our BOA Programme should go to BOA@ncia.nato.in .

The BOA Programm is an accelerated procurement procedure used by NCI Agency to acquire commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and services. This procedure might be a good fit for you if your company is a small-to-medium enterprise. BOA competitions have short-term performance periods and are COTS-oriented It is a two-step contracting procedure. First, you and the NCI Agency establish a framework agreement, specifying all basic contract provisions, for a range of COTS goods and services. Your company would also have to get a Declaration of Eligibility. For more on that, see Step 3. Once this step is completed your company will be included in our BOA vendors database. The second step takes place when there is an actual BOA competition. The contracting officer would match the vendors in the database with the requirements for the competition, and the solicitation documents would be sent out to those vendors All open BOA competitions can be found her . Questions on our BOA Programme should go to BOA@ncia.nato.in .

general 1 627 1 business/do-business-with-us/5-steps/step-2-check-out-our-open-competitions.aspx If the BOA Programme does not seem like the right fit for your organization there are other options. And even if your company joins our BOA Programme, you might still want to consider bidding in our open competitions. We hold open competitions through Invitations for Bid, or IFBs, where we use two different evaluation methods to determine the awardee Lowest Price, Technically-Compliant In this situation, only price criteria will determine the award Best Value Price will not be the main driver for best value competitions. Other technical, qualitative criteria will also be considered. Click her to learn more about these evaluation methods Open competitions are listed her . The opportunities are separated into three categories Requests for Information (RFI), International Competitive Bids (ICB), and BOAs

If the BOA Programme does not seem like the right fit for your organization there are other options. And even if your company joins our BOA Programme, you might still want to consider bidding in our open competitions. We hold open competitions through Invitations for Bid, or IFBs, where we use two different evaluation methods to determine the awardee Lowest Price, Technically-Compliant In this situation, only price criteria will determine the award Best Value Price will not be the main driver for best value competitions. Other technical, qualitative criteria will also be considered. Click her to learn more about these evaluation methods Open competitions are listed her . The opportunities are separated into three categories Requests for Information (RFI), International Competitive Bids (ICB), and BOAs

general 1 628 1 business/do-business-with-us/5-steps/step-3-get-a-declaration-of-eligibility.aspx Now that you have decided to compete for an Agency contract, you need to work with your national delegatio to get a Declaration of Eligibility. The Declaration of Eligibility certifies that your company has the necessary financial, technical and professional competence to bid. Prior to a competition, the Agency will issue a Notification of Intent, which alerts industry to an upcoming business opportunity. The notification will include a deadline for the Agency to receive Declarations of Eligibility (DoE) for all companies interested in competing. The DoE is how our acquisition office will know you are eligible to bid in the competition and include you on the bidders list

Now that you have decided to compete for an Agency contract, you need to work with your national delegatio to get a Declaration of Eligibility. The Declaration of Eligibility certifies that your company has the necessary financial, technical and professional competence to bid. Prior to a competition, the Agency will issue a Notification of Intent, which alerts industry to an upcoming business opportunity. The notification will include a deadline for the Agency to receive Declarations of Eligibility (DoE) for all companies interested in competing. The DoE is how our acquisition office will know you are eligible to bid in the competition and include you on the bidders list

general 1 629 1 business/do-business-with-us/5-steps/step-4-prepare-a-competitive-bid.aspx Study the solicitation documents closely to make sure you understand the requirements. You will need to prepare a few documents, such as a detailed proposal and a bid schedule where you will propose your prices. Create a detailed outline of your bid, and make sure you address the information specifically required by the bidding instructions. After we issue an IFB, we sometimes add additional information in the form of amendments. Make sure you also address the content of amendments, if needed, in your bid Take advantage of question-and-answer sessions before the bid closes. Ask any questions you may have in writing, and confirm that we receive them. Q&A sessions are also the only opportunity you will have to get approval for a waiver, or deviation from our requirements. Q&As are sent to all bidders to ensure fairness and transparency without identifying the bidder, so be careful not to reveal your technical solution in the question When in doubt, contact the project’s contracting officer!

Study the solicitation documents closely to make sure you understand the requirements. You will need to prepare a few documents, such as a detailed proposal and a bid schedule where you will propose your prices. Create a detailed outline of your bid, and make sure you address the information specifically required by the bidding instructions. After we issue an IFB, we sometimes add additional information in the form of amendments. Make sure you also address the content of amendments, if needed, in your bid Take advantage of the question-and-answer period before the bid closes. Ask any questions you may have in writing, and confirm that we receive them. Q&A are also the only opportunity you will have to get approval for a waiver, or deviation from our requirements. Q&As are sent to all bidders to ensure fairness and transparency without identifying the bidder, so be careful not to reveal your technical solution in the question When in doubt, contact the project’s contracting officer!

general 1 630 1 business/do-business-with-us/5-steps/step-5-learn-from-the-process.aspx If your company is selected, congratulations! The work is not over. Now you will need to deliver on what you proposed in your bid. If your bid was unsuccessful, don’t give up! We have a plan in place to make sure your company can learn from the experience. You can ask for a debriefing on why your company was not selected by contacting the contracting officer. Anyone who asks will get one. It can be in-person or by Skype During the debriefing we will not compare your bid to other companies’ submissions. The debriefing we provide is tailored to your company and specific aspects of the bid your company submitted. During the debriefing, you will learn the strengths and weaknesses of your bid. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! The debriefing will give your company extremely important information to better your chances in future competitions. Interested companies are also invited to look at the reports of past contract awards that may provide relevant information for future bids

If your company is selected, congratulations! The work is not over. Now you will need to deliver on what you proposed in your bid. If your bid was unsuccessful, don’t give up! We have a plan in place to make sure your company can learn from the experience. You can ask for a debriefing on why your company was not selected by contacting the contracting officer. Anyone who asks will get one. It can be in-person or by Skype During the debriefing we will not compare your bid to other companies’ submissions. The debriefing we provide is tailored to your company and specific aspects of the bid your company submitted. During the debriefing, you will learn the strengths and weaknesses of your bid. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! The debriefing will give your company extremely important information to better your chances in future competitions. Interested companies are also invited to look at the reports of past contract awards that may provide relevant information for future bids

general 1 631 1 about-us/our-locations/brussels.aspx NATO Communications and Information Agenc Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussel Belgium

NATO Communications and Information Agenc Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussel Belgium

general 1 632 1 about-us/our-locations/the-hague.aspx NATO Communications and Information Agenc Oude Waalsdorperweg 6 2597 AK The Hagu Netherland

NATO Communications and Information Agenc Oude Waalsdorperweg 6 2597 AK The Hagu Netherland

general 1 633 1 about-us/our-locations/mons.aspx NATO Communications and Information Agenc Rue Grande - N 7010 SHAPE, Mons Belgiu

BelgiumNATO Communications and Information Agenc Rue Grande - N 7010 SHAPE, Mons Belgium

general 1 634 1 about-us/our-locations/oeiras.aspx Joint Comman Estrada da Medros 2780-07 Oeira Portuga

Joint Comman Estrada da Medros 2780-07 Oeira Portuga

general 1 635 1 about-us/our-locations/brunssum.aspx CSSC Brunssu Building H20 Rimburgerweg 3 6445 PA Brunssu Netherlands

NetherlandsCSSC Brunssu Building H20 Rimburgerweg 3 6445 PA Brunssu Netherlands

general 1 636 1 about-us/our-locations/bydgoszcz.aspx CSU Bydgoszc Szubinska 2 Str 85-915 Bydgoszc Poland

PolandCSU Bydgoszc Szubinska 2 Str 85-915 Bydgoszc Poland

general 1 637 1 about-us/our-locations/izmir.aspx CSU Izmi 448/1 Sk. Building 4 35148 Sirinyer, Izmi Turkey

TurkeyCSU Izmi 448/1 Sk. Building 4 35148 Sirinyer, Izmi Turkey

general 1 638 1 about-us/our-locations/naples.aspx CSU Naple Via Madonna del Pantan 80014 Lago Patria - Giugliano, Naple Ital

ItalyCSU Naple Via Madonna del Pantan 80014 Lago Patria - Giugliano, Naple Italy

general 1 639 1 about-us/our-locations/athens.aspx CSE Athen Gravias Str Agia Paraskev 15342 Athen Greece

GreeceCSE Athen Gravias Str Agia Paraskev 15342 Athen Greece

general 1 640 1 about-us/our-locations/la-spezia.aspx CSE La Spezi Viale S. Bartolomeo, 40 19126 La Spezia S Italy

ItalyCSE La Spezi Viale S. Bartolomeo, 40 19126 La Spezia S Italy

general 1 641 1 about-us/our-locations/norfolk.aspx CSU Norfol 7857 Blandy Road, Suite 10 Norfolk, VA 23551-249 US

USACSU Norfol 7857 Blandy Road, Suite 10 Norfolk, VA 23551-249 USA

general 1 642 1 about-us/our-locations/northwood.aspx CSU Northwoo Atlantic Building Sandy Lan HA6 3HP Northwood, Middlese United Kingdom

United KingdomCSU Northwoo Atlantic Building Sandy Lan HA6 3HP Northwood, Middlese United Kingdom

general 1 643 1 about-us/our-locations/yeovilton.aspx CSE Yeovilto RNAS Yeovilto Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8H United Kingdo

United KingdomCSE Yeovilto RNAS Yeovilto Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8H United Kingdom

general 1 644 1 about-us/our-locations/poggio-renatico.aspx CSU Poggio Renatic Via Ponte Rosso 44028 Poggio Renatico (FE Ital

ItalyCSU Poggio Renatic Via Ponte Rosso 44028 Poggio Renatico (FE Italy

general 1 645 1 about-us/our-locations/ramstein.aspx CSU Ramstei Ramstein Air Bas 66877 Ramstein-Miesenbac Germany

GermanyCSU Ramstei Ramstein Air Bas 66877 Ramstein-Miesenbac Germany

general 1 646 1 about-us/our-locations/sigonella.aspx CSU Sigonell Aeroporto Militare Sigonella (NAS 2 Building 17 Contrada Sigonella SP 69/I 96016 Lentin Italy

ItalyCSU Sigonell Aeroporto Militare Sigonella (NAS 2 Building 17 Contrada Sigonella SP 69/I 96016 Lentin Italy

general 1 647 1 about-us/our-locations/stavanger.aspx CSU Stavange Joint Warfare Centr Eikesetveien 2 4032 Stavange Norwa

NorwayCSU Stavange Joint Warfare Centr Eikesetveien 2 4032 Stavange Norway

general 1 648 1 about-us/our-locations/torrejon.aspx CSU Torrejo Edificio 20 Base Aerea de Torrejón NII Km 22, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madri Spai

SpainCSU Torrejo Edificio 20 Base Aerea de Torrejón NII Km 22, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madri Spain

general 1 649 1 about-us/our-locations/uedem.aspx CSU Uede CAOC Uedem Mühlenstrasse 8 47589 Uede German

GermanyCSU Uede CAOC Uedem Mühlenstrasse 8 47589 Uede Germany

general 1 650 1 about-us/contacts/centralised-service-desk.aspx NCI Agency OPS Centre CSD NCN 626-317 Belgium +32 65 44 317 Netherlands +31 70374 317 Italy +39 081 721 317 Germany +49 282 4978 317 USA +1 757 747 317

NCI Agency OPS Centre CSD NCN 626-317 Belgium +32 65 44 317 Netherlands +31 70374 317 Italy +39 081 721 317 Germany +49 282 4978 317 USA +1 757 747 317

general 1 651 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb.aspx Scroll down to see our Open Competitions we hold open competitions through Invitations for Bid, or IFBs They are organized in chronological order from the nearest bid closing date. All dates stated are current best estimates. If you need more information, read about the NCI Agency's Busines and procurement methods and procedure

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general 1 652 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/intelligence-functional-services.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-14873-INTELFS2 Daniel.Gaertner t 27 August 2019 4 September 2020 Q4 2021 Postponed to Q4 2020 Q1 2021

The NCI Agency is planning to issue an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for Spiral 2 of the NATO INTEL-FS capability.The NCI Agency will award two contracts, each with a separate and distinct scope o One for the Front-end , or User Interfaces, for the Intel-FS capability;o One to deliver the Back-end data management and integration with other systems.Bidders are free to bid on either one, or on both. The evaluations will be conducted separately, so a bidder who submits a bid for both contracts may be selected for only one of them.

general 1 657 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/anwi-procurement-of-splunk-licenses.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-15084-ANWI Vieux Rochat, Lise 27 August 2019 28 October 2019

The NCI Agency is the provider of NATO-wide IT services and state-of-the-art C4ISR capabilities including cyber and missile defence.The Agency has a requirement for procurement of Splunk licences.

general 1 658 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/provision.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-14313-NJTS Radu.Munteanu t 15 May 2018 19 June 2018 Q4 2021 Q3 2020 Q3 2020

NOTE We are in the middle of a scope change request so this information will be updated in due time.NCI Agency is the Host Nation to procure and implement Functional Services for NATO Joint Targeting System (NJTS). The NJTS project will provide a replacement of, and enhancements to, the operational prototypes called Joint Targeting System (JTS) and the Functional Area System for dynamic and time sensitive Targeting (FAST).

general 1 659 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/satellite-radios.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-14930-TACSAT Navikaite, Viktorija 2Q 2019 3Q 2019

This is notification of a Limited Competition for the provision of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Tactical Satellite (TACSAT) Radios.

general 1 660 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/enhance.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-14797-CTD Navikaite, Viktorija 3Q 2019 4Q 2019

Prospective Bidders List and Amendment N176; 1 to the Notification of Intent (NOi) to Invite Bids for the implementation of the Project 'Enhance and Sustain Core Transport Capability'.

general 1 661 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/advanced-link-analysis.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-14896-SSSB Jones, Michael 2Q3Q 2019 3Q4Q 2019

The Advanced Link Analysis and Monitoring (ALAM) Tool for Ship Shore Ship Buffer (SSSB) will provide real-time analysis of the waveforms used by Link 11 and Link 22 that are critical to the correct operation of such Tactical Data Links.

general 1 662 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/provision-of-information.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-14314-IEG-C Lise.Vieuxrochat t 27 February 2020 14 April 2020 Q4 2021 Q3 2020 Q4 2020

NCI Agency is the Host Nation to procure and implement an information exchange gateway between NATO SECRET and MISSION SECRET domains. The IEG-C project will industrialize an existing prototype capability, thereby reducing risks to security, providing resilience, improving control, management and maintenance aspects, while adhering to newly approved NATO Standards.

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general 1 666 1 what-we-do/our-customers/customer-services-catalogue.aspx No Description.

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general 1 667 1 business/current-opportunities/noi/maintenance-of-erdas-imagine-software.aspx Downloa Reference Bid release - Bid closing NCIA Brussels Contracting Officer IFB-CO-15113-ERDAS Ike Meertens, Ijeoma November 2019 December 2019

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general 1 668 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/limited-competitions.aspx For procurements under €160,000, the Agency will normally follow the Simplified Procurement procedures. In these cases, qualified sources that are known to meet the requirements are solicited How are they advertised? When practical these procurements are posted on the Business Opportunities web page. However, many of these are “quick-turn” procurements where the purchase order is executed with limited competition Who is eligible Companies interested in participating must be from a participating NATO Nation funding the requirement

For procurements under €160,000, the Agency will normally follow the Simplified Procurement procedures. In these cases, qualified sources that are known to meet the requirements are solicited How are they advertised? When practical these procurements are posted on the Business Opportunities web page. However, many of these are “quick-turn” procurements where the purchase order is executed with limited competition Who is eligible Companies interested in participating must be from a participating NATO Nation funding the requirement

general 1 673 1 business/do-business-with-us/procurement-methods/evaluation-methods.aspx Lowest-Price, Technically-Complian Also referred to as “Lowest Compliant”, LPTC is nearly always used for Simplified Procurements and BOA competitions as well as ICBs with known, firm requirements. For Simplified Procurements or some BOA competitions, bids can typically be quickly evaluated and awarded solely based on price For ICBs and larger BOA competitions, this type of evaluation includes the following steps 1. Administrative Evaluatio This reviews the bid against the administrative requirements of the IFB, and is a “Pass-Fail” evaluation. For example, any Intellectual Property restrictions, or confirmation the bidder has accepted all of the terms and conditions of the IFB, would be included in the Administrative bid. All bids that are administratively compliant are then evaluated for price 2. Price Evaluatio This review ensures that the price volume is complete and the prices bid are reasonable. The reasonableness of proposed prices are normally based on competition, and determining the lowest overall price is straightforward. The bid evaluated as the lowest price will then undergo the technical evaluation 3. Technical Evaluatio In an LPTC evaluation, all of the technical factors are Pass/Fail. That is, the bid is either compliant or it isn’t. There is no technical scoring or consideration given to “extra features” that a bidder may include. If the lowest price bid is compliant with all of the technical requirements, that company is selected for the project, and the other technical bids are not evaluated. If it is determined to be non-compliant, the n lowest price bid is then evaluated. Best Valu For more complex ICBs, where technical approaches among bidders may differ, the NCI Agency uses an evaluation method known as Best Value. This allows the Agency to potentially award the contract to a bidder who has offered a higher price, if their total evaluation score shows that they have been evaluated to offer the Agency the “best value.” It is important to note that the focus of a best value evaluation is risk mitigatio . It is not so that bidders can offer additional features for a higher price, but to show that their approach would reduce the risk to the Agency The Best Value evaluation procedure is quite different from the Lowest Compliant procedure described above. Best Value evaluations include the following steps 1. Administrative Evaluatio This reviews the bid against the administrative requirements of the IFB, and is a “Pass/Fail” evaluation. For example, any Intellectual Property restrictions, or confirmation the bidder has accepted all of the terms and conditions of the IFB, would be included in the Administrative bid. All bids that are administratively compliant will then undergo a technical evaluation It is important to understand that the Administrative evaluation may extend to the Price or Technical evaluations, should it be determined that a bidder took exceptions in their price or technical bids to any of the requirements or terms and conditions of the IFB 2. Technical Evaluatio The IFB will include the different high-level criteria – for example, Management, Engineering, and Supportability – and the weights that are applied to each. The IFB will also list sub-criteria that are important in each of those areas; and internally, these criteria are further broken down to ensure that every area of the bid is evaluated consistently All bids are evaluated against the IFB requirements, they are not compared to other bids The bids that are technically compliant will then move to the price evaluation. 3. Price Evaluatio This review ensures that the price volume is complete and complies with all of the IFB requirements. All of the price bids are scored based on the formula in the IFB; any bids that are not technically compliant will not be included in the price evaluation and scoring 4. Final Scorin The IFB will include the formulas for calculating the technical, price and best value final score.

Lowest-Price, Technically-Complian Also referred to as “Lowest Compliant”, LPTC is nearly always used for Simplified Procurements and BOA competitions as well as ICBs with known, firm requirements. For Simplified Procurements or some BOA competitions, bids can typically be quickly evaluated and awarded solely based on price For ICBs and larger BOA competitions, this type of evaluation includes the following steps 1. Administrative Evaluatio This reviews the bid against the administrative requirements of the IFB, and is a “Pass-Fail” evaluation. For example, any Intellectual Property restrictions, or confirmation the bidder has accepted all of the terms and conditions of the IFB, would be included in the Administrative bid. All bids that are administratively compliant are then evaluated for price 2. Price Evaluatio This review ensures that the price volume is complete and the prices bid are reasonable. The reasonableness of proposed prices are normally based on competition, and determining the lowest overall price is straightforward. The bid evaluated as the lowest price will then undergo the technical evaluation 3. Technical Evaluatio In an LPTC evaluation, all of the technical factors are Pass/Fail. That is, the bid is either compliant or it isn’t. There is no technical scoring or consideration given to “extra features” that a bidder may include. If the lowest price bid is compliant with all of the technical requirements, that company is selected for the project, and the other technical bids are not evaluated. If it is determined to be non-compliant, the n lowest price bid is then evaluated. Best Valu For more complex ICBs, where technical approaches among bidders may differ, the NCI Agency uses an evaluation method known as Best Value. This allows the Agency to potentially award the contract to a bidder who has offered a higher price, if their total evaluation score shows that they have been evaluated to offer the Agency the “best value.” It is important to note that the focus of a best value evaluation is risk mitigatio . It is not so that bidders can offer additional features for a higher price, but to show that their approach would reduce the risk to the Agency The Best Value evaluation procedure is quite different from the Lowest Compliant procedure described above. Best Value evaluations include the following steps 1. Administrative Evaluatio This reviews the bid against the administrative requirements of the IFB, and is a “Pass/Fail” evaluation. For example, any Intellectual Property restrictions, or confirmation the bidder has accepted all of the terms and conditions of the IFB, would be included in the Administrative bid. All bids that are administratively compliant will then undergo a technical evaluation It is important to understand that the Administrative evaluation may extend to the Price or Technical evaluations, should it be determined that a bidder took exceptions in their price or technical bids to any of the requirements or terms and conditions of the IFB 2. Technical Evaluatio The IFB will include the different high-level criteria – for example, Management, Engineering, and Supportability – and the weights that are applied to each. The IFB will also list sub-criteria that are important in each of those areas; and internally, these criteria are further broken down to ensure that every area of the bid is evaluated consistently All bids are evaluated against the IFB requirements, they are not compared to other bids The bids that are technically compliant will then move to the price evaluation. 3. Price Evaluatio This review ensures that the price volume is complete and complies with all of the IFB requirements. All of the price bids are scored based on the formula in the IFB; any bids that are not technically compliant will not be included in the price evaluation and scoring 4. Final Scorin The IFB will include the formulas for calculating the technical, price and best value final score.

general 1 674 1 business/current-opportunities/boa.aspx Scroll down to see our Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) Programme An accelerated procurement procedure used by NCI Agency to acquire commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and services. BOA competitions have short-term performance periods and are COTS-oriented They are organized in chronological order from the nearest bid closing date. All dates stated are current best estimates. If you need more information, read about the NCI Agency's Busines and procurement methods and procedure

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general 1 675 1 business/current-opportunities/ms.aspx Scroll down to see our Market Surveys. They are organized in chronological order from the nearest bid closing date. All dates stated are current best estimates. If you need more information, read about the NCI Agency’s Busines and procurement methods and procedure

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general 1 676 1 employment/working-for-us/eligibility-criteria.aspx Nationals of a NATO member countr Over 21 and under 60 years of age at the time of taking up the appointmen Completed any initial term of compulsory military service required in your countr Adequate knowledge of at least one of the two official languages (English and French

Nationals of a NATO member countr Over 21 and under 60 years of age at the time of taking up the appointmen Completed any initial term of compulsory military service required in your countr Adequate knowledge of at least one of the two official languages (English and French

general 1 681 1 what-we-do/our-customers/requesting-services.aspx To formally request services from NCI Agency, please fill in the standardized Customer Request Form CUSTOMER REQUEST FOR

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general 1 682 1 what-we-do/our-customers/tips-contact/tips-for-filling-out-your-form.aspx Have you identified a POC who can be reached in case of a requirements clarification? In Annex 1 Have you clearly identified the quantity needed, as well as Service IDs as listed in the Catalogue, or, if applicable, the unlisted service you require Have you outlined your operational impact, noting that this area is a major driver in prioritizing requests within NCI Agency Have you clearly defined milestones for your request, noting that the average response time for a Customer Request Form is ~45-90 days? Have you secured funding and annotated your available budget If technical documentation is required for fulfilling your requirement, have you attached this documentation (Unclassified Only) to the request? In Annex 2, if applicable, have you clearly identified the quantity and types of software tools/licenses required

Have you identified a POC who can be reached in case of a requirements clarification? In Annex 1 Have you clearly identified the quantity needed, as well as Service IDs as listed in the Catalogue, or, if applicable, the unlisted service you require Have you outlined your operational impact, noting that this area is a major driver in prioritizing requests within NCI Agency Have you clearly defined milestones for your request, noting that the average response time for a Customer Request Form is ~45-90 days? Have you secured funding and annotated your available budget If technical documentation is required for fulfilling your requirement, have you attached this documentation (Unclassified Only) to the request? In Annex 2, if applicable, have you clearly identified the quantity and types of software tools/licenses required

general 1 683 1 what-we-do/our-customers/tips-contact/contact-an-account-manager.aspx If your organization does choose to request services, the Chief Operating Office will serve as your single entry point into the NCI Agency Each customer segment (Command, Nation, multinational organization, etc.) has a dedicated Chief Operating Office Account Manager assigned to ensure that all Customer Requests are validated internally and responded to in a timely manner. Internally, these Account Managers will work across relevant elements of the NCI Agency to identify priority of your request, advocate on customers’ behalf, and determine whether the request can be accepted within available capacity. Outwardly, Account Managers will confirm receipt of your request, contact customer POCs if requirements need to be clarified, and keep customers updated on status and progress of requests. For general questions regarding this process or specific questions about a request for services, please contact the Office Contact an Account Manage

If your organization does choose to request services, the Chief Operating Office will serve as your single entry point into the NCI Agency Each customer segment (Command, Nation, multinational organization, etc.) has a dedicated Chief Operating Office Account Manager assigned to ensure that all Customer Requests are validated internally and responded to in a timely manner. Internally, these Account Managers will work across relevant elements of the NCI Agency to identify priority of your request, advocate on customers’ behalf, and determine whether the request can be accepted within available capacity. Outwardly, Account Managers will confirm receipt of your request, contact customer POCs if requirements need to be clarified, and keep customers updated on status and progress of requests. For general questions regarding this process or specific questions about a request for services, please contact the Office Contact an Account Manage

general 1 684 1 nitech-magazine.aspx No Description.

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general 1 686 1 nitech-magazine/the-first-edition-of-nitech-magazine-is-here.aspx We are thrilled to share with ur new NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) Magazine with you The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is leading NATO’s digital endeavour. This new magazine aims to explain how we are doing that, and how you can get plugged in to our efforts The Agency plays a big role in helping NATO maintain its technological edge. In this magazine you will learn how the Agency is leading the Alliance’s digital transformation through its many projects such as Project Polaris, an effort to modernize NATO’s IT Driving NATO’s digital endeavour is a task that requires close collaboration with industry, academic and other not-for-profit partners. We hope that this magazine will be helpful to organizations interested in working with us This first edition also focuses on the High North, which is no coincidence We released the magazine to coincide with our flagship industry event NITEC19 in May. The event was focused this year on advancing technology and processes to secure NATO operations from the South, to the High North. You can download and read the magazine completely free of charge her

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general 1 687 1 about-us/newsroom/visit-of-the-albanian-secretary-general-of-the-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-to-nci-agency-in-brussels.aspx On 11 February 2014, the General Manager hosted an office call with the Albanian Secretary General from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Qirjako Qirko. His visit to NATO Headquarters and NCI Agency was in the context of IT Modernisation. This first meeting sets the high level political will to embark on a strategic partnership with NCI Agency focussing on providing our expertise and services to ensure the Ministry’s IT Modernization meets NATO interoperability standards. During the visit, the Albanian Secretary General was provided with a briefing on the Agency overview and examples of projects that the NCI Agency supported in Albania. Albania is an important player in the Balkans as they are part of the US-Adriatic Charter (A5) initiative, which is committed to enhancing regional security and stability through political dialogue and practical cooperation.

On 11 February 2014, the General Manager hosted an office call with the Albanian Secretary General from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Qirjako Qirko. His visit to NATO Headquarters and NCI Agency was in the context of IT Modernisation.

general 1 688 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-to-announce-up-to-2-billion-euro-worth-of-c4isr-investments-ahead-of-summit.aspx From 25 to 27 March, at the NCI Agency's NATO C4ISR* Industry Conference & AFCEA Europe's TechNet International 201 in Bucharest, Romania, senior officials from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency will update Transatlantic Industry leaders on potential upcoming business opportunities in the area of C4ISR and communication capabilities to support NATO missions and operations Following its 2013 Industry conference in Rome, it is estimated that up to 2 billion Euro worth of business opportunity will be announced in areas to be highlighted later this year at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales. Last year, over 600 senior European and North American Industry representatives attended the Agency’s first Industry Conference following the establishment of the NCI Agency as part of the NATO Agency reform The conference, “From Assets to Services - Capability Delivery in the 21st Century, will be held under the Patronage of the Prime Minister of Romania The aim of this conference is to give early warning of potential business opportunities coming up in the next 18 months so that Industry can prepare for competition. Some of the projects are yet to be approved by NATO’s resource committees and may be impacted by changes in NATO’s operations and missions. Several projects however have already been authorized and call for bids will be launched “This year’s event will also enable small and medium enterprises to better compete for capability investments critical to NATO,” Mr Gijsbers, General Manager NCI Agency stated in anticipation of the event. Mr Gijsbers will give a keynote address on 25 March at the RIN Grand Hotel Conference Centre Some of the specific opportunities to be discussed included Way forward for largest IT Modernization within NATO to date; Next generation of cyber defence Ballistic missile defence FOC – critical capability Continued sustainment and investment in the Air Command and Control (C2) Programme Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance including NATO-owned and -operated Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) capability Core enterprise services – keeping NATO connected including new NATO HQ Command and Control services – keeping the political and military headquarters connected Support to CIS – static and deployed capabilities to support every NATO operation Registration for the event closes Monday 18 March 2014, register now at https //www.etouches.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=67592&amp To find out more about the business opportunities on offer and the NCI Agency visit www.ncia.nato.int or follow us on Twitter @NCIAAcquisitio This conference is organized in partnership with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) “TechNet International” ___________________ *Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanc

From 25 to 27 March, at the NCI Agency's NATO C4ISR* Industry Conference & AFCEA Europe's TechNet International 2014 in Bucharest, Romania, senior officials from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency will update Transatlantic Industry leaders on potential upcoming business opportunities in the area of C4ISR and communication capabilities to support NATO missions and operations.

general 1 689 1 about-us/newsroom/-63-million-notification-of-intent-to-call-for-bids-for-the-provision-of-nato-communications-infrastructure.aspx The NCI Agency has issued a Notification of Intent to Call for Bid for the modernization of the NATO General Communication System (NGCS) to accommodate growing NATO-wide information exchange requirements in term of the volume of traffic and its required quality For its strategic communications, NATO uses the NGCS which delivers secure and non-secure data, voice and video-teleconferencing services to eligible NATO users The scope of the project is to transform the NGCS into a fully Internet Protocol (IP) converged network. The NATO Communication Infrastructure (NCI) will provide wide area communication between NATO static and deployed users. It will also provide communication infrastructure for the NATO-wide video teleconferencing services, the NATO-wide secure and unclassified voice services and other streaming media services requiring strict quality of service The issuance of IFB is subject to prior authorization from the Investment Committee, which is expected to be in June 2014. Following the authorization, the NCI Agency will use the International Competitive Bidding (ICB) Procedure The IFB is planned to be issued in July 2014, with an anticipated bid Closing Date in October 2014. The closing date for additions/nominations to the Bidders List is 15 April 2015 as the Contract Award is expected to take place on that date The estimated cost for the delivery of this capability is Not To Exceed (NTE) 63, 362, 104 € for the investment part and NTE 26, 313, 948 € for the 5 years Contractor Logistic Support. NCI Agency POC Alain Courtois – Senior Contracting Office NCI Agenc Boulevard Leopold II 1110 Brussels, Belgiu Tel +32 (2) 707-823 Fax +32 (2) 707-877 e-mail alain.courtois@ncia.nato.int

The NCI Agency has issued a Notification of Intent to Call for Bids for the modernization of the NATO General Communication System (NGCS) to accommodate growing NATO-wide information exchange requirements in term of the volume of traffic and its required quality.

general 1 690 1 about-us/newsroom/visit-of-portuguese-national-defence-policy-director-mr-nuno-pinheiro-torres-to-the-nci-agency.aspx Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard Mr Pinheiro Torres was accompanied by a Military Counsellor of the Portuguese National Delegation to NATO, Commander Sérgio da Silva Pinto and the Project Manager for the Smart Defence Cyber Defence Education and Training (CD E&T) Project, Lieutenant Colonel Paulo Viegas Nunes. The discussion included the Smart Defence CD E&T Project, the move of the NATO CIS School and progress on a C4ISR Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Portugal and NCI Agency Mr Lievre outlined the NCI Agency approach to cooperation, including how to develop a Multi-year Programme of Work, which is the next step after signing a C4ISR MoU, as well as providing an overview of current cooperation with Portugal and giving a number of examples of cooperation activities that have provided direct benefits to the nations. It was agreed that good progress was being made on the C4ISR MoU and we look forward to signing the agreement in the coming months. Mr Pinheiro Torres expressed his appreciation for the support that NCI Agency had provided so far to the Smart Defence CD E&T Project, for which Portugal is the lead nation. The project has got off to a good start with eight nations so far showing an interest and he looked forward to the Project Kick Off meeting on 8 May. Regarding the NATO CIS School, Mr Pinheiro Torres was keen that Portugal continues to work closely with the NCI Agency, not only on the move of the School but also on helping to shape its future and Portugal was looking forward to further discussions during the upcoming visit of the NCI Agency Chief of Staff, Major General Luis Andrey and Director of Application Services, Mr Guy Feat to the Portuguese MoD Overall it was a very positive meeting, underpinning the strong relationship between Portugal and the NCI Agency, with Mr Pinheiro Torres concluding by expressing Portugal´s desire to become more involved in both Multinational and Bilateral projects

On behalf of Director Demand Management, Dr Velizar Shalamanov, Mr Eric Lievre, Chief Strategic Partnership and Customer Relationship Management welcomed the Portuguese National Defence Policy Director, Mr Nuno Pinheiro Torres to the NCI Agency to discuss topics of mutual interest.

general 1 691 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-general-manager-meets-with-romanian-minister-of-defence-and-chief-of-general-staff.aspx During the 2014 Industry conference held in Bucharest from the 24 until 27 March, in which the NCI Agency presented major transatlantic business opportunities, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, held bilateral meetings with the Romanian Minister of Defence, Mircea Duşa, and the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Ştefan Dănilă. Romania plays a key role in contributing to regional stability and security. The NCI Agency supports Romania in maximising synergies between common and nationally funded programs and services to achieve vital interoperability with NATO in the realm of C4ISR capability development. The main discussion points were on capabilities and Mr Gijsbers emphasized the message of Re-use what we have , re-using NATO common funded tools for national purposes. Both the Minister and the Chief of Defence were very supportive of establishing a multiyear programme of work with the NCI Agency, in the context of Smart Defence and Connected Forces Initiative. Further proposals discussed were NATO First Solution for NATO Force Structure, extension of IT Modernisation to national entities and Cyber Security.For more information please visit the NATO Smart Defence topic pag

During the 2014 Industry conference held in Bucharest from the 24 until 27 March, in which the NCI Agency presented major transatlantic business opportunities, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, held bilateral meetings with the Romanian Minister of Defence, Mircea Duşa, and the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Ştefan Dănilă.

general 1 692 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-procures-capability-for-enhanced-air-command-and-control-surveillance-and-identification.aspx On 12 May 2014, the NCI Agency has officially awarded to the Czech Company ERA a.s. a contract amounting to 434 million Czech Koruna (around 16M€) for the provision of two Deployable Passive ESM (Electronic System Measure) Trackers (or DPET) for NATO Air Command and Control Surveillance and Identification The contract was signed by NCI Agency General Manager Mr Gijsbers and ERA Managing Director Mr Sotona in the presence of the Czech deputy Ambassador / Minister Counselor Mr Chalupecky These 2 systems, to be delivered within 3 years, will provide NATO with a capability to deploy Deployable Passive ESM (Electronic Support Measure) sensors to operational theatres as part of a Deployable ACCS capability that will support NATO's deployed operations. This DPET system is a mobile shelterized tactical component that detects and tracks aircraft at long range through the detection and processing of pulsed emissions from the aircraft. The DPET system will consist of a Central Site and multiple Remote Sites comprising sensors, communications and processing modules. The system includes trucks, trailers and generators, and can easily be transported to the theatre of operations and then quickly become operational. The system will be designed to support challenging environmental conditions utilising multiple modes of transportation The basis of the ERA solution for the DPET system is the existing VERA-NG product already in service with the Czech army with further enhancements based on the NATO DPET requirements. The contract also covers optional Contractor Logistic Support for an extended period of operational use. This will be considered later in close coordination with the NATO Support Agency

On 12 May 2014, the NCI Agency has officially awarded to the Czech Company ERA a.s. a contract amounting to 434 million Czech Koruna (around 16M€) for the provision of two Deployable Passive ESM (Electronic System Measure) Trackers (or DPET) for NATO Air Command and Control Surveillance and Identification.

general 1 693 1 about-us/newsroom/slovak-mod-and-ncio-sign-memorandum-of-agreement-for-cooperation-on-c4isr-activities.aspx By kind invitation of Brigadier General Juraj Krištofovič of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Slovak Republic, the NATO Communications and Information Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and Director Acquisition, Mr Peter Scaruppe travelled to Slovakia on 15-16 May to attend the International Defence Exhibition Bratislava. During the visit, the Memorandum of Agreement for Cooperation on C4ISR Activities between the MoD of the Slovak Republic and the NATO Communications and Information Organisation (NCIO) was signed by His Excellency Mr Miloš Koterec, State Secretary of the MoD of the Slovak Republic and Mr Gijsbers The General Manager with Director Acquisition attended a meeting with His Excellency Mr Miloš Koterec who was accompanied by Major General Pavel Macko 2nd Deputy of the Chief of the General Staff, Colonel Róbert Tibenský, Armaments Director and Colonel Ivan Ilavský, Deputy Chief of Support Operation Staff. Fruitful discussions took place, which focused on current cooperation and future opportunities for bilateral and multinational cooperation, specifically in the areas of Cyber Defence and the Multinational NATO Software Tools Project. To coincide with International Defence Exhibition Bratislava, a NATO-Slovak I Industry Forum Panel was held at the Ministry of Economy, opened by Tomáš Valášek, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to NATO and attended by 7 Slovakian companies. Mr Koen Gijsbers gave an overview of the Agency’s strategic objectives and key projects Mr Peter Scaruppe spoke about “How to do Business with NATO. In addition to visiting the International Defence Exhibition Bratislava, Mr Gijsbers and Mr Scaruppe were able to visit the Central European Security and Foreign Policy Forum GLOBSEC, which was also taking place in the city. The aim of GLOBSEC is to put Central Europe on the map of transatlantic thinking. With around 800 key security and foreign policy figures from both sides of the Atlantic including high level participation from NATO *The NCI Agency is the executive arm of the NATO Communication and Information Organisation (NCIO), which aims to achieve maximum effectiveness in delivering C3 capabilities to stakeholders, while ensuring their coherence and interoperability, and ensuring the provision of secure CIS services at minimum cost to Allies – individually and collectively

By kind invitation of Brigadier General Juraj Krištofovič of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Slovak Republic, the NATO Communications and Information Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers and Director Acquisition, Mr Peter Scaruppe travelled to Slovakia on 15-16 May to attend the International Defence Exhibition Bratislava. During the visit, the Memorandum of Agreement for Cooperation on C4ISR Activities between the MoD of the Slovak Republic and the NATO Communications and Information Organisation (NCIO) was signed by His Excellency Mr Miloš Koterec, State Secretary of the MoD of the Slovak Republic and Mr Gijsbers.

general 1 694 1 about-us/newsroom/csu-lisbon-and-ncirc-attend-strategic-decision-making-course-and-exercise-on-cyber-crisis-management.aspx At the invitation of the Portuguese MoD, the CSU Lisbon Commander, LCDR Nelson Martins and CIS Security Officer, CPT João Martins, attended a course on Strategic Decision Making in the cyber security environment. The course took place at the Portuguese Defence Institute between 12 and 14 May 2014 and also included an exercise on Cyber Crisis Management. The course was conducted in collaboration with the Estonian MoD. Besides national participants, there were entities from Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Czech Republic and other European countries and to include one representative from NCIRC Technical Centre The main subjects of the course were the Global View of the Cyberspace, Economy Technology and Security, Cyber Security and Cyber Defence. The last day was devoted to a Strategic Decision-Making Exercise. In this exercise, the group was divided into 4 working groups (WG), a Political/Governance WG, a Military/Intelligence WG, a Legal Advisory WG and an Industry WG. The exercise simulated the management of a cyber crisis, where a fictitious Host Nation was being targeted by cyber activists. Incidents were given to the WGs that had to coordinate actions between them. No WG had the same information, so coordination was paramount for the Political/Governance WG to make informed decisions The content and dynamics of the course were much praised by all participants and it was an opportunity to see the different concerns and priorities from all groups. Also it was a great opportunity to show the NCI Agency flag and play a role in strategic decision-making. A similar course is planned for next year

At the invitation of the Portuguese MoD, the CSU Lisbon Commander, LCDR Nelson Martins and CIS Security Officer, CPT João Martins, attended a course on Strategic Decision Making in the cyber security environment. The course took place at the Portuguese Defence Institute between 12 and 14 May 2014 and also included an exercise on Cyber Crisis Management.

general 1 695 1 about-us/newsroom/augmented-reality-for-dismounted-applications-reality-check-at-the-seda-2015-conference.aspx From 26-27 May the Logistics Department of the Italian General Army Staff hosted the fourth annual conference for Software Engineering for Defence Applications (SEDA). The Conference provided the venue for governmental organizations, industry and academia to discuss new ways of delivering software capabilities within defence domain. In particular, an exhaustive radiography was provided on the use of Agile Software engineering methods in the development or procurement of defence capabilities The Agency's Mr Pascal van Paridon presented a paper prepared by the NCI Agency at this conference. The paper highlighted NCI Agency’s experience with the Agile Software development method in a case of an Augmented Reality project executed for — and in cooperation with — the Italian Ministry of Defence. Moreover, an operational demonstration of Augmented Reality applications developed by the NCI Agency was included in the conference programme. This was part of a wider demonstration of Command and Control software developed by the Logistics Department of the Italian Army, known as LC2EVO. This was the first time augmented reality applications developed by NCI Agency were tested by the user community in an operationally relevant context. This involved an advance military search team from the Italian 6th Mechanized Regiment conducting a training mission in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) contaminated environment. The team used ‘smart’ glasses and augmented reality applications developed by the NCI Agency to receive critical information about IED host locations from NATO information systems, such as JOCWatch. Live streaming of video data over 3G and 4G mobile communication channels from the search team during the mission was also demonstrated. In addition, Biometric identification and matching against a biometric enabled watch list was also exercised during the demonstration The NCI Agency team supporting this event was composed of Franco Fiore, Pascal van Paridon and Cristian Coman from the Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Service Line.

From 26-27 May the Logistics Department of the Italian General Army Staff hosted the fourth annual conference for Software Engineering for Defence Applications (SEDA). The Conference provided the venue for governmental organizations, industry and academia to discuss new ways of delivering software capabilities within defence domain. In particular, an exhaustive radiography was provided on the use of Agile Software engineering methods in the development or procurement of defence capabilities.

general 1 696 1 about-us/newsroom/general-manager-attends-meeting-on-natoukraine-joint-working-group-on-defence-reform.aspx On 27 May 2015, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, attended the Senior Level Meeting on the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defence Reform (JWGDR) in Kyiv, Ukraine. The JWGDR is the framework carrying out Ukraine-NATO cooperation in defence and security sector, which activities are aiming at intensifying the practical Ukraine-NATO cooperation Following opening remarks by Mr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) of Ukraine and Ambassador Stamatopoulos, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, senior representatives from Ukraine Ministries and Armed Forces provided briefings on the security situation in Ukraine, as well as Ukraine’s Comprehensive Security and Defence Sector Review and Implementation of Ukraine’s Security and Defence Sector Reform. The NCI Agency's GM provided a well-received status update on the NCI Agency’s role in support of Ukraine’s reform, particularly the C4 Trust Fund. This Senior Level Meeting, which the NCI Agency GM was invited for the first time in recognition of the Agency active support to Ukraine, provided valuable information on how Ukraine is conducting the defence and security review, and provided more clarity on the hierarchy and development of key defence documents, including the National Security Strategy signed on 26 May 2015 by the President of Ukraine. During his visits, Mr Gijsbers was accompanied by Mr Eric Lievre, Chief Strategic Partnership and Customer Relationship Management

On 27 May 2015, the NCI Agency General Manager, Mr Koen Gijsbers, attended the Senior Level Meeting on the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defence Reform (JWGDR) in Kyiv, Ukraine. The JWGDR is the framework carrying out Ukraine-NATO cooperation in defence and security sector, which activities are aiming at intensifying the practical Ukraine-NATO cooperation.

general 1 697 1 about-us/newsroom/register-now-E28093-nias2015-advancing-cyber-defence-collaboration-and-innovation--a-view-from-within.aspx The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is pleased to announce that the registration for our upcoming cyber security symposium, NIAS2015 Advancing Cyber Defence Collaboration and Innovatio , a view from withi , is now ope NIAS2015 will take place from Tuesday September 15 until Thursday September 17 at Lotto Mons Expo in Mons, Belgium About NIAS2015 – the program NIAS2015 addresses the latest innovations in cyber security and provides you with business critical insight, best practice, and practical case studies through sessions, exhibits, workshops and much more! Each interactive and practical one hour session, offers delegates the opportunity to put their skills and knowledge to the test while networking with their peers During NIAS2015, you will get the chance to hear about new and existing products, services and solutions as companies take to the stage to demonstrate the capabilities of their information security solutions If you want to get a taste of what these talks are like, you can watch videos of the talks on our YouTube channe Take part in interactive workshops where industry and NATO debate security challenges, innovative ideas and share experience NIAS15 will also feature a high-level panel discussion on the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP , which comes at a crucial point as NATO and the private sector are working together to bolster collaboration in addressing cyber threats and risks. This year, in the Give me 5 sessions run during the breaks. Small and medium sized enterprises and start-ups will be invited to present an innovative idea and prove it to the potential future business partners and customers in five minutes On top of that, for the first time, this year the organizers plan to stage a capture the flag hacking contest where security experts will be given the opportunity to use their vulnerability assessment and network penetration testing skills in a challenging contest/competition Many other ideas are currently being worked on to enhance this program; stay up to date and consult the latest agenda her Entry, registration, and hotel NIAS2015 is open for members of NATO Headquarters, NATO Agencies, and Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries, the European Union and associated Agencies and members (public and official) from the 28 NATO Nations. Registration for these members is Free of Charge . When registering, please only use your official email address Industry companies who are not presenting at the conference, but sending staff members to NIAS2015 are required to purchase a conference pass. Registration for these guests will be available soon, alternatively you can sign-up by contacting the exhibitor secretariat vi this lin Conference hotel options are available during the registration process, so you have a nice place to sleep between all the listening and talking Last year, NIAS attracted over 1,400 delegates. This year, tell your friends about the event and bring them – let's grow that number even more! NIAS2015 is the NCI Agency's premier cyber security symposium, addressing today's strategic and technical issues in an unrivalled program and showcasing the most diverse range of new and innovative products and services. For further details of the event, including on how to register, please click her .

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is pleased to announce that the registration for our upcoming cyber security symposium, NIAS2015 Advancing Cyber Defence Collaboration and Innovation, a view from within, is now open.

general 1 698 1 about-us/newsroom/general-manager-and-romanian-chief-of-general-staff-discuss-support-to-natoE28099s-readiness-action-plan.aspx On 15 and 16 July 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers was hosted in Bucharest by the Romanian Chief of General Staff, LGEN Nicolae Ciucă. During his visit MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers also met with the Deputy Head of Defence Policy and Planning Department, the Deputy State Secretary for Armaments Department, the Deputy Land Forces Commander, the Chief Communications and Information Systems Directorates, and Senior Representatives from Romanian Defence Industry. During his meetings, MGEN (rtd) Gijsbers also had the opportunity to visit the new NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) and the Multinational Division South East (MND SE) to meet with their respective Commanders. Supporting NATO’s Readiness Action Pla The primary focus of the visit was to discuss support to Romania’s NFIU and MND SE as part of implementing NATO’s Readiness Action Pla . The Agency is responsible for providing connectivity between the NFIU and NATO’s networks. In terms of the Multinational Division, the support will include NATO solutions at affordable cost to guarantee interoperability in a secure environment within a short timeframe. Together with the other NFIU Nations (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland), Romania plays an important regional role in facing the security challenges emanating from NATO’s Eastern borders and Southern flank. NATO Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, visited Bucharest, Romania two weeks earlier and underlined that Romania’s operational headquarters send “a clear message that NATO is here. NATO is ready to defend Romania against any threat. Future cooperatio Further discussions focused on exploring future cooperation opportunities, building on excellent cooperation within the Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) area. For example, Romania is an active member of the Multinational Cyber Defence Project (MNCD), and is receiving NCI Agency support for important air and maritime projects. Opportunities for expanded cooperation included a multi-year Programme of Work between the Agency and Romania, the establishment of a Romanian National technical expert at the Agency and support for NATO Partner country Moldova Finally, MGEN (rtd) Gijsbers briefed the Defence Industry on upcoming business opportunities and how the establishment of a National Technical Expert will help facilitate their involvement in NATO projects by providing visibility on upcoming competition and bidding processes. For more information, please contact NCI Agency Customer Relationship Management Section Tel +32 2 707 8574 Fax +32 2 707 8770 Email demand.management@ncia.nato.in

On 15 and 16 July 2015, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) General Manager, MGEN (rtd) Koen Gijsbers was hosted in Bucharest by the Romanian Chief of General Staff, LGEN Nicolae Ciucă.

general 1 699 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-ciics-federation-a-project-of-the-multinational-cyber-defence-capability-development-programme.aspx Following almost one and a half years of design, development and testing, the team from the Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2 Work Packages 1 and 4 have delivered a completed capability to Sponsoring Nations Canada, the Netherlands and Romania The capability, called the Cyber Information and Incident Coordination System (CIICS), is a web-based application that enables Nations to share cyber defence information within a trusted community; this community is called the NATO CIICS Federation The NATO CIICS Federation offers members of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) – including analysts and operators with responsibilities in cyber security, such as incident handling and forensics – access to a wealth of information on various cyber defence topics. For example, CIICS members are able to share data on topics such as incidents, vulnerabilities, campaigns and other threat intelligence. This information will, in turn, enable improved decision-making and risk mitigation. Joint funding by participating entities allows the Nations to enjoy a reduced operating cost as more parties join the federation The NATO CIICS Federation is open to all NATO Nations and Partner Nations, as well as commercial organizations with a strong business case to join. For more information please contact Ms Agata Szydelko at agata.szydelko@ncia.nato.in .

Following almost one and a half years of design, development and testing, the team from the Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development (MN CD2) Work Packages 1 and 4 have delivered a completed capability to Sponsoring Nations Canada, the Netherlands and Romania.

general 1 700 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-partners-gather-to-discuss-strategic-innovation-and-sustained-transformation.aspx Over 250 military and civilian leaders from all 28 NATO nations, including nearly 100 representatives from Partner nations gathered in Norfolk Virginia on 9 & 10 December to attend the 2015 Chiefs of Transformation Conference, hosted by General Denis Mercier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation The theme of this year's COTC was Strategic Innovation and Sustained Transformation , with particular focus on the strategic perspectives of NATO leaders on the road to Warsaw, as well as discussions on the changed face of Hybrid Warfare. Keynote addresses were provided, amongst others, by Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, Deputy Secretary General of NATO, and General Mercier, whose welcoming remarks can be found here The two-day event facilitated the exchange of ideas on the necessary adaptation and preparedness of the Alliance, as well as the need to look beyond Warsaw and set the ambitions for a resilient NATO, able to respond effectively to a changing security environment. The main take-aways include the importance of enabling federated mission networking; to secure interoperability for nations and partners; to enhance the speed of decision-making; and to prioritize and synchronize across NATO's multinational initiatives to address critical capability shortfalls. NCI Agency was represented by Dr Velizar Shalamanov, Director of Demand Management, who was invited to share the Agency's views and recommendations on the challenges and opportunities faced in the development of multinational projects, cooperation frameworks and the provision of information sharing platforms. The COTC represents a unique opportunity for the Agency to contribute to the shaping of NATO military leaders' thinking in the domain of transformation in cooperation with partners. Through its Customer Engagement Plan 2016, the NCI Agency will continue to strengthen its strategic relationship with ACT, for instance through closer cooperation and exchange of ideas in the development of the Allied Reach 2016 Conference, the 2016 Strategic Military Partnership Conference and the next 2016 NCI Agency Chief Information Officers' Conference A comprehensive report of the COTC will be produced in early January with a set of recommendations towards the preparation of the Warsaw Summit

Over 250 military and civilian leaders from all 28 NATO nations, including nearly 100 representatives from Partner nations gathered in Norfolk Virginia on 9 & 10 December to attend the 2015 Chiefs of Transformation Conference, hosted by General Denis Mercier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.

general 1 701 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-expands-partnership-with-industry-through-new-information-sharing-agreement-with-leidos.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Leidos signed an Industry Partnership Agreement (I-PA) on cyber information sharing in the margins of NITEC16 in Tallinn In light of rapidly evolving cyber tactics and shared risks in cyberspace, the need to work side-by-side with industry partners on pressing cyber-challenges becomes increasingly important. The new agreement with Leidos will foster collaboration and timely sharing of information, allowing both parties to enhance situational awareness and better protect their respective networks and systems. In practice it will facilitate rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats and vulnerabilities. This information will be integrated into NCI Agency 24/7 detection and prevention processes enhancing further NATO's cyber security posture We know we need to be more predictive and less reactive to fast-evolving cyber threats, said Koen Gijsbers, the General Manager of the NCI Agency. Closer partnership with industry is essential in order to better align the speed of our defences with the speed of the threat. This is an imperative that has been reinforced numerous times here at NITEC16, and we are pleased to take another step forward in improving our collective cyber defence through our agreement today with Leidos. A collective approach to cyber securit Leidos is very excited to build upon and expand our relationship with NATO with the signing of this IPA. We are proud to bring two decades of Leidos' cyber experience to mutually enhance cyber situational awareness in the protection and resilience of NATO networks and systems , said Jeff McDaniels, Leidos' VP for International Strategy and Business Development. Taking place in the run-up to NATO's Warsaw Summit, where cyber defence will be high on the agenda, the agreement with Leidos is an important part of the effort to bolster the Alliance's cyber defence posture through the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP). Alliance Heads of State and Government endorsed the NICP in 2014 to pave the way for collaboration with the private sector in addressing cyber threats and risks. The agreement with Leidos is the latest in a series of important agreements with Industry in the framework of the NICP For more information contact Michal Olejarnik, NCI Agency Communication Manager, michal.olejarnik@ncia.nato.in or +32 475 90 70 40

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency and Leidos signed an Industry Partnership Agreement (I-PA) on cyber information sharing in the margins of NITEC16 in Tallinn.

general 1 702 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-director-of-acquisition-highlights-nci-agencyE28099s-innovation-agenda-at-canadian-innovation-forum.aspx NCI Agency Director of Acquisition Peter Scaruppe has highlighted the need to focus on processes as well as technologies when developing the Agency's innovation agenda He made the comments during his keynote speech at the Western Innovation Forum, which took place on 8 November 2016, in Vancouver, Canada The cutting-edge technology we need to stay ahead of our adversaries is out there, Scaruppe told the audience of Canadian Industry executives and defence experts. We, the NCI Agency, need to be innovative about how we access the innovation that companies like yours—and those of other Allies—are doing every day. Mr Scaruppe outlined two factors that have resulted in a continuous need for innovation in order to maintain the resilience of NCI Agency's communications and information systems fast-evolving security challenges, including cyber threats, and rapid technology design in the private sector, where more commercial technologies than ever before have military applications Recognizing this new reality, NATO leaders at the Warsaw Summit earlier this year agreed that for the Alliance to keep its technological edge, NATO must identify advanced and emerging technologies, evaluate their applicability in the military domain, and implement them through innovative solutions Accordingly, NCI Agency's robust innovation agenda is aimed at accessing more innovation from more sources, more rapidly. Mr Scaruppe described several new initiatives that the NCI Agency piloted this year. These initiatives include an acquisition reform study that will produce recommendations for improving NATO's cyber procurement processes, and a mentoring program for small and medium enterprises to receive advice from larger companies on partnering with NATO and other topics. A Defence Innovation Challenge aimed at tapping the technology solutions of SMEs and Academia across the Alliance was also introduced in 2016. Next April, the Agency will launch the Next Generation Innovators Programme, aimed at preparing the next generation information security experts. Mr Scaruppe also highlighted the NATO Industry Cyber Partnership (NICP) as a valuable mechanism for boosting NATO-Industry cooperation on information sharing, the exchange of best practices, and the exploration of innovative technologies to enhance cyber defence If we are going to move faster than the threats we face, then we need to embrace new ways of working together with companies large and small, Mr Scaruppe said. He also outlined the significant resources that the Agency is putting behind innovation, with 3 billion EUR worth of business opportunities planned between now and 2019 in cyber, air and missile defence as well as advanced software. This includes a 70 million EUR investment in cyber technology focused on secure mobility, multi-level authentication, and the secure use of public clouds Mr Scaruppe noted that these contracts align with one of the core tasks of the Alliance to connect and link National forces and capabilities into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts Harnessing the innovative capacity of Alliance Industry to help achieve this aim will be the focus of the NCI Agency's annual flagship conference, NITEC17, taking place on 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada. The conference, with its theme of 'Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry', will be an ideal platform for strategic dialogue with Industry partners to take forward the Agency's innovation agenda

NCI Agency Director of Acquisition Peter Scaruppe has highlighted the need to focus on processes as well as technologies when developing the Agency's innovation agenda.

general 1 703 1 about-us/newsroom/interview-with-special-representative-for-women--peace-and-security-ambassador-marriet-schuurman.aspx NATO has had a Special Representative for Women,Peace and Security since 2012. Ambassador Marriët Schuurman is the second woman in NATO's history to hold the prestigious position. She took up the position in 2014 and has been working tirelessly since to promote greater gender balance within NATO Ambassador Schuurman's office, where we held this interview, is bright and cosy with comfortable armchairs. When we met her she looked fresh and trendy, and welcomed us with a big smile on her face How did you become the Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security to the Secretary General Pretty much the same way anybody gets a position at NATO. I went through the same recruitment process like anybody else, after being asked by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs whether I was interested in applying. I was announced as a Special Representative by then Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen as one of his last acts in office during the 2014 Wales Summit. I'm sure it took quite a competition to get there. What do you think made you the right 'man' for the job They asked me at the interview what the measure of my success would be. I said, if I made myself redundant by the end of my term, I would be really successful. To be successful in acting as a reminder to policies, promoting diversity and integrating gender perspectives a lot of changing of mindsets is required, it does not happen overnight. So, I have to say, three years are not enough to make myself redundant. But, what I would like to see is that gender-awareness is a normality and is seen as a marker of professionalism for everybody who works here When people hear NATO, most of them instantly think of armed forces and operations. Military is still a profession, which in most of the countries is a dominantly masculine trade. How are women represented in the Alliance's armed forces We have been receiving national reports about women in the armed forces since 2000. The NATO Committee of Gender Perspectives is a committee which includes representatives of all Allies, as well as representatives of partner countries and focuses on balanced workforce in the national armed forces. We constantly urge national contributions to missions to send mixed teams, to have mixed troops, and to pay special attention to gender-balance in groups when interacting with locals Do you have specific figures Among the Allies there is an average of 10.3% represented by females in the national militaries, while 5.6% are deployed in NATO-led operations. Even though this rate is really low, the United Nations (UN), which it the most alike international organization to NATO has never managed to raise it above 4%, either. In order to improve this, we keep sharing best practices with the UN and regularly discuss our strategies on gender-balance How about NATO civilians Since 2000, there has been an increase of the number of women holding decision-making positions in NATO, but for three years now this number has been stagnating. We constantly need to seek for the best and the brightest, and if our finds are not balanced, it is not because the pool is not balanced. It is because we lack the effort to look further. Where do you see your role in changing this at NATO I'm trying to be a platform, travel a lot and present best practices. There are great events raising awareness on women in uniform all over the world, be those video recruitment campaigns or a photo exhibition. It is really interesting to bring these initiatives together, to learn from them and share them in NATO Does such a unique international military setting as NATO come with an elevated number of harassment reports I don't have statistics on reported harassment, but I know there haven't been a single one report in the last year. Now, not having any complaints usually means that your complaint mechanism is not working. Harassment on the scale from bullying to sexual harassment happens everywhere. Do you know of plans to enhance the policy, to make it more visible, more precise NATO HQ is working on a new version of both the 'Prevention and management of harassment, discrimination and bullying at the workplace' policy and the code of conduct to make them more visible and to let everyone know about the 'what to do if'. The major problem with the existing documents is that they don't specify what you have to do or who you should contact if you witness or suffer harassment. They don't guarantee securities and don't explain the 'report investigation consequence' procedure. We are contributing to a Human Resources' project of updating the current harassment policy with our insights and experience If a woman would like to build a career at the NCI Agency, she would not only have to tackle the military quality of the organization, but most likely work in the field of technology, which is in 70% dominated by males world-wide. What would you tell those who would like to make it in the IT sector? The number of female graduates in science and engineering in the Allied countries is shockingly low (34%), so it starts with convincing girls to carry on their studies in the field of Information Technology The increase of female graduates, however, won't automatically mean that your organization will employ more women. There still are many invisible and visible barriers. Not only young women but young men also get discouraged, when they see a long, bureaucratic job description phrased and structured very much out of their world, basically an invite to an old men's club. If we want to have the best and the brightest, we need to speak their language and need to take their preferences into consideration. They want to work in a dynamic environment, which is flexible and allows them to cater other priorities of their lives. What can I as a staff member do to raise awareness on potential imbalances First of all, prove to everyone around you that you indeed are the best choice. Do your job as well as you can, make yourself recognized by what you do and happily ignore prejudice Don't let anyone get under your skin, don't let them affect your decisions. Just prove prejudice wrong. Do you see NATO starting to welcome this approach? Are we soon ready to challenge Google in terms of recruitment policies and working environment, applauding individuality and promoting alternative working means We want to be an A-label on the job market. Obviously, it's hard to compare NATO to a business like Google, but when we look at our benchmark international organizations like the EU or the UN, yes, we definitely want to be the most attractive, most modern and most advanced among all of those. Unlike any business, though, we not only have to appeal to potential candidates, but also to the people who gave us mandate to operate, the nations. We need to stay trustworthy to them. NATO has never been as necessary as it is today, and we need to use our networks, also the informal ones, through young people to make sure this message is delivered. I don't think there has been a better time to work at NATO than today How can traditionally rather bureaucratic NATO stay relevant in such a rapidly changing environment We need to change rapidly and to adjust constantly, too. Changing the organization means changing the mindset. Our recently started change in organizational culture programme also serves this purpose. What would you say a good example is in this programme One example, changing the mentality from 'sitting on knowledge' to 'sharing knowledge', or going even further creating knowledge. In order to achieve this, we not only need teams of creative people, but mixed teams in terms of gender, age and culture.

NATO has had a Special Representative for Women,Peace and Security since 2012. Ambassador Marriët Schuurman is the second woman in NATO's history to hold the prestigious position.

general 1 704 1 about-us/newsroom/esri-and-nci-agency-sign-agreement-on-geographic-information-system-gis-technology-provision.aspx The NCI Agency and Esri Global have signed an Enterprise Agreement (EA), successfully completing several years of negotiations The agreement consists of an Enterprise License Agreement for the NATO Core Geographic Information System (GIS) with several addendums to cover the use of Esri Software by NATO Functional Area Services (FAS) and NATO Nations that use NATO FAS The agreement will facilitate access to NATO core GIS technology and services by NATO FAS and Nations. It also includes initial on-site support to identify best practices in respect to the use of Esri technology as well as access to comprehensive online training material. The Agreement is the result of several years of complex negotiations and follows the NATO Enterprise approach. Due to the 5-year term nature of the Agreement NATO will be able to realise significant savings, and will have the benefit of capability planning security of an extended period. The potential of this Agreement can be expected to reach far beyond today's use of the NATO Core Geographic Information System and will allow the NCI Agency to implement a true enterprise GIS platform for NATO in the future says John Teufert, Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Services, Geospatial Branch Head. This new GIS platform will be able to provide much of today's stove-piped spatial analytical functionality as centralised GIS web-services. This bears the potential for additional significant cost savings in the Command and Control and Functional Area domains. In coming months, the Geospatial Services Branch will organize an Agency-wide event presenting the details and future implications of this Enterprise Agreement

The NCI Agency and Esri Global have signed an Enterprise Agreement (EA), successfully completing several years of negotiations.

general 1 705 1 about-us/newsroom/industry-leaders-to-discuss-how-to-innovate-natoindustry-partnerships-for-a-new-era-of-cyber-threats-at-nitec17.aspx Cybersecurity and telecommunications industry leaders will emphasize innovation in NATO-Industry partnerships in order to stay ahead of rising cyber threats in keynote remarks at NITEC17 Glen Post, Chief Executive Officer of CenturyLink; Dmitri Alperovitch, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of CrowdStrike; Mark Anderson, President of Palo Alto Networks; and John Stewart, Senior Vice President and Chief Security and Trust Officer at Cisco, will present their views of the cybersecurity landscape and how new, innovative NATO-industry partnerships can strengthen collective cyber defence Significant cyber issues are impacting critical infrastructure providers and their customers on a global level, said CenturyLink CEO Glen Pos . Innovative private sector leaders such as CenturyLink continue to develop strong partnerships and innovative products to assure the resiliency of our cyber ecosystem. For the last 30 years, Western governments have focused a great deal of attention on the potential kinetic impacts posed by cyber-attacks, said CrowdStrike Co-founder and CTO Dmitri Alperovitc . Our adversaries, however, have learned to appreciate cyber as an information warfare domain first and foremost. Now that we have witnessed how democracy itself can be attacked through cyber-enabled leaks and propaganda, it is more imperative than ever for NATO to develop a strategy for leveraging both public and private resources to raise preparedness in combatting these threats. As the world's digital infrastructure becomes increasingly interconnected, it has become clear that cybersecurity is an inherently distributed challenge that can only be addressed through collaborations that blur traditional boundaries—including borders between nation states and barriers between the public and private sectors, said Palo Alto Networks President Mark Anderso . This keynote address will argue that true integration across the cybersecurity ecosystem—by embracing concepts such as automated information sharing, technology orchestration, and the type of partnerships led by NATO —is the critical catalyst required to prevent cyber attacks. This collaboration will also reverse the current unsustainable dynamic in cyberspace, where increasingly automated adversaries are dramatically outpacing manual network defence. We are at a crucial time, where NATO and industry success will be defined by how closely we work together, said John N Stewart, Cisco Senior Vice President and Chief Security and Trust Office . We must be better – requiring security and trust in products purchased just as much as security and trust in products built. We will be remembered on how well we improved our collective ability to quickly detect and respond to cyber threats. Other notable speakers include Hugh Thompson, Chief Technology Officer of Symante , and Michael Brown (US Navy, Retired) Vice President and General Manager, Global Public Sector, RS In addition, Tony Cole, Vice President and Global Government Chief Technology Officer for FireEy , will hold an interactive presentation of FireEye's M-Trends 2017 Report on the current cyber threat landscape on the opening day of the conference. The presentation will consider some of the incidents investigated last year and the global perspective of cyber threat trends as well as a regional perspective around attack trends and defensive and emerging trends for the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific The NCI Agency Annual Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC17) will take place from 24-26 April in Ottawa, Canada, with the theme of Sharpening NATO's Technological Edge Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry. To register and view the full agenda, please visit www.nitec.nato.in

Cybersecurity and telecommunications industry leaders will emphasize innovation in NATO-Industry partnerships in order to stay ahead of rising cyber threats in keynote remarks at NITEC17.

general 1 706 1 about-us/newsroom/interview-with-supreme-allied-commander-for-transformation-on-innovation-and-adaptation.aspx Continuing to transform the Alliance by implementing innovation today to shape tomorrow is what the Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation (SACT) passionately pursues. NCI Agency representative, Ms Nadja El Fertasi sat down with General Denis Mercier to discuss his vision for NATO transformation. General Mercier, you have an impressive career path in leading transformation and innovation. Could you please share some of the transformation efforts you led in the French Air Force Why was cultural change necessary The French Air Force saw many different reforms in the past, which brought discrepancies across the organization. This is why I led a huge transformation effort during my time as the head of the French Air Force. My objective was to ensure coherence across the organization and to focus on the strengths of our forces – reactivity and responsiveness. At the foundation of this transformation were four main axes the modernization of our capabilities, the consequences on the different organizations themselves, the human capital which is a key factor, and the consequences on partnerships. And I see the same method today in the approach to NATO's adaptation Cultural change is very important and a key is Command and Control (C2). C2 is the backbone of any decision-making process that enables all of our forces to work differently When I was the Chief of Staff for the French Air Force, we had several assets deployed under different commanders, because we had regional commands. This caused issues with transport aircrafts in one command as there was no possibility to use aircrafts from other regional commanders. We decided to establish one air component command in France because there was no reason to deploy it. It brought huge flexibility, adaptability and reactivity to our structure. This is just one example of one of the big adaptations. It required a big change of mindset, especially for all the commanders to understand that they would no longer have the ownership of any one asset. And this is what we try to promote in NATO. More focus on the effect than on the capabilities themselves, which is really a big change of mindset. What is essential for me is to make everyone understand that innovation is about the implementation of concepts. Innovation is not an idea itself, but how we bring this into the field. The people permanently stationed in [operational] theatres will not have ownership of capabilities, but will make a request and we will find the best way to deliver. This is why we need to ensure a robust command and control structure to deliver these effects IT is the Alliance's nervous system and lifeblood, the core of our ability to consult and rapidly make decisions. It must be robust and resilient. As Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation, can you walk us through your key tenets of your vision This transformation vision is perfectly consistent with the huge adaptation that has been decided for NATO at the Wales and Warsaw Summits. It recognizes that we were in a complicated world and that we have shifted to a complex world. Complex means that we now have so many parameters making it difficult to address all challenges simultaneously. So we need to think and act differently. The key elements are first, the reactivity and responsiveness of our forces. If we have forces with the highest level of readiness, how will you deploy them if you do not have a robust and resilient C2 structure for decision-making? And when I say C2, I mean Command, Control, but also Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR). Second is logistics and sustainability. We need to have a very robust concept in order to enable a swift deployment of our forces. Third is training and exercises. We are an Alliance; if we do not exercise correctly, we will not be interoperable from day-zero. Fourth is partners – we know we will never operate in the future without our partners, so improving interoperability with our partners is essential. And when I say partners, I mean Nations and international organizations. Fifth, we need to have the right capabilities to cover the full spectrum of operations. And finally the most important thing is our human capital. How do we train our future leaders to deal with this complexity? These six areas is how we have refocused the outcome of ACT Can you tell us how NATO ensures a robust and resilient Command and Control structure NATO's Command and Control structure is one of our Alliance's main strengths. Why? Because it is the only international organization that has a permanent robust Command and Control structure which enables military operations and responsiveness. Currently, we are looking at modernizing the NATO Command Structure (NCS) to ensure we can address all the complex security challenges of today and tomorrow simultaneously. If the Alliance is organized differently, we will be able to find all of the capabilities to deal with these challenges in the Nations of the Alliance or our partners. This is why I am a strong believer of the Persistent Federated Approach (PFA). PFA is how we link up the NATO Command Structure, the NATO Force Structure (NFS), national facilities and even sometimes the private sector, to have a permanent exchange of information and a very agile, flexible federated network. This is an important aspect of my discussions with the Agency, as the key question is 'How do we build these IT architectures?' We will rely more and more on IT architectures as they will enable the exchange of information and the distribution of operational control if necessary in a more agile structure. If you have access to information more quickly than your opponent, you can make faster decisions with a robust Command and Control structure, and through secure IT, and you can act on it as a cohesive force rapidly and effectively defending the Alliance How can we better leverage partnerships with Nations, NATO Agencies and Industry in capability development The value of NATO is that we have clear political guidance. Based on this, the two Strategic Commands and the Military Committee define military requirements. We survey what exists in the Nations and then define the shortfalls and ask Nations to develop these areas as priorities for their targets in their future defence development plans. And it works quite well. But we still have the tendency to define capabilities by equipment, instead of defining the effect we want to achieve. The AWACS for example are delivering surveillance and control. So for the next generation aircraft in 2035, we are looking at how surveillance and control will look like by then, what effect we will want to achieve and based on this, we build the requirements. Think effect and architecture. And there is a strong role for the Agency to develop this architecture, the interoperability and link this together. Technological developments are happening at an unprecedented speed. With this in mind, how can NATO better support capability development We need to think in terms of flexible and agile architectures, instead of capabilities and platforms. We will need to continue to shorten the cycles of the development. Otherwise we will be disconnected from the highly rapid change of technology. We must win the battle for speed. We have the world's most powerful private sector, and yet we are so slow to implement technology, leaving us behind the curve. This must change. We have a lot of best practices in Nations, and we need to now introduce them to NATO. Why are cloud-combat platforms so important for NATO operations and exercises When thinking in terms of desired effect, cloud-combat platforms combine the different domains - land, air, sea and cyber - to ensure we deliver the appropriate effect. For me, the key combat system is C4ISR and how we associate these different capabilities. If we look at the single platoon for instance, they have many sensors on the ground. But how are we fusing this vast amount of information using artificial intelligence and re-distributing this intelligence at the appropriate levels? Interoperability standards are essential, which is why we are developing Federated Mission Networking (FMN) to ensure interoperability between the different national systems. In Iraq for example, this is not a NATO operation, but all the forces can operate together because they use NATO standards. That is the value of it, knowing that when we deploy together we will link up our systems, and it works. Why are training and exercises critical enablers for NATO's defence and deterrence posture? How does Information Technology fit in this As an Alliance, if we do not train together, then we have difficulty operating together from day-zero. And this is why training and exercises are so important. SACEUR defines training requirements, and my responsibility is to put these training requirements into the exercises. Together with SACEUR, we are reviewing this process as we need to shift the emphasis from the exercises themselves to focusing on training requirements. In 2019, when the next process starts, we will have a prioritized list of training requirements and build the exercise programmes accordingly. We do this today already, but this approach will bring more flexibility in moving the requirements from one exercise to another. NATO conducts roughly 100 exercises a year, and Nations conduct 200 that have a link to NATO through the Connected Forces Initiative. We also need to be innovative to ensure we correctly exercise using very important new systems in complex threat-based scenarios. A key example is how we integrate cyber in exercises to ensure the objective of the exercises is not destroyed by cyber-attacks. Putting people at the heart of technology is now more important than ever. Can you tell us why We have no choice but to develop artificial intelligence and more autonomous systems in many different areas. That does not mean that we have decided that those systems will decide engagement forces. This is an essential question and we should not refuse progress; we just have to organize in the way that we decide where we can use autonomous systems and where it is not possible to do that. We should not be afraid to address these questions at all times. This is why the human capital in different areas is so important in our transformation. In the event of a crisis or conflict, NATO and its partners must be able to respond as one, immediately. How is this being done Over its 70 years of existence, NATO has proved it can implement huge interoperability between Nations and we can see the benefit of that today. But future interoperability and architectures will be a bit different based on the challenges we need to tackle. These interoperability standards will be at the heart of our combat-cloud systems. And I know the Agency has an essential role to play and it is important we continue to work together, based on operational requirements and on our vision for the future. But we need to remain agile and adapt accordingly as we implement the transformation vision in a phased approach. This is another part of the complexity of our work. Partnerships beyond the NATO family are also essential. Can you tell us why these partnerships are important to NATO Partnerships are an important condition to bringing more stability to our world, and NATO has a large global network of partners. Together, we work on the same values and we enhance our interoperability to ensure we can all stay engaged. Partnerships in the Mediterranean and Middle East are also critical to fight terrorism. I am thinking of the recent NATO training mission in Iraq for example. Another key element in partnerships are the Individually Tailored Roadmaps. At the military level, these roadmaps simplify, optimize and synchronize the many initiatives that exist within nations, based on a three- to four-year perspective. And the Federated approach is key again, because we need to be able to coordinate this with other international organizations or nations that are already conducting bilateral activities with those partners. It is very ambitious, but I am convinced we can do this. It will really enhance our capacity to project stability. How is the NCI Agency helping you implement this vision We need to share this future vision and it is very important to work closely together, both the Strategic Commands and the Agency in doing so. As we define the future operational concept, we need to understand the technological limitations and opportunities. Which is why partnerships with both traditional and non-traditional industry is essential as well. When I say non-traditional industry I refer to companies like Google and Amazon which are ahead of us in developing complex architectures and systems. I can't emphasize enough the close collaboration with the Agency, which is exciting as we are building something new which is consistent with our world today. The value of our Alliance is looking at our 28, soon 29 Nations, if we associate all the competencies, including in our industry, we are the most powerful Alliance in the world, if we all work together. What message would you provide to the staff of NCI Agency and NATO-wide? How would you encourage them to be part of your Transformation Vision This is not just an ACT transformation vision, we work for the Alliance. What is essential for me is to share the objectives and continuously innovate, and the key word is to innovate 'together' The implementation of short-term actions is absolutely essential, but we need to project them in order to anticipate the future. ACT has developed a campaign plan to ensure that we are not working in isolation, but understand how we are contributing to NATO's strategic objectives and share this information within and outside our headquarters. For example, when someone in ACT is working on FMN he knows that he has to contact people in Allied Command Operations, in the NCI Agency and other NATO entities and ensure we all collaborate together. I am more than happy to share this campaign plan with the Agency, because developing architectures is at the heart of this. Together we will move forward and shape the future. And I am happy if the members of NCI Agency question us, because we need to be questioned. Maybe we are wrong. This mindset is important. We cannot promote a network approach, if we do not work in a networked way all together What would you like your legacy to be at the end of your mandate My legacy is to work for an Alliance that is adaptable and implements innovation. We need to implement the short-term in the broader perspective and think 10-15 years ahead. Improve today, shape tomorrow and bridge the two. I will continue to promote this networked approach to work all together, with the Agencies, between the Strategic Commands, Nations, partners, and with all stakeholders. Because it is together that we are strong. NATO is a wonderful organization for that and its capacity to adapt whilst operating is something that does not exist elsewhere. This is the value of the Alliance and together we can bring some bricks and build big walls and really make our Alliance stand up to any future challenge with the ultimate goal being peace and security.

Continuing to transform the Alliance by implementing innovation today to shape tomorrow is what the Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation (SACT) passionately pursues.

general 1 707 1 about-us/newsroom/new-network-services-and-it-infrastructure-service-line-chief-welcome-mr-antonio-calderon.aspx Mr Antonio Calderon was appointed new Chief Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line Mr Calderon brings with him a wealth of leadership and management experience from his long career with the NCI Agency and one of its predecessors - the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A). His previous roles as Principal Project Managment Officer at the NC3A, and Cyber Security Head Project Management Officer and Acting Deputy Service Line Chief for Core Enterprise Services (CES), make him an excellent choice for this position and we are very pleased to have him take this new leadership role

Mr Antonio Calderon was appointed new Chief Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line.

general 1 708 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-land-command-and-control-information-service-E28093-version-60-passes-a-major-milestone.aspx The NATO Land Command and Control Information Service (LC2IS) is the main functional service in NATO supporting land-heavy operations. Used for the production and management of the Recognized Ground Picture, it is a key enabler of the NATO Common Operation Picture. The current version of LC2IS (v.5) is used in all NATO Response Force (NRF) preparation exercises by the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and by several Corps in the NATO Force Structure (NFS) In February 2017 LC2IS Increment 2, comprising the new versions v.6.0 and v.6.1, was authorized. Started a few months later - May 2017 - its development by a French contractor is now well-under way. Version 6.0 – supporting improved national interoperability using the MIP (Multilateral Interoperability Program) Baseline 3.1 protocol and a new interface with the Logistics Service LOGFAS – underwent a major test phase on 16-20 October 2017. Tests included the System Integration Test, interoperability tests with national systems from the Netherlands and United States, and a User Assessment Test (UAT) with representatives from ACT, LANDCOM, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum and Rapid Reaction Corps-France. SHAPE declared the UAT was successfully passed. The test planning, preparation, execution and assessment phases saw the involvement of both the C2 Service Line and the contractor – who is currently completing a patch that addresses various non-critical issues identified by the users Version 6.0 will enter the last qualification phase (Independent Validation and Verification and Security Testing) in December and is expected to be officially released in February 2018 - on time and budget - in order to be employed in the NRF-19 preparation exercises Version 6.1 will offer a number of improvements, including an upgrade of the Human Machine Interface Library, and the replacement of existing commercial components which are no-longer supported by Microsoft. Its release is planned for February 2019, in time for the NRF-20 cycle.

The NATO Land Command and Control Information Service (LC2IS) is the main functional service in NATO supporting land-heavy operations. Used for the production and management of the Recognized Ground Picture, it is a key enabler of the NATO Common Operation Picture. The current version of LC2IS (v.5) is used in all NATO Response Force (NRF) preparation exercises by the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and by several Corps in the NATO Force Structure (NFS).

general 1 709 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-launches-new-innovative-training-course.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has developed a new training course to help staff from the Agency, NATO Nations and Commands prepare for their role more quickly, without travelling to a training location The blended training course, which combines online training with peer-to-peer coaching, was developed through a collaboration between the Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Service Line, and the Education and Training (E&T) Service Line. It is designed to train the 500+ operators in more than 45 sites who support NATO's Recognized Air Picture capability, a common picture of NATO's airspace The online solution allows them to access the training anytime and anywhere they might need it – even on the job The Agency began training the operators in 2014 with a more traditional in-person approach, said Claudiu Rebrean, Principal Technical Lead for Networks, Voice and Video at the Agency Through that effort, the Agency saw the importance of providing such training, particularly in helping to reduce the time to resolve a fault within the network. But over time the demand for training increased, and last year, the NSII Service Line decided another solution was needed “A strong advantage of this blended approach is that we're not just teaching people how to fix problems on a certain device in their building. We teach them what the end-to-end process looks like in monitoring NATO's airspace. We show them what their specific role is in the bigger picture, and how they can work together with other entities to solve problems quicker, said Sebastiaan Tampinongkol, Head of Learning Innovation and Development for the E&T Service Line The training teaches operators some more general technical principles, and how to troubleshoot the specific system “In the future if something changes, we can be more agile based on those principles in changing and supporting any new service, Rebrean said Another advantage to the new solution is how it is delivered, Rebrean says. By providing part of the training via e-learning, staff can get up to speed on their role as soon as they are needed, without having to wait for classroom training to be organized. The online portion of the training takes about two hours to complete “After completing the online portion, operators are supported with peer-to-peer coaching on the job to reinforce their new skills and knowledge. By combining online preparation with on-site coaching, there is less of a need for operators to be away from work for training. And putting the theory they have learned directly into practice helps with retention, Tampinongkol said A small group of operators tested the first prototype of the course, gave feedback and suggested improvements to the content, tone of voice and more. The Agency plans to roll out a larger trial in the last quarter of this year. In parallel, the NCI Academy will start developing the next course, which will cover new topics The NATO Communications and Information Agency is leading the digital endeavour of NATO, Rebrean said. “I think this type of training is also setting a milestone, and a stepping-stone, for what we are going to do in the future. It allows people to be more effective and more efficient in supporting NATO missions. In the future, the Agency also aims to integrate augmented reality into the learning experience to illustrate how a certain activity or device works. This is a powerful way to train, and it can support operators on the job in real time This reflects a key element of the NCI Academy's overall learning strategy use digital technologies to bring learning and working closer together, Tampinongkol said

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has developed a new training course to help staff from the Agency, NATO Nations and Commands prepare for their role more quickly, without travelling to a training location.

general 1 710 1 about-us/newsroom/connecting-the-dots-preparing-a-nato-mission.aspx Each time NATO forces deploy, countless activities take place behind the scenes to get them ready. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is part of that flurry of action The Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Service Line, part of the Agency, delivers critical technology to those forces as they embark on a new mission. The NSII's Deployable Communications and Information Systems (DCIS) Operations team knows first-hand what it is like to deliver such complex technology on a short timeline At its July 2018 Summit in Brussels, NATO officially launched a new mission in Iraq. NATO Mission Ira (NMI) is a non-combat training and capacity-building mission The Agency-wide project team led by NSII Service Line successfully provided – ahead of the January 2019 deadline – the technology needed to connect the troops back to the headquarters. NSII Senior Project Manager Kayhan Vardareri, the Project Manager for the effort, was responsible for planning all of the project's activities, from the design phase to the activation in theatre The team had only four to five months to get everything up and running “To me it's a really short amount of time to build and configure that many systems and services. Great teamwork from many different teams helped us deliver, Vardareri said Design and Plannin During the design and planning phase, DCIS Service Manager Robert Webster needed to determine what technology would work best for each location. To do that, Webster travelled with a small team to Iraq The trip helped them factor in everything from the weather, to the available power supply Iraq's hot temperatures made for a particular challenge and necessitated air conditioning. When Webster travelled to Iraq, the temperature hit 53 degrees Celsius The Agency provided communications for four different sites in the form of what are called points of presence. Based on the users at any given site the Agency has major, medium and minor points of presence that it can deploy to deliver the necessary level of service Deploying and Supportin An initial set of equipment arrived in Iraq before Christmas, and the final setup was deployed shortly after that. Webster deployed to Iraq with NATO CIS Group members in January to support the mission I volunteered and said, 'I want to go,' because having been part of the project from the beginning, I want to see it through to the end, Webster said. “For me it was a great incentive to be part of that. Webster served as the head of the communications centre while there “Normally my job is managing budgets and doing stuff like that, Webster said. “To actually be involved in a project where you're going to see it be deployed, and it provide a service for a customer in an operational field, was a great thing. When you go to an operation, things that you do have immediate effect, Webster said As an example, Webster told a story about a NATO Team losing its communications. “The guy phones me at 8 o'clock in the evening, he said 'I've lost my communications. I have no way of sending out the information required for tomorrow.' Webster said Webster called an engineer to get the problem fixed “Doing a spreadsheet at work to order equipment doesn't fill me with the same enthusiasm as getting the comms back for operations, Webster said Strong teamwork in the Agency made for a successful contribution to the mission, Vardareri said Everyone is committed to provide the systems, the services, needed in the theatre because we have people out there who need our systems and services to achieve their mission, Vardareri said. “It's a big contribution to a greater NATO mission. About the Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line The NSII mission enables secure and resilient data, voice and video communication services worldwide. It supports deployed operations and exercises for NATO Joint Forces, and political consultations between NATO Headquarters and Nations. The NSII Service Line is one of the largest units in the NCI Agency by personnel (more than 300 employees), portfolio (300 million EUR a year) and geographical footprint (17 locations) Interested in working for the NSII Service Line? Explore our vacancies

Each time NATO forces deploy, countless activities take place behind the scenes to get them ready. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is part of that flurry of action.

general 1 711 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-and-national-experts-to-share-ideas-at-cyber-security-symposium-.aspx NATO's largest cyber security conference will see its 15th edition in October. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency will host the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) in Mons, Belgium on 15-17 October 2019. The three-day event offers policy makers, academics and industry experts from across the Alliance a unique opportunity to discuss best practices, exchange views and explore innovative solutions in cyber security The symposium will focus on “Digital transformation smart machines for smarter decisions , discussing how innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning can both challenge and support NATO missions and operations The NCI Agency must tap into such technology to give Allied leaders the information they need to make the right decisions at the right time to protect our infrastructures, troops and populations The symposium will focus on the following topics traditional and AI-enabled information assurance, addressing supply chain security challenges, moving from information assurance to mission assurance, data as a strategic resource and the cloud. Also, participants will have a chance to join the NIAS Cyber Challenge Find more information and register now at nias19.co Confirmed speakers includ From NATO… · Clare Hutchinson, Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, NAT · Antonio Missiroli, Assistant Secretary General, Emerging Security Challenges, NAT · MGEN Wolfgang Renner, Deputy Chief of Staff Communications and Information Services and Cyber Defence, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NAT · Kevin J Scheid, General Manager, NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agenc From the Nations…. · Dr John Zangardi, Chief Information Officer, Department of Homeland Security, United State · MGEN Didier Tisseyre, Commander, Cyber Command, Franc · BGEN Vasil Sabinski, Director of Communications and Information Systems, European Union Military Staf · MGEN Inge Kampenes, Commander, Cyber Defence Force (Cyberforsvaret), Norwa · Edvinas Kerza, Vice-Minister of National Defence, Lithuani · Kristina Posavec, Deputy State Secretary at the Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society, Croati · Tomasz Zdzikot, Secretary of State, Ministry of National Defence, Polan · Visho Ajazi Lika, Permanent Representative of Albania to NAT From industry… · Daniel B. Prieto, Head of Strategy, Google Clou · Stephen Schmidt, Chief Information Security Officer, Amazon Web Service · Dr Akif Kahn, Senior Director Research, Gartne · Edna Conway, Chief Security Officer Global Value Chain, Cisc · Barbara Poggiali, Managing Director Cyber Security Division, Leonard · Diana Kelley, Cybersecurity Field Chief Technology Officer, Microsof · Sophie Proust, Chief Technology Officer, Ato · Robert J Carey, Vice President/General Manager, Global Public Sector Solutions, RS · Greg Day, Chief Security Officer EMEA, Palo Alto Network · Christophe Crous, Head of Security Solutions BeNeLux, Proximu · Sten Feldman, Head of Development, CybExer Technologie More on the Cyber Challeng Our SANS Cyber Security 2019 challenge is a chance for contestants to experience life as a penetration tester. The winner gets a free SANS information security training course Contestants will be asked to solve challenges in areas such as · Cryptograph · Forensic · Linu · Open source intelligence · Web application attack Prizes 1st place SANS EMEA Live course seat in 202 2nd place NetWars continuous licens 3rd place Summit seat for any SANS EMEA Summit in 2020 *The prize is applicable to all SANS EMEA Summits excluding CyberThreat, and does not cover travel and accommodation

NATO's largest cyber security conference will see its 15th edition in October. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency will host the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) in Mons, Belgium on 15-17 October 2019. The three-day event offers policy makers, academics and industry experts from across the Alliance a unique opportunity to discuss best practices, exchange views and explore innovative solutions in cyber security.

general 1 712 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-community-discusses-data--cloud-and-securing-the-alliance-at-nias-.aspx NATO, industry and national leaders kicked off on 15 October 2019 the 15th edition of the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS), which featured additional topics for the first time NIAS, which has traditionally been a cyber security-focused event, has been expanded this year to cover some of the challenges and opportunities organizations face when dealing with data and cloud computing. On Tuesday, the speakers explored how data and the cloud can both enable enhanced cyber security solutions, and introduce potential risks. The conference also includes 30 workshops, which take place on 15 and 16 October More than 1,800 delegates from 46 countries are registered for the three-day conference, and 75 organizations are exhibiting NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency General Manager Kevin J Scheid opened the conference with a call to action “Join the NCI Agency and help realize a future where smart machines, modern infrastructure, big data and a secure cloud are managed for a bright future, Scheid said. “Join us in working for a big idea — the NATO Alliance. Help us build a fully digital NATO enterprise. During his keynote address, Scheid announced that the Agency is developing a Data Science Centre. The Centre would be a way to organize the Agency's existing data science expertise into one hub, and deliver them new tools to harness the power of NATO's data The Agency is also driving an initiative to train 10,000 cyber defenders over five years, Scheid explained in his keynote address. The Alliance's cyber defenders would be trained at the new NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academy in Oeiras, Portugal, which first opened its doors in September. The Agency intends to collaborate with NATO Nations and the EU on this initiative The first panel discussion of the conference dove into how several Nations are prioritizing their cyber-related investments. The panellists mentioned education and awareness of security best practices as a critical area of focus Dr Antonio Missiroli, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, moderated the panel As an Alliance we are more effective in addressing common security challenges together, Dr Missiroli said. “The Cyber Defence Pledge has proven its value in enabling Allies to boost their cyber defences. For more NIAS updates, please follow us on Twitte

NATO, industry and national leaders kicked off on 15 October 2019 the 15th edition of the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS), which featured additional topics for the first time.

general 1 713 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-cyber-security-conference-concludes-after-record-attendance-.aspx After three days of sessions, workshops and meaningful conversations in Mons, Belgium, our 15th edition of the NATO Information Assurance Symposium, or NIAS, has come to an end This year 1,845 registered for the symposium, and 75 organizations exhibited their latest solutions. Representatives from NATO, the Nations, think tanks, academia and industry shared their perspectives in sessions and panels, and in 30 interactive workshops “Technology, and how it becomes a force multiplier, has always been at the forefront of NATO’s thinking,” NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency General Manager Kevin J Scheid said in a keynote address on Tuesday. “Our vision for NATO is a fully digital NATO enterprise. And that requires technology, it requires expertise, but it also requires culture change.” On day two of the conference, Dr John Zangardi, Chief Information Officer of the United States Department of Homeland Security, gave a keynote address. Zangardi talked about how the Department of Homeland Security is looking to move to a strategy of risk management, instead of compliance. The Department is trying to ensure new solutions are secure, while getting capability out faster, Zangardi said. “Checking a block for compliance doesn’t work. But that’s how government thinks in a lot of respects. We have spent a lot of time trying to change how we look at the world and our cyber security shop,” Zangardi said. Panellists in a discussion on the final day of NIAS discussed building and nurturing a tech-savvy workforce. “Technology is the future, and everybody has to be involved,” said Clare Hutchinson, Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, NATO. “We need to tap into a diversity of thought which is beyond just a woman or a man.” And our conference concluded with a panel on how militaries are embracing cyber innovation. “Innovation is an essential component of what militaries do each and every day,” said MGEN Göksel Sevindik, Chief of Staff, NATO Communications and Information Agency. “They must not only prepare for threats they see, they know and they understand today, but think ahead to the threats they must face in the future.” During the conference, the NCI Agency also hosted four side events, including an insightful roundtable discussion on Small and Medium-sized businesses, and an excellent forum on space. Thank you for joining us this year for this important discussion And consider joining us in Austin on 26-28 May 2020 for our industry conference

After three days of sessions, workshops and meaningful conversations in Mons, Belgium, our 15th edition of the NATO Information Assurance Symposium, or NIAS, has come to an end.

general 1 714 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-announces-winners-of-2019-annual-defence-innovation-challenge.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is pleased to announce the winners of the fourth annual Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from start-ups, small businesses and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. Dr Peter Lenk, Chief Service Strategy and Innovation at the NCI Agency, said I was very impressed with the proposals received this year to our fourth Innovation Challenge. Our selection panel judged them all to be of very high quality. The proposals demonstrate the revolutionary product ideas that small business and academia can offer to support NATO's C4ISR and cyber capabilities. Small businesses and academia from 11 Allied nations submitted proposals. The top 10 innovator and their technologies are NAM COUNTR NAME OF THE PROPOSA US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI Norwa Dual-use of AIS-data; Combining historical and live AIS track with Social Network Analysis for increased Maritime Network Awarenes Kepler Communication Canad PolarConnec 2G Robotics Inc Canad Innovative Optical Sensor Payload for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles A Force Multiplier for Defensive Mine Countermeasure MarineTraffi Greec MarineTraffic MSA and Anomaly Detection Too Vak Norwa Vake - detect and classify dark ships in satellite image Studiomap Ital Ship detection and monitor port activities using Artificial Intelligence on Very High Resolution Satellite Imager Troika Solutions (US) and Fieldmade (Norway Norwa Logistics Velocity enabled by in-field manufacturin Nodalpoint System Greec SatShipA Oxford Scientifica Lt United Kingdo Rubicon - Advanced Data Signal Compression, Fidelity and Securit MMI Agenc United State Identity Resolution and Threat Analysis (IRTA) Workstatio The evaluation board selected the best proposa out of the top ten Dual-use of AIS-data; Combining historical and live AIS track with Social Network Analysis for increased Maritime Network Awarenes . As the winner, US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), will be awarded a monetary prize of 10,000 EUR, and given the ambitious task of running a formal pilot with the NCI Agency to demonstrate its solution The top finishers are invited to showcase their tech solutions at this year's NCI Agency Conference and AFCEA TechNet International (NITEC19) - 'NATO and the High North Technology Ultramarathon', which will take place on 20-22 May in Oslo, Norway The top ten finishers will receive One registration waiver for admission to NITEC19 Sales pitch presentation of five minutes during the plenary sessions of NITEC19 Free showcase space in the exhibition area (standard space) Participation in the award ceremony with NATO leadership; an Mention in the NITEC19 report Participants of the conference will also have an opportunity to join B2B meetings and mentoring sessions with their peers. They can also schedule bilateral meetings with the NCI Agency managers. The Challenge was open to start-ups, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions operating at the cutting edge of technology from all 29 NATO Nations. This year, the challenge focused on data scienc and natural language processing Want more information about our industry event NITEC19? Please visit the NITEC19 websit to view the agenda and register for the conference.

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is pleased to announce the winners of the fourth annual Defence Innovation Challenge, aimed at accelerating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from start-ups, small businesses and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities.

general 1 715 1 about-us/newsroom/three-nato-industry-cyber-partnership-agreements-signed-at-nias19-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed three bilateral agreements to share cyber information with everis, Havelsan and STM The three NATO Industry Cyber Partnership agreements were signed at the 2019 NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) in Mons, Belgium. To date, 23 companies have joined the partnership NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J Scheid said “These critical agreements contribute to maintaining NATO's strong security posture, enabling us to get and share the information we need to protect NATO networks. Cyber threats evolve at a rapid pace, and we must be prepared to communicate quickly and effectively with each other. It's great to see our network expanding and reaching different parts of the Alliance. The NATO Industry Cyber Partnership facilitates rapid and early bilateral exchange of non-classified technical information related to cyber threats. The shared information will be integrated into the NCI Agency's 24/7 detection and prevention processes to further enhance NATO's cyber security posture Partners are also encouraged to share reports of intrusion events and participate in damage assessments with the NCI Agency. everis ADS Head of Cybersecurity Miguel Ángel Thomas said “We strongly believe that this joint effort will benefit society as a whole, helping us fight the threats of today and address new challenges more efficiently. We are adamant advocates of this type of partnership, and are committed to supporting NATO with our expertise to enhance cyber defence globally. Havelsan General Manager Ahmet Hamdi Atalay said “Enhanced innovation requires collaboration. Our modus operandi will be to collaborate with the NCI Agency and other community members to mutually enhance our cyber security capabilities and defend the Alliance in cyberspace. This game-changing cooperation will clearly be a very exciting challenge. Bearing in mind the need for further collaboration between the NCI Agency and Havelsan, the Industry Partnership Agreement ultimately contributes towards the development of a technology roadmap for possible future co-activities, in support of NATO's operational military requirements. STM General Manager Murat İkinci said As adversaries increase their capabilities in cyberspace and attack surface expands on a daily basis, collaboration among allies becomes crucial and inevitable to defend our systems and values. We believe that this agreement will not only provide our company with an excellent opportunity to contribute to Alliance's cybersecurity posture but also assist STM in improving its capacity to develop more effective and efficient cybersecurity solutions

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has signed three bilateral agreements to share cyber information with everis, Havelsan and STM.

general 1 716 1 about-us/newsroom/read-the-second-edition-of-nitech-magazine-today-.aspx The second edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) Magazine is out now, and we can’t wait for you to read it The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency leads NATO’s digital endeavour. This magazine will help you learn more about what we are doing, and how you can help us. We need involvement from industry, not-for-profits and academia to help NATO maintain its technological edge This second edition focuses on cyber security to coincide with the 15th edition of the NATO Information Assurance Symposium, or NIAS. The conference focused this year on “Digital transformation smart machines for smarter decisions.” The magazine also includes information on some of the other work we do in areas such as space and big data The magazine features interviews with Clare Hutchinson, NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, Dr Antonio Missiroli, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges and US Department of Homeland Security Chief Information Officer Dr John Zangardi. It also includes an interview with the NCI Agency’s new Chief of Staff, MGEN Göksel Sevindik You can download and read the magazine free of charge on Issuu her No

The second edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) Magazine is out now, and we can’t wait for you to read it.

general 1 717 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-staff-awarded-natos-highest-honour-.aspx ANWI Programme Manage Because of his devotion and tenacity, Uijl was handpicked to serve as Deputy Programme Manager of the Active Network Infrastructure (ANWI) Programme through its most difficult period. The ANWI project is a partnership between industry and the Agency to create modern networks for the new NATO headquarters at different classification levels, where personnel can use their preferred method of communication easily, reliably and securely no matter what application or device they choose to use. Uijl selflessly volunteered to single-handedly accept the responsibility of managing the ANWI Programme to its conclusion. Uijl then continued to accept additional tasks associated with post-implementation requirements, such as the Business Continuity Project. Further demonstrating his commitment, Uijl commuted weekly to Brussels, Belgium, from The Hague, Netherlands, returning home only on weekends and holidays As you've made tremendous personal sacrifices for the sake of NATO, the Agency, and your career, what drives you to not only accept challenging projects, but deliver world-class project management Cornelis Uijl said, Delivering projects and programmes is the NCI Agency's core business. The trust and funding provided by our customers generates an obligation to deliver high quality projects. My drive is to achieve this high quality that we are obliged to. The trust I receive from NCI Agency management is additional motivation. To me, delivering the obliged quality is normal work ethic, nothing extraordinar .

Six NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency employees recently received recognition for their dedicated service to NATO.

general 1 718 1 about-us/newsroom/education-and-training-conference-fosters-robust-discussion-on-nato-technology-training-.aspx For the very first time, NATO's community gathered on 29 and 30 October 2019 at the new NCI Academy to attend the fourth Education and Training (E&T) Conference More than 185 people from 26 countries attended the conference, which was held at the Academy's new facilities in Oeiras, Portugal The E&T Conference brings together participants from various NATO bodies and Nations with training providers in communications and information systems (CIS), C4ISR* and cyber security The conference addresses training needs and trends, including collective training support tools. It is also a great networking event for NATO, its Nations and national training users and providers Education and training plays a fundamental role in NATO´s ability to fulfil its mission of deterrence and collective defence MGEN Göksel Sevindik, Chief of Staff of the NCI Agency, welcomed participants to the conference. “Our new NCI Academy, right here in Oeiras, will be a lighthouse for NATO. Students trained at our new Academy will go on to protect and defend NATO and national IT and communications systems for the air, land, maritime and cyber domains , said the Chief of Staff The conference began with plenary briefings that brought together the NCI Academy´s customers and sponsors. Then, the conference continued with four different sessions on individual training, collective training tools, cyber training and the Agency´s internal training “The large number of attendees at the 4th E&T Conference, from 26 NATO Nations, is an indicator that NATO and Nations consider the continued provision of training, evolving into continuous learning, of paramount importance. We are proud that the NCI Academy can play this crucial role in ensuring the provision of a high-tech NATO workforce fit for the challenges of the 21st century said Jean-Paul Massar , the NCI Agency´ Education & Training Service Line Chief, Acting NCI Academy Business Manager and Conference Chairman More people attended this conference than the previous ones, demonstrating an increasing interest in the subject “From the Dean perspective, I can see that there is an increasing coherence regarding the direction NATO E&T is taking towards using technology as a learning enabler; you can feel a palpable appetite to make as much use as possible of the NCI Agency Academy facility in Oeiras. Additionally our customers are beginning to appreciate the changes that have been applied to eligibility which will impact the whole community , said Dr Garry Hargreaves, Acting Dean of the NCI Academy The conference was a unique opportunity for information exchange and improved collaboration with NATO and national training providers in the C4ISR and the cyber world. “The t E&T Conference was an excellent networking and cooperation opportunity. It fostered an open exchange of views, enhanced the discussion of new ideas and brought the NATO C4ISR and Cyber E&T community together at the flagship new NCI Agency Academy, located in Oeiras, Portugal, said NCI Academy Deputy Director Colonel Paulo Nunes For more information on our courses, services and training contracts contact the NCI Academy Business Team at +32 2 360 5800 (Mons, BEL) or training@ncia.nato.in *Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissanc Yes

For the very first time, NATO's community gathered on 29 and 30 October 2019 at the new NCI Academy to attend the fourth Education and Training (E&T) Conference.

general 1 719 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-releases-request-for-quotation-to-refresh-cyber-security-technology-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 11 October 2019 a Request for Quotation (RFQ) valued at 20 million EUR to refresh NATO's cyber security services This RFQ is the first business opportunity the Agency has released to support the implementation of Capability Package (CP) 120, a programme that is instrumental in helping NATO continue to fulfil its fundamental cyber defence responsibility to defend its own systems. Through this procurement, NATO will replace hardware and software to ensure the organization can still maintain the highest degree of cyber security across the NATO Enterprise “Modern and up-to-date cyber security capabilities are essential conditions to ensure that our networks and services remain protected against growing, pervasive and persistent cyber threats. This procurement is critical to our ongoing efforts to maintain NATO's technological edge, said Frederic Jordan, Head of the Cyber Security Programme Delivery Branch of the NCI Agency The CP120 programme will refresh all Communications and Information Systems (CIS) security systems in a phased approach thus reducing risks and disruptions to NATO's CIS, while keeping pace with modern tools and components. Each phase will also include a series of capability enhancements The first project, Urgent Obsolescence Management, aims to uplift all systems that will reach their end of life within the current execution timeframes. Subsequent projects will continue to refresh ageing assets and will add enhanced capabilities, in particular in the area of cyber security situational awareness and decision support. The Agency plans to award a contract by the end of 2019 and begin implementation early in the first quarter of 2020 Download the Notification of Intent to Request Quotations her Questions on the project can be directed to Frederic Jordan at Frederic.Jordan@ncia.nato.in

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 11 October 2019 a Request for Quotation (RFQ) valued at 20 million EUR to refresh NATO's cyber security services.

general 1 720 1 about-us/newsroom/connecting-the-dots-the-high-north-.aspx Communicating in the High North is a challenge. In the Alliance's most northern waters, Satellite Communications (SATCOM) cannot always ensure proper support for communications. Very few systems are usable in high latitudes, and doing so leads to problems with latency and reduced throughput Enter the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. To tackle this problem with naval communications, its Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line released a business opportunity for bidding, and is now evaluating the solutions industry proposed The Agency expects to award the contract in the first quarter of 2020. The business opportunity, part of the Broadcast and Ship-Shore IP Enhanced System (BRIPES) project, will be a critical step toward implementing another option for ship-to-shore communications This solution would be particularly helpful for operations in the Arctic Today, Nations provide services that allow ships and stations on-shore to send text-based messages to each other. BRIPES would allow ships to begin using Internet Protocol-based services, namely formal messaging with attachments, like e-mail and chat BRIPES will enable ships to use IP-based services, which aren't currently widely-used in naval communications. IP was not compatible with the low throughput system ships use today, because IP messages require long headers that leave little room for a message with substance Procuring the software needed to achieve BRIPES has become a reality as technology has matured, said Alex Bertin, the NCI Agency's Wireless and Maritime Service Area Owner “Most of the features we are going to use in the project existed a couple of years ago, but were not automated, Bertin said Automation is important, as many ships may not have the technical staff to support complex troubleshooting, Bertin said. They need to be able to send messages just like they would on their personal computers – “click and forget as one vendor called it, Bertin said “We need to build systems that are very user-friendly, because people on the ship have many, many hats now, Bertin said. “They have to cope with really different systems, and they cannot be experts in all of the systems on board. With automation, the new system will be able to sense and probe the spectrum, and adapt to successfully send the message “If the conditions are getting degraded, the system by itself will go to a more robust waveform, Bertin said An additional future procurement will bring a wideband high-frequency capability to the system, which will further increase the throughput As NATO's technical leader, the Agency is uniquely equipped to begin to address this maritime communications problem, Bertin said The Agency can keep an eye on emerging technology in the communications arena, and offer unbiased perspective on its maturity “We are ensuring that the systems are at sufficient maturity, are interoperable and are reliable, Bertin said. “And the advantage for the Nations is to end up with an interoperable system, and a system that will be usable in the NATO environment. The BRIPES project, a common-funded effort, will impact every NATO Nation, Bertin said. Even Nations who choose not to use IP-services will need to ensure their system is compatible This effort is not about replacing satellite communications. The goal is to use narrowband, then wideband high-frequency communications as a reliable backup Not only can such a system provide increased throughput for the Arctic, but it is also more difficult to jam, making it an excellent complement to satellite communications around the globe You could try to jam satellite communications by sending a jammer in the direction of the satellite, making the satellite unable to transmit, Bertin said. “In high frequency you have really a network of different shore stations, with of course different locations. Jamming a single station is already challenging, but when it comes to a meshed system it is very, very complex. About the Network Services and IT Infrastructure Service Line The NSII mission enables secure and resilient data, voice and video communication services worldwide. It supports deployed operations and exercises for NATO Joint Forces, and political consultations between NATO Headquarters and Nations. The NSII Service Line is one of the largest units in the NCI Agency by personnel (more than 300 employees), portfolio (300 million EUR a year) and geographical footprint (17 locations) Interested in working for the NSII Service Line? Explore our vacancie No

Communicating in the High North is a challenge. In the Alliance's most northern waters, Satellite Communications (SATCOM) cannot always ensure proper support for communications. Very few systems are usable in high latitudes, and doing so leads to problems with latency and reduced throughput.

general 1 721 1 about-us/newsroom/expanding-the-ecosystem-with-notforprofit-organizations.aspx NITEC18 will conclude today with a vibrant and challenging programme which includes champions of digital disruption, our defence innovation challenge winners and a panel of not-for-profit organizations. Break-out sessions will continue with dozens of B2B meetings scheduled for the afternoon as well as small and medium enterprises mentoring sessions, interactive briefings on NATO bidding methodology, and briefings on business opportunities in the areas of Command and Control, Joint Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance; air and missile defence; education and training; IT infrastructure; business applications and cyber. Delegates will also be given the opportunity to take part in workshops on a not-for-profit framework, and NATO's BMD Integration Test Bed Follow the event on Flick and twitter #NITEC18

NITEC18 will conclude today with a vibrant and challenging programme which includes champions of digital disruption, our defence innovation challenge winners and a panel of not-for-profit organizations.

general 1 722 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-deployed-inside-the-initiative.aspx Experts from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency support the Alliance every day remotely. But staff also deploy to areas where NATO operations are conducted to provide their expertise in-person.Each year, highly skilled staff from NATO's technical Agency deploy to support the Alliance's operations and missions Experts from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency support the Alliance every day remotely. But staff also deploy to areas where NATO operations are conducted to provide their expertise in-person. The Agency is constantly deploying its personnel to NATO mission areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. Some employees deploy for short trips, while others fill crisis establishment posts for three to six-month rotations The Agency mans 12 such posts for the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, and two such posts for NATO Mission Iraq “It's an Agency priority to give operations our full support, said Gioia Aoi, a Staff Officer for Operations at the NCI Agency. While deployed, Agency staff members provide technical expertise and support, troubleshooting, training and more “After each deployment, they bring back to the Agency an invaluable bag of knowledge that allows us to maintain a full understanding of mission requirements and needs, Aoi said The Agency recently adjusted its method for deployments. Instead of deploying for six months at a time, a pool of subject matter experts rotates for shorter three-month tours once a year, said Oliwer Stavarache, Personnel and Operations Manager at the NCI Agency We reduced the handover takeover period, Stavarache said of the new method. “We do the best job with highly qualified staff. We reduce their time away from their families. Typically, it nly takes a day to bring a previously deployed volunteer up to speed When an Agency employee volunteers for the first time, the employee is given pre-deployment training, so they will know what to expect, Stavarache said. Employees are also given preparatory medical care, such as vaccinations But the Agency also encourages those new volunteers to discuss the experience with others who have gone before them The deployers, we encourage them to call their predecessors, or to discuss with their colleagues who are there, Stavarache said Francisco Javier Garcia Cidoncha recently returned to Europe after filling a crisis establishment post in Afghanistan “We talk about leading the digital endeavour, Garcia Cidoncha said. “Leading the digital endeavour is something you do setting up a computer for a programme manager in Brussels, but also making sure that the applications and systems the operational community require in support of its mission are made available. Garcia Cidoncha served as the Deputy Commander of the Resolute Support Signal Support Group, a crisis establishment post “The NCI Agency needs to ensure boots on the ground to enable efficient achievement of its goals and objectives, Garcia Cidoncha said. “In my opinion, this is the only way to establish and sustain the necessary links between the back office in Europe and operational support activities carried out in theatre. The feedback and input provided by the NCI Agency's boots on the ground have proven to be oftentimes of paramount relevance to sort out problems. In Resolute Support, the Signal Support Group supports 21 sites and nine networks “The scope of our activities, in my opinion, is kind of impressive, Garcia Cidoncha said. “We support not only the core network, but also the bespoke ones, the national extensions and so on. Garcia Cidoncha deployed multiple times while serving in the Spanish Air Force, and during his previous assignment as a NATO civilian in Germany, but this is his first time in Kabul as an NCI Agency staff member “When I landed in my position in theatre, I immediately recognized the bond between the work done in our offices in Europe and the impact it has here in Afghanistan. What you are doing in your office, in your vacuum, it has an impact here, Garcia Cidoncha said As the technical authority over all Communications and Information Systems-related matters, it's valuable to have Agency staff deploying to crisis establishment posts, said Michaël Danys, who filled such a post in Resolute Support in 2017. Agency staff bring to the positions their experience of how the Agency operates Danys, who had never deployed to an operational theatre, was convinced by co-workers to volunteer for the post. Danys described the experience overall as “nothing short of amazing. “In all honesty, my first reaction when I set foot on the ground over there was 'what am I doing here? And why didn't I just stay in my office in Mons?' Danys said. “But that feeling basically quickly faded once I started getting settled in. The handover and takeover process helped Danys settle in, but it helped too that everyone is away from home and is experiencing similar feelings. Talking with others deployed at the same time helps you to process the environment, Danys said “Everyone kind of knows what the others might be feeling from time to time, Danys said. “It creates a bond with the others much faster than you would get in the normal office environment. Filling a crisis establishment post allows you to learn a lot in a very short amount of time. And in Danys' case, it also opened some doors after deployment During deployment, Danys served in a position at the management level for the first time, as the Service Management Section Head in the Signal Support Group. In the year and a half since returning from Afghanistan, Danys has acted in a management role as the Service Transition Section Head Danys is scheduled to deploy again next year “As an individual you can make a difference over there, Danys said. “You really see the results of your contributions, and that gives you a lot of satisfaction. No

Experts from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency support the Alliance every day remotely. But staff also deploy to areas where NATO operations are conducted to provide their expertise in-person.

general 1 756 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-staff-contribute-technical-expertise-at-fall-2019-tide-sprint.aspx NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency staff members made key contributions to the fall 2019 Think-tank for Information, Decision and Execution Superiority (TIDE) Sprint. NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency staff members made key contributions to the fall 2019 Think-tank for Information, Decision and Execution Superiority (TIDE) Sprint, sharing their extensive technical expertise, giving demonstrations and presenting new concepts NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) hosts the event, which focuses on solving the Alliance's most pressing interoperability challenges. The 34th TIDE Sprint was divided into 13 tracks that address different areas, such as Federated Mission Networking (FMN), cyberspace and data science. The Agency staff members who attended brought back insights into the latest state-of-the-art technologies and requirements for NATO capability development and operations Amongst others, the NATO Cyber Security Centre participated in the TIDE Sprint. At the event, staff from the Centre presented a concept for Cyber Situational Awareness they have been developing, with Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation sponsorship We received some extremely valuable comments from national representatives who are currently tackling some of the same challenges in this area, at a national level, Manisha Parmar, a senior scientist at the Centre, said of the event As cyberspace has become NATO's fourth operational domain, the Centre is aiming to develop capabilities to support commanders when they ute missions in, and through, possibly contested cyberspace TIDE Sprint allows us to get in touch with a very diverse group of people where we can showcase work, and receive comments, validations or criticisms, which in turn are applied to create richer products, Parmar said Another staff member, Principal Enterprise Architect Gernot Friedrich, led the Tactical Edge track during TIDE Sprint In this track, participants explored ways to identify and select standards needed to help Allies develop interoperable technology for their troops. The track focused in particular on supporting land forces, from the brigade level down to the individual dismounted soldier The goal is simple help military forces from Allies and Partners work better together to meet the new operational reality where land forces fight as multinational formations at the tactical level. Important to this effort is the FMN initiative, which is focused on improving consultation, command and control interoperability across NATO Nations and potential coalition Partners “My area of work is directly linked to the DNA of NATO interoperability. We are always saying 'how can you expect two systems to work together if you do not enable the people that develop these systems to talk to each other?' Friedrich said. That's where it all starts. You have to have a common understanding of the problem. If we can't federate at the tactical level Commanders won't have the required information and data to make decisions at the operational and strategic level. That is why TIDE Sprint is so useful, Friedrich said. It is a more informal forum for NATO, industry and academic experts to discuss common problems and develop solutions “We have access to people that we otherwise would not have access to, we get ideas and then we can share our ideas with them – we can influence them, Friedrich said of the TIDE Sprint event Participants in the Tactical Edge track are examining standards and developing reference architectures that can be used in the future to make tactical radios and battle management systems work seamlessly together During the conference, Friedrich also provided other tracks with a perspective on interoperability, FMN and the challenges of expanding interoperability into the tactical domain For example, the Data Centric Security track. They are developing a long-term concept for data centric security, Friedrich said. We said, 'okay if that concept is going to work, how does it impact on the tactical edge? Could it provide an opportunity to replace existing security models, and does such a new concept consider the unique requirements of working in disconnected, intermittent, limited bandwidth environments?' Agency staff members actively engaged in all 13 tracks, but they primarily focused on the following nine areas Cyberspac Data Centric Securit Data Scienc Enterprise Architecture Federated Mission Networking (FMN Federated Service Management and Control (SMC Interoperability Exercise Tactical Edg Technolog No

NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency staff members made key contributions to the fall 2019 Think-tank for Information, Decision and Execution Superiority (TIDE) Sprint.

general 1 757 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-deployed-why-our-staff-members-voluntarily-deploy.aspx Many employees of the NCI Agency deploy to NATO missions. Some are civilians, and some are in the military. Their reasons for deploying may be different, but their goal is the same support the communications equipment critical to operations. ​When LTC Viorel Pletea saw an internal advertisement to contribute to NATO's Resolute Support (RS) Mission in Afghanistan, the Romanian Air Force officer decided to volunteer With that decision, LTC Pletea became one of the many NATO Communications and Information Agency employees who deploy to a NATO mission. Some are civilians, and some are in the military. Their reasons for deploying may be different, but their goal is the same support the communications equipment that is critical to NATO operations “I felt inspired by the possibility to positively contribute to the NCI Agency's support of the RS Mission, LTC Pletea said From October 2018 to April 2019, LTC Pletea served as the Deputy Commander of the RS Mission's Signal Support Group “The deployment period was challenging and took me outside my comfort zone, LTC Pletea said During the assignment, LTC Pletea was responsible for issuing the Commander's instructions. LTC Pletea also worked to improve flawed processes identified in a security audit “The pace of work was inevitably higher than in Brussels, but the tasks were so interesting and demanding that it was definitely worth it, LTC Pletea said Mike Jones is a volunteer with past deployment experience. Jones recently filled a crisis establishment post as a Projects Staff Officer to NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) In this role, Jones served as the local liaison between the Agency and NMI for central projects “As this is a new mission, I see numerous areas for improvement where I can apply my skills, Jones said in an interview while deployed. “From both my time in Afghanistan as the Theatre Service Manager, and my 19 years with NATO, I've seen and learned what works well and what does not. Jones established theatre processes to improve information continuity between rotations and increase the effectiveness of communications and information systems provision to NMI. “In the end, I hope to make a lasting positive impact on NMI, Jones said Jones deploys out of a sense of duty. “We are out here contributing to the greater good. We are making a difference, Jones said. “At the end of this, I know it will feel good to have served, and I know that I will be an even more well-rounded individual within the Agency. Robert Webster deployed to NATO Mission Iraq in 2019 as the Deployable NATO Operations Centre Head. In that role, Webster was responsible for all of the Deployable Communications and Information Systems (DCIS) equipment in theatre “Having worked on the design, build and testing of the DCIS equipment to be deployed to theatre, it made complete sense that I should ask to be deployed to make sure the equipment fulfilled all the requirements of our customer, Webster said The DCIS equipment is the primary form of communications for all NMI staff deployed on the operation. It can be difficult to leave family and friends, Webster said, but the rewards are worth the sacrifice. “For me personally, the sense of achievement and job satisfaction is the biggest reason for volunteering, Webster said. “When you are involved in an operation, the resolution of a problem has an immediate effect for the customer, and the feedback is also immediate. Paul Hubble, an employee who returned in January 2019 from his most recent deployment, had served more than once in the same role “I volunteered for the post a number of years ago, as I was very heavily involved in the training process for the military personnel that the post was originally designed for, Hubble said. “The post is very challenging, which is why I got complete satisfaction from being in the post. Hubble supported the Resolute Support Mission as the Director of the Afghanistan Mission Network Operations Centre As the Director, Hubble oversaw the service operation of all NATO-provided CIS across Afghanistan “Volunteer because you can and want to. Volunteer to be challenged. Volunteer to make a difference, Hubble said No

Many employees of the NCI Agency deploy to NATO missions. Some are civilians, and some are in the military. Their reasons for deploying may be different, but their goal is the same support the communications equipment critical to operations.

general 1 758 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-reaches-important-milestone-with-alliance-ground-surveillance-system.aspx The remotely piloted Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) aircraft took off on 20 November 2019 from Palmdale Air Base, California, United States, and landed at the AGS Main Operating Base, Sigonella, Italy, on 21 November 2019 The first of five Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) aircraft has arrived at the AGS Main Operating Base in Italy The remotely piloted aircraft took off on 20 November 2019 from Palmdale Air Base, California, United States, and landed at the AGS Main Operating Base, Sigonella, Italy, on 21 November 2019. This marks a significant step for NATO, and for the NCI Agency. The Agency is responsible for many of the systems and services required to operate AGS. The Agency systems will rapidly distribute the Joint ISR information AGS collects across the NATO Command Structure and to Nations. With the arrival of the first aircraft in Italy, the Agency enters the next phase of its support to the project, which aims at preparing other NATO Commands and Agencies to take over the capability Matt Roper, Chief of the NCI Agency's Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Service Line, said The arrival of AGS is a major milestone in the development of a critical Alliance capability. The NCI Agency, with our expertise in CIS and Joint ISR, is ready to contribute to the achievement of full operational capability of the AGS. A group of 15 Allies is acquiring the AGS system, which includes five aircraft based on the US Air Force Block 40 Global Hawk. NATO will then operate and maintain them on behalf of all NATO Allies. The aircraft have been uniquely adapted to NATO requirements to provide a state-of-the-art ISR capability to NATO Laryssa Patten, AGS Portfolio Manager for the NCI Agency's JISR Service Line, said “Easy access to timely, accurate information is vital to the continued success of Alliance operations. The Agency is now one step closer to ensuring NATO receives such intelligence from the AGS system. AGS will be a significant contributor to improved situational awareness and thus, improved decision-making. Just as the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) monitors Alliance airspace, AGS will be able to observe what is happening on the earth's surface, providing situational awareness before, during and, if needed, after NATO operations In 2016, the Agency set up the IT infrastructure at the AGS Main Operating Base in Italy. Since then, the Agency team has been working to integrate the networks, communications, voice services, IT infrastructure and NATO applications at unclassified, restricted and secret levels with the rest of the Alliance. This critical work ensures the NATO AGS Force can communicate with the rest of the NATO Commands. Today, the Agency's Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit in Sigonella supports the NATO AGS Force with 25 NCI Agency staff members. The Agency's role in AGS will continue to expand as the AGS Force reaches full operational capability. The Agency will connect AGS to NATO, by connecting the capability to the NATO Secret Wide Area Network. Furthermore, the NCI Agency will also provide satellite communications for the remotely piloted system of AGS. No

The remotely piloted Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) aircraft took off on 20 November 2019 from Palmdale Air Base, California, United States, and landed at the AGS Main Operating Base, Sigonella, Italy, on 21 November 2019.

general 1 759 1 about-us/newsroom/natos-ballistic-missile-defence-programme-gets-a-makeover.aspx NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme delivers the software that NATO needs to share information and work together to protect NATO European populations, territories and forces against a ballistic missile threat or attack. The Programme works with the participation of the Allies, who volunteer interceptors and sensors, as well as information from their command and control systems. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency provides the critical NATO battle management command and control technology, or “glue, that connects them. The BMD Programme, a multi-billion Euro effort, enables NATO Nations to act as a single unit when responding to a ballistic missile threat or attack, which requires very quick and coordinated actio . This programme is critical to the safety and peace of the Alliance, as if it came under attack, NATO would only have a few minutes to intercept a ballistic missile And that Programme – one of NATO's largest investments in command and control development activities – is getting a makeover. Among other improvements being implemented, the NCI Agency will soon begin providing upgrades to the technology more frequently in smaller packages, allowing users to provide feedback more often in the process A report, which provided a holistic review of the BMD Programme, was delivered to the North Atlantic Council in February 2019. It was approved by the Ballistic Missile Defence Steering Committee and the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD). In particular, the report recommends the Agency change its approach to make upgrades in smaller increments called “tranches every two years, instead of implementing major changes in a couple of “big bangs. The Agency is already making progress in implementing the new baseline milestones and suggested improvements, and is reporting its progress to the CNAD BMD through the year In 1998, NATO initiated the first activities that led to the establishment of the Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) Programme. After the approval of the Heads of State and Government at the NATO 2004 Istanbul Summi , the Programme was officially established in 2005, and has been revised and expanded over the years At the Lisbon Summit in 2010, NATO decide to develop a territorial BMD capability. In May 2012, as announced at the Chicago Summi , the Alliance achieved an Interim NATO BMD Capabilit which provided (and still does) an operationally significant first step to defend populations, territory and forces across southern NATO Europe against a ballistic missile attack The current BMD Programme was approved by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) in 2013 and the programme changed from ALTBMD to BMD. At the 2016 Warsaw Summi , Heads of State and Government agreed that NATO's BMD capability had achieved Initial Operational Capabilit (IOC), and tasked the NAC to regularly review its implementation. After the Summit, the NCI Agency was given the task of supporting such a review. Agency staff began an intense effort to re-baseline the BMD Programme's scope, cost, schedule, risks and acquisition strategy “You're not delivering a capability by doing this review, said Maurizio Pennarola, NCI Agency Ballistic Missile Defence Programme Manager. “But we took this opportunity to rethink our future activities and the way the Programme is uted. In the report, the Agency and National Experts reviewing the Programme identified possible improvements. The report also included an improvement plan to manage and ute the Programme more efficiently One of the biggest results of the process was receiving an approval to break up the Programme's deliverables into smaller operational meaningful increments, the “tranche approach Why the tranche approach The BMD Programme consists of multiple projects that when combined, constitute a capability that connects the entire Alliance to share information and be effective in space, on the ground and at sea To achieve this, the Agency has to interlink many national systems that are very different from each other. It's a difficult task, as they were built by different companies, for different Nations, throughout the years. In addition, there is an inherent complexity in harmonizing the projects and their interdependencies, and in getting consensus from an organization composed of stakeholders from 29 NATO Nations “It's a huge puzzle that we're working, with thousands of little pieces, Pennarola said, joking, “It's not a puzzle of a size that you can put on a table. The tranche approach would help the Agency organize such a complex programme into smaller deliverables, while enabling operators to define the outcome, provide feedback more often in the process and prepare to accept the upgrades The Programme is also responsible for training users on this new technology. This change to delivering in tranches will make that training easier for the operators, and more regularly scheduled The Ballistic Missile Defence Operations Cell (BMDOC), is located at NATO Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany. Its team of highly specialized warfighter personnel from a dozen NATO Allies is constantly monitoring all BMD systems to protect European NATO territory, populations and forces. They use the battle management command and control communications and intelligence systems provided by the NCI Agency to do so “The idea of the tranche concept is to provide a more flexible structure for capability delivery in smaller and focused areas, making near-term gains more achievable, said US Air Force COL Ryan Fleishauer, the Operations Director for the Ballistic Missile Defence Operations Cell. “It's a way for the Agency to put a structure to the way they're doing delivery, which in the end helps us. Delivering what the customer need The NCI Agency provides the BMDOC with 24/7 support through the centralized service desk, and on-site technicians “It's great to know that we have access to our NCI Agency technicians whenever needed, COL Fleishauer said He added that recent strides have been made in the development of corrective procedures, and in user involvement in future software development, testing, evaluation and acceptance “With all of the various units and the long distances to cover, the CIS support is absolutely critical, COL Fleishauer said. “NCI Agency personnel help us keep downtimes at a minimum. So when we do have any outages or any other issues, they're working side by side with us to make sure that we minimize those downtimes. COL Fleishauer also noted that the Agency has worked in the past year to catch up on requests from BMDOC users and staff for improvements or changes to the software. The Agency and the BMDOC each have staffs with very different expertise, so the Agency's engineers must observe the BMDOC's users and communicate well with them to make sure the software is serving their needs I appreciate how well we communicate back and forth, COL Fleishauer said. “They're pretty responsive to the warfighter need. About NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence Programme Ballistic missiles are a significant and growing threat to NATO. Nations across the Alliance must be ready to work together quickly to intercept an incoming ballistic missile. To do that, NATO needed technology to enable the Nations' missile defence systems to share information and act as one. The NATO Communications and Information Agency is responsible for developing the NATO Ballistic Missile Defence Command and Control capability. Nations volunteer their missile defence systems or sensors, and the NCI Agency is using a “system-of-systems approach to link their contributions together No

NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme delivers the software that NATO needs to share information and work together to protect NATO European populations, territories and forces against a ballistic missile threat or attack.

general 1 760 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-delivers-voice-equipment-to-bulgarian-air-force.aspx This newly acquired equipment will be used to strengthen national and NATO-related air policing missions, in cooperation with other Nations The Agency's Directorate of Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) procured the capability from a consortium formed by CS, Communication and Systèmes and Thales Norway NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid said “This voice communications system will modernize Bulgaria's capabilities, enabling the country to support modern complex missions. This project is critical for surveillance and control of NATO airspace. Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Defense Lt Gen Atanas Zapryanov said Thanks to the professionalism of the Agency's team, the procurement of the Voice Communication System has been successfully completed. It is ready to be put into operational mode. This system provides high tech equipment for a network enabled capabilit . Bulgaria's Air Force Commander General-Major Tsanko Stoykov said The Voice Communication System (VCS) provides us with new capabilities to have voice communications with the aircraft in the air as well, as with all NATO Air Force Command and Control Centres. This system will contribute to the so much desired modernization process of the Bulgarian Air Force and to our capabilities to conduct complex tasks and missions on a regional and global basis. This newly acquired equipment will be used to strengthen national and NATO-related air policing missions, in cooperation with other Nations The Agency's Directorate of Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) procured the capability from a consortium formed by CS, Communication and Systèmes and Thales Norway NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid said “This voice communications system will modernize Bulgaria's capabilities, enabling the country to support modern complex missions. This project is critical for surveillance and control of NATO airspace. Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Defense Lt Gen Atanas Zapryanov said Thanks to the professionalism of the Agency's team, the procurement of the Voice Communication System has been successfully completed. It is ready to be put into operational mode. This system provides high tech equipment for a network enabled capabilit . Bulgaria's Air Force Commander General-Major Tsanko Stoykov said The Voice Communication System (VCS) provides us with new capabilities to have voice communications with the aircraft in the air as well, as with all NATO Air Force Command and Control Centres. This system will contribute to the so much desired modernization process of the Bulgarian Air Force and to our capabilities to conduct complex tasks and missions on a regional and global basis. Scheid also thanked the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and the contractor for their excellent coordination with the Agency The handover of the equipment to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence was witnessed by representatives from the Bulgarian Air Force, the consortium and the NCI Agency The new equipment, which supports telephony, voice loops and radio, makes it easier to increase situational awareness with other NATO and Partner Nations. With the new capability, an operator can use the same workstation to control aircrafts via radios connected to the system, make secure and non-secure telephone calls, and use voice loops Through this effort five Nations, including Bulgaria, will receive an updated solution based on equipment Lithuania received in 2017 In addition to Lithuania and Bulgaria, Iceland and Latvia also have the new equipment, which is used in an operational environment. The capability will be delivered to the final two Nations, Romania and Estonia, in 2020 No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency successfully delivered on 27 November new voice communication equipment for air command and control to the Bulgarian Air Force.

general 1 762 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-deployed-the-experience-on-the-ground.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency contributes to NATO operations by delivering the technical equipment and expertise troops need to communicate effectively But supporting NATO operations remotely is not enough on its own. That's why Agency employees volunteer to deploy – to support the end users in person Some of our employees recently shared what their deployment experience was like on a personal and professional level Nick Hillman, for example, deployed in 2017 to Afghanistan as a Staff Officer for the Resolute Support (RS) Mission “One of the aspects that I was surprised by was my lack of knowledge in respect to what the NATO RS Mission was actually doing in Afghanistan, with this being made clear to me during my in-briefing in Kabul, he said. “RS is focused on training, advising and assisting the Afghan military and police. He worked in both the NATO base at Kabul International Airport and at the NATO headquarters in downtown Kabul, with transport between the two being by military helicopter “This was something of a personal highlight as the routes would be changed frequently and you would get to see a lot of Kabul from the air, he said Life on the base was “comfortable, but not luxurious, he said, noting that “there is plenty to keep you busy when you aren't working, including the gym, occasional movie nights and national celebrations, plus good restaurants and military dining facilities. “I found the work rewarding, and a change from the normal office environment back in The Hague or Brussels, he said He enjoyed the experience and was glad that he had deployed. Though work didn't really stop for the weekends, he did take holiday time to recharge after deployment “I have no regrets about going and would happily recommend to others to do the same, he said. “We all need to get out of our comfort zones sometimes and experience other aspects of how NATO works. For us in our offices we rarely see anything other than computer screens and paperwork. Captain Joyce Lewis, who deployed in 2018 to assist RS, also noted that the environment while deployed was completely different “My volunteer experience was wonderful, CPT Lewis said. “I was given the opportunity to work in an environment completely different from my day-to-day duties, along with meeting other members within the Agency. CPT Lewis served as the Chief Logistics Officer for RS Signal Support Group “I volunteered on my own as I wanted the challenge in operating in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, CPT Lewis Logisticians contribute to every mission in a big way. The logistics team makes sure that all NATO members and units have the equipment they need to do their jobs. The team makes sure the equipment works, and that any unused items are reclaimed or repurposed “It greatly opened my eyes to how we as NATO partners work together to achieve a single goal, CPT Lewis said of the deployment If you want to volunteer to support a NATO mission, CPT Lewis said you must be ready to work “Your biggest challenge will come from learning and accepting new ways of doing business, CPT Lewis said. “In order to be successful on your support mission, keep an open mind. Consider how other nations handle situations different from what you are accustomed to. US Army Colonel Rodney Duncan served in 2018 as the Commander of the RS Signal Support Group. The Support Group is responsible for providing all NATO communications in theatre, which support more than 3,500 users. COL Duncan is now retired COL Duncan discussed the opportunity to volunteer with NCI Agency General Manager Kevin Scheid “He fully endorsed me volunteering and highlighted the importance of supporting NATO operational missions, COL Duncan said The most rewarding part of the tour was working with stakeholders from other NATO and non-NATO nations, COL Duncan said. It was enlightening to hear how different personnel contribute to meeting NATO's goals, COL Duncan said “The time spent in support of RS was outstanding, COL Duncan said. “The opportunity to support a vital NATO mission via the NCI Agency was priceless. COL Duncan recommended others volunteer for a tour “Go for it; you will not regret the experience, COL Duncan said. “The relationships built and lessons learned most certainly will benefit the individual and the Agency upon the return home. No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency contributes to NATO operations by delivering the technical equipment and expertise troops need to communicate effectively.

general 1 763 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-deployed-what-we-do-in-theatre.aspx In addition to delivering critical technology to the Alliance, 100 to 150 Agency employees a year deploy in support of NATO operations. Some of those volunteers are NCI Agency employees who are also active in their Nation's military, and some are civilian staff members, said Oliwer Stavarache, Personnel and Operations Manager at the NCI Agency. Ultimately, the Agency aims to choose volunteers who are prepared to integrate quickly into a highly technical role for a NATO mission “You need to put people who are ready from the beginning, people with experience, people who know the business behind it, Stavarache said A pool of Agency volunteers takes turns filling posts for at least three months at a time. Agency staff of different backgrounds, genders and ages have volunteered, Stavarache said Claire Banazol deployed in 2017 to Afghanistan to support NATO's Resolute Support Mission “Working in an environment with representatives from 50 nations is a huge privilege, Banazol said. “Learning from each other and sharing experiences broadens your horizons. “The training and preparation equips you for an operational deployment. And colleagues in theatre are always willing and able to provide support and encouragement, so you never feel alone, Banazol said As the Logistics Section Head for the mission's Signal Support Group, Banazol oversaw logistics for the Communications and Information Systems (CIS) used in the mission. The Logistics Section Head is responsible for protecting NATO's investment and contributing to the delivery of secure and robust communications in theatre Banazol managed the supply depot staff, and coordinated equipment maintenance and service requests. In the role she also served as logistics advisor to the Commander of the Group “I was the only Section Head with Afghan nationals working in their team, which was very rewarding and gave a positive perspective on how the mission is impacting the lives of people in the country, Banazol said Patrick Coumans deployed in 2019 to Afghanistan in support of the same NATO mission. Coumans, an engineer, served as the Theatre Computer Security Officer when deployed And this wasn't the first time Coumans deployed to Afghanistan. Coumans deployed previously as a trainer to Afghan security forces “It is a great and invaluable experience to contribute to the Resolute Support Mission, Coumans said In the role of Theatre Computer Security Officer, Coumans advised leaders in theatre on all computer security-related items. Coumans also delivered engaging training to all incoming staff at the Resolute Support Headquarters “It gave me pleasure to invest time in developing the communication information security expertise in others engaged in the Resolute Support Mission, Coumans said Being passionate about security means abiding by strong ethical principles, Coumans said “Many of the security decisions I made led to substantially more work than if I had taken a less disciplined approach to security, Coumans said. “Through this discipline I've tried to improve the security of the networks of which I was responsible. SSGT Nana Sarpong also deployed in 2018 to Afghanistan to support the same mission “When I was offered the chance by NCI Agency to work outside my normal role as a logistician, I saw this as both an opportunity and a challenge, SSGT Sarpong said. “Looking back, I am very grateful for the experience. As the Theatre Change Coordinator for the Signal Support Group, SSGT Sarpong worked on the “small but dedicated team responsible for managing changes to the CIS in theatre “These controlled changes have a significant impact on the Resolute Support Mission, SSGT Sarpong said SSGT Sarpong managed changes to CIS services and infrastructure. SSGT Sarpong also coordinated approvals with the Agency's back office “My tour was all I expected, thoroughly challenging and enjoyable working in such a complex multinational operational environment, SSGT Sarpong said. “I have learned a lot in this area in my seven months on operations. I can certainly recommend the experience to other colleagues working in NATO who are looking for a challenging experience. Dr Philip Eles supported Resolute Support in 2019 as an Operational Analyst in the mission's headquarters Dr Eles oversaw a programme to measure Afghan public perceptions. The team Dr Eles worked with supported the Commander of the mission in assessing the mission's progress The team analysed operational data to identify trends that could be useful to decision-makers. “As a civilian operational analyst, the opportunity to work directly with military planners on operations is invaluable, Dr Eles said. “You get such a great understanding of the complexity of the operation, as well as the decisions the leadership is faced with. While deployed, Dr Eles also supported the US negotiating team preparing for peace talks with the Taliban This tour was his sixth two-month tour in the past six years “I wanted to be a part of something that mattered and had an impact, Dr Eles said. “And through our support to RS, I feel that I am. No

In addition to delivering critical technology to the Alliance, 100 to 150 employees of the NCI Agency deploy in support of NATO operations every year. The NATO Communications and Information Agency does more than provide computers to the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

general 1 764 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-puts-it-systems-to-the-test-in-exercise-trident-jupiter-.aspx Trident Jupiter is the certification exercise for NATO for the upcoming NATO Response Force (NRF) cycle. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency played a pivotal role, ensuring that Communication and Information Systems (CIS) used in the exercise were reliable, and providing expertise in areas such as space The NCI Agency delivered service support for video teleconferencing, voice, cyber security and services customers identified as required and vital for their task as upcoming NRF standby forces Trident Jupiter is our opportunity to life-test with a high amount of users our IT for NATO Response Force, said Marian Schroeers, the NCI Agency's Officer with Primary Responsibility for this exercise. Exercises create a very high load on our systems due to the short lifetime and the high battle rhythm. The exercise enabled the Agency to measure the performance of some of its services, including the RemoteApp Provisioning service, said NCI Agency Engineer Robin Iraca. “This system provides NATO applications for customers that do not have these installed on their workstations, Iraca said. “Due to valuable input received from the user community, Core Enterprise Services was able to improve server performance for more than 700 users who use the service on a daily basis. The Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway, directed the exercise, which simulates the challenge of a NRF conducting a collective defence joint operation under Article 5 against a peer state adversary contesting NATO across all domains. The exercise, which concluded on 14 November 2019, is the first iteration of the Trident Jupiter Exercise Campaign Testing the Alliance's space procedure The Agency Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) Service Line supported the space-related elements of Trident Jupiter by sending Space Subject Matter Expert (SME) Flavio Giudice to Stavanger, Norway, and Navigation Warfare SMEs Enrico Casini and Edison Cristofani to the Joint Force Command Brunssum, Netherlands Giudice provided expertise on both space systems and NATO processes and procedures, in order to make the operational communities more aware of NATO's uses and dependencies on space systems. Giudice served as the data collection manager, and also managed the system used by the Space community deployed in different venues to store, distribute and exchange data and information Major Joint Exercises like TRJU19 help the space team to test procedures and train space SMEs, especially the augmentees that Nations provide specifically for the exercise, Giudice said. Additionally, it helps the team to improve the exchange mechanism of data, products and services with the Nations. Casini and Cristofani provided expertise on Navigation Warfare and modelling tools. Thanks to the use of an NCI Agency-developed prototype software (REACT) they were able to provide estimates of GPS/GNSS jammers' impact over the Joint Operational Area for the benefits of operational planners Supporting in Stavange To support the exercise, CIS Support Unit (CSU) Stavanger hosted an additional 400 Eurocorps exercise participants, and more than 700 Exercise Control and Response Cell staff. Eurocorps will control NRF land forces in 2020, and the Exercise Control and Response Cell staff emulated enemy forces and assessed the training audiences. The Bulgarian CIS Battalion, part of the NATO Communication and Information Systems Group (NCISG), deployed from Bulgaria to provide the CIS at Stavanger for Eurocorps. They connected the training audience to the NATO Secret backbone. For this exercise, the Battalion deployed its major deployable point of presence, the Dragonfly HQ08 The Dragonfly HQ08 was deployed by the Bulgarian team at the JWC within 18 working hours, said MAJ Kaloyan Stoyanov, Commander for the Bulgarian CIS Battalion. CSU Stavanger was responsible for supporting the Exercise Control staff and the JWC “This exercise significantly challenged the CSU Staff, as they are responsible for ensuring the reliability of the CIS infrastructure, said CSU Stavanger Commander Tommy Reiestad. Their skills were essential when firefighting any IT system problems that could influence the ution of the exercise. Again, it reminded us of the importance of having good NCI Agency staff available during high-intensity events like Trident Jupiter exercise. Embarking the USS Mount Whitne Another customer supported by the NCI Agency was Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), which embarked the USS Mount Whitney for the exercise The NCI Agency is a long-known, very reliable partner for STRIKFORNATO, said Commander Juergen Peter, Assistant Chief of Staff J6 for CIS. With decades of experience built up in former organizations within NATO, the Agency has a huge reputation of IP networking and providing services to different customers. The US Command 6th Fleet (C6F) funded the NATO Command and Control services presence on the USS Mount Whitney. Preparation and support to TRJU19 was co-funded by C6F and STRIKFORNATO The Agency created plans for how STRIKFORNATO would best connect to other training audiences, and defined a baseline for the needed services. The Agency also provided any extra IT equipment needed beyond what was already at the command. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the Agency also joined the ship during the build-up phase to support setting up and validating the services. Once the exercise began, SMEs on-board were able to immediately respond to any IT challenges This is the highest level of ambition you can train for, and as for C2 and IT, it is by far the most challenging setup, Commander Peter said of Trident Jupiter. It is very demanding, from the planning, through the build-up, to the ution, and calls for everybody's concentration and commitment. Commander Peter concluded that the objectives were achieved As IT specialists we are all one team together with NCI Agency, and it is a team effort to enable operations and exercises, Commander Peter said. The team has again proven its capabilities! No

NATO executed in November the first iteration of a large and complex joint command post exercise, Trident Jupiter 2019 (TRJU19), at ten different locations across Europe.

general 1 765 1 about-us/newsroom/register-now-for-nitec20-nato-edge-.aspx Join the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency from 26 to 28 May 2020 in Austin, Texas, United States, for our industry conference NITEC20. Registration is now open NITEC20 will focus on how NATO can embrace innovation in four key areas technology, processes, human capital and data. Keynotes, panel discussions and breakout sessions will offer you opportunities to explore these themes and hear from NATO, national and industry leaders Space, artificial intelligence and quantum computing are changing how we think about security and defence in the future. For example, NATO leaders have declared space as the fifth operational domain. Come to NITEC to discuss what that means for NATO's technology NITEC20 will also offer you the chance to have in-depth discussions on the NCI Agency's upcoming business opportunities. And we want to hear from you. At NITEC20, you can access NATO decision makers and NCI Agency business managers who are interested in learning more about what you do Our conference is also a great opportunity to meet industry leaders who do business with NATO. Come to NITEC20 to expand your network and find potential partners Don't wait to register! Industry attendees who register before 31 January 2020 can access early bird pricing. Government, academia and not-for-profit attendees can obtain passes at a special price Register today at nitec20.co No

Join the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency from 26 to 28 May 2020 in Austin, Texas, United States, for our industry conference NITEC20. Registration is now open. Help us maintain NATO39;s technological edge.

general 1 766 1 about-us/newsroom/the-nato-military-committee-visits-the-nci-agency.aspx On 12 December, the NATO Military Committee visited the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) in The Hague The programme focused on innovation, NATO's digital transformation, and the NCI Agency's current and future work strands The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach and the NATO Military Representatives were welcomed to the NCI Agency's facilities in The Hague by the General Manager of the Agency, Mr Kevin J. Scheid and the Chief of Staff, Major General Göksel Sevindik On arrival, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said As part of the NATO family and a vital element of the NATO capability, our ability to command, control, inform and connect is as vital today as it has been during the 70 years of our Alliance. From the Cold War through missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq, to our commitment to collective defence and deterrence requires secure, adaptable and affordable technology with modern, resilient systems. The Military Committee will play its full and proper role in understanding and agreeing future requirements – that is why we are here toda Mr Scheid added that “our mission is to ensure a fully digital NATO enterprise. As part of the Alliance, we support NATO by providing the systems, services and expertise to ensure that the Alliance can work together to safeguard peace and security for nearly 1 billion citizens. Amongst other things, we defend NATO networks 24/7, provide critical technology for air command and control and ballistic missile defence, and help NATO explore emerging technologies like artificial intelligence . The NCI Agency also actively supports NATO and Allies during exercises providing the technology needed to work together, and supporting their efforts to test allied capabilities The NATO Military Representatives received updates on the NCI Agency's current and future work, including its support to the Alliance Ground Surveillance System, which reached a significant milestone last month with the delivery of the first remotely piloted aircraft. Alliance Ground Surveillance will be collectively owned and operated by all NATO Allies and will be a vital capability for NATO operations and missions. It will provide access to vital information that will ultimately inform crucial decision , underlined the Chairman The NCI Agency also updated the Military Representatives on its intentions to train 10,000 cyber defenders over five years, and to stand up a NATO Space Technology Centre. The Agency has supported NATO with its expertise on space and satellite communications since the 1970s, and will continue to do so now that Space has been recognized as an operational domain The representatives were also briefed on the Polaris Programme, one of the Agency's flagship initiatives to lead NATO's digital transformation. It will modernize, consolidate and optimize NATO's IT infrastructure and improve IT services across the Alliance. Allies recognise the importance of maintaining NATO's technological superiority, we are making significant investments in cutting-edge technologies with 1.4 billion euros investment in new technologies in areas ranging from cyber security, to surveillance and reconnaissance. The NCI Agency is a strategic asset in this effort, and will be leading projects and helping the Alliance to prepare the Alliance for the futur , emphasised Air Chief Marshal Peach The NCI Agency's NATO Cyber Security Centre works closely with Allied Command Operations (ACO) Cyberspace Operations Centre, providing critical technical information about mission networks that supports ACO's objective of mission assurance With more than 30 locations across the Alliance, the NCI Agency acquires, deploys and defends communications and information systems supporting NATO's Command and Control from the political and military structures to deployed missions and operations No

On 12 December, the NATO Military Committee visited the NCI Agency in The Hague. The programme focused on innovation, NATO39;s digital transformation, and the NCI Agency39;s current and future work strands.

general 1 767 1 about-us/newsroom/speak-at-nato-technology-industry-conference-nitec20-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is seeking innovative ideas from industry, academic and not-for-profit speakers across the Alliance Submit your idea now to speak at the NCI Agency's industry conference NITEC20 NATO Edge on 26-28 May 2020 in Austin, Texas, United States We want to hear your innovative ideas and research. We are looking for solo speakers for 15 minutes, or panels of 40 minutes NITEC20 will focus on helping NATO maintain its technological edge. We will discuss how NATO can embrace innovation in four key areas technology, data, processes and human capital Ideally, your proposal would address one of the following themes In Technolog …. We are interested in hearing about leading-edge research and case studies in space, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and 5G In Dat … We are interested in discussing innovative ways people are processing, disseminating and using data In Processe … For this topic, we are looking for ideas on how to acquire or deploy technology and services more quickly. What ideas do you have for cutting through the red tape In Human Capita … We want to know how you are recruiting and retaining top talent, leading your multi-generational workforce and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion in your organization Click here to read the Call For Paper . The deadline for submission is 7 February 2020 No

Submit your idea now to speak at the NCI Agency39;s industry conference NITEC20 NATO Edge on 26-28 May 2020 in Austin, Texas, United States. The deadline for submission is 7 February 2020.

general 1 768 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-codes-to-reduce-task-time-from-days-to-hours-.aspx Ørjan Løvoll, a System Administrator at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's CIS Support Unit in Stavanger, Norway, firmly believes automation through coding can save hours of repetitive work The CIS Support Unit is responsible for creating and maintaining new user accounts for many of the activities of the Joint Warfare Centre, one of NATO's main training establishments for operations and exercises The number of such accounts has increased significantly, from around 300 users to more than 1,300 in major exercises This was a challenge for the CIS Support Unit, as the staff was using Excel spreadsheets to create the accounts manually in combination with scripts for each user Løvoll was confident there had to be a more efficient way to create and manage the accounts. He used his extensive knowledge and experience of programming to compile 6,775 lines of code to automate work processes servicing the NATO Joint Warfare Centre “If you have a repetitive task that can be automated, automate it. It will save you time and effort in the long run and keep your skills sharp, Lovoll said Løvoll coded a process that extracts the necessary data automatically, creates accounts, and gives permissions to users and access to relevant applications. This automatic process completes the task in a number of hours, instead of days it took when done manually. The automation also minimizes the risk of entry mistakes “Our tasks are large, repetitive and demand attention to detail. We have very many configurations that happen repetitively for hundreds, if not thousands, of accounts several times a year, Løvoll said The automation proved to be invaluable during exercises Trident Jackal and Trident Jupiter 2019, when the CIS Support Unit assisted more than 1,000 participants from 24 countries “With the increased capacity and frequency of exercises to be provided to the Joint Warfare Centre, which include the provision of services 24/7, the NCI Agency's efforts are instrumental for the timely delivery of our various and numerous exercises and events, said LTC Dieter Heumueller, Head of Exercise Training and Innovation at the Joint Warfare Centre “The innovative solution provided by the NCI Agency is another prime example of the invaluable support by the local CIS Support Unit, LTC Heumueller emphasized Although Løvoll has already witnessed some of the benefits from his work, his job has not finished. He monitors the functionality of the code and continues to improve the product, and does so while attending to his day-to-day responsibilities as a System Administrator “Løvoll is an extremely valuable member of our CIS Support Unit that contributes to the operation, maintenance and upkeep of the data centre, but even more impressively, develops and innovates the way that we complete our daily and mission-critical business, said Tommy Reiestad, Commander of the CIS Support Unit Picture Ørjan Løvoll with the printed code No

Ørjan Løvoll, a System Administrator at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's CIS Support Unit in Stavanger, Norway, firmly believes automation through coding can save hours of repetitive work.

general 1 769 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-releases-second-request-for-quotation-to-strengthen-its-cyber-security-services-.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 20 January a new Request for Quotation (RFQ) for an estimated value of 17 Million EUR to further strengthen its cyber security services. This project, managed under the umbrella of the Capability Package (CP) 120 Programme, aims to ensure continuity of service and support of the current Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) components, while enabling a transition to a full-fledged enterprise logging solution. Staff of the NATO Cyber Security Centre in Mons, Belgium, need the SIEM to correlate information and detect security events. “This project will modernize a key element of our monitoring and detection infrastructure, and ensure that NATO stays on top of security incident detection and response. It will also contribute to the consolidation of log management onto a single enterprise-wide system, thus increasing effectiveness and reducing costs, said Frederic Jordan, Head of the Cyber Security Programme Delivery Branch of the NCI Agency The CP120 programme will refresh all Communications and Information Systems (CIS) security systems in a phased approach, thus reducing risks and disruptions to NATO's CIS, while keeping pace with modern tools and components. Each phase will also include a series of capability enhancements The Agency plans to award a contract by April 2020 Download the Notification of Intent to Request Quotations here Questions related to the contracting aspects of this RFQ can be directed to Darren Corkindale at Darren.Corkindale@ncia.nato.in Questions on the technical scope of this project or the CP120 Programme can be directed to Frederic Jordan at Frederic.Jordan@ncia.nato.in No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 20 January a new Request for Quotation (RFQ) for an estimated value of 17 Million EUR to further strengthen its cyber security services.

general 1 770 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-platform-to-lay-the-foundations-for-services--apps-and-agility.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency awarded on 22 November 2019 a contract to the Spanish IT company Everis valued at 10.4 million EUR The contract covers Wave 1 of the two-wave Service-Oriented Architecture and Identity Management Project, which will provide common middleware services for applications to build on. Work on Wave 1 began on 6 January 2020, and is expected to be completed in 2021 “The Platform developed through this contract will ensure that business applications and services across the NATO ecosystem can efficiently and effectively respond to NATO's operational needs, said Pierre Pradier, Chief of Core Enterprise Services at the NCI Agency Everis will provide a variety of services under the contract, including integration, identity and security services, service management and platform hosting services. Among many benefits, the services provided under the contract will make application development simpler, cheaper and more rapid Rather than spending years developing stove-piped applications, this capability will allow new user capabilities to be rapidly deployed by reusing and combining existing data streams and functionalities in novel ways “This project is a potential game-changer for the way NATO develops and deploys its operational services in the future. It will drive innovation and reduce operational costs by ensuring much greater reuse of capabilities, said Paul Howland, Polaris Programme Manager at the NCI Agency The project is one of four core projects in the wider Polaris Programme, the Agency's top priority after support to operations. Polaris is focused on consolidating NATO's IT infrastructure so that it may be centrally managed, and modernizing it to allow for new ways of working. The Programme includes efforts to enhance security, particularly for a workforce that is more mobile than ever before No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency awarded on 22 November 2019 a contract to the Spanish IT company Everis valued at 10.4 million EUR.

general 1 771 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-begins-using-enhanced-satellite-services.aspx On Wednesday (12 February 2020) NATO held a ceremony to mark the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between four nations for the provision of critical satellite communications services to NATO for the next 15 years The memorandum between France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States enables the four Allies to provide space capacity from their military satellite communications (SATCOM) programmes to NATO. Nations began delivering the capability on 1 January 2020 At the ceremony, the Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Camille Grand said “NATO depends on space for a wide range of activities, from intelligence gathering and navigation, to tracking forces around the globe and detecting missile launches . Adding that space is essential for the Alliance's deterrence and defence, he said that “NATO also aims to serve as a forum for political-military consultations and information sharing on relevant deterrence and defence related space developments Last year, NATO authorized 1 billion EUR for satellite communications (SATCOM) services for the next 15 years. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is responsible for operating the satellite communications capability to deliver services to NATO. The NCI Agency coordinated the agreement with the service-providing Nations. This landmark agreement will provide a greater, more resilient and more flexible space capability for NATO to conduct its operations and exercises. National experts will be embedded with the NCI Agency to deliver this critical capability “I am proud that the NCI Agency has led the project from its inception , said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid This project is the successor to the NATO SATCOM Post-2000 project, which provided SATCOM services to NATO from 2005 to 2019 Yes

On Wednesday (12 February 2020) NATO held a ceremony to mark the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between four nations for the provision of critical satellite communications services to NATO for the next 15 years.

general 1 772 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-staff-volunteer-to-spark-girls-interest-in-stem.aspx Staff members from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency volunteered on 8 February 2020 to help girls build drones and experiment with robots. More than 100 girls from several schools in The Hague joined a “g4g Day, a free interactive learning event at The British School in the Netherlands. The international organization greenlight for girls (g4g), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, teamed up with the NCI Agency, the European Medicines Agency and other partners including the British School to host the event to encourage girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The girls, aged 7-12, participated in a jam-packed day of hands-on workshops led by partners and supporters of the events, including Coder Dojo, the European Space Agency, the Dutch Police, Emerson and the Women in Aviation Netherlands Chapter. “As a space engineer I think it's important to share my experience and excitement for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics with the next generation of engineers, said Laryssa Patten, Portfolio Manager for Space and Alliance Ground Surveillance projects at the NCI Agency Patten co-organized the event and ran the NCI Agency workshop. “Girls should know that the sky is quite literally the limit, Patten said. “I am proud that the NCI Agency has been so supportive of this event. At the NCI Agency workshop, students made drones out of Legos and practiced flying them in the classroom. Derya Adiyan, Senior Integrated Logistic Support Officer at the NCI Agency and a volunteer at the event, said the experience was “absolutely amazing. “Seeing the curiosity in their eyes and happiness in their faces once they built something that actually works is worth hours of effort, Adiyan said. “The best part was that we failed building the drones so many times until we actually made it work, and every time we started from the beginning and tried again without any of the girls giving up. According to the U , only 35 percent of all students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study are women “We need to intervene at the very beginning by introducing the school girls at an early age to what is out there in STEM areas, and more importantly, show them that everything is possible and within reach, Adiyan said When the first group of attendees received boxes containing the pieces of the drones they were to build, one girl could not hold in her enthusiasm, said Minerva Martir Gallardo, a Senior Project Manager at the NCI Agency and a volunteer at the event. “One of the girls couldn't prevent herself from saying aloud 'WOOOOOOW we are building it!' Martir Gallardo said. “It was amazing seeing the face of the girls when they managed to build the drones almost alone, for a matter of time, and saw that they fly! The ways science can be applied are not always obvious or accessible, said Pedro Albano, a Senior Scientist at the NCI Agency and a volunteer at the event. “Theory is interesting once the use is not just lectured, but shown and understood. It is the 'ah ha' moment that is sought, said Albano, who is a NATO instructor with two daughters. “That for me is one of the main features of these type of events. Rebecca, a 9-year-old attendee, said the event was fun because she learned new things. “I get to be active and do loads of experiments that you don't get to do in school a lot, Rebecca said. “In school, you're doing more writing and you don't have the resources and drones. But here you have loads of robotics. Ana Pinheiro, a Geographic Information Systems Scientist at the NCI Agency and a volunteer at the event, said another Agency volunteer brought two HEXBUGs, mini robots with sensors, for the attendees to see. “There was one though that was really weird. It looked like a larva but believe it or not there was one girl begging to take it home as a pet. She even gave it a name, 'Cutie,' Pinheiro said. Pinheiro said she volunteered to contribute because she really believes in the cause. “These events are extremely important because they give awareness to the girls at an age where they soon will be making choices about what they want to do as a job, Pinheiro said. “These events are empowering their future choices. Events such as this are important to show girls that every domain, including science, is open to all, Albano said “Focusing on girls means that they feel empowered, special and shown that there are and have been great strides in science because of women, Albano said Bob Essad, Branch Head of Operations Support Services at the NCI Agency, volunteered to have an impact on girls who do not know their career potential. “The g4g programme provided them insight to what the possibilities are for these careers, and more importantly, it gives them some understanding of what the different jobs might be like, Essad said. Martir Gallardo said her father pushed her to pursue studies in engineering. “When it came to choose my studies, though I was good at maths, engineering was not in the top of my list, as I thought I was not good enough, Martir Gallardo said. “Now, I feel I have to help others to prevent them from having those same thoughts, by showing that STEM is not so frightening. Dalia, an 11-year-old attendee who enjoys science and maths, is considering a career where she could do science experiments, like biology or chemistry “First I was a bit 'uh I don't really want to do it.' But actually it's quite fun, Dalia said of the event. “I'm learning a lot of stuff. We learned a lot about sensors, and how they work, and radars. And we made a drone. Aleks Lubierska, Project Management Principle Assistant at the NCI Agency and a volunteer at the event, said a particularly memorable moment was seeing a girl's amazement after crashing the drone she had just built, in a spectacular fashion. “I really appreciated being given the privilege of showing the girls that they can do something that often is described as 'boys' thing,' Lubierska said. “It was encouraging and empowering even for me as an adult. With a little encouragement and guidance from the Agency volunteers, the girl was able to build the drone herself and test it. And when she crashed it, the whole team applauded her. The Agency volunteers also made a “drone repair center for the event. After the girls crashed a drone they learned to fix it, including soldering the wires if required. “We as an Agency, employ some amazing people, who are smart, passionate and dedicated to their jobs, and to sharing their love for what they do, Lubierska said. “I think in our daily work lives we sometime forget the why of being in the Agency. It's amazing and much needed to be reminded. Yes

Staff members from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency volunteered on 8 February 2020 to help girls build drones and experiment with robots.

general 1 773 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-launches-new-defence-innovation-challenge.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for its fifth annual Defence Innovation Challenge And this year, we are doing things differently. For the first time, following NITEC, the most promising proposals may subsequently be invited to bid for a contract in this area. As a part of the bidding process, invited winners will be offered the opportunity to demonstrate their solutions in a NATO environment, to a relevant NATO audience Through the challenge, the NCI Agency aims to incentivize innovations that could be scaled to the NATO environment. Startups and small and medium-sized enterprises from all 29 NATO Nation are particularly encouraged to apply Dr Michael Street, Head of Innovation and Data Science at the NCI Agency, said We are excited to pilot this new way of bringing tangible solutions to NATO problems. The Defence Innovation Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to show the users directly how your innovative technological solution could improve this aspect of radar performanc . For the Challenge, the NCI Agency is accepting submissions which focus on improving the performance of aerial radar. Solutions will address one or more of the following Correlate Aerial Discovery Radar outputs, combining real-time outputs from two or more radar sources to produce a single, combined result aircraft position Automatically convert aircraft plots (location) to tracks (vector) Provide confidence levels of their outputs Operate in bad weather conditions or spoofing Be capable of modification to operate on civilian or non-civilian radar data Solutions may use artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to approach these challenges, but solutions are not limited only to these technologies An NCI Agency-led panel of experts will judge the submissions. The panel will include experts from across NATO and AFWER , a United States Air Force organization focused on innovation. Submissions will be assessed against criteria encompassing innovation, implementation feasibility and cost-effectiveness. Top finishers will get an opportunity to showcase their tech solutions at the NCI Agency annual industry conference NITEC20 NATO Edge. This year's conference is on 26-28 May 2020 in Austin, Texas, USA. An NCI Agency-led panel of experts will choose up to ten top finishers that will receive One registration waiver for admission to NITEC20 Short demonstration during the plenary sessions of NITEC20 Participation in the award ceremony with NATO leadership; an 1,000 EUR per winning proposal as a contribution to cover travel expenses to attend NITEC20 Like all other participants of the conference, the top finishers will also have an opportunity to join B2B meetings, small businesses mentoring sessions (if applicable) and bilateral meetings with NCI Agency business managers and technical experts Click here to submit your proposal for th Innovation Challeng . Entries must be received by 3 April 2020. The top finishers will be announced on 24 April 2020 No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is now accepting submissions for its fifth annual Defence Innovation Challenge.

general 1 774 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-staff-spotlight-six-receive-top-nato-honour.aspx NATO recently awarded six NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency employees its most prestigious honour – the Meritorious Service Medal The Meritorious Service Medal is given to staff members who go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver exceptional results in support of NATO's mission and its digital endeavour Each of the six awardees – stationed across five different Agency locations – coordinated challenging projects, inspired effective collaboration and delivered timely results. Two of them also directly supported NATO's operations by voluntarily deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq Kevin J Scheid, General Manager of the NCI Agency, gave the medal to the six awardees on behalf of the NATO Secretary General at an official ceremony in Brussels, Belgium, on 19 February 2020 We're NATO's single largest entity. If we're not successful at our work, NATO's not successful. Our support is critical to the success of the organization. Recognizing those who do extraordinary work is very important, said the General Manager You are among the best experts in your professional field and you've brought a lot of dedication and initiative to your job. Perhaps more importantly, your character and your success are defined by going the extra mile, he continued MGEN Göksel Sevindik, the Agency´s Chief of Staff, said We really have talented and dedicated personnel at the Agency. I know that, as an Agency, we have challenges. But thanks to your hard work and dedication we can easily overcome these challenges. Although all the awardees work towards the same mission, this recognition highlights their exemplary work across a variety of specialties and different Agency locations On this occasion, we interviewed the six of them to find out more about their work, inspirations, challenges and advice for achieving success Here's what they had to say. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity Armando Lopes Duart Configuration Control Technician at Communication and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit (CSU) Lisbo Duarte is a very proactive person with high sense of responsibility. Duarte is an outstanding and careful planner and team builder, who demonstrated remarkable technical capabilities in his work for the Agency. Not only did he support the critical installation, configuration and troubleshooting of all networks of the new NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academy building in Oeiras, Portugal, but he also supported the current operation of NATO's Local Area Network (LAN) and video teleconferencing services. His work was essential to the successful opening of the NCI Academy in autumn 2019 What advice can you give someone who has to carry out a task of similar scale, complexity and importance as you did for the NCI Academy Despite my technical background, taking the lead of this project was the biggest challenge I had to face because of the great impact it has, inside and outside the Agency. Whatever the complexity of the project is, it should always be dealt with in a professional manner. Team success is more easily achieved when everyone's contribution is welcomed and discussed Dr Garry Hargreave Acting Dean of the NCI Academ Dr Hargreaves joined the NCI Agency in April 2016 to manage the Agency's activities related to the new NCI Academy campus in Oeiras, in liaison with the Host Nation Portugal. His foresight, knowledge and understanding of NATO was pivotal in this pioneering multi-stakeholder project to open the NCI Academy. He unconditionally accepted and embraced the challenge. Thanks to his tenacious commitment to deliver results, profound dedication and selfless use of time, the NCI Academy reached Initial Operational Capability by 2 September 2019 What advice can you give to someone who is working on a similar project that demands significant coordination among multiple actors? You have to believe that the work you are doing is important to you. The challenges are just too big if you aren't convinced you are working towards something you truly believe in. There is simply no way the NCI Academy would have reached Initial Operational Capacity without the selfless, focused and relentless efforts of the team. You are going to have your motives challenged, your timelines disregarded by others or the support needed not there when you actually need it. So be ready, when essential, to speak truth to power Paul Hubbl Head of the Network Control Centre at the NCI Agency Operations Centr Hubble has voluntarily deployed to support NATO operations ten times since 2010. He provided assistance and training to the Afghan Mission Network Operations Centre (AMNOC) and was the first civilian to become its director in 2014. Although Hubble leads the Network Control Centre, which is part of the NCI Agency's Operations Centre in Mons, Belgium, he has provided remarkable support to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and NATO Mission Iraq. Hubble demonstrates exceptional poise, tremendous leadership and outstanding personal dedication to NATO's mission You have voluntarily deployed on ten occasions to support NATO operations since 2010 and, thus, demonstrated devotion to its mission. What significance does NATO's mission hold for you not only professionally, but also personally? At NATO, I get to prove my skills in a high-pressure environment. My technical and managerial abilities are tested to the full and often stretched beyond where I thought was possible. Several of the deployments have placed me outside of my comfort zone, and being able to manage those situations has given me immense satisfaction. In addition, I have made lifelong friends, with whom it has been an honour to work with and to be able to call them friends Photo caption Paul Hubble is currently deployed on a mission and was unable to attend the event Michael Jone Head, Service Operations Branch at CSU Norfol Jones is a distinguished and driven leader, who always puts the needs of a mission first, regardless of the weight of the responsibilities placed on his shoulders. He made significant contributions to NATO operations during his time of deployment from his current position as Head of Service Operations at the NCI Agency's CIS Support Unit in Norfolk, United States. During deployment, Jones simultaneously took the role of a Staff Officer for Projects and Head of the Interim Deployable Network Operations Centre (DNOC) During your time at the Agency, you have deployed to support crucial NATO operations. What significance does NATO's mission and its operations have for you in your professional life I am a firm believer that civilians working for the NCI Agency should deploy to support NATO operations in order to fully appreciate why we exist as an organization. Having served in support of NATO operations has instilled in me a far bigger picture of why we exist and in turn has lit a fire within to support NATO to the full extent of my abilities. While I normally serve as the Service Operations Branch Head for CSU Norfolk, I know that my actions also have a positive impact in the ability of NATO to succeed as a whole David Sampietr Principal Project Manager for Service Support Business Application David Sampietro has demonstrated outstanding and enduring commitment to the success of the NCI Agency's Enterprise Business Applications (EBA) programme. Not only has Sampietro uted his professional role of Project Manager exceptionally, but he has dedicated himself personally to ensuring the success of this endeavour. Sampietro's rich experience, managerial courage and stakeholder coordination was essential for the EBA system to go live How do you coordinate work that involves many different staff members, departments and contractors, while ensuring that the team functions as a cohesive unit? Only a strong team, working towards the same goals, with a clear vision of what to achieve could have delivered this. We composed a rather small core team, fully empowered, with one representative per area and with a mirror at the contractors' side. The core team further coordinate with their respective areas finance, acquisition, asset management, human resources, travel, project management, technical, cyber, independent verification and validation (IV&V), and others. The work of this core team has been key for cohesion Adjudant Julien Verbai Technician for Information Systems at CSU Ramstei Adjudant Verbail has distinguished himself as an exceptional leader within the NCI Agency. In particular, his steadfast leadership and expertise of NATO's Air Command and Control System (ACCS) has been vital to the entire population of the NATO Alliance and Partners for Peace. Adjudant Verbail made outstanding contributions to the continued development and success of the ACCS Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) programme. His dedication to ballistic missile defence has directly supported critical upgrades to the systems and ensured continued success of the programme What drives you to not only accept such challenging and complicated projects, such as ballistic missile defence, but deliver results of very high quality I have met outstanding people over the course of my assignments. They taught me a lot. One of them displayed the motto of his old regiment to me Tu es l'ancien, sois le meilleur . (You are the oldest, be the best). I am neither the oldest nor the best, but I think it is important for me to always learn, progress and improve myself in all aspects of life. Working in such a diverse, multicultural, and operational environment has made me a stronger person Yes

NATO recently awarded six NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency employees its most prestigious honour – the Meritorious Service Medal.

general 1 775 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-to-speak-at-sxsw.aspx The NCI Agency will be presenting at South by Southwest (SXSW) on 18 March 2020 on how NATO is evolving to keep its technological edge. The Agency's presentation will highlight NATO's ongoing work in space, data science and cyber security, and will allow time for questions Kevin J. Scheid, NCI Agency General Manager, said “We look forward to introducing the Agency – NATO's technology lead – to the Austin tech community. Join us to learn about how we are maintaining NATO's edge in critical areas such as space, data science and cyber security. Hear how the NCI Agency is driving NATO's digital transformation, and how your innovative ideas can support the NATO Alliance In December, NATO Heads of States declared space an operational domain for NATO. The Agency has been involved in space since the 1970s, but is now taking steps to create a NATO Space Technology Centre Laryssa Patten, Space Portfolio Manager at the Agency, said “The strength of the space industry in NATO countries, which produce cutting-edge technologies, contributes significantly to the space superiority of NATO. NATO is capitalizing on innovations from all businesses, academia and non-profits in this area to maintain our edge. Laryssa Patten, Space Portfolio Manager at the Agency, said “The strength of the space industry in NATO countries, which produce cutting-edge technologies, contributes significantly to the space superiority of NATO. NATO is capitalizing on innovations from all businesses, academia and non-profits in this area to maintain our edge. Learn more about the Agency's initiative to help the Alliance maintain its space superiority, and similar efforts it is driving in data science, and cyber security Presentation Details “Keeping NATO's Technological Edge 18 March 2020 from 11 00 a.m. – 12 00 p.m Hilton Austin Downtown – Salon No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency will be presenting at South by Southwest (SXSW) on 18 March 2020 on how NATO is evolving to keep its technological edge. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is touching down in Austin, Texas, United States in March.

general 1 776 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-contributes-expertise-to-machine-learning-hackathon.aspx Led by NAT s Allied Command Transformation (ACT), the hackathon is an opportunity to experiment with applying emerging technologies to NATO use cases. The hackathon focused on machine learning this year, after it was discussed at the Fall 2019 TIDE Sprin . Solutions from this hackathon may be fed back into the next TIDE Sprin event for further discussion, creating a pathway for innovative solutions to continue to advance until they could be mature enough to be implemented at NATO It is like every technology that we use – it's complicated, it's sophisticated, and it has the potential to be incredibly powerful, said Dr Michael Street, Head of Innovation and Data Science at the NCI Agency, of machine learning. NATO is addressing this, as are many of the Nations how can we use machine learning to help commanders make better decisions faster? The Agency helped develop one of the challenges in partnership with ACT, and several Agency experts participated in the hackathon to provide mentorship and guidance. The Agency participants did not compete for the hackathon prize The real value we are getting here is talking with all the participants and listening to their innovative and different ideas, said Ivana Ilic Mestric, Senior Data Scientist at the NCI Agency. The participants get to learn more about NATO and take that knowledge back to their organisations. Events like these bring fresh thinking and different stimulus to a particular problem, Street said This is giving people in NATO a sense of what's possible, what's technically feasible, how could this be used or how would people work with it, Street said. It's a very different perspective on how we start to develop requirements, in areas where the technology's moving fast and the operational challenges are moving fast. Participants had the choice of three different challenges to tackle during the hackathon The Agency and ACT developed one of the three challenges, to dynamically label voice and video. In this use case, participants were asked to use machine learning to teach a system to switch the classification of a video stream or voice call. The goal was to develop a system for calls or video streams that could automatically restrict access to classified content for participants not cleared to receive it The hackathon winner, 'Team FRONT,' demonstrated a solution to this challenge. Team FRONT was a team of software developers from the Polish Ministry of Defence IT Projects Centre In complex, difficult military environments, Commanders and decision-makers need all the help they can get, all the support they can get, in a whole range of areas, Street said. Machine learning is a tool which has come of age now. Another challenge developed by ACT focused on extracting data from documents. IBM Watson Centre, the host of this year's hackathon, proposed a third focused on predicting crises No

Led by NATO39;s Allied Command Transformation (ACT), the TIDE Hackathon is an opportunity to experiment with applying emerging technologies to NATO use cases. Experts from the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency supported the machine learning-focused TIDE Hackathon last week.

general 1 777 1 about-us/newsroom/we-are-nato-six-staffers-journeys-with-a-nato-agency.aspx In honour of International Women's Day on 8 March 2020, we asked six staff members at the Agency how they began their journey at the Agency, and what they do today Around 3,000 people contribute every day to maintaining NATO's technological edge. The staff of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency lead NATO's digital endeavour. They are a mix of civilian, military, and contractors from Nations across the Alliance, with expertise in a wide range of areas, from data analytics, to business planning. In honour of International Women's Day on 8 March 2020, we asked six staff members at the Agency how they began their journey at the Agency, and what they do today. Learn more about their work, and hear some words of wisdom about their fields, and life at NATO, below. Did you read the article we published for IWD 2019? NCI Agency Diversity Advocate Diana De Vivo offered her perspective on diversity and inclusion. Check it out her . Sandra Antune Conferences and Events Coordinator, NCI Agenc During conferences and events, Antunes is working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly Today, one of Antunes's roles includes settling the ins and outs of the event app for NATO's largest industry engagement, NITEC, which will be used by the industry and government participants to manage their event and schedule meetings “I am part of a great team, and together we enable daily meetings and conferences by doing all the necessary arrangements so that all is set and ready to welcome our teams and leaders to discuss, Antunes said Antunes joined the Agency in 2018 “The job description was exactly what I was looking for, and even if the idea of working in such a big and powerful organization was way too far from what I thought I was destined for, I decided to give it a try, I did not have anything to lose, Antunes said Each day in the role brings a new challenge or achievement – and no day is boring “From the small meetings to the wider conferences, I really enjoy the moment when I close the door of a meeting room behind me knowing that everything is running as it should and that the people inside that room will be discussing all kinds of important subjects, Antunes said There are plenty of opportunities in NATO, in all sorts of fields “If you did not yet find the job that fits your profile, keep checking the nato.taleo.net portal, Antunes said. “Don't forget of course to take risks, to travel, to meet new people and be confident that whatever your dream is, there's always a place for everyone to shine. Working at NATO is an enriching experience, Antunes said “I love the fact that both civilians and military from all over the world meet in one place, she said, adding, “It's extremely encouraging to come to work every day to find all of these amazing people full of great ideas and motivation to make things happen. Sylvie Marte Operational Analysis Chief, NCI Agenc Martel leads a team of about 30 operational analysts who are applying scientific methods to solve problems that civilian and military decision makers are facing. And the team she leads, she said, is the best part of her job “I am very privileged to lead an outstanding team of professionals who are very talented and knowledgeable, highly motivated, hardworking and dedicated to delivering high quality analytical products to our customers in a timely manner, Martel said. “Their enthusiasm and ability to work efficiently as a team makes it very easy for me to manage them, and our business. Martel came to the Agency from the Canadian Department of National Defence, where she worked as an operational analyst “I was attracted by the opportunity to work in an international environment and learn more about the breadth of military capabilities available within all NATO countries, Martel said. “I wanted also to experience living and travelling in Europe. In September 2001, Martel joined a predecessor organization of the NCI Agency, the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) as an operational analyst (OA) with maritime domain expertise. She supported the Strategic Commanders in their efforts to identify future capabilities that NATO would need to accomplish its missions “Working alongside military officers across NATO Nations has been a unique experience for me. One of the challenges faced by OA practitioners is to find ways to explain the approach and outcome of scientific analyses in simple manner – the appreciation you get from those you are helping is very rewarding. This has kept me going for all these years! One of her recent challenging assignments at the Agency came in 2019 when Martel was asked to serve as Acting Head of General Services (GS) “This assignment took me completely out of my comfort zone, Martel said One of the challenges was managing a much larger team, composed of more than 100 staff with skill sets very different from her team of operational analysts “I found this experience very enriching professionally and personally, providing me with the opportunity to appreciate the services delivered by GS from the provider's perspective rather than the requester, Martel said To those beginning a new management role, Martel said she would advise they make time for their staff “Keep them appraised of what's happening at senior management level and listen to their concerns, Martel said. “Provide them with constructive feedback, and seek feedback on your own behaviour and approach to managing them. Though Martel's role necessitates many hours on the computer, she said she always finds time to be in the outdoors – walking, jogging or riding her bicycle “I commute to work on my bicycle every day, rain or shine, Martel said Maria-Rosa Moros Knowledge Manager, NCI Agenc Some call Moroso a “possibilitarian and she likes the description As the leader of NCI Agency's information and knowledge management (IKM) efforts, Moroso has to consider all of the possible ways staff can create, use and share information. The IKM team ensures the Agency remains a knowledge-centric organization, where access to data, information and expertise is made easy, and where the organizational culture promotes transparency, sharing and collaboration “People, and their knowledge, is any organization's most powerful asset, Moroso said. “NCI Agency is a knowledge-centric organization, therefore, people are at the centre! The Agency's knowledge management journey is indeed an organizational change management effort, and it is made possible with key enablers, including technology, that help staff to store, find, share and create new information for their collective knowledge and continuous learning. “We assure that the technology, and other enablers, are developed around the people and their behaviours, Moroso said. The latest Intranet uplift, as an example, “was transformational from a content management and information access perspective, Moroso said. The Agency's 2018-2023 Strategic Plan sees knowledge management as essential in the Agency's effort to lead NATO's digital endeavour Moroso first joined NATO in 1998. Until 2004, she worked at then-Joint Command South, in Verona, Italy, and then she spent a few years at an organization now called the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation in La Spezia. Ten years after she began her first role at NATO, Moroso joined the NCI Agency What Moroso enjoys most about her job, in her own words, is working with a small core team of direct reports and a distributed team across all Agency locations “helping staff perform at their best by facilitating their knowledge sharing. Emotional intelligence, political agility and resilience are key ingredients to personal and professional success at a NATO body, Moroso said. “You may join NATO for a variety of reasons, but to remain and feel fulfilled, you need to believe in NATO's greater mission of freedom and security, Moroso said Moroso lives and works by a few fundamental rules, one of them being that kindness is not a weakness. As one of her other key rules, she noted that, “there are no shortcuts. Hard work will always pay off in the end. Selma Tata Chief Business Planning Management Branch, NCI Agenc To some, Tatar is known by the title of “woman of maximum determination. She earned the moniker while serving as the project manager of a mission-critical effort to migrate existing disparate networks to a virtualized server environment. Her team had to ensure this migration took place without disrupting the existing service, as the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan was using the networks “We had been fighting against time because we had to complete the migration before March-April, Tatar said. “We were able to complete the migration early March. This is the most interesting project Tatar has worked on, she said, but it is by no means the only Tatar began her career in NATO in February 2002 as a telecommunications engineer. As her background is electrical engineering, she switched to the NC3A in September 2006 Today she works as the Branch Chief of Business Planning Management. Her branch is responsible for assessing the evolving demand of the Agency's customer base and balancing the workforce capacity against the demand. Her team develops several important plans, including the annual Business and Workforce Plans, and most importantly, governs the Agency Costed Customer Service Catalogue The Workforce plan is important, as the NCI Agency is customer funded. The Plan helps the Agency balance demand and supply, and track the allocation of the workforce to business portfolios. The team also controls the overall ution of the Agency's business targets She and her team are also leading the most important change management programme in the service delivery area, implementation of an Enterprise Service Delivery Model “Every day is another challenge, especially if you are implementing new concepts, processes or tools and introducing business changes, Tatar said. “I really enjoy seeing some steps that we have taken towards change are being adopted by the Agency. Though NATO can be a challenging environment at first, Tatar recommended new joiners not get discouraged “Of course I would like to see more women joining, especially in technical areas, Tatar said. “Therefore I recommend parents encourage their daughters to study one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) disciplines. I can assure you it is fun, I mean both studying and working in these areas. We need more determined women. Tatar noted that women in STEM careers are often asked to prove their experience more than men “I don't want to be seen as 'she is there because of her gender,' Tatar said. “I am here because of my engineering profession, my solid background in IT and telecommunications and my other complementary soft skills and qualifications, not because I am woman. Tatar noted she manages a team of 15 highly qualified staff, 10 of which are women “I selected them not because they are women, but they have proven that they are highly qualified, as are my other team members, Tatar said Virginie Viscard Senior NCI Agency Representative in North Americ When organizations in North America are interested in learning more about NATO's technology, they have someone to call Viscardy is the Agency's representative in North America. Working out of the United States at the headquarters of Allied Command Transformation, Viscardy develops strategies for engaging with the Agency's stakeholders in the region. That means reaching out to government, defence and non-traditional industry, academia and not-for-profit organizations to maintain relationships, and build new ones. In her role today, Viscardy is also working on developing the content of the Agency's upcoming industry conference, NITEC20 “I love connecting my Agency with new entities interested in NATO in general or in business opportunities with the Agency, Viscardy said. “I strive to be an intelligent gateway between the Agency and the North American region. I also love being able to engage with young students and graduates or people interested in changing careers and discuss what NATO has to offer. In her spare time, Viscardy also volunteers as a Gender Focal Point at the headquarters. In support of ACT's Gender Advisor, she provides advice and recommendations to ensure that a gender perspective is integrated in the development of policies, concepts and conferences Viscardy joined the Agency in June 2003, shortly after graduating from university “I remember dreaming about being able to do something like this when I started my career in the Agency 16 years ago! Viscardy said During her years with the Agency, Viscardy has worked in a variety of roles. She even volunteered in 2016 to deploy for six weeks to Kabul, Afghanistan, to support the Chief of Staff of the Resolute Support Mission “As a civilian with no military experience, I believed that to be truly useful in my daily job. I needed to experience what NATO troops were facing in missions and operations, Viscardy said. “This made me much more aware, and appreciative of what our organization is truly about, and has increased my dedication to help our warfighters get the tools and capabilities they need to successfully complete their mission. During her time there, Viscardy also worked with the NATO Gender Advisor. Viscardy helped her put in place a project designed to help female recruits in the police and Armed Forces safely file reports of violence and sexual harassment across the country To someone wanting to begin a career in NATO, Viscardy would give the simple advice to “apply, apply, apply! “Even if you don't meet 100% of the essential criteria, apply anyway! Viscardy said LTC Jennifer Lile Executive Officer for the Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit in Izmir, NCI Agenc Liles is the Executive Officer for the Agency's CIS Support Unit in Izmir, Turkey In this role, LTC Liles is the right hand for the Commander of the Unit in Izmir. She oversees the yearly budget, ordering of supplies, storage, and inventory for the Unit in Izmir. Her duties include all communication support for NATO's Allied Land Command and its six detachments in Turkey. Because of her position, LTC Liles is also the senior national representative (SNR) for all United States personnel assigned to CSU Izmir. Liles joined the Agency in June of 2019. Her background in the United States Army includes serving as Company Commander at Fort Hood, Texas, as part of a communication organization. LTC Liles served also recently at the Pentagon, where she managed and facilitated operational IT functions within her division. She plans to return to the Pentagon once her rotation at the Unit in Izmir is complete Asked what she enjoys most about the job, Liles said “being integrated and working with the different Nations. Staff at the Agency come from across the NATO Alliance. Coming from the United States, she has immersed herself in learning the rich cultures that her location has to offer The most interesting project Liles has worked on in the role so far has been a cabling project to prepare for an IT modernization upgrade “It is a very unique project in that the old cabling infrastructure in CSU Izmir needed to be replaced, and the team and I had to learn the regulations, Liles said Asked for advice to someone beginning a career at NATO, Liles advised to be very cognisant of the different cultures you will encounter at NATO. The NCI Agency is composed of military and civilian employees of different nationalities, religions and cultures “Always try to do your research if you are planning on working in a different country than yours, Liles also advise No

In honour of International Women's Day on 8 March 2020, we asked six staff members at the Agency how they began their journey at the Agency, and what they do today. Around 3,000 people contribute every day to maintaining NATO's technological edge.

general 1 778 1 about-us/newsroom/knowledge-management-programme-spurs-increased-sharing-amongst-staff-in-2019.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's 2018-2023 Strategic Plan sees knowledge management as essential in the Agency's effort to lead NATO's digital endeavour. In 2015, the Agency began its knowledge management change effort with the intention of changing staff behaviour online and offline toward increased communication and information sharing. And in the past year, the Agency has since seen extensive traction and advancement in terms of transparency, and increased internal communication and sharing behaviours across its sites and amongst its staff The Agency's knowledge management programme has focused on addressing the internal online environment and day-to-day management of data, information and content, while embracing the NATO Information Management Authority's principle of “Responsibility-to-Share. Agency leadership recognizes staff – and their knowledge – as the Agency's most valuable asset. The Agency is a knowledge-centric organization, where access to data, information and expertise is made easy, and where the organizational culture promotes transparency, sharing and collaboration The NCI Agency is applying the American Productivity and Quality Center' best industry frameworks and practices, and is taking the Center's yearly knowledge management capability maturity assessment to assess whether its maturity in the area increases. The aim is to reach a Level 3 maturity by the end of 2019. This is the maturity level needed to allow consistent and tangible business benefits to be achieved from good knowledge management practices The NCI Agency Knowledge Management Strategy and supporting detailed Knowledge Management Plan have been instrumental to the successful ution of this programme. You can access the Agency's Knowledge Management Strategy for 2019-2021, “Knowledge is Power when Shared, below No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency 2018-2023 Strategic Plan sees knowledge management as essential in the Agency effort to lead NATOs digital endeavour.

general 1 779 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-receives-award-for-excellence-in-knowledge-management.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has been recognized for “excellence in knowledge management by APQ , a benchmarking and best practices research firm The firm recognized 12 organizations as winners of its Excellence in Knowledge Management award for 2020. The winners will be formally recognized at APQC's 25th annual Knowledge Management Conferenc , to be held on 29 April to 1 May in Houston, Texas, United States Knowledge Management is not a destination, it's a journey, said NCI Agency Knowledge Manager Maria-Rosa Moroso. “This recognition is only telling us we are travelling in the right direction. Now comes the critical work of making sure the journey creates value to the organization and its staff. Launched in 2019, the award is based on an analysis from APQC's Knowledge Management Capability Assessment Too , which provides an evidence-based methodology with which to measure and evaluate KM competencies across four categories strategy, people, process and content and information technology “All of the award winners generate impactful results through sustainable knowledge management programs, said Dr Carla O'Dell, chairman of APQC. “We are excited to name this second class of awardees and recognize the practical, productive, and measurable uses of knowledge they have established within their organizations. After completing the assessment, organizations are assigned an overall maturity rating for their KM programme, as well as scores for 12 different capabilities. Organizations achieving level three, four or five maturity were recognized with the 2020 Excellence in Knowledge Management award. The NCI Agency achieved level three “We have conducted KM assessments for many years on hundreds of organizations around the world, provide keen insight into how companies compare to their peers in harnessing and deploying knowledge to achieve business impact, noted Cindy Hubert, APQC utive director of client solutions. “It is our honour to once again recognize those knowledge programs that have achieved high levels of maturity and to showcase the value they are bringing to their organizations. Read more about the NCI Agency's knowledge management efforts here Thank you APQC for the Knowledge Management Excellence Award, but more importantly, thank you for making your knowledge and experience available to us over these past four years! We look forward to many more years of fruitful learning from and with you, Moroso said. No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has been recognized for “excellence in knowledge management" by APQC, a benchmarking and best practices research firm.The firm recognized 12 organizations as winners of its Excellence in Knowledge Management award for 2020. The winners will be formally recognized at APQC39;s 25th annual Knowledge Management Conference, to be held on 29 April to 1 May in Houston, Texas, United States."Knowledge Management is not a destination, it39;s a journey," said NCI Agency Knowledge Manager Maria-Rosa Moroso. “This recognition is only telling us we are travelling in the right direction. Now comes the critical work of making sure the journey creates value to the organization and its staff."Launched in 2019, the award is based on an analysis from APQC39;s Knowledge Management Capability Assessment Tool, which provides an evidence-based methodology with which to measure and evaluate KM competencies across four categories strategy, people, process and content and information technology.“All of the award winners generate impactful results through sustainable knowledge management programs," said Dr Carla O39;Dell, chairman of APQC. “We are excited to name this second class of awardees and recognize the practical, productive, and measurable uses of knowledge they have established within their organizations."After completing the assessment, organizations are assigned an overall maturity rating for their KM programme, as well as scores for 12 different capabilities. Organizations achieving level three, four or five maturity were recognized with the 2020 Excellence in Knowledge Management award. The NCI Agency achieved level three.“We have conducted KM assessments for many years on hundreds of organizations around the world, provide keen insight into how companies compare to their peers in harnessing and deploying knowledge to achieve business impact," noted Cindy Hubert, APQC executive director of client solutions. “It is our honour to once again recognize those knowledge programs that have achieved high levels of maturity and to showcase the value they are bringing to their organizations."Read more about the NCI Agency39;s knowledge management efforts here."Thank you APQC for the Knowledge Management Excellence Award, but more importantly, thank you for making your knowledge and experience available to us over these past four years! We look forward to many more years of fruitful learning from and with you," Moroso said.

general 1 780 1 about-us/newsroom/industry-partners-support-nci-agency-transition-to-eprocurement.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency hosted on 5 and 6 March 2020 industry events in Brussels, Belgium to introduce the upcoming transition to Neo, the Agency's new eProcurement tool These events are two of many engagements the Agency is hosting with external stakeholders to establish a partnership during this important conversion to online procurement During the event, the Agency gave a demo of the tool to the attendees, and solicited their feedback. Neo will be released in several stages. The Agency plans to complete the transition to Neo in the last quarter of 2020 It is rewarding to see our industry partners embracing this important uplift of the Agency's procurement. We will all reap the benefits if transitions like these are approached with a partnership mindset, said Agata Szydelko, Neo Business Change Manager for the NCI Agency Acquisition Directorate. Neo will uplift the NCI Agency's procurement to an efficient, automated and digital bidding and contract management system. This is the first time an external-facing eProcurement tool will be integrated with a NATO internal system. Neo will bring facilitated communication on business opportunities and reduced administrative burden. Suppliers will have access to two key modules of the system The iSupplier module, which will allow for easy self-service profile management of supplier records, and The Sourcing module, which will assure efficient engagement of suppliers throughout all stages of the tendering The Agency will provide instructions on how to register for Neo in due course. No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency hosted on 5 and 6 March 2020 industry events in Brussels, Belgium to introduce the upcoming transition to Neo, the Agency39;s new eProcurement tool.

general 1 781 1 about-us/newsroom/nitec20-postponed.aspx We regret to inform you that we are postponing NITEC20 - NATO's largest tech industry engagement. The event was originally scheduled to take place on 26-28 May in Austin, Texas, United States We are disappointed to be delaying this important industry event with our NATO community, but the NCI Agency is committed to planning a safe event for everyone The NCI Agency has monitored closely the developments regarding the COVID-19 virus, and current recommendations of national authorities and health agencies. NATO has robust business continuity measures and plans in place to ensure that our essential work continues. Travel restrictions and flight cancellations have affected many organizations, including our industry partners, across the Alliance That said, a dialogue with industry is important to us. We want to keep industry players informed about our procurement pipeline. The NCI Agency is devoted to hosting a premier technology event that maximizes opportunities for networking and one-on-one conversations to enhance business for our participants This is why we are planning to host the next NITEC event in spring 2021 We remain committed to bringing NATO's largest tech industry engagement to Austin, Texas, an emerging hub for technology. We look forward to showcasing this ecosystem to our NITEC attendees in 2021. We will also announce the dates for the next NIAS at NITEC Stay tuned for the save the date announcement for our next event Registered participants will be refunded the full conference registration fee. We will inform you when we begin the refund process No

We regret to inform you that we are postponing NITEC20 - NATO's largest tech industry engagement. The event was originally scheduled to take place on 26-28 May in Austin, Texas, United States.

general 1 782 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-kicks-off-work-on-bulgarian-nato-combat-identification-system-upgrades-.aspx ​The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has begun work on a project to upgrade several of Bulgaria's air defence radars, aircraft and naval vessels to the new NATO Combat Identification System Equipment using the current standard, Mode 4, must be upgraded to Mode 5. In time, Mode 5 will be used for all NATO operations Bulgaria's Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the NCI Agency signed in November 2019 a technical arrangement and a statement of work. The Agency held a kick-off meeting in January 2020 in Sofia, Bulgaria, to begin the project The Agency, who is the acquisition agent for Bulgaria, will acquire the Mode 5 upgrade for various platforms 16 air defence radars, six Navy vessels, six helicopters and two transport aircraft. “This is a challenge faced by many NATO Nations, as Mode 4 is being phased out of operations. We are happy to support Bulgaria in their investment in technology to improve NATO operations, said Rene Thaens, Head of the Electronic Warfare and Sensors Branch of the NCI Agency. The Electronic Warfare and Sensors Branch of the Agency runs this project The project is funded by the Bulgarian MoD, and currently has a value of 10.3 million EUR for phase 1, which is focused on priority upgrades. With the addition of a second phase to upgrade additional platforms, the value of the project will increase further. The next milestone is the end of the feasibility study in which the details of phase 2 will be defined The air defence radars will be upgraded first, and are expected to be completed at the end of 2020 Yes

​The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has begun work on a project to upgrade several of Bulgaria39;s air defence radars, aircraft and naval vessels to the new NATO Combat Identification System.

general 1 783 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/provide-information-administration-services-and-upgrade-nato-information-portal-ias.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-15079-IAS graham.hindle t 20 December 2019 24 January 2020 Q3 2020 5 May 2020 24 July 2020

NATO has a requirement to provide Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) Services together with 5 years operation and maintenance.

general 1 784 1 sitemap/securitytestab.aspx Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book

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general 1 791 1 business/current-opportunities/ms/115086-ACCS.aspx Download MS/RF Reference MS/RFI release MS/RFI closing Contact email Entry Last Modified MS-CO-115086-ACCS Katharina.Schwarz t 17 March 2020 Extended to 13 May 2020 Industry

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is seeking inputs from Nations and their Industry regarding the Development of a Deployable Passive Electronic Support Measures (ESM) Tracker (DPET)

general 1 792 1 business/current-opportunities/boa/115009-FIT.aspx Download RF Reference RFQ release RFQ closing Contact email Expected contract award Entry Last Modified RFQ-CO-115009-FIT Darren.Corkindale t January 2020 Postponed to 17 April 2020 suitable

The NCI Agency is seeking the acquisition and deployment of cyber security computer forensics and investigative tools. These systems are part of the existing NATO Computer Incident Response Centre (NCIRC) which is operated centrally at SHAPE, Mons.

general 1 793 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15038-GMT.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-15038-GMT Eva.Benson t 19 June 2020 1 July 2020 Q4 2020 3 July 2020 21 September 2020

The NCI Agency is responsible for the in-service support of major NATO Communications and Information Systems. The NCI Agency has a requirement for the proision of Global Mobile Telephony Service.Under NCIA/ACQ/2020/12,873 dated 26 November 2019 an NOI was issued announcing this requirement. This Notification withdraws the previous announcement, IFB, and amendments issued. This decision is required in order to allow firms previously not interested in participating the opportunity to partake due to the revisions made to the requirement. The basis of award is revised to become more suitable to the realities of the telecom market by allowing partial bidding.

general 1 794 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15575-BMD.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-15575-BMD Martin.Steenwege t 16 March 2020 22 April 2020 Q3 2021 3 June 2020 1 September 2020

This is notification of an International Competitive Bidding for the provision for System Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Support for the Agency's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme.

general 1 795 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/14974-BMD.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-14974-BMD IFB-CO-14974-BMD t 19 December 2019 3 February 2020 Q2 2021 Q3 2020 Q4 2020

The NCI Agency hereby notifies the Nations of its Intent to Call for Competitive Bidding for the provision of functional and performance enhancements over the current open framework services of Ballistic Missile Defense Integrated Test Bed (BMD ITB). The BMD ITB was designed and built to support the original Active Layered Theatre Missile Defense (ALTBMD) Programme.The BMD ITB supports test and exercise events at both the system and architecture level. In its primary role conducting technical verification and integration, the BMD ITB ensures that technical requirements are met and that operational interoperability with other NATO and National systemsis assured.

general 1 796 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15049-BITI.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-15049-BITI Graham.Hindle t 17 February 2020 Postponed to 14 April 2020 Q4 2020 5 June 2020 Postponed to 14 September 2020

Crisis Response Operations Urgent Requirements (CUR) 1896-2017 and CUR 1911-2019 as a costed and evaluated option will perform the technical refresh of the Balkans Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure replacing obsolete hardware and unsupported software across 3 network classifications at 15 locations that support NATO and EUFOR missions in the BALKANS Joint Operations Area (JOA), MONS (BE) Be and NAPLES (IT).INVITATION FOR BID NO. IFB-CO-15049-BITI TECHNICAL REFRESH OF BALKANS IT INFRASTRUCTURE issued Fri 6/5/2020.INVITATION FOR BID NO. IFB-CO-15049-BITI TECHNICAL REFRESH OF BALKANS IT INFRASTRUCTURE _ Corrigendum 1 issued Wed 6/10/2020.INVITATION FOR BID NO. IFB-CO-15049-BITI TECHNICAL REFRESH OF BALKANS IT INFRASTRUCTURE _ Amendment 1 issued Wed 6/24/2020.INVITATION FOR BID NO. IFB-CO-15049-BITI TECHNICAL REFRESH OF BALKANS IT INFRASTRUCTURE _ Amendment 2 issued 03 July 2020INVITATION FOR BID NO. IFB-CO-15049-BITI TECHNICAL REFRESH OF BALKANS IT INFRASTRUCTURE _ Corrigendum 2 issued 06 July2020

general 1 797 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/115049-NCOP.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-115049-NCOP Radu.Munteanu t 27 February 2020 2 April 2020 Q2 2021 Postponed to Q3 2020 Postponed to Q3 2020

The NCI Agency is planning to issue an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to deploy NCOP Increment 2. This project will include the installation, activation, training and support. It is planned to issue the IFB in accordance with standard International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procedure, i.e. lowest priced technically compliant Bid.

general 1 798 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/115125-e-FAST.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB release IFB closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-115125-e-FAST Werner.Goos t 27 March 2020 Extended to 20 April 2020 June 2020 Q2 2020 TBD

The NCI Agency plans to issue an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for e-FAST Hardware Equipment which will result in the award of up to 4 Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Single Award Schedules, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity, Delivery Order Contracts. The purpose of these contracts is to establish contractual vehicles that quickly meet requirements for commericial IT of multiple funding sources at the NATO Enterprise level.

general 1 799 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-plans-to-release-invitation-for-bids-to-upgrade-nato-intelligence-capability-.aspx ​The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency intends to release in Q2 2020 an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to upgrade and add functionality to NATO's Intelligence Functional Services (INTEL-FS) capability. NATO uses the INTEL-FS capability to manage collection, dissemination, and use of intelligence information. This invitation will be for the next major version (referred to as “Spiral 2 ) of the INTEL-FS capability. With INTEL-FS Spiral 2 NATO will acquire an improved capability that includes a major technology modernization, and the addition of new functionalities in support of ballistic missile defence and usage of signals intelligence information “INTEL-FS is already in its existing version providing NATO Commands with comprehensive and relevant intelligence in a timely and responsive manner. The next version will include significant improvements that will support the NATO intelligence function, said Trond Skaar, Principal Scientist in the NCI Agency's Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Service Line INTEL-FS Spiral 2 will improve the Spiral 1 provided capabilities with the additions of collection management and signals intelligence, enhanced interoperability with other NATO functional services and with national systems, and an initial functionality that supports ballistic missile defence The NCI Agency will award two contracts, one for the “front-end user applications, and another for the “back-end intelligence information platform that will be managing the data and integrating with external systems and services Bidders for the “front-end user applications contract will need to have strong User Experience (UX) skills and extensive experience in developing web applications in the Angular framework, and in data and graph visualizations Bidders for the “back-end intelligence information platform will need to have strong skills and experience in developing high performance and scalable back-end information services, where these services include highly efficient REST OData interfaces, graph query interfaces and faceted search queries. The NCI Agency intends to manage these contracts using elements of the agile methodology, in place of the traditional waterfall approach to testing and acceptance Bidders are free to bid on either one, or on both contracts. The evaluations will be conducted separately, so a bidder who submits a bid for both contracts may be selected for only one of them The initial estimation of the combined value of the front-end and the back-end is 15,800,000 EUR. This cost estimation will be updated prior to release of the IFB The Agency plans to award a contract in the first quarter of 2021 Download the Notification of Intent to Invite Bids here Questions on the project can be directed to the point of contact for the IFB Dan Gaertner at daniel.gaertner@ncia.nato.in . No

​The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency intends to release in Q2 2020 an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to upgrade and add functionality to NATO's Intelligence Functional Services (INTEL-FS) capability.

general 1 800 1 nitech-magazine/read-the-second-edition-of-nitech-magazine-today.aspx The second edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) Magazine is out now, and we can't wait for you to read it The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency leads NATO's digital endeavour. This magazine will help you learn more about what we are doing, and how you can help us. We need involvement from industry, not-for-profits and academia to help NATO maintain its technological edge This second edition focuses on cyber security to coincide with the 15th edition of the NATO Information Assurance Symposium, or NIAS. The conference focused this year on Digital transformation smart machines for smarter decisions. The magazine also includes information on some of the other work we do in areas such as space and big data The magazine features interviews with Clare Hutchinson, NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, Dr Antonio Missiroli, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges and US Department of Homeland Security Chief Information Officer Dr John Zangardi. It also includes an interview with the NCI Agency's new Chief of Staff, MGEN Göksel Sevindik You can download and read the magazine free of charge on Issuu her

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general 1 801 1 employment/what-we-offer.aspx Basic salaries and allowances/supplements are not subject to income tax, by virtue of the Ottawa Agreement Staff members are recruited at pay step one of their category and grade. Subject to satisfactory performance, higher steps are awarded in subsequent years. Annual adjustments are normally applied to all scales to compensate for the changes in salary purchasing power and the cost of living Basic Salar Basic Salary is the salary for the category and grade. The entry level (Step 1) of the salary scales applicable to the duty countries of where NCI Agency is situated can be found her Allowance In accordance with NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations (NCPRs), various allowances may be payable such as for example Expatriation Allowanc Basic Family Allowanc Dependent Child Supplemen Education Allowanc Installation Allowanc The payment of NATO allowances is subject to the deduction of allowances/supplements of the same nature to which the household/family unit or the unmarried staff member may be entitled When two staff members are married to each other, work for the same or different Coordinated Organisation, special provisions are in place with regards to the payment of allowances Expatriation allowanc - It is paid to staff members in categories A, L and B who, at the time of their appointment, are not nationals of the host country and who have not been continuously resident in the host country for at least one year. It amounts to 10% of basic salary (calculated on the first step in grade of recruitment). When determining the continuous nature of the residence, the Agency mainly considers the physical place of work of the person concerned at the time of appointment Interruptions in residing in a given country for personal or professional reasons (e.g. vacations, official travel or returning to the home country pending finalization of the recruitment process) do not automatically result in a discontinuity of the residence in that country. The Agency's decision will be taken in line with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations and is independent of any formal qualification made by national authorities. Registration in a population, social security or fiscal register is therefore not decisive as far as the qualification made by the Agency is concerned. Below is an example of how the criteria given above is applied. Example A new staff member was appointed at NIC Agency Mons in September 2017. She is of Romanian nationality and worked as a contractor at NCI Agency for one year prior to appointment This staff member will not be entitled to an expatriation allowance because her physical place of work, prior to being appointed, was at NCI Agency. The Expatriation Allowance is 10% of the basic salary. This percentage is progressively reduced by two percentage points after 5 years until it reaches 0% as from year 10. Entitlement to this allowance resumes when the staff member moves to another country where he/she is eligible to expatriation allowance Basic Family allowance (BF ) - Paid monthly to eligible staff members who are married and his/her spouse have established a family unit at the duty station and if the spouse's overall income is below a certain threshold. Spouse's income above the threshold results in full deduction of BFA + Supplement for Expatriation Supplement for Expatriatio Payable when the married staff member is entitled to the Basic Family Allowance and expatriation allowance Period of payment for the BFA (and supplement for Expatriation Paid up to five consecutive years for staff not entitled to Expatriation Allowance Reduced over time for expatriates from the same geographical zone* (paid in full for five years then gradually reduced to zero over five years Not reduced for expatriates from another geographical zone *The geographical zones shall be defined as follows EME (Europe and Middle East), Africa, Americas (North, Central and South America), Asia and Pacific (Far East and Pacific countries) Dependent Child Supplemen – Payable for each child under the age of 18 (22 years if in full-time education) and recognized as a dependent child within the meaning of the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations. Child expatriation allowanc - Recognized expatriated staff members who have dependent children are eligible for a child expatriation allowance Education Allowanc - Staff entitled to Expatriation Allowance whose children are in compulsory education may be entitled to an education allowance. Installation Allowanc – Staff members whose actual and habitual residence at the time of taking up duty is more than 100km and are moving to take up their appointment are entitled to an Installation Allowance. The physical place of work concerned is mainly considered for determining eligibility for this benefit. The basic amount of Installation allowance depends on the duty country and if there is an entitlement to expatriation allowance. Supplements may be payable for dependents recognized at the time of taking up duty and who have settled their actual and habitual residence with the staff member at the duty station. A further supplement may be payable for staff members entitled to the expatriation allowance who change geographical zone* in order to settle their actual and habitual residence in the vicinity of the assigned duty station *The geographical zones are as follows EME (Europe and Middle East), Africa, Americas (North, Central and South America), Asia and Pacific (Far East and Pacific countries) Travel and Removal Expenses Staff members entitled to Installation Allowance are reimbursed their travel and removal expenses on joining and leaving the Organization within certain limits. Pension Scheme NATO has an investment based pension scheme and all members are mandatorily affiliated to the scheme NATO's contribution to the scheme amounts to 12% of the basic salary. The employee's contribution amounts to 8% of basic salary. More information is available in the brochur Medical and Life Insuranc Staff members pay a premium for combined medical, invalidity and life insurance This covers Partial reimbursement of medical costs for staff members, their spouses and recognized dependent children Full reimbursement of medical costs for staff members in case of an accident on duty or occupational illnes An invalidity pension if the staff member is declared an invali A lump sum in the case of death of the staff member

No Description.

general 1 802 1 about-us/newsroom/behind-the-scenes-producing-the-next-nitech-magazine.aspx Twice a year, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency offers the world an insight into its activities within the pages of its NATO Innovation and Technology – NITECH – magazine. And, this year is no exception The aim of NITECH is to enable the NCI Agency to take stock of what it has achieved over the year and to share the progress of some of the key programmes and business opportunities with the wider NATO community and beyond Simon Michell, one of its two co-editors, reveals the concept behind the publication, “What we have created with NITECH is a virtual networking space for the NCI Agency and its stakeholders in NATO, industry and the not-for-profit community so that the Agency has an opportunity to share current successes, future plans and technology requirements. However, NITEC is not a one-way communication channel “It was always our aim to make the magazine a two-way mirror that reflects the views and ideas of its readership, Adelina Campos de Carvalho, the NCI Agency's editor explains. “NITECH enables NATO stakeholders to share their technology innovations, concepts and ideas. As the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated in the past weeks, scientific research and technological innovation are key to the survival of our societies, and to their progress. This is true for the Alliance as well – NATO must maintain its technological edge to address new and emerging threats, and continue to safeguard the freedom of nearly 1 billion citizens. The NATO Innovation and Technology magazine (NITECH) supports this effort. The publication provides insights from NATO's tech and cyber experts at the NCI Agency and features thought-leaders from across Allied industry, academia and the not-for-profit community, reflecting on the impact of new and disruptive technology on operations and society, sharing their advice and vision for better practices NITECH issue NATO Edge is well underway and already the NITECH community is gearing up to contribute to what is going to be another exciting and groundbreaking publication. The key themes are based around technology innovation, increasing the speed of Research and Development (R&D) and adopting dual-use technologies, including 5G and Artificial Intelligence The next edition, NITECH Issue 3 will be published in May 2020, and in parallel, we have started to work on the following edition NITECH Issue 4, to be published in October 2020. For further information and any suggestions on themes, ideas and concepts that you would like to appear in future issues please contact communication@ncia.nato.in . If you are an industry representative and wish to learn more about opportunities to feature your company in NITECH magazine, please get in touch with andrew.howard@global-mediapartners.co . No

Twice a year, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency offers the world an insight into its activities within the pages of its NATO Innovation and Technology – NITECH – magazine. And, this year is no exception.

general 1 803 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15049-BITI/amendment1.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified

No Description.

general 1 813 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/115125-e-FAST/amendment1.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified

No Description.

general 1 814 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15041-ECM.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-15041-ECM Daniel.Gaertner t

CANCELLEDThe NCI Agency is planning to issue an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to replace Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) Systems in support of Resolute support. This project will include the procurement, installation and testing of ECM equipment; as well as the on-site support of two Field Support Representatives (FSRs) permanently located in theatre. They will perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, troubleshoot in case of failure and provide operator training.

general 1 815 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15038-GMT/amendment1.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified

No Description.

general 1 816 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15038-GMT/amendment2.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified

No Description.

general 1 817 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-develops-software-to-estimate-areas-of-degraded-gnss-service.aspx Experts at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency have developed a software-based tool that can estimate the area where an interfering signal would degrade or deny Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) GNSSs, such as the United States' Global Positioning System (GPS) or the European Galileo, provide positioning and timing services, which are vital for NATO operations NATO's adversaries have the ability to degrade or deny GPS-enabled capabilities, said Jean-Philippe Saulay, a NATO Navigation and Identification Officer. NATO must take appropriate measures to ensure Allied forces can operate in a degraded or denied environment. With this tool, NATO can assess the scale of an interfering signal, and its potential impact on operations NATO must maintain superiority in the electromagnetic environment, including but not limited to, positioning, navigation and timing services, said Dr Enrico Casini, Communications and Navigation Engineer at the NCI Agency. Situational awareness of navigation systems in a contested electromagnetic environment contributes to that superiority. The Radar Electromagnetic and Communication Coverage Tool (REACT), was sponsored by the NATO Navigation and Identification Programme of Work. It serves as a proof-of-concept of how analytical tools could support the execution of operations. The tool is also available to NATO Nations free of charge. For now, the software is only used for trial and experimentation The software and its estimations have been shown to operators during exercise Trident Jupiter 2019 part to collect their feedback on it To use the software, operators input information on the particular jammers – their locations and technical characteristics – and the software produces a map of the area where the interfering signals would degrade or deny GNSS receivers. This can be displayed on the NATO Core Geographical Information System (GIS) map The next phase of the project is focused on ensuring the software can work on NATO classified networks, which would make it more available to operational commands to test and ensure such support measures are properly integrated into NATO operations NATO is enhancing its knowledge of electronic warfare technology, Dr Casini said. The electromagnetic environment has become even more contested in recent years. One aspect of that is interference with GNSS systems. No

Experts at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency have developed a software-based tool that can estimate the area where an interfering signal would degrade or deny Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs).

general 1 818 1 about-us/newsroom/nci-agency-connects-north-macedonia-to-nato-foreign-ministers-video-meeting.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency provided technology to connect the newest NATO Alliance Member Nation, North Macedonia, to the first meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers held on 2 April 2020 by secure video conference Multiple teams from across the Agency collaborated to achieve this result in such a short period of time Tyson McWha, the Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Project Manager, aligned the Agency-wide team to deliver the project It was incredible to see all parts of the Agency come together, focus on a common objective, and achieve the stated goal within the required timeframe, McWha said The Agency's Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit in Brussels, Belgium, together with experts from the NSII team, prepared the video teleconference systems (VTC) to be sent to North Macedonia, while supporting the normal VTCs taking place in NATO Headquarters The CIS Sustainment Support Centre, the main logistics and deployable system engineering depot within the NCI Agency, took the project manager's requests and planned the logistics. The centre coordinated transportation of the equipment with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency under extremely challenging circumstances due to the current COVID-19 borders restrictions During the execution we interacted with the different stakeholders in order to guarantee the success of the shipment and to meet the project deadlines, said COL Egbert Teeuw, Commander of the centre Once the shipment arrived, the work to install and test the system began. Eddy De Clerck, VTC Cell Head Engineer, coordinated these efforts, liaising with the VTC Control Centre in Mons, and technicians in North Macedonia Experts from the NATO Cyber Security Centre also ensured that all security matters were in place and tested so the Agency could provide a secure capability for both NATO and North Macedonia Finally, the CIS Support Unit in Brussels supported the NATO Secret VTC connection between NATO Headquarters and North Macedonia during the meeting. This shows the importance of digital communications in a modern world, and certainly, in time of crisis, said CSM Daniel Maesschalck, VTC Team Leader for the CIS Support Unit in Brussels. The NCI Agency delivered VTC support for an important event with professionalism, motivation and in such short notice. No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency provided technology to connect the newest NATO Alliance Member Nation, North Macedonia, to the first meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers held on 2 April 2020 by secure video conference.

general 1 819 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-staff-members-coach-italian-pupils-online-during-pandemic.aspx The COVID-19 crisis has not halted learning for a team of young students in Italy. Two staff members of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency are continuing to use online solutions to advise and support MyColleg , a team of young students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) topics living near the NCI Agency-managed Satellite Ground Station F14, in Lughezzano, Italy. Despite the difficult circumstances, the students, ages 13 and 14, have not given up on their goal of winning a global science competition – and neither have their NCI Agency volunteer coaches An international Agency operating on several fronts and dealing with multiple problems? It's exactly the kind of inspiration I was looking for my students, said the students' teacher, Emanuele Miliani, of the NCI Agency participation. They offer their expertise, their knowledge, their skills. Moreover, they are an example of commitment and work. The MyCollego team is preparing for the FIRST LEGO League global science competition, in hopes of receiving the Global Innovation Award. The team has been nominated – among three teams in Italy – to compete for the 2020 award. This is the second time the team has received such an honour The MyCollego team in a way, was already prepared for the isolation COVID-19 necessitates. The students live in a mountain area, which demands remote collaboration even during normal circumstances. In normal circumstances, however, the team also met in person to improve team building For me, technology increases the possibility of sharing experiences and creating networks between various local actors, Miliani said. There is no limit to the network; the students learn to manage the relationships 'in person' as well as the digital ones to find solutions and to break down borders. Miliani trained the students to use applications to interact with each other online, such as Google Classroom and Meet. The MyCollego team has also been supported by several coaches and Infomind , which provided beginner lessons in project management to aid the students in organizing their work This challenge about current topics allows me to work with the students in a practical and proactive way, Miliani said. I like the idea to approach things in a different way and to stimulate their creativity and fantasy in order to make them protagonists of their own future. For this year's competition, Massimo Foroncelli, a Satellite Communications Senior Technician from the NCI Agency, used his home laboratory to help the students create and programme environmental sensors to collect data about levels of carbon dioxide at their school during lessons While they were able to attend school in person, the students used the sensors to collect pollution data from their classrooms Following their research, they installed specific plants on walls that, according to them, are able to eat large amounts of carbon dioxide, providing more comfortable rooms with good air quality compared to the rooms without plants, Foroncelli said The students are committed to continuing their work remotely, going far beyond what can be achieved in normal class time, Foroncelli said Our support – as the NCI Agency – to these students is an added value that helps them to carry on these complicated activities, with the certitude that if they find big obstacles that they cannot achieve, we are there to help them, Foroncelli said Luca Campanile, Satellite Communications Senior Technician and Chief Public Affairs Officer for the ground station, helped the students produce a video they used during the national qualifier of the competition I have a strong sense of responsibility, Campanile said about volunteering. Although I have been dedicating part of my free time to this activity since 2018, my family supports me because they believe in what I do, that I can support coaches and students. The teachers themselves, Campanile noted, are dedicating extra time outside of class to support these students You can't always wait for someone to tell you what you can do, Campanile said. If you want to help, start doing it. You will see that others will follow you. Both Foroncelli and Campanile are located in the Verona province in the Northern Italy, which has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic has spread, Campanile and Foroncelli are now exclusively using online tools to continue to advise the team The COVID-19 pandemic, is a real problem with a big impact on everyone's lives, Foroncelli said. I decided to not give up helping them for different reasons; one of them is the unique satisfaction I get when I see the joy and the emotion they express anytime they win a competition. Another reason is that, as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, I feel responsible for finding advice or solutions to help solve critical situations. In particular, Foroncelli and Campanile have been working with the students on preparing the scientific documentation they must submit to the international assessment board It is important to support young generations as they prepare themselves to create a better world using STEM disciplines, Campanile said In 2015, the then-Commander of the Satellite Ground Station F14 tasked Campanile with building relationships with local businesses and schools This let us feel we are part of the local community, and a resource for the territory, Campanile said That community has gotten stronger each year, and Campanile has enjoyed watching the students' learning progress after participating in science competitions I strongly believe that our public role as Italian Air Force and NCI Agency members is to support people, Campanile said. Our role as STEM ambassadors is still on going. No

Two staff members of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency are continuing to use online solutions to advise and support MyCollego, a team of young students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) topics living near the NCI Agency-managed Satellite Ground Station F14, in Lughezzano, Italy.

general 1 820 1 about-us/newsroom/NATOs-backbone-Agency-successfully-upgrades-200-routers.aspx NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency engineers successfully upgraded 200 routers at the heart of NATO's backbone from November to December 2019. The first wave of such upgrades occurred in 2018, and was a resounding success. In this second wave, Agency engineers successfully upgraded 200 devices within five weeks, a third of the time it took to complete the previous 200. The upgrades were required to mitigate network vulnerabilities and strengthen security Thanks to an infallible mitigation plan and a redundant network architecture, after 400 upgrades in a two-year span, no site was isolated after a device reboot All NATO services and missions depend on NATO's backbone, said Marina Papassarantis, the Service Support Officer in Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) who led and supervised both upgrade activities. Maintaining and improving Information and Communications Technology allows NATO to continue its work to ensure peace and protection for the Alliance. Guaranteeing a secure and resilient network is our team's first priority. This project served a large range of customers, including NATO Nations, operational entities such as NATO's Kosovo Force, the Air Command and Control community and third parties, such as the European Union Nations also demonstrated their commitment to NATO by committing resources to the success of this project. All sites supported the Agency engineers by mobilizing a local technician to be on standby during the upgrade window The Agency intends to repeat this operation every year, and extend it to more devices under the control of Transmission Infrastructure Services, the team within NSII who conducted the upgrades No

NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency engineers successfully upgraded 200 routers at the heart of NATO’s backbone from November to December 2019.

general 1 821 1 about-us/newsroom/covid19-and-teleworking-natos-tech-agency-responds.aspx As national governments throughout the world implement measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, NATO has increased teleworking in order to protect its workforce, while maintaining its significant commitments across the globe. And the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is doing its part to assist the Alliance in its efforts. Every part of the Agency is involved in responding to NATO staff’s needs in a proactive manner, maintaining critical operational services and helping personnel across NATO get the technology they need to telework. This is work in progress, but has included already rolling out extra laptops and equipment, and increasing access to mobile video teleconference (VTC) and meeting support. The NCI Agency was asked to urgently source and coordinate the shipping of laptops, servers, monitors, keyboards, mobile phones, video teleconference equipment and thousands of other items for delivery to more than 15 countries to enable teleworking. This included in particular the shipment of laptops from Mons, Belgium, to Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States, to support Allied Command Transformation. That task was executed in parallel with the shipment of other essential CIS items to six of the Agency’s CIS Support Units, in various countries, at extremely short notice. This equipment was urgently required to enable business continuity of multiple NATO entities In addition, the Agency facilitated business continuity for Allied Command Operations by executing an urgent shuttle run across several national borders to deliver laptops required to support essential staff in Mons, Belgium. Relying upon standard commercial delivery would have taken more than two weeks to complete what the Agency achieved in a few days. Gathering the hardware, either from repurposing unused laptops or getting new ones from the Agency’s Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Sustainment Support Centre, was one piece of the puzzle. Agency staff from Core Enterprise Services, Network Services and IT Infrastructure, the NATO Cyber Security Centre and the Agency’s CIS Support Units then set up the laptops and network connectivity to ensure they were ready for the users on arrival. Mobility for NATO’s workforce isn’t just about the equipment itself, said Pierre Pradier, Core Enterprise Services Chief at the NCI Agency. This effort also includes ensuring NATO staff is connected properly, and their communications are secure. And work doesn’t cease when NATO staff receive a laptop or phone. The Agency’s Operations Centre is the front door to all NATO users who require support 24/7 for their teleworking needs during this COVID-19 crisis, said MAJ Karim Bensaada, Acting Senior Operations Centre Officer. The Agency has implemented robust business continuity measures to protect its staff, including implementing remote support where possible and rotating shift teams where necessary to minimize exposure. The sudden spike in demand for remote working capability required additional support requirements and social distancing methods to be implemented, said James Burley of the Operations Centre The Agency has seen no reductions in service availability or quality due to the COVID-19 crisis response The Agency is in daily contact with NATO staff across the Alliance to better understand their needs, said David Bizley, of the NCI Agency’s Chief Operating Office. We remain committed to working to ensure NATO can continue its mission during COVID-19 and beyond. NATO has already made strategic planning and investment decisions to increase the mobility of its staff, and this situation highlights the importance of seeing through these efforts. Following COVID-19, we look forward to a strategic discussion on how to make resilience the centre of NATO’s digital endeavour. Ensuring communications across the Alliance does not only entail providing laptops and phones. Engineering and maintenance of key systems is also incredibly important, and that work has not stopped during the COVID-19 crisis. This maintenance work is crucial to supporting NATO’s continuing commitment in operations such as NATO’s Resolute Support Mission, NATO’s Mission in Kosovo, NATO Mission Iraq and the NATO Response Force, said COL Egbert Teeuw, the Commander of the CIS Sustainment Support Centre in Brunssum, Netherlands. In just one example, CIS Sustainment Support Centre personnel recently rewired an autonomous system capable of providing multiple satellite links. These satellite links can connect any deployed CIS system to the static NATO network via the satellite ground terminals located in several NATO countries. This capability is crucial to ensuring continuity of communications across the Alliance As the operational environment and priorities continue to change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency stands ready to continue its work to support the Alliance, COL Teeuw said No

As national governments throughout the world implement measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, NATO has increased teleworking in order to protect its workforce, while maintaining its significant commitments across the globe.

general 1 822 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/14123-ACCS.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-14123-ACCS Katharina.Schwarz t 14 April 2020 Extended to 30 November 2020 Q1 2022 Postponed to January 2021 Postponed to Q2 2021

The scope of this Contract is for the provision and the implementation of the ASBE Voice Communications Equipment (VCE) at sites Rinas (Albania), Pleso (Croatia), Zvolen (Slovakia), and Brnik (Slovenia) and integration and remote control of national radio sites in these locations.The VCE at each site will provide the operators with access to G-A-G circuits including HF, VHF and UHF channels and also voice co-ordination circuits for tactical data links. G-G circuits provide communication with a wide variety of entities over many different carrier networks. Destinations include radar and other sensor sites, military and civilian Air Traffic Control (ATC) centres, weapons co-ordination, air defence centres, deployable systems, Command, Control, Communication and Information (C3I) Centres and other ACCS entities. Intercom facilities give ASBE operators communication with each other.

general 1 880 1 about-us/contacts/amdc2-product-delivery-services.aspx Please visit AMDC2 Product Delivery and Services porta for more information

Please visit AMDC2 Product Delivery and Services porta for more information

general 1 881 1 NATOCoDe.aspx In accordance with the Directive on obtaining Software for NATO [AC/322-D(2020)0004-REV2(INV) dated March 2020] development of custom software may use the NATO Community Development (NCoDe) approach to capitalise on the expertise and capabilities available within the Alliance The NCoDe Community , includes all NATO bodies, agencies and NATO member states. Community members may invite industry partners, on a case-by-case basis, to participate in the development of one or more specific Contribution. The NATO Communications & Information Agency (NCI Agency) acts as custodian of the NCoDe software development. Towards this end · All Contributions shall be submitted to NCI Agency · NCI Agency keeps the Contributions’ source code in one single repository and maintains the single baseline for every work · NCI Agency is the authority responsible for Life Cycle Management for the NCoDe Community’s NATO Software. Version 1.0 of the NCoDe licence is available her

In accordance with the Directive on obtaining Software for NATO [AC/322-D(2020)0004-REV2(INV) dated March 2020] development of custom software may use the NATO Community Development (NCoDe) approach to capitalise on the expertise and capabilities available within the Alliance.

general 1 884 1 business/partnerships/innovation-challenge.aspx Our Defence Innovation Challenge is an important opportunity for industry, particularly start-ups and small and medium enterprises, to interface with us First launched in 2016, our Innovation Challenge aims to bring forward innovative thinking and technology solutions from industry from all 30 NATO Nations in focus areas of critical importance to the Alliance Discover more about the 2019 top finishers and their solutions her More information on the challenge we are currently running can be found below. Defence Innovation Challenge 202 No challenges open? Do not miss the next call for submissions! Follow us on LinkedI , Twitte and Faceboo Frequently asked question

An important opportunity for industry, particularly start-ups and small and medium enterprises.

general 1 887 1 about-us/newsroom/update-nci-agency-defence-innovation-challenge-2020.aspx --- PROPOSAL SUBMISSION IS CLOSED -- Despite the unfortunate postponement of NITEC20, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency still accepted submissions for its fifth Defence Innovation Challenge. And we're doing things differently this year. Selected submissions will be evaluated in late summer in a virtual pitch session. And for the first time, the most promising of those pitches may subsequently be invited to bid for a contract in this area. As part of the bidding process, invited winners will be offered the opportunity to demonstrate their solutions in a NATO environment, to a relevant NATO audience. Through the challenge, the NCI Agency aims to incentivize innovations that could be scaled to the NATO environment. Startups and small and medium-sized enterprises from all 30 NATO Nation are particularly encouraged to apply. We are excited to pilot this new way of bringing tangible solutions to NATO problems, said Dr Michael Street, Head of Innovation and Data Science at the NCI Agency. The Defence Innovation Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to show the users directly how your innovative technological solution could improve this aspect of radar performance. The Topi The NCI Agency is accepting submissions which focus on improving the performance of aerial radar. Solutions will address one or more of the following Correlate Aerial Discovery Radar outputs, combining real-time outputs from two or more radar sources to produce a single, combined result aircraft position. Automatically convert aircraft plots (location) to tracks (vector) Provide confidence levels of their outputs. Operate in bad weather conditions or spoofing Be capable of modification to operate on civilian or non-civilian radar data Solutions may use artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to approach these challenges, but solutions are not limited only to these technologies The Proces Phase 1 Selected submissions will get an opportunity to showcase their tech solutions in a virtual pitch session planned for late summer 2020. During the virtual pitch session, an NCI Agency-led Selection Board will judge the submissions. The Board will include experts from across NATO and AFWER , a United States Air Force organization focused on innovation. Submissions will be assessed against criteria encompassing innovation, implementation feasibility and cost-effectiveness. Exact details, including the virtual pitch session dates and other logistics, are forthcoming. The Selection Board will choose up to ten top finishers to participate in Phase 2 Phase 2 Phase 2 participants will receive One registration waiver for admission to NITEC in spring 2021 Participation in an award ceremony with NCI Agency leadership A mentoring session with NCI Agency leaders in their respective technological field The possibility to demonstrate their solution on-site with NATO Recognition on the NCI Agency communication channels; and Potential to put their system into operational use through a competitive bid with the NCI Agenc Like all other NITEC21 participants, the top finishers will also have an opportunity to join B2B meetings, small businesses mentoring sessions (if applicable) and bilateral meetings with NCI Agency business managers and technical experts The Guideline The Defence Innovation Challenge is open to companies, regardless of size, from across the NATO Alliance. Startups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises are especially encouraged to participate. Entries had to be received by 1 June 2020 The top finishers will be announced in July-August 202 A concise proposal should demonstrate the unique aspects of your technology, its innovative core and the proposed work as it relates to the focus area while highlighting its relevance to NATO. Ready to join the Challenge? Submit your proposal Please carefully read the Terms of Reference her . Proposals had to be submitted no later than 15 June 2020 at 23 59 CE Do not hesitate to contact us at industryrelations@ncia.nato.in for any further enquiries Frequently asked question Yes

Despite the unfortunate postponement of NITEC20, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is still accepting submissions for its fifth Defence Innovation Challenge.

general 1 888 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/15559-AMDC2.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified IFB-CO-15559-AMDC2 Martin.Steenwege t 8 October 2019 8 November 2019 Q2 2020 15 May 2020 Extended to 22 June 2020

This is a notification of a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA+) competition for the provision of the DARS Security Upgrade Project (SUP) (serials 1994/5WI00005 and 2005/5WI02005) within Capability Package (CP) 5A0109. DARS1 and DARS QRP are in use by the DACCC garrisoned at Poggio Renatico, Italy.The scope of this project is the procurement of two additional shelters, which will host the security upgrade system (Hardware and Software) and will be connected to the existing DARS system in Poggio Renatico.Most of the equipment to be installed in the SUP shelters has either already been purchased, or is to be taken from the existing DARS system shelters.

general 1 890 1 business/current-opportunities/ms/115086-ACCS/amendment1-2.aspx Download MS/RF Reference MS/RFI release MS/RFI closing Contact email Entry Last Modified Target Suppliers

No Description.

general 1 892 1 about-us/newsroom/new-project-helps-nato-talk-with-nonnato-organizations-at-sea.aspx Communication between NATO and non-NATO organizations and vessels is now as easy as creating a username and a password. Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) asked the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency to find a way to make it easier for the Alliance's maritime assets to exchange unclassified information with outside organizations on a 24/7 basis. The Agency delivered in April a public cloud based solution to allow NATO and non-NATO organizations and vessels to share maritime awareness information on an easily-accessible platform. The project is a perfect example of how the NCI Agency was able to quickly tailor a commercial off-the-shelf solution towards an operational command such as the Allied Maritime Command, and effectively improve our ability to enhance maritime situational awareness overnight, said Christopher Smith, a Navy Signals Engineer in MARCOM. As COVID-19 impacted our way of working towards the end of the project, we found this new tool to be even more necessary than previously envisioned. NATO and non-NATO organizations alike can access the platform using any internet-connected device. With this new capability, NATO has unlocked the ability to share information easily with non-NATO partners at sea. Cloud-based solutions are the key to building NATO's future a future that is smarter, faster and more collaborative than ever before, said Detlef Janezic, Chief Service Engineering and Architecture at the NCI Agency This platform will be used for the first time for the Mediterranean area and 50 possible users have already been identified This is a fantastic result, and we expect use of the platform to grow over time as new maritime communities are incorporated, said Jose Luis Herrero Pascual, Head of Service Engineering at the NCI Agency. Herrero Pascual looks for new technologies that can be applied to solve customers' problems. While deployed, NATO will sometimes establish contacts with non-NATO entities such as Nations, shipping companies, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Before this technology was delivered, however, the command could only do so on an ad-hoc basis because there was not a common platform for everyone to share information. For example, in the past NATO executed an operation focused on combating piracy. If at the time, an NGO monitoring the situation had discovered that a commercial vessel had been hijacked, it could have used such a platform to let NATO know. Sending NATO that information quickly could have given the Alliance an opportunity to take quick action. To make that kind of communication possible, the NCI Agency proposed a cloud-based platform to give people the tools they would find in an office on land, such as chat, email and document collaboration. The secret to success of this project was the participation of all the actors needed, from the technical perspective to that of the users, said LCDR Giampietro Lungarella, A Navy Signals Cyberspace Requirement and Project Officer for MARCOM. Security concerns were a big part of the Agency's rationale for choosing the new industry solution. Though NATO has some networks of a low-level classification, they are not considered suitable for supporting operations The Agency chose a subscription that would offer the maximum number of security features, Herrero Pascual said. It's a good opportunity for our cyber security people to learn about security features in a public cloud environment, how to harden the solution, he said. It's a good opportunity for us to learn how the operational requirements could be met by a cloud solution. The solution also needed to address a problem common to the maritime environment low bandwidth. The platform the Agency chose will enable people on board a vessel to continue to work even when the connection doesn't hit the minimum bandwidth. They will be able to continue to work offline, and the data will be synchronized when the ship finds a better connection. Although this is a commercial off-the-shelf solution, it needed some adjustments to make it fit for NATO use. As Project Manager, CPT Gary Cataldo in Core Enterprise Services at the Agency coordinated, monitored and executed those adjustments We are taking this as a blueprint project, as a way to show that for a certain number of scenarios we can use public cloud solutions, CPT Cataldo said. This kind of exchange of information with non-military actors can be done through a public cloud solution. No

Communication between NATO and non-NATO organizations and vessels is now as easy as creating a username and a password.

general 1 895 1 business/future-opportunities/air-and-missile-defence-command-and-control-amdc2.aspx No Description.

Ballistic Missile Defense - System Engineering and Integration (SE&I € 59,145,05 NOI released on 16 March 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Provide Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Software Based Element (ASBE) Voice Communication Equipment (VCE) to Albania, Croatia, Slovakia and Sloveni € 12,491,04 NOI released on 14 April 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Re-organize and modernise existing Ship-Shore-Ship-Buffer system in the United Kingdom, Greece and Netherland € 37,431,25 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Ballistic Missile Defense Integration Test Bed (ITB) Build 6 Open Framework Services (OFS € 10,891,44 NOI released on 19 Dec 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202

general 1 896 1 business/future-opportunities/command-and-control-c2.aspx No Description.

Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Functional Services (CBRN FS) Increment € 21,500,00 Basic scope Capability delivery (15 million EUR Evaluated options 5 years O&M (6.5 million EUR IFB/RFQ release - Q1 202 Provision of Functional Services for the NATO Joint Targeting System (NJTS) Projec € 7,782,27 Initial NOI released on 15 May 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202 Implement Increment 2 of the NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP € 5,300,00 Work Package 4 Implementation to Core Site Work Package 7 Implementation to additional site NOI released on 27 February 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202

general 1 897 1 business/future-opportunities/core-enterprise-services-ces.aspx No Description.

Provide Information Administration Services and Upgrade NATO Information Portal (IAS € 16,100,00 Basic scope Capability delivery (9.6 million EUR Evaluated options 5 years O&M (6.5 million EUR NOI released on 20 Dec 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Technical Refresh of Balkans IT Infrastructur € 13,668,82 NOI released on 17 February 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Provision of Information Exchange Gateway (IEG-C) between NATO Secret and Mission Secret Domains Project IEG- 7,839,60 NOI released on 27 February 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Print, Scan and Copy services (2021-2023 period of performance € 4,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Procure and sustain Cryptographic Situational Awarenes € 2,200,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Crisis Urgent Requirement (CUR) 1722 (International Security Assistance Force data) Stage 2 – analysi € 1,500,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202

general 1 898 1 business/future-opportunities/cyber-security.aspx No Description.

CIS Security Services Area A Tech Refresh- Technology Refresh - Work Package € 47,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 High-speed network encryptio € 45,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202 Key and Certificate Managemen € 22,000,00 IFB/RFQ - Q1 202 CIS Security Services Area B security enhancements - Refresh of Cyber Defence Situational Awareness (CDSA € 9,200,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202

general 1 899 1 business/future-opportunities/education-and-training.aspx No Description.

Provide Education Training Exercise and Evaluation Functional Services for Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD € 10,353,96 Four different Work Packages and Contracts Work Package 1 Joint Exercise Management Model Enhancement (2.3 million EUR, International Competitive Bidding Best Value Work Package 2 Air and Missile Defence Simulation (4.4 million EUR Work Package 3 BMD Exercise Information Management Portal (0.5 million EUR, BOA competition Work Package 4 Operational Assurance and Test (3.1 million EUR IFB/RFQ release - Q1 202

general 1 900 1 business/future-opportunities/joint-intelligence--surveillance-and-reconnaissance-jisr.aspx No Description.

Intelligence Functional Services (INTEL-FS) - Spiral 2 and Ballistic Missile Defence functions in INTEL-F € 21,300,00 Basic scope (15.8 million EUR) Two contracts, each with a separate and distinct scope (a) for the Front-end , or User Interfaces, for the Intel-FS capability; (b) to deliver the Back-end data management and integration with other systems Evaluated Options 5 years O&M (5.5 million EUR NOI released on 27 August 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202

general 1 901 1 business/future-opportunities/directorate-service-operations-csu-brussels.aspx No Description.

Level 3 IT Support for New NATO Heaquarters (NNHQ) infrastructure (2022-2025 period of performance € 8,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202

general 1 902 1 business/future-opportunities/network-services-and-it-infrastructure-nsii.aspx No Description.

Provide Dual-band Transportable Satellite Ground Terminals (TSGTs) for Deployable Communications and Information Systems (DCIS) (Work Package 1 € 56,513,55 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Provide SATCOM Ground Segment Electronic Protective Measures (EPM) Modem Syste € 22,288,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Provide SATCOM Management and Control Capability (Work Package 1 € 18,732,18 IFB/RFQ release - 202 Provide SATCOM Ground Segment Baseband Systems (SGSBS € 13,047,38 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Broadcast, Maritime Rear Link and Ship Shore (BRASS) Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) - Implementation Support for Latvi € 10,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Provide Multiband Deployable Satellite Ground Terminals (DSGT) Pool - COTS (Work Package 1 € 8,844,07 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Installation and ancillaries for the fixed radios (Work Package 2 € 3,870,05 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Provide Multiband Man-Pack Terminals and Satellite Communications On The Pause (SOTP € 3,221,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202 Data Transmission Kits (Work Package 3 € 2,327,45 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Wireless Centralised Management Interfac € 1,479,96 IFB/RFQ release - Q1 202

general 1 903 1 business/future-opportunities/agency-wide.aspx No Description.

The Enterprise Frequent and Swift Transaction (e-FAST) Contracts Programme for the Provision of Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Hardware and Associated Suppor € 30,000,00 NOI released on 27 March 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202

general 1 904 1 about-us/newsroom/do-business-with-the-nci-agency-a-look-ahead.aspx By the end of 2021, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency plans to put on the market more than 500 million EUR worth of business for industry to bid on. And the Agency plans to release 200 million EUR of those opportunities in the next six months. The Agency's new acquisitions continue to be executed, as do the contract administration functions. Upcoming solicitations will be released as planned, with necessary adjustments in the schedules where in-person activities such as demonstrations and site visits are required as part of the bidding process. We are constantly assessing the impact of COVID-19 on both the current work under contract, and work related to the release of solicitations, said NCI Agency Acquisition Director Jennifer Upton. We look forward to continued collaboration with our industry partners to collectively adapt and overcome any challenges this pandemic may bring, ensuring NATO's critical work continues. Need help getting started with the NCI Agency? The guide 5 Steps to Doing Business with Us can be found her . Click her for all business opportunities the Agency is planning to put on the market in 2020-2021, and her for current open opportunities, where a Notification of Intent (NOI), Invitation for Bids (IFB) or Request for Quotations (RFQ) has been released Below are some highlights of the current and future opportunities for 2020-2021. Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2 Ballistic Missile Defense - System Engineering and Integration (SE&I € 59,145,05 NOI released on 16 March 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Re-organize and modernise existing Ship-Shore-Ship-Buffer system in the United Kingdom, Greece and Netherland € 37,431,25 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Command and Control (C2 Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Functional Services (CBRN FS) Increment € 21,500,00 Basic scope Capability delivery (15 million EUR Evaluated options 5 years O&M (6.5 million EUR IFB/RFQ release - Q1 202 Provision of Functional Services for the NATO Joint Targeting System (NJTS) Projec € 7,782,27 Initial NOI released on 15 May 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202 Core Enterprise Services (CES Provide Information Administration Services and Upgrade NATO Information Portal (IAS € 16,100,00 Basic scope Capability delivery (9.6 million EUR Evaluated options 5 years O&M (6.5 million EUR NOI released on 20 Dec 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Technical Refresh of Balkans IT Infrastructur € 13,668,82 NOI released on 17 February 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Procure and sustain Cryptographic Situational Awarenes € 2,200,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Cyber Securit CIS Security Services Area A Tech Refresh- Technology Refresh - Work Package € 47,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 High-speed network encryptio € 45,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202 Key and Certificate Managemen € 22,000,00 IFB/RFQ - Q1 202 Education and Trainin Provide Education Training Exercise and Evaluation Functional Services for Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD € 10,353,96 Four different Work Packages and Contracts Work Package 1 Joint Exercise Management Model Enhancement (2.3 million EUR, International Competitive Bidding Best Value Work Package 2 Air and Missile Defence Simulation (4.4 million EUR Work Package 3 BMD Exercise Information Management Portal (0.5 million EUR, BOA competition Work Package 4 Operational Assurance and Test (3.1 million EUR IFB/RFQ release - Q1 202 Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR Intelligence Functional Services (INTEL-FS) - Spiral 2 and Ballistic Missile Defence functions in INTEL-F € 21,300,00 Basic scope (15.8 million EUR) Two contracts, each with a separate and distinct scope (a) for the Front-end , or User Interfaces, for the Intel-FS capability; (b) to deliver the Back-end data management and integration with other systems Evaluated Options 5 years O&M (5.5 million EUR NOI released on 27 August 201 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII Provide Dual-band Transportable Satellite Ground Terminals (TSGTs) for Deployable Communications and Information Systems (DCIS) (Work Package 1 € 56,513,55 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Provide SATCOM Ground Segment Electronic Protective Measures (EPM) Modem Syste € 22,288,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Provide SATCOM Management and Control Capability (Work Package 1 € 18,732,18 IFB/RFQ release - 202 Provide SATCOM Ground Segment Baseband Systems (SGSBS € 13,047,38 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Broadcast, Maritime?Rear Link?and?Ship?Shore (BRASS) Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) - Implementation Support for Latvi € 10,000,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Provide Multiband Deployable Satellite Ground Terminals (DSGT) Pool - COTS (Work Package 1 € 8,844,07 IFB/RFQ release - Q4 202 Installation and ancillaries for the fixed radios (Work Package 2 € 3,870,05 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Provide Multiband Man-Pack Terminals and Satellite Communications On The Pause (SOTP € 3,221,00 IFB/RFQ release - Q3 202 Data Transmission Kits (Work Package 3 € 2,327,45 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Agency Wid The Enterprise Frequent and Swift Transaction (e-FAST) Contracts Programme for the Provision of Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Hardware and Associated Suppor € 30,000,00 NOI released on 27 March 202 IFB/RFQ release - Q2 202 Yes

By the end of 2021, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency plans to put on the market more than 500 million EUR worth of business for industry to bid on.

general 1 905 1 about-us/newsroom/new-director-takes-the-reins-of-nato-agency-acquisition-portfolio.aspx In March, Jennifer Upton, of the United States, took up the post as Director of Acquisition at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. As Director of Acquisition, Upton oversees the Agency's work to procure state-of-the-art communications and information technology products and services I am honoured and excited to be part of the NCI Agency team, Upton said. The depth and breadth of experience attributed to this staff is truly impressive and I look forward to joining them in enabling NATO's digital endeavour. Upton is bringing to the position more than 18 years of experience in acquisition for the United States Department of Defense. Prior to joining the Agency, Upton served as the Director of Contracting at the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. In that position, Upton planned, organized and directed procurement activities for the command´s entire portfolio of contracted services and supplies. The portfolio included highly specialized training and gear, as well as information technology and software. Prior to that position, she served as the Chief of Contracting for US Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics managing procurements supporting the command's 2 billion USD information technology portfolio. I am excited to welcome Jennifer Upton to the Agency's leadership team as our new Director of Acquisition. Smarter procurement is at the heart of our Strategic Plan. Jennifer will be playing a leading role modernizing the NCI Agency's acquisition practices, and will be working with our governing bodies to reform acquisition policies for smarter procurement, including software-intensive capabilities, said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J. Scheid COVID-19 was declared a pandemic soon after Upton arrived. Upton and the Acquisition staff quickly adapted to teleworking to ensure full business continuity. I was on the job a full week before asking my new staff to work from home. Their ability and willingness to support my introduction into the organization in the midst of the challenges, while continuing their significant workload, was remarkable and shows an organizational resilience of which I'm proud to be a part, Upton said. The Agency's new acquisitions continue to be executed, as do the contract administration functions. Upcoming solicitations will be released as planned, with necessary adjustments in the schedules where in-person activities such as demonstrations and site visits are required as part of the bidding process. We are constantly assessing the impact of COVID-19 on both the current work under contract, and work related to the release of solicitations, Upton said. We look forward to continued collaboration with our industry partners to collectively adapt and overcome any challenges this pandemic may bring, ensuring NATO's critical work continues. By the end of 2021, the Agency plans to put on the market more than 500 million EUR worth of business for industry to bid on And the Agency plans to release 200 million EUR of those opportunities in the next six months. In parallel, the Agency is continuing to implement in 2020 a new online procurement tool called Neo. The move to Neo eProcurement is part of a wider Agency effort to boost collaboration with the private sector by promoting visibility into past, current and upcoming business opportunities. Neo will uplift the NCI Agency's procurement to an efficient, automated and digital bidding and contract management system. Benefits for suppliers include facilitated communication on business opportunities and reduced administrative burden. Click her for all business opportunities the Agency is planning to put on the market in 2020-2021, and her for current open opportunities, where a Notification of Intent (NOI), Invitation for Bids (IFB) or Request for Quotations (RFQ) has been released No

In March, Jennifer Upton, of the United States, took up the post as Director of Acquisition at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency.

general 1 906 1 business/current-opportunities/ms/115190-MDA.aspx Download MS/RF Reference MS/RFI release MS/RFI closing Contact email Entry Last Modified Target Suppliers MS-CO-115190-MDA Rebecca.Benson t 30 April 2020 15 May 2020 Industry

The NCI Agency requests information regarding the future implementation of a subset of the Standalone Computer Forensics (SCF) scope, more specifically the Mobile Device Analysis (MDA) capability. The MDA facility, allows teams to inspect phones, tablets and other devices suspected to be involved in an internal security incident or to analyse devices recovered as part of allied operations and missions in-theatre. The NCI Agency is looking for a NATO nation based solution that is comprised of one or more products integrated to provide the capability to extract, decode and analyse data from devices.

general 1 907 1 business/current-opportunities/ifb/14123-ACCS/amendment1.aspx Download NO Reference NOI release NOI closing Contact email Expected contract award IFB/RFQ release IFB/RFQ closing Entry Last Modified

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general 1 908 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/doing-business-with-the-nci-academy.aspx No Description.

Following directions by the Nations, the NCI Academy is required to be fully customer funded from 2021 onwards. Each customer will require a contractual agreement before training can be provided. To this end, the NCI Academy has developed an agreement specifically for training - the Service Support Training (SST) Package. The aim of the SST is to provide required funding and delivery flexibility and to streamline the delivery management between the customer and provider at the lowest eligible decision-making level. Click here to see an example 2020 SS Further details on how to do business with the NCI Academy can be found in the section Preparing for 202 in the 2021 Course Catalogue, or in the document How to book individual training - SST overvie . If you have any questions, please contact us at training@ncia.nato.in

general 1 909 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/course-plan-catalogues-and-brochures.aspx No Description.

During the onset of COVID-19 crisis the NCI Academy paused face-to-face training, conducted a thorough review of the 2020 Course Plan, and gathered feedback to ensure we prioritize the courses that are of highest importance to our customers The 2020 Revised Course Plan is complete and has been published via the Academy Newsletter, which is sent to all Training Coordinators. As of 17 August 2020, the Academy has resumed face-to-face training in Oeiras, The Hague, and Mons in addition to Mobile Training Teams in accordance the Revised Course Plan Introducing the NCI Academy 202 Book individual trainin Course Catalogue 202 Course Catalogue 202 10K Cyber Defender Cyber Training Service

general 1 911 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/how-to-sign-up.aspx No Description.

Student registration is done through your training coordinator once an appropriate agreement is in place. Further general information can be found in the 2021 Training Catalogue. If you require specific details such as your training coordinator, information regarding training administration or details on future courses, please contact training@ncia.nato.in

general 1 912 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/preparing-for-2021.aspx No Description.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the NCI Academy continues to plan for 2021 and we encourage all customers to do the same. In April 2020, we sent a letter inviting customers to develop their training requirements for 2021. This is known as the 'bidding letter.' This early engagement allows customers to make their budget submissions with reasonably accurate pricing information. In the ensuing months, customers will refine their requirements while the NCI Academy refines its course offering and prices for the following year, culminating in the formalization of the process through the submission of an NCI Agency Customer Request For and the development of the SST Package Click her to see the bidding letter for 2021 NCI Agency Training Request 2021 Bidding Letter Annex (spreadsheet

general 1 913 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/contacts.aspx No Description.

For more information on our courses, services and training contracts contact the NCI Academy Business Team at Tel +32 2 360 5800 (Mons, BEL) or training@ncia.nato.in General enquirie NCI Academy Managemen E-mail academy@ncia.nato.in For customers and training coordinators NCI Academy Business Planning Grou E-mail training@ncia.nato.in For students NCI Academy Training Coordination and Control Grou E-mail trainingadministration@ncia.nato.in Phone +351 21 440 444 Our addresse NCI Agency Oeira Reduto de Gomes Freir Estrada da Medros Oeiras 2780-07 Portuga NCI Agency The Hagu Oude Waalsdorperweg 6 2597AK The Hagu The Netherland NCI Agency Mon Rue Grande – N 7010 SHAPE Mon Belgiu

general 1 914 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/for-students.aspx No Description.

We offer more than 200 courses at our training facilities in Oeiras, Portugal; Mons, Belgium; and The Hague, the Netherlands. This includes courses organized by the NCI Agency, but provided by commercial partners. Many courses are also available online Joining instructions for students with seat confirmation for courses in NCI Academy Oeiras (PRT with seat confirmation for courses in NCI Academy Mons (BEL

general 1 915 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/about-the-nci-academy.aspx The NCI Academy offers three distinct services Individual Training in the field of C4ISR and Cyber, on site at our new Academy facility in Oeiras or in our other locations, online or on-the-job Collective Training and Exercise services, including support for the NATO Education Training Exercises & Evaluation (ETEE) software suite Learning Innovation and Development services, to assist NATO and Nations in modernizing the methods and infrastructure related to training delivery * Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance more about our trainin For more information about the NCI Academy, click her to view our main brochure. For information on doing business with us, visit our page for students and customer , or click her to view our business brochure. Contact informatio NATO Communication and Information Agenc NCI Academy Managemen E-mail academy@ncia.nato.in Our addresse NCI Agency Oeira Reduto de Gomes Freire Estrada da Medrosa Oeiras 2780-070 Portugal NCI Agency The Hagu Oude Waalsdorperweg 61 2597AK The Hagu he Netherlands NCI Agency Mon Rue Grande – N6 7010 SHAPE Mons Belgium

We have a long legacy in CIS and C4ISR education and training.

general 1 916 1 about-us/newsroom/interning-during-a-pandemic-nato-agency-interns-share-their-experience.aspx Less than a month after moving to The Hague, Netherlands, for her internship at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency, Aakanksha Sharma's stay in Europe was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Before she even had the chance to explore the low lands and see the famous tulip fields in full bloom, she was on a flight back home to Canada. While she was less than enthusiastic about this change of plans, Sharma has been able to continue her internship remotely and make the best of this unusual situation. With over 90 percent of the Agency's staff members working remotely at the height of the pandemic, all interns were also asked to work from home, and given the opportunity to travel back to their native countries to be closer to their families if they preferred. Sharma's decision to return to Toronto was an easy one. I didn't want to be away from my family in these times. I wanted to make sure I was home in case they needed me, Sharma said. My manager and the team have been very supportive and flexible, so I am happy to be at home. It brought me a certain peace of mind. When Sharma's day in Toronto starts, her Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) colleague and fellow intern, Lisette Somsen is ready to switch off her laptop and enjoy her evening in The Hague Working from home in this unique and unprecedented time has been quite the experience, Somsen said. It is something that impacts everyone and we are going through it together. IKM interns like to stay busy. Their task is to assist Agency staff with teleworking, for example helping them navigate through the Agency's intranet and information sharing platform, or writing useful Wiki pages Some interns, like Creative Media Centre content production intern Michael Linennen, have had their roles tweaked to adapt to the changes. As a photographer and videographer, Linennen cannot be in the field to gather imagery, so he is now focused on reviewing existing footage to create new content that highlights the work of the NCI Agency. As long as he has editing software, Linennen said he is set Luckily, everyone is very well taken care of in terms of technology, Linennen said. Fellow content production intern Zala Grudnik is happy to report that she already had all of the essential equipment to work from home comfortably. All I need is a computer screen, keyboard, mouse and a stable internet connection, Grudnik said. So far, I haven't experienced any issues.'' They agree that the ability to continue with their work has let them hold on to a sense of normality and made the social isolation more bearable. I would love to see more people on the streets, go for a coffee and enjoy the spring. However, I can't complain considering I have the luxury to continue working from home, Grudnik said Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) intern Megi Berberi added Working from home has not changed the fact that I am learning new things related to my job and position. There are some perks to working from home. Mario Sholli, AMDC2 engineering intern, pointed out that the nature of his work, an independent project, makes it easier for him to adjust to working remotely. He is able to focus on his tasks with fewer distractions and said the autonomy to be able to set your own schedule is nice too. Meanwhile, Linennen has enjoyed having a lot more time to cook because of the pandemic. While he can no longer go for a lunch with other interns, the group has stayed in contact through chat apps to maintain their new friendship. Even though the interns enjoy this newfound flexibility, they miss live interaction with the colleagues and being part of a work environment. However, even with social distancing measures in place, the NCI Agency community is still connected – even if in a different way. In the anticipation of their reunion, the interns are making sure to stay well-informed through online platforms. Messaging colleagues to strike up conversations, whether or not related to work, helps to bring back the sense of togetherness. Holding on to connection virtually matters, and makes for distinct memories Mario Sholli visits the Community of Practice pages for updates, which allows him to feel more connected to the organization. These pages are a place where people who are interested in the same things connect and talk with each other. Being able to have a relaxed discussion about topics with like-minded folks helps me fill the void,'' he explains. Linennen noticed that meetings twice a week help to keep the team spirit intact. His team has been able to make their fun time virtual too, by trading get-togethers at the pub for online socializing by playing video games like Fortnite. Our relationship with the Agency and our colleagues is already unique from any intern that has come before and will come after us, simply because of how the forces of nature have re-oriented us fundamentally, Sharma said Through this experience, the interns have learned the importance of organizational agility in adapting to crises. Although complicated and delicate times, the NCI Agency has so far offered us a truly unique internship experience, where we are working from the safety of our homes, Somsen said Written by Lisette Somsen and Aakanksha Sharm No

Less than a month after moving to The Hague, Netherlands, for her internship at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency, Aakanksha Sharma's stay in Europe was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

general 1 917 1 links.aspx About u Newsroo NITECH Magazin Business with u Employmen

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general 1 918 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/training.aspx Here you will find all the latest information for students, customers and training coordinators Latest announcement Our newest brochure, 'Introducing the NCI Academy' is now available. It provides a general overview of the NCI Academy, and features information on all of our activities You can download our brochure her

More information for students, customers and training coordinators.

general 1 919 1 what-we-do/nci-academy/training/latest-announcements.aspx No Description.

New revised version of the NCI Academy C4ISR and Cyber training catalogue 2021 is now available. Download the catalogue her

general 1 920 1 business/partnerships/innovation-challenge/faq.aspx Please find below a list of frequently asked questions about our 2020 Defence Innovation Challenge Objective Q Could you clarify focus on improving the performance of aerial rada ? A Aerial radar data collection assists in fulfilling numerous defence and security applications. We would like you to examine aerial data collected from existing radars and/or radar networks The challenge is not investigating modifying or replacing radar systems Q Which radar systems, sensors and signal sources are the focus of this challenge? A The challenge concentrates on a land-based data processing sensor utilizing several signal sources from radar systems to identify airborne targets and is limited to detecting aircraft Solution rea Q Is the challenge limited to algorithms that automatically convert aircraft plots (location) to tracks (vector A This challenge area focuses on a tracker for aircraft targets; a solution that is capable of associating consecutive multi-land-based radar reports (plots) to track (vector) an aircraft target The solution should be algorithm based; however, it is not limited to algorithms Q Concerning provide confidence levels of their output , does this include algorithms that decrease the false detection rate of target aircraft A Radar trackers associate consecutive radar observations of the same target into tracks and filter the noise from signal sources to avoid false alarms. The confidence levels of the algorithms applied to radar trackers express the grade of mathematical correctness to detect positive targets. In the context of the challenge; how likely is the calculated/estimated track position of a detected aircraft target – this should be expressed within a 95.0% - 99.5% confidence interval/region. Q Is being capable of modification to operate on civilian or non-civilian radar dat , related with sensor fusion, i.e. Military radar sensing data may be supplemented with Civilian radar data, e.g. Air Traffic Control (ATC) radars and Meteorological (MET) radars A This challenge area concentrates on fusing multiple data sources from several radar systems signal sources. Augmenting Military radar data with Civilian data increases the accuracy of radar trackers; therefore, if we add available civil data, we would like you to incorporate it into your solutions. Evaluation and ssessment of roposal Q What is the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) requirement for the proposed solution? A We have not set a TRL limit on the challenge solutions; however, solutions that are at TRL 5 and above are of interest. Invitation to id for a NCI Agency ontrac Q If invited to bid for a contract in this area, can you confirm the budget for such a project A The contract value for such a project depends on the value we will derive based on NATO's operational requirements, and the bid cannot exceed the maximum value defined in the procurement rules for a limited competition Terms and condition

Please find below a list of frequently asked questions about our 2020 Defence Innovation Challenge.

general 1 921 1 business/current-opportunities/ms/115150-CEST.aspx Download MS/RF Reference MS/RFI release MS/RFI closing Contact email Entry Last Modified Target Suppliers 115150 Estimating Tool dorina.cani t 14 May 2020 1 June 2020 Industry

NCI Agency is seeking information from Nations and their Industry regarding the availability and ROM Pricing of a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Cost Estimating Software Tool.

general 1 922 1 about-us/newsroom/meet-alison-woodland--health-and-safety-manager-at-the-nci-agency.aspx As a former Health and Safety Inspector in her native United Kingdom, Alison Woodland investigated and prosecuted serious workplace accidents. This experience taught her the value of taking preventative measures as many of the devastating accidents she investigated could have been prevented if simple protective measures had been followed Now Health and Safety Manager at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency in Brussels, Belgium, Woodland is focused on implementing strict measures to protect staff During this coronavirus pandemic, when the majority of Agency staff is working from home, she is monitoring the situation and making sure everyone is properly informed and advised What did you do as a Health and Safety Inspector in the United Kingdom I inspected workplaces and investigated work accidents, interviewed witnesses, collected and held evidence, prepared criminal cases and prosecuted them in the first level of criminal courts called Magistrate Courts. If the case was more serious, for example a fatality, it was referred to a higher court – the Crown Court. There I would not present the case, however, I would still prepare it and support the prosecuting barrister. Why did you decide to apply for a role at NATO I've always wanted to work in an international environment and after moving to Brussels in 2001 and working in the private and public sector, notably at the European Commission and British Embassy, I applied for a role at the Agency What do you do as the NCI Agency's Health and Safety Manager I do a variety of tasks related to health and safety; from writing policies and advising senior management to creating a health and safety risk register, visiting and auditing Agency sites, providing training, managing budgets, sourcing equipment, and coordinating first aid. What was one of the first things you did when you came to the Agency When the Agency was created from the merger of five entities in 2012, there was a need to establish an overarching Health and Safety function. So when I joined in 2016, I had to perform an audit and assess our deficiencies. I produced a three-year-plan of what needed to be done in order to meet adequate standards. One of the biggest challenges was managing the health and safety of more than 3,100 staff members across 30 different locations or so. I had a lot of support from our General Manager, who allocated me a budget that allowed me to deliver first aid equipment, training and other small projects. Last year, I was happy to welcome a second full-time Health and Safety Advisor, who is based in Mons, Belgium. And two more colleagues are contributing to the cause on top of their primary job in The Hague, Netherlands and Oeiras, Portugal. This means we now have a Health and Safety Coordinator on every main Agency campus What are your most recent achievements Our biggest achievement during the coronavirus pandemic was developing a tracking system where we document every staff member who tested positive, or who had to self-isolate, showed symptoms of the virus, or was in contact with an infected person. This has allowed us to monitor the situation very closely. How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your work For me, the workload has probably doubled at least. At the beginning of the outbreak, I was the only point of contact for all pandemic-related issues and responding to concerned colleagues was a priority. Once the Covid-19 Coordination Group and our Crisis Management Task Force were formed, we started to deal with issues on a more day-to-day basis. How did you deal with the initial stress of working from home? Do you have any advice for teleworkers Working from home has been easier than expected. We are lucky to have enough space where my husband and I can work and our son can do his schoolwork. Your workstation needs to be as comfortable as possible, it is good to keep a regular schedule, eat well, drink lots of water, and try to follow the news in an intelligent and not negative way. It is difficult to switch off when your work laptop is constantly in sight. I find mindfulness and meditation help me to relax. Why is your work important Employers show they value their staff by taking necessary and practical measures to protect them. This in turn ensures that people feel valued, boosts morale, enhances reputation, reduces financial liabilities and sets a standard for others. Good health and safety management is simply good management. What is your favourite part of the job I love talking to people, going to sites, and providing training. It gives me huge satisfaction when attendees at a first aid course say they have gained confidence to save a life. No

As a former Health and Safety Inspector in her native United Kingdom, Alison Woodland investigated and prosecuted serious workplace accidents. Now Health and Safety Manager at the NCI Agency in Brussels, Belgium, Woodland is focused on implementing strict measures to protect staff.

general 1 923 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-delivers-satellite-coverage-during-german-test-campaign-in-the-caribbean.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency delivered essential satellite coverage during tropical climate trials undertaken by the German Navy from 7 March to 16 April 2020. When planning the test campaign, which took the newest addition to the German fleet to Caribbean waters, the German Navy realized national satellite communications (SATCOM) assets would not cover the test region. The Navy reached out to NATO to ask if the Alliance could deliver connectivity. Our capable experts reacted quickly to respond to the German Navy's request and deliver the required service, said Antonio Calderon, Chief of Network Services and IT Infrastructure at the NCI Agency. This demonstrates once again that NATO is a force multiplier for Allies, delivering services that augment and support their national capabilities wherever they are. It took only two weeks from the first request to ensure connectivity via NATO SATCOM. The NCI Agency reacted with extraordinary speed and efficiency, said German Navy Captain Thomas Ackermann. Effective bandwidth and connectivity were excellent throughout the test campaign and made a big contribution to the successful conclusion of the trials. NATO retains SATCOM capacity through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the Agency has signed with four Nation . The Agency worked in close collaboration with the four Nations to deliver a flexible solution for NATO's needs on schedule, and on budget. Satellite communications are key to NATO operations and missions, said Giovanni Battista Durando, SATCOM Programme Manager within Network Services and IT Infrastructure at the NCI Agency Upon receiving the request from the German Navy, the Agency worked with its primary customer, Allied Command Operations, to determine if there was excess capacity the Navy could use. There was, so Agency experts in Network Services and IT Infrastructure went to work to ensure the link was established in time. Completing this project required a team effort, said Richard Griffiths, SATCOM deputy Service Area Owner at the NCI Agency. The whole process is quite involved, so there was a lot of coordination. The main rush is getting all of this coordination sorted. The SATCOM Space Segment Team, in Mons, Belgium, planned, computed and issued the satellite access authorization for the ship. They also provided the technical lead on the project Several Agency teams worked hand in hand to make sure the customer was quickly provided with a robust and reliable connection, which brought a major contribution in the successful ship's mission, said Angelo Ricciardi, SATCOM Space Segment Service Manager at the Agency. Establishing the satellite link required specific hardware, which had to be located and shipped. The Agency's CIS Sustainment Support Centre, the depot for CIS equipment to support NATO's ongoing global operations and planned exercises, located and shipped the necessary equipment The hardware was then installed at one of NATO's Satellite Ground Terminals. Additional support was provided by the Transmission Team, which takes the SATCOM signal up to the terrestrial network. And this project would not have been possible without the Network Control Centre, which monitors and controls the SATCOM and network links 24/7, said Morgane Belot, Principal Assistant in SATCOM at the NCI Agency This was not the first time the Agency supported the German Navy, and the Agency stands ready to support any similar request from NATO Nations in the future. Without a doubt, this success motivates us to continue our work and improve ourselves for the next challenges to come, Durando said. NSII is continuing to 'connect the dots' for NATO in the digital world. No

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency delivered essential satellite coverage during tropical climate trials undertaken by the German Navy from 7 March to 16 April 2020.

general 1 924 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-delivers-seamless-replacement-of-cryptographic-equipment.aspx Without the equipment to be mounted into a vehicle, a powerful V8 engine isn't much more than an expensive paperweight. Similarly, a powerful cryptographic device is nothing without its appropriate accessories, including power supplies and physical interfaces. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is delivering critical accessories to enable the seamless replacement of cryptographic equipment on Nations' maritime vessels. Such equipment is needed for National vessels participating in Allied operations and missions, as they use it to establish secure communications with NATO Allied Maritime Command The Agency began preparing the project at the end of 2019, and kicked off the project in January 2020. By the end of April, the Agency had already manufactured and shipped the first batch of equipment to the first group of Nations. More equipment will be made and delivered during May and June When the time came, people stepped up to the plate. Agency experts delivered the equipment ahead of schedule to meet operational demand, said Deepraj Das, Project Manager for the effort The Agency expects to finish manufacturing the components this summer The Agency-run NATO Cyber Security Centre led the project, which was sponsored by Allied Command Operations. The Agency's Prototype Engineering Centre in The Hague, Netherlands, did the bulk of the work preparing metal components, cables, power supplies, adapters and more My team developed a case for the new cryptographic device, said Arne den Exter, Head of the Prototyping Centre. This housing has the same form factor as the previous cryptographic device, so it is just a matter of taking out the old crypto and mounting the new one. In this way no modifications have to be made on the ships to communicate with other NATO entities. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, staff in the Centre managed to continue production by working in separate groups and taking other precautionary measures. In just a couple of months we developed the prototype, tested it, did the engineering, procured the parts, produced the hardware and wiring and delivered to the customers, den Exter said There was even an occasion where a supplier for a tiny but important component suffered delays due to COVID-19 restrictions The supplier still managed to airfreight a batch from the United States to The Hague to prevent disruption, Das said Agency experts conducted scientific tests of the prototype to ensure the result was fit for purpose. The usefulness of the prototype developed is now two-fold it meets NATO's requirements, and can be used as technical specifications for industry to fulfil future orders. Crypto custodians at the Agency ensured the equipment was shipped in a timely manner, and issued the equipment upon arrival. They were also responsible for ensuring some legacy equipment that was no longer needed was disposed of properly. Allied Command Operations also helped greatly by ensuring we had the actual crypto devices delivered to our custodians in Mons, Belgium, already prior to Christmas, Das said No

Without the equipment to be mounted into a vehicle, a powerful V8 engine isn't much more than an expensive paperweight.

general 1 925 1 business/current-opportunities/ms/115171-SATCOM.aspx Download MS/RF Reference MS/RFI release MS/RFI closing Contact email Entry Last Modified Target Suppliers MS-CO-115171-SATCOM-GSBS tiziana.pezzi t 26 May 2020 Postponed to 3 July 2020 Industry

NCI Agency is seeking information from Nations and their Industry regarding the availability of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and Government-Off-The-Shelf (GOTS) SATCOM Modems.

general 1 926 1 what-we-do/cyber-security/multinational-cyber-defence-capability-development.aspx Through this multinational project the Nations have an opportunity to work together to develop new Cyber Defence capabilities. Capability development activities will be con­ducted as specific work packages organized under a yearly Programme of Work (PoW). Nations can decide what work package they want to be part of and can also recommend new work packages for inclusion into the MN CD2 PoW. Each work package will only be governed by the decisions of its partici­pants Established on 14 Mar 2013 by five founding Nations Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, and Romania. Current participants are Canada, The Netherlands, Romania and partner nation Finland NCI Agency support to MN CD Under the MN CD2 legal framework the NCI Agency acts as an enabler and a coordination agent and is fully committed to the success of the MN CD2 Initiative NCI Agency support spans from running the MN CD2 Project Office to providing project management, contracting, legal and technical support to any work package under execution The NCI Agency will also facilitate discussions between the MN CD2 and the NATO Cyber Defence communities and will strive to ensure that the MN CD2 work packages leverage any relevant activity conducted under NATO common funding so as to avoid duplication or overlap of activities What are the objectives of the Multinational Cyber Defence Capability Development Initiative? The overall objective of the MN CD2 initiative is to facilitate the development of national Cyber Defence capabilities through a collaborative effort. It provides a vehicle for the Nations to focus their efforts in areas of their choice, and within their financial constraints, while maintaining an overall approach and achieving a well-balanced Cyber Defence capability What services can Nations get through the MN CD2 Initiative? Governance This programme is established with a management structure ex­ecuting the primary coordination and interface activities required to align the various national and NATO efforts. This includes coor­dination of all facets of capability development including research, design and engineering, testing and experimentation, verifica­tion, and procurement. In addition, the programme ensures interoperability through validation and/or certification of the capabilities developed. One of the main objectives is to maintain flexibility and agility in each MN CD2 project Coordination and Joint Execution The MN CD2 Initiative allows a coalition of willing Nations to leverage common interests and national activities to Conduct joint development and acquisition of interoperable Cyber Defence capabilities; Coordinate national Cyber Defence scientific and technical activities; Promote multilateral collaboration and information sharing. In order to support Cyber Defence capability development, NATO's Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the NCI Agency have developed a Cyber Defence capability framework which provides a clear overview of the Cyber Defence technical capabilities. This framework provides a structured way for the MN CD2 participants to assess the possible capability gaps in their Nations and come up with joint development plans Technical and Engineering Foru The MN CD2 Initiative will provide a forum to Consolidate requirements from the Cyber Defence operational community; Provide recommendations and guidance on the implementa­tion roadmap of interoperable Cyber Defence capabilities; Liaise with Cyber Defence civil entities and national industries. Test & Experimentation A key element of joint capability development is an experimenta­tion and validation infrastructure that ensures that new Cyber Defence capabilities are validated and interoperable as required. From experience gained in other technical areas, the vision is to establish a federated and shared experimentation and validation infrastructure which would possibly borrow concepts from other federated capabilities like the Distributed Networked Battle Labs (DNBL) Framework Legal Framework The primary focus of the MN CD2 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is to establish the multinational project governance and management framework as well as to facilitate the execution of the multi-year PoW. The MoU will be supplemented by Task Orders detailing the exact scope and execution of the respective Work Packages. The MN CD2 MoU is a very flexible legal tool which allows any NATO Nation to join the MN CD2 initiative at any time. It also includes the possibility for participating Nations to offer Contributions in support of the execution of any work package Management Model The MN CD2 Governance and Management model is composed of MN CD2 Board and MN CD2 Project Office. The MN CD2 Board is a group composed of the Work Package Participants and the NCI Agency. The MN CD2 Project Office is the executive staff of the MN CD2 Board responsible for carrying out the work related to the MN CD2 coordination, fund management, administration, and organization of the work packages into a 3-year Rolling Plan, as well as providing secretarial support to the MN CD2 Board, including preparation of the MN CD2 Board meetings. The work packages are services/deliverables and/or equipment to be delivered at the request of one or more participants, in the MN CD2 framework Project Past projects and output Deception Techniques (HoneyNets, Honey Tokens Research on deception techniques, feasibility studies on cost-sharing of tool development, automated Honey Token Deployment tool for Windows based network Cyber Defence Situational Awarenes Identification and delivery of requirements and proof of concept for modern militaries to understand the mission-critical state of the CIS, its vulnerabilities and its exact contribution to operation Cyber Defence Information sharing concept The Cyber Information and Incident Coordination System enables collaboration across National boundaries by supporting the joint coordination of cyber information and of cyber incidents handlin Threat Hunting Techniques (Multisource Correlation Research and assessment, development of prototype software/system for off-line analysis using intelligent correlation algorithms for detection of advanced persistent threats (APTs Cyber Attack Mitigation Through Semi-Automated Response Research and assessment, design and development of proof of concept architecture, evaluation against basic attack scenario Dynamic Network Enumeratio Research and development of a network enumeration tool based on Open Source Software and targeted for complex and highly segregated military network Cyber Security Assessment Team Concep Research skeleton capability for multinational use of core Security Assessment team, organizational structure and staffing requirement Current Project Proactive Detection Through Threat Huntin Facilitation of establishment of proactive detection capabilities in participating nations by requirement analysis, best-practice research, development of a holistic threat hunting model and development of proof of concept to be distributed to participating nations Enhancement of current Cyber Defence Situational Awareness too Enhancements to the MN CD2 developed tool with high priority functionality based on national requirement Enhancement of current CIICS too Enhancements to the MN CD2 developed CIICS (Cyber Information and Incident Coordination System) tool with additional functionality based on national requirement Potential future projects/areas of interes Blockchain for supply chain managemen Research and Roadmap proposal for on blockchain for ensuring auditable and trustworthy supply chain managemen DevSecOps in Defenc Research on DevSecOps process in military environment, including adaptation of approval and accreditation processes to match increasing pace and intensity of development and deployment activitie Common Metrics for Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Methods in Cyber Defenc Admission and Contac NATO Nations and Partner Nations may participate to MN CD2. For more detailed information on joining the project, Nations are invited to send their electronic mail to the NCI Agency, Demand.Management@ncia.nato.in . Back to main pag

Through this multinational project the Nations have an opportunity to work together to develop new Cyber Defence capabilities.

general 1 927 1 what-we-do/cyber-security/cis3-partnership-for-cis-security-standards-development.aspx Multinational projects and partnerships demonstrate one of NATO's greatest strength working together to ensure the security of our citizens, and doing so in an effective and efficient manner that would not be possible by acting individually. As security challenges become more complex and technology grows more expensive, some key defence capabilities are required in NATO member and partner nations. Nations can more efficiently obtain these benefits by working together, in alignment with the NATO-endorsed Connected Forces and Smart Defence initiatives CIS3 C&I Partnershi The Communication and Information Systems Security Standards (CIS3) Communications and Information (C&I) Partnership (CIS3 Partnership) is a Smart Defence Initiative that focuses on the development and maintenance of security standards for interoperability in the area of Consultation, Command and Control (C3), which is an important part of the NATO Alliance. Common standards ensure that Nations are able to work together effectively and efficiently in missions while using their own systems, which may be specialized for national purposes while maintaining the ability to interoperate with NATO and other parties The CIS3 Partnership brings together nations who want to maintain and influence the further development of selected CIS security standards for use in Nations and NATO, achieving interoperability across the Alliance, as well as internally in the Nations between devices from different manufacturers. It helps implement the NATO Strategic Concept and the NATO Wales Summit decisions through a Tier-1 Smart Defence Project run by the NCI Agency The multinational project started on 24 October 2016 with participation of twelve nations Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, The United Kingdom and The United States of America. Partner Nation Finland joined the partnership on 20 Mar 2020 Benefits to Participating Nation The benefits to participating nations are as follows Participating nations have control on the development of CIS Security Standards (CIS3) that are critical for interoperability Development costs are shared by participating nations CIS security standards are developed under a common approach for standards development National industry is involved in the development and testing of key interoperability standards for secure communications at different levels via participation in technical discussions at Working Group level through participation in regular testing sessions promoted by the Partnership an by having access to testing tools that are developed by the Partnership Participation in the Partnership facilitates the use of federated approaches Nations can share ideas with NATO, other nations and national industries by creating a community of subject matter experts Funding Nations can influence the way NATO is going by leading on key interoperability standards development Governance Framework for the CIS3 Partnershi The CIS3 Partnership is composed of a number of governing and advisory bodies and entities. At programmatic level, the work is segregated in work packages The Partnership is legally bound by the NCI Agency Supervisory Board approved General Rules for C&I Partnerships (common to all C&I Partnerships) and by the CIS3 Partnership Arrangement which is signed by the participating nations CIS3 Partnership Committe The Partnership Committee is comprised by the participating nations and defines the Programme of Work (PoW) for the Partnership. It directs, monitors and controls its implementation with the support of the CIS3 Secretariat and the subordinate Work Package Boards Membership of the CIS3 Partnership is regulated by the General Rules for C&I Partnerships. Participants, i.e. signatories of the CIS3 Partnership Arrangement, have at least one and up to two Representatives in the CIS3 Partnership Committee, one primary and preferably one backup. The Representatives have authority to decide on all matters under the remit of the CIS3 Partnership. The Participant Representatives are the only ones that take part in the CIS3 Partnership Committee decision making process CIS3 Secretaria The CIS3 Secretariat is provided by the NCI Agency and supports the CIS3 Partnership Committee and the Work Package Boards, delivering programmatic, project management and technical support Work Package Board Work Package (WP) Boards execute the PoW approved by the CIS3 Partnership Committee and define the detailed requirements and execution of the respective WPs, and direct, monitor and control the implementation of the PoW. Two WPs exist to date the SCIP Work Package Board (fort the development of the Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol (SCIP) standard) and the NINE Work Package Board (for the development of the Network and Information Infrastructure Internet Protocol Network Encryption (NINE) standard) Working Group Working Groups (WGs) support and facilitate the WP implementation and interoperability testing. They are technical information exchange forums attended by national and industrial representatives and make no decisions. The WG are regulated and report to the parent WP Board Observer Observers provide significant value and contributions to the Partnership, at Partnership Committee and Work Package Board levels. Observers do not take part in decision-making processes NATO Headquarters C3 Staff (NHQC3S), Allied Command Operations (ACO) and Allied Command Transformation, as well as Slovenia, were granted with observer status. The NHQC3S is actively observing and providing inputs focused on the harmonization of work between the CIS3 Partnership and the C3 Board Substructure SCIP & NINE Work Package Currently, two work packages have been established and both are participated by all 13 partnership nations – SCIP and NINE. SCIP is an application-layer CIS Security Standard for secure voice communications and is ideally suited for end-to-end secure communications over heterogeneous non-secure networks. NINE is the future IP security standard to be used by NATO, nations and in coalition scenarios including Federated Mission Networking (FMN) Admission and Contac NATO Nations and Partner Nations may participate to CIS3 Partnership either as Participants or Observers. For more detailed information on joining the Partnership, Nations are invited to send their electronic mail to the NCI Agency, Demand.Management@ncia.nato.in . Back to main pag

The CIS3 Partnership focuses on the development and maintenance of security standards for interoperability in the area of Consultation, Command and Control (C3).

general 1 928 1 business/current-opportunities/boa/secure-maritime-cis-semarcis-2.aspx Download RF Reference RFQ release RFQ closing Contact email Expected contract award Entry Last Modified RFQ-CO-115177-SEMARCIS Eva.Benson t Q4 2020 29 May 2020 29 June 2020 suitable

The NCI Agency is seeking the acquisition for the provision of eight (8)deployable Secure Maritime CIS (SEMARCIS) kits.

general 1 930 1 business/current-opportunities/boa/115182-DAVS.aspx Download RF Reference RFQ release RFQ closing Contact email Expected contract award Entry Last Modified RFQ-CO-115182-DAVS Eva.Benson t Q4 2020 8 June 2020 8 July 2020 suitable

The NCI Agency is seeking the acquisition for the Discussion, Audio andVideo Systems (DAVS) for Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCB),Netherlands.

general 1 931 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-exercise-proceeds-remotely-during-covid19-and-tests-health-tracking.aspx NATO is innovating so that the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX) 2020 can take place this year from 8 to 25 June 2020, despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. This year 19 Nations plan to participate in the exercise, and two additional Nations will be observing. The exercise, which is focused on testing and improving interoperability, will test about 160 capabilities, including two that are particularly relevant in the context of COVID-19 Many aspects of CWIX 2020 are being done for the first time. These include planning the event virtually, and testing the applications virtually from the Nations themselves, instead of coming together in one central location. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is working hand in hand with Allied Command Transformation and the Joint Force Training Centre to plan the event. The Agency is also providing subject matter experts who will be conducting capability testing CWIX thrives in innovation, and that is what has made it possible under these circumstances the ability to adapt quickly to challenging situations like these using innovative solutions, said Miroslav Michev, the NCI Agency lead for exercise planning. We are carrying CWIX despite COVID 19, serving NATO's purpose, while having the security of our staff as a first priority. Three conference rooms in the Agency's new facilities in The Hague, Netherlands, have been repurposed for the exercise. This will allow Agency experts to participate while social distancing The exercise will include online opening and closing ceremonies. When NATO Nations and Partners work together in a mission or exercise, one of the keys to success is interoperability, said Alberto Perez-Veiga, Service Delivery Manager for Command and Control Services at the NCI Agency. CWIX brings together every year hundreds of experts from across the coalition to ensure that different technologies, processes and personnel can work together in an effective manner. A key enabler in this exercise is the Combined Federated Battle Labs Network (CFBLNet). The network is used for research, development, trials, assessment, exercise and pre-deployment training. Established in 2001, it has currently 37 members and it has been for years the backbone of the testing activities on a classified level during CWIX. CWIX participants will connect to the network from their own countries. NCI Agency will connect from The Hague and Bydgoszcz, Poland, to deliver the necessary services, as well as several NATO capabilities being tested during the exercise The exercise will test about 160 capabilities, including the three below. NATO Medical Communication and Information Capability This year CWIX is testing the prototypes for NATO's Medical Communication and Information Capability, which is more relevant than ever before given the ongoing pandemic. In scope this year are the capability's ability to track patients, plan and manage medical evacuations (MEDEVAC) and monitor disease spread and severity through syndromic surveillance. Syndromic surveillance within NATO allows the Alliance to become aware as early as possible of the emergence of a disease outbreak that requires public health action. This is achieved by monitoring the incidence of patients with the same combination of symptoms and signs. This year, several Nations are also experimenting with exchanging electronic health records with one another. The aim is to eventually exchange medical data from the point of injury all the way up to more specialized treatment in a Role 4 medical facility (usually outside where an operation is taking place), using standardized messages in a secure manner. Ultimately, the goal of the exercise is to ensure that Allied commanders can respond quickly and effectively to different medical scenarios Data-centric Information Services Gateway (DISG) To work together on Alliance missions, Nations need a way to exchange information among different security domains. Remote working has greatly enhanced this need, and provided a challenge in balancing security with a real need to exchange information quickly. The gateway provides a way control, protect and share information, demonstrating NATO's ability to keep up with the challenge to exchange information in a secure way. NATO Core Data Framework (NCDF) This year's CWIX keeps testing capabilities that enable effective and interoperable communications. Decision makers are currently hampered by multiple layers of interoperability issues – from systems not being able to exchange data on a message format level all the way to different interpretations of similar looking data across communities of interest. The framework cuts across existing communities of interest and data stovepipes to enable better interoperability in the NATO enterprise, the Alliance and Coalitions with Partners No

NATO is innovating so that the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX) 2020 can take place this year from 8 to 26 June 2020, despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

general 1 932 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-seeks-contractor-for-technical-refresh-of-balkans-it-infrastructure.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released in June an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to execute a technical refresh of NATO and the European Union's IT infrastructures in the Balkans. The project is focused on replacing obsolete hardware and unsupported software across three network classifications at 15 locations that support NATO and European Force missions in the Balkans, mainly in Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina This will be a great opportunity for industry to support the delivery of a large complex project that will enable mission success for both NATO and the EU, said Alexandru-Mihai Andrei, Senior Project Manager for the effort With the help of industry, the Agency will design, purchase, implement and deliver an updated IT infrastructure in the required locations. The estimated investment cost for the services and deliverables included within the scope of the intended contract is 13.6 million EUR. The Agency plans to award the contract in November This work package is important for NATO because it will align the Balkans area of operations with the overall NATO digital strategy, Andrei said Yes

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released in June an Invitation for Bids (IFB) to execute a technical refresh of NATO and the European Union's IT infrastructures in the Balkans.

general 1 933 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-tech-agency-supports-maritime-exercise-during-covid19.aspx Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) executed the United States-led exercise known as Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) from 7 to 16 June 2020. Even before the arrival of COVID-19, BALTOPS 20 was facing a daunting schedule. The health and safety concerns around COVID-19 necessitated a big change in plans, and the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency rose to the challenge to deliver the technology needed for the exercise Part of the nature of BALTOPS is to be flexible, so we immediately revised our plan after STRIKFORNATO's operational decision to lead the exercise from the static headquarters at Oeiras, Portugal – rather than aboard a vessel at sea, said NCI Agency Project Manager Jeffrey Wilcox, Lieutenant Commander, US Navy. This is the first BALTOPS to use this particular type of HQ. Normally, the exercise is directed by personnel aboard the USS Mount Whitney, but there were space limitations onboard the vessel due to COVID mitigation procedures. Changing to a headquarters on land allowed for social distancing. This ability to push through a crisis demonstrates the true value of a close STRIKFORNATO – NCI Agency relationship, said LCDR Wilcox The Exercise Branch of Directorate Service Operations, in the NCI Agency, begins their role in exercises during the earliest planning conferences. The goal is to capture the intent of the exercise and determine what technical equipment, software and expertise will be needed. Different teams from across the Agency provided software and services, including cyber security, to the exercise participants. In particular, the Agency's Communications and Information Systems Support Unit (CSU) in Lisbon led the support for the exercise. Artur Santos, the NCI Agency Exercise Coordinator, arranged and organized all of the many technical aspects of the exercise to ensure things ran smoothly The Agency and its CSU in Lisbo were very flexible and even offered new services to enable home office interaction and added more tools for collaboration, Santos said One of those new tools was installed as a proof-of-concept for the exercise, and was a huge success. The tool supports real-time data exchange between various Command and Control elements, including navy vessels, NATO Airborne Early Warning (NAEW) aircrafts, headquarters and even fighter aircraft using standardized NATO data links Supporting the exercise from a static headquarters on land was not only a first necessitated by the crisis. It is also now a proof-of-concept for how exercises can be conducted in the future, if needed The difference between afloat and ashore is quite obvious and was remarkable, right from the setup, Santos said. A well-known working environment, already operational, made the build up a smooth process. Troubleshooting is also so much easier on the land environment, then being afloat. Though the exercise isn't over yet, STRIKFORNATO is already convinced that operating from static headquarters works very well, said German Navy Commander Juergen Peter, Communications Information Systems Department Assistant Chief of Staff This positive conclusion is to a good degree based on the Command and Control capabilities we set up together with the CSU, Commander Peter said. The CSU Lisbon support is outstanding and based on long years of experience. Every year, BALTOPS brings together people, ships, aircraft and submarines from across the NATO Alliance, as well as NATO's Partnership for Peace. BALTOPS has its long history, and this year's exercise was the 4 t iteration It has become one of the most powerful examples of multi-national maritime readiness within NATO, and even incorporates regional non-NATO partners as well, LCDR Wilcox said. The exercise demonstrates interoperability, joint operations and agility in planning in a maritime environment. Yes

Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) executed the United States-led exercise known as Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) from 7 to 16 June 2020.

general 1 934 1 about-us/newsroom/agency-to-procure-support-from-industry-for-nato-ballistic-missile-defence-capabilities.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 3 June 2020 an Invitation for Bids to provide system engineering, integration and testing support to NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme until 2029 This 60 million EUR contract will have a duration of four years with four additional optional years. The contract will also includes a preliminary transition period of up to six months to guarantee business continuity and to enable a new winning bidder to familiarize with the Programme. This support will be used in the ongoing development and fielding of NATO's BMD capabilities. The bidding window closes on 1 September 2020, and the Agency expects to award the contract in the second quarter of 2021. In 2005, the North Atlantic Council approved a capability package to provide NATO-Wide Theatre Missile Defence. Five years later, in 2010, Heads of State and Government agreed to expand the programme beyond the protection of NATO deployed forces to also protect NATO European populations, territory and forces. In July 2016, Allies declared Initial Operational Capability of NATO's BMD capability, which offers a stronger capability to defend Alliance populations, territory and forces across southern NATO Europe against a potential ballistic missile attack. This capability will keep providing the necessary support to NATO as the Agency works to deliver the next expected capability declarations The Agency also expects to release this summer another Invitation for Bids under this Programme for an estimated value of 11 million EUR (download the Notification of Intent her ). That contract will cover certain services for the BMD Integration Test Bed, which supports test and exercise events at both the system and architecture level. The Test Bed is responsible for ensuring that technical requirements are met and that operational interoperability with other NATO and national systems is assured. Bidders are free to bid either one, or on both of these two contracts. Yes

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency released on 3 June 2020 an Invitation for Bids to provide system engineering, integration and testing support to NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme until 2029.

general 1 935 1 about-us/newsroom/meet-captain-demetrist-booker--asset-management-and-supply-branch-deputy-commander.aspx When the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency instructed the majority of its staff to work remotely due to the coronavirus outbreak, many support units outside the headquarters became crucial in maintaining business continuity. In order to set up home offices, staff needed laptops, monitors, keyboards, mice and other hardware equipment. The Agency's Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Sustainment Support Centre (CSSC) in Brunssum, Netherlands, was tasked to prepare and ship all the required CIS equipment to more than 15 countries as quickly as possible. United States Army Captain Demetrist Booker was one of many who made sure the necessary equipment reached their destination so Agency staff members and other personnel across NATO could work from the safety of their homes What do you do I am the CSSC's Asset Management and Supply Branch Deputy Commander. I oversee the daily activities of the warehouse and ensure the proper management of all NATO-owned CIS equipment. We procure and supply CIS hardware and perform maintenance, for example testing, upgrading, repairing and shipping the equipment to where is needed. I also serve as the United States Senior National Representative for all US personnel in the CSSC. What did you do before joining the Agency Before working at the Agency, I proudly served in the United States army as an airborne paratrooper (trained to parachute into an operation) among other roles. I was deployed four times and spent 30 months in imminent combat zones. I also served as the Company Commander in an air defence artillery unit for soldiers and their families. It was very rewarding to counsel and mentor junior soldiers and see them grow How is the NATO work environment different from what you experienced with the US army It is very different, working with a large number of civilians mixed with military personnel, all from a variety of Nations. The atmosphere at NATO is definitely much more diplomatic, but ultimately, your objective is the same at NATO as it is in the army – it is about accomplishing the missions and tasks together through talent management, people care and cohesive team building. Since working for the Agency, I've also had the opportunity to visit historical sights, learn and explore multiple cultures, and I've been able to improve my phonetics in several foreign languages. My family and I adapted quickly and we look forward to discovering more of Europe in the near future when the restrictions in place to deal with the coronavirus crisis are lifted. What are your most recent achievements As we all went into lockdown, teleworking became an imperative for everyone across NATO, and we had to make sure that staff had the proper equipment to work from home comfortably. So I coordinated with our internal personnel to conduct analyses and determine if the equipment was currently in stock. When it wasn't, we had to determine the best method to procure and deliver any missing pieces. Much of this initiative came from the General Manager and his delegates. By shipping essential CIS items to several Agency CIS Support Units (CSUs), the CSSC became vital in supporting multiple NATO entities indirectly. One of the first and most challenging tasks was shipping laptops from Mons, Belgium to Norfolk in the United States, to support Allied Command Transformation (ACT). The agency that usually does our physical shipments was unable to support us and we had to get creative so we coordinated the shipments ourselves. The CSSC shipped around 450 pieces of equipment in the first five days in order to enable teleworking. We had to work a bit more vigorously and deliberately prioritize urgent tasks above other normal business What are your biggest challenges The biggest challenge is to continue working to meet urgent requirements with only 30% of the physical workforce present while the rest is working remotely. Personally, the most challenging thing right now is to follow not only Dutch and Agency regulation, but also US Army directives. The latter forbade us to travel or cross any national borders during the height of the coronavirus and gave us a curfew from 22 00 to 5 00. I usually wake up at 4 45, exercise and start working just before 7 00 so the curfew doesn't affect my work. It mainly ensures that US personnel doesn't engage in unnecessary social activities. The restriction of not being able to cross borders has been more complicated because we live in the Brunssum area, where Germany is only five and Belgium less than 20 minutes away. Why is your work so important for the Agency and for NATO The CSSC is the only depot-level logistical hub in all of NATO. My team conducts all of the so-called from cradle to grave logistical actions of the CIS equipment. Not only do we coordinate the logistics of the equipment procurement, we also take care of the logistics of the maintenance and proper disposal of all CIS assets when they are no longer in NATO use. This includes the equipment that was used to transmit classified data. When we receive the hardware that needs to be serviced, we hand it over to our technicians. After everything is in order, we make sure the equipment is at the right place at the right time, every time No

When the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency instructed the majority of its staff to work remotely due to the coronavirus outbreak, many support units outside the headquarters became crucial in maintaining business continuity.

general 1 936 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-discusses-cloud-in-virtual-event.aspx The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency hosted on 23 June 2020 a virtual event focused on cloud computing for leaders within NATO. Agency leaders opened the event by highlighting some of the ways cloud is already used successfully in NATO, while also pointing out opportunities for further implementation. Several industry representatives then briefed the participants, and answered questions. With this event the NCI Agency aimed to drive forward NATO's adoption of cloud technologies, a key element of NATO's digital transformation. We already have a cloud-first strategy in NATO. Now we need to live it and adopt it, said NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J Scheid. It's time to adopt and stop admiring the problem. The event was particularly timely in light of the COVID-19 crisis, which has highlighted the importance of implementing and maintaining mobile and collaborative technologies. Cloud technologies enable more effective collaboration, and are essential for greater use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and agile capability development This event is all about digital transformation. And the adoption of cloud computing is at the core of this digital transformation, said Detlef Janezic, Chief of Service Engineering and Architecture at the NCI Agency Yes

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency hosted on 23 June 2020 a virtual event focused on cloud computing for leaders within NATO.

general 1 937 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-interoperability-exercise-concludes.aspx The Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX) 2020 concluded on 25 June 2020 after tests of about 160 capabilities The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency worked hand in hand with Allied Command Transformation and the Joint Force Training Centre to plan the event, and provided subject matter experts to conduct capability testing If there is one thing the COVID-19 crisis has shown the world, it is that we cannot slow in our efforts to integrate the latest technology into our organizations, said NCI Agency Chief of Staff, Major General Göksel Sevindik. CWIX has been, and was again this year, an important opportunity for us to put NATO technology to the test to ensure a resilient, effective Alliance. Testing went very well, despite the difficult circumstances. One of the capabilities tested was more relevant than ever before given the ongoing pandemic. The NATO Medical Communication and Information Capability, which is in the prototype phase, includes a suite of 14 software applications, supporting operations from the planning phase up to the lessons-learned phase. The capability is intended to be used in NATO military operations, but also during peacetime. Syndromic surveillance is one of these applications. Syndromic surveillance within NATO allows the Alliance to become aware as early as possible of the emergence of a disease outbreak that requires public health action. This is achieved by monitoring the incidence of patients with the same combination of symptoms and signs Allied Command Transformation funded the NCI Agency to develop the prototypes for this capability. NCI Agency experts tested the different prototypes during CWIX to promote interoperability. Interoperability is critical, as many of the applications require interaction with national capabilities in order to function, said NCI Agency Senior Scientist Daniel Noppen, Capability Lead for NATO's Medical Communication and Information Capability. For example, in the case of syndromic surveillance, the signs and symptoms data may come out of a national capability to then feed the NATO capability, which does the subsequent analysis. During this year's CWIX, participants experimented with new formats for sending messages, including the format for sending syndromic data. It is important that everyone sending data to NATO sends it in a standardized way so that it can be processed more easily. We are happy with this new message format and nations are able to use it, Noppen said. The real key takeaway, though, is that the need for a NATO health surveillance capability has been confirmed once again. Other NATO entities also play important roles in the capability as subject matter experts, senior users or standardisation bodies. This year, several Nations also experimented with exchanging electronic health records with one another. The aim is to eventually exchange medical data from the point of injury all the way up to more specialized treatment in a Role 4 medical facility (usually outside where an operation is taking place), using standardized messages in a secure manner. Ultimately, the goal of the exercise is to ensure that Allied commanders can respond quickly and effectively to different medical scenarios No

The Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX) 2020 concluded on 25 June 2020 after tests of about 160 capabilities.

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general 1 942 1 nitech-magazine/new-edition-of-nitech-magazine-highlights-emerging-technologies.aspx The third edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) magazine has been published to highlight emerging technologies and their potential benefits for NATO and the Nations. Read this new edition to learn more about the role of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency in maintaining NATO's technological edge, from electronic countermeasures, to improving NATO's maritime picture. NITECH issue NATO Edge features significant voices on this topic from across NATO, including Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, The Chairman of the Military Committee, and Mircea Geoană, NATO Deputy Secretary General. This edition also includes contributions from NATO Nations. General John M Murray, the first Commanding General of Army Futures Command, explains the U.S. Army's approach to innovation. Emmanuel Chiva, Director of France's Agence de l'Innovation de Défense explains how the country is tapping into the creativity of science-fiction writers You can download and read the magazine free of charge on Issuu her

The third edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) magazine has been published to highlight emerging technologies and their potential benefits for NATO and the Nations.

general 1 943 1 about-us/newsroom/new-edition-of-nitech-magazine-highlights-emerging-technologies.aspx The third edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) magazine has been published to highlight emerging technologies and their potential benefits for NATO and the Nations. Read this new edition to learn more about the role of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency in maintaining NATO's technological edge, from electronic countermeasures, to improving NATO's maritime picture. NITECH issue NATO Edge features significant voices on this topic from across NATO, including Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, The Chairman of the Military Committee, and Mircea Geoană, NATO Deputy Secretary General. This edition also includes contributions from NATO Nations. General John M Murray, the first Commanding General of Army Futures Command, explains the U.S. Army's approach to innovation. Emmanuel Chiva, Director of France's Agence de l'Innovation de Défense explains how the country is tapping into the creativity of science-fiction writers You can download and read the magazine free of charge on Issuu her No

The third edition of our NATO Innovation and Technology (NITECH) magazine has been published to highlight emerging technologies and their potential benefits for NATO and the Nations.

general 1 944 1 nitech-magazine/army-futures-command-transforming-innovation.aspx The first Commanding General of Army Futures Command, General John M. Murray, highlights a changing approach to innovation within the US Department of Defense and how Austin's tech hub, Capital Factory, is helping with this transformation Photo caption General John M. Murray during a discussion with Capital Factory founder Joshua Baer in January 2020 What are the main barriers to innovation faced by the US DoD? As US Army Futures Command, how do these barriers affect the way you work with SMEs, academia or non-profits Well, first, I would say 'barrier' is a little bit of a misnomer. We have access to a ton of innovation – both within our own research and development labs and centres – and through cooperative agreements and contracts with academia and industry. But, that's one of the strengths of America, I think. There's so much innovation out there – within the private sector, in small businesses, and industry that doesn't normally work on government contracts. So, a part of the solution is scoping our problems in a way non-traditional partners can understand. The defence prime industries are very comfortable with the bureaucratic requirements language that has evolved over the past 70+ years – but much of it wouldn't make sense to the average person. To tap into new and non-traditional innovation partners we had to address how we describe the problems we need help solving. The Field Artillery Autonomous Resupply (FAAR) programme is a great example of this. We brought a few artillery soldiers in and had them explain what it physically meant to configure ammunition for firing. It basically entails moving hundreds of 97lb (circa 44kg) shells from a delivery truck to the firing line – sometimes as much as 100 meters. A great workout – but it doesn't take an engineer to see that's sub-optimal. Had we done this traditionally, the requirement document would have been at least a dozen or so pages – and full of technical jargon. Most folks that aren't used to dealing with all of that just won't bother. So, we're changing how we describe our problems to open the aperture on who can help us address them. The second part of that is changing how we pay businesses to work with us. Defence contracts are notoriously slow. If you're a traditional defence contract industry, you can build that into your business model. But if you're a start-up or small business – you can't afford to wait 90 or 120 days for a contract to come through. We've been able to leverage some flexibility Congress authorized a few years ago to award payments quickly – that gets more of these non-traditional partners interested. Now, I should also point out, we're taking a similar approach across the board. Instead of starting with a highly detailed requirements document – we're starting with desired characteristics and asking industry – traditional and otherwise – to leverage their own innovation in achieving those characteristics. That seems intuitive, but we were traditionally very prescriptive in our requirements – and that doesn't leverage the creativity our partners can provide How can your partnership with Capital Factory help break these barriers down? Well, the example I gave – FAAR – came out of our Army Applications Lab at Capital Factory. The ecosystem they provide was primed for us by groups like the Defense Innovation Unit and AFWERX [the US Air Force's innovation cell]. Capital Factory isn't a defence ecosystem per se. They didn't start out that way – and it's still not their focus. That gives us access to a host of non-traditional partners we wouldn't see otherwise. But, on the flip side – because there are multiple defence-focused groups at Capital Factory, it gives us the opportunity to maximize that exposure across the Department of Defense. The environment is supportive – not competitive. Just because we may not be interested in a technology someone has to offer, doesn't mean it's not a good fit somewhere else in the Department of Defense. Having Army Applications Lab, AFWERX, the Defense Innovation Unit, and others all within Capital Factory allows us to share technologies and innovation that come through the door – almost instantaneously. And – it provides non-traditional businesses exposure across multiple DoD portfolios as one-stop-shop. That synergy across services and agencies will only become more important as budgets start to tighten. How do you achieve this and how quickly can a project come to fruition and be implemented within the army? Most of what we see with the Army Applications Lab will contribute to a major signature system. These are the systems our cross-functional teams are working on to deliver the capability we need for multi-domain operations. Things like extended range cannon artillery or future attack reconnaissance aircraft. So some of that timing depends on the system we're talking about. It's faster – a lot faster. Traditionally, it takes us at least a decade, usually more to go from good idea to putting something in soldiers' hands. To continue the FAAR example, we started that last year, mid-2019. It's still in competition, but we've already had prototype demonstrations and are on schedule for its fielding in 2023 – so we've cut it down from 10 years to four. Now, some of that is because we'll use it to support our Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) – which is also currently in development. So aspects of FAAR can't be finalized until ERCA is more mature. But that's a good example of the non-linear, yet synchronized approach we're taking Across the enterprise though, we are dramatically accelerating our timelines. A lot of this goes back to the changes we're making in how we present problems to our industry partners. We partnered with Microsoft to build an advanced set of goggles that will replace traditional night vision for our close combat troops – it's the Integrated Visual Augmentation System – or IVAS. Now Microsoft obviously isn't a start-up or small business, but they are an example of a non-traditional partner. Through these goggles, we are pioneering a new approach to industry partnership, I call it Soldier Centered Design. The centrepiece is Soldier Touch Points, where we put very early prototypes on soldiers, gather feedback, and build a new prototype to do it all over again. Microsoft is doing this in three-week sprints. Every three weeks, soldiers are using and evaluating the goggles. What's important about this though, is the fact that we didn't lay down a set of prescriptive requirements when we started. Each iteration is an opportunity to learn and better understand what our requirements really are. We started IVAS not quite two years ago – we will being fielding them next year I'm excited about advancements in virtual environments and the use of digital twins. With an individual piece of kit like IVAS – it's a little easier to turn out new prototypes every three weeks. When we start talking about crewed systems like helicopters and armoured vehicles – that becomes cost-prohibitive. However, things like virtual cockpits and simulations allow us to continue broadly listing characteristics to industry and allowing them to refine the product with the end user – our soldiers I also have to mention the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) policy Dr. Bruce Jette recently signed. Bruce is the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisitions, Logistics, and Technology (ASA/ALT) – he's my key partner in all of our modernization efforts. MOSA creates a framework that will allow our future systems to be more easily upgraded through both software and hardware upgrades. It gives us even more opportunity to leverage non-traditional partnerships through the improvement of subsystems without having to go through the costly process of building an entirely new system. What does success look like for AAL at the Capital Factory? I think ultimately, success looks like Soldiers benefiting from the latest technology development. You know I tell people – if my daughters asked me for cell phones in 2010 and I gave them flip phones in 2020, they wouldn't be too happy about that. But that's what we've been doing to our Soldiers. So, for me, success is being able to leverage existing technology without it taking a decade or more Of course, it's also about benefit across the DoD. Naturally, I want the Army Applications Lab working on our priorities – but that means some really interesting technology just isn't going to fit into our portfolios. So success is also about raising the overall access to innovation across the DoD through a multi-service ecosystem – the Army Applications Lab collaboratively contributes to that access with groups like the Defense Innovation Unit and AFWERX. What technologies is the AFC hoping to innovate and accelerate with the Capital Factory Generally, it's the six US Army's modernization priorities – long range precision fires, next generation combat vehicles, future vertical lift, network, air and missile defence, and soldier lethality – those remain constant. Within these priorities, our eight cross-functional teams are focused on the programmes that are most important to the Army, we call those the 31+3 signature systems. There are also a lot of implied tasks – subsystems and supporting systems – associated with every one of these programmes. Capital Factory gives us access to an ecosystem that allows us to accelerate development in some of these areas. As far as specific technologies, the Army Applications Lab keeps a full running list on their website, but some examples are robotics, machine learning, data visualization, power generation – it's a pretty wide band How could the benefits of this collaboration be extended to the wider US DoD procurement process or the NATO procurement processes? We'll, as I've mentioned a couple of times, we're already seeing the benefit of this within the DoD. I think as a model, services will have to become more collaborative – Capital Factory is a great demonstration of that collaboration within the non-traditional space. I think there are tremendous opportunities to broaden how we work together – from basic research to joint systems. And we're doing that. Hypersonics is a great example of joint collaboration on a major system. We've greatly accelerated our hypersonics work due in large part to the efforts of all the services. In terms of Allies and partners – we have research collaboration in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region focused on building relationships to cooperatively develop the technologies we'll need to both compete and – if required win. As our Chief likes to say – winning matters. I like to add, winning matters, but winning together matters more. I think within the US, and with those nations that have agreed to collaborate with us in the fight against Covid-19, no one can dispute the power of 'winning together' This interview was first published in the third edition of the NITECH magazine. Read the full magazine on Issuu her

The first Commanding General of Army Futures Command, General John M. Murray, highlights a changing approach to innovation within the US Department of Defense and how Austin's tech hub, Capital Factory, is helping with this transformation.

general 1 945 1 business/current-opportunities/boa/115168-Wi-IMA.aspx Download RF Reference RFQ release RFQ closing Contact email Expected contract award Entry Last Modified RFQ-CO-115168-Wi-IMA Nicholas.Catchpole t Q3 2020 16 June 2020 Postponed to 4 September 2020 suitable

The NCI Agency is seeking the acquisition for Consultancy Support for Wireless Implementation Management Authority (Wi-IMA).The Prospective Bidder List is attached. Interested companies already holding an active BOA with the NCI Agency may contact the below POC for inclusion in the Offeror List.

general 1 946 1 about-us/newsroom/meet-sergeant-jeanphilippe-tremblaydion-csu-poggio-renatico-service-desk-analyst.aspx In March 2020, Italy went into full lockdown in the hope of preventing the rapid spread of COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. It was the first European country to be faced with the vast impact of this pandemic. The Italian government imposed a national quarantine while all non-necessary businesses and activities were shut down and only critical services stayed open with minimal staff present. In the midst of this unprecedented crisis, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit (CSU) in Poggio Renatico, in north Italy had to remain operational. The CSU provides comprehensive CIS support to NATO's Deployable Air Command and Control Centre (DACCC), which ensures that NATO's air forces are ready to deploy to be deployed at any time Sergeant Jean-Philippe Tremblay-Dion, a native of Quebec in Canada working for the CSU, and his wife, a DACCC Resource Manager, had to come up with a plan to continue their work while taking care of their two young daughters after their school closed What do you do I have been with the NCI Agency for two years. I am an IT technician doing everything from creating accounts for newcomers, to helping our customers from the DACCC with IT-related problems, reconfiguring computers and installing new software and much more. Every day is different. How did CSU Poggio Renatico face the coronavirus outbreak A pandemic and lockdown of these proportions were not expected. It was a lot of unknowns at first, but our chain of command quickly took charge to protect us. We started working from home on a rotational basis. Only a quarter of about 32 staff members were allowed on site at the same time. There are nine people in my section and initially, there was only one staff member allowed in, but once the government relaxed the measures in May, we increased the number to two. When there was a shortage of hand sanitizer on the market, we produced homemade hand sanitizer using alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerine and distilled water. We made sure that every section, bathroom and the cafeteria were equipped with a bottle of the disinfectant How did the lockdown affect your family In this part of Italy, schools had already closed at the end of February. Luckily, my and my wife's chains of command were very helpful and understanding from the beginning. We have been able to alternate teleworking and the office between us. This way our 10-year-old and 8-year-old girls are never home alone. They are learning online and will not go back to school before September. The summer break started in June so we enrolled them in a summer camp while we have kept working throughout the summer. The camp turned out to be a huge success with lots of fun activities for the children. You and your wife are both from Canada. Were you able to find work in Poggio Renatico at the same time My wife applied for a couple of positions in different European countries. She got the job at DACCC and we moved to Italy. There weren't any positions for me at first but with the help of my current manager and my chain of command back home, I was soon employed by the Agency. Being in Italy has been an awesome adventure so far. We adjusted very well and my daughters already speak Italian. My wife is in a deployable position so she is busy with courses and exercises. I am more stationary, so I am able to stay here and take care of our daughters when she's away. Back home in Canada, it was the opposite. I was more the one to go to exercises and on deployment What are your most recent achievements The achievements of the last few months have been at the same time our biggest challenges. Staff members in our section have different skills. There are colleagues that specialize in anti-virus, others have more skills with System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM) software, and so on. As there is only one or two people present on site at a time, we have had to learn and adapt and make sure that if there is a problem, we need to be able to fix it ourselves, even if we are not the subject matter expert. Why is your work so important for the Agency and for NATO The DACCC has to be ready at all times to support NATO missions, as it is a deployable centre from which NATO can control air missions, deliver air surveillance and carry out air traffic management. The NCI Agency CSU Poggio Renatico is responsible for assuring timely delivery of CIS capabilities, services and support to the DACCC. We are administrating the NATO Secret and NATO Unclassified networks and connecting the DACCC to the rest of NATO. My IT colleagues and I are making sure that everybody's computer, other IT equipment and software work properly. Even the smallest technical error can majorly affect your work performance nowadays and we are trying to make sure that everything is operational and everybody can do their job No

In the midst of this unprecedented crisis, the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency's Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit (CSU) in Poggio Renatico, in north Italy had to remain operational.

general 1 948 1 about-us/newsroom/meet-master-warrant-officer-maurice-boire.aspx Every three to four years, Nations send their talented military personnel to fill NATO positions and learn more about the Alliance, while contributing to its mission. Military staff spend their careers rotating regularly to gain experience. But with the coronavirus pandemic hindering travel, many military-held posts were extended so staff needn't rotate in these difficult conditions. Canadian Master Warrant Officer Maurice Boire has been with the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency for almost four years. Due to COVID-19, Boire will be staying an additional year as a training and liaison officer at the Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Support Unit (CSU), in Norfolk, Virginia, United States Coincidently Boire started studying for his Master's degree programme in public safety while working remotely. Seeing parallels with a world pandemic unfolding in real time has put his studies into perspective. Why did you decide to study public safety I have been in the military for 34 years and I will be retiring from it soon to pursue a career as a civilian. There was a chance to get a Master's degree in something that I found very interesting – public safety, and I chose to specialize in emergency measures. I've learned that it is very costly to react to a situation like a world pandemic, so it is important that we prepare for it and have a plan for the recovery. History shows us that this crisis is not unprecedented. Spending money on mitigating measures is not attractive to any government or business, but it should be essential. What do you do My main job is in Training and Liaison. I provide training opportunities for all CSU Norfolk personnel and liaise with the NCI Agency's internal education and training team as well as with other NATO bodies and external training providers to coordinate and facilitate training courses. As the Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL) for CSU Norfolk, I am responsible for Non-Commissioned Officers' (NCOs) development. I try to set up discussions about important leadership topics, for example, different principles of leadership, management vs. leadership, sexual harassment... I also work with our Commander to provide leadership and direction for our CSU's management. I am the point of contact for all CSU Norfolk personnel and I try to help them solve their concerns or bring them forward to the Commander. I am also responsible for the morale and welfare of our unit. We want to make sure that everyone in the CSU Norfolk has an active, happy and healthy life How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your work I can do most of my work from home. However, I actually enjoy discussing things with colleagues in person, and this situation makes it harder to keep track of the morale and welfare of the team, so I am relaying on the inputs of several people to stay in tune with the situation and make sure no one is getting overwhelmed in these difficult times What are your most recent achievements I've been coordinating with the internal Education and Training team to organize online trainings and find other solutions to provide education during the pandemic. We have been improving our service delivery recently. The Technical Information Exchange is a forum where technical staff in CSUs and Service Lines exchange ideas and best practices in order to improve service delivery to the Agency's customers. The attendance and the feedback have been very positive. The Agency is in the early stages of developing a new support model where CSU Norfolk uses its location and the time difference between the US and Europe to our advantage to avoid shift work or overtime. Follow-the-Sun is a method of maintaining a centralized service desk while providing services in different locations and it is already showing positive results. Software updates must be applied in a small maintenance window so we can take care of a task during our afternoon, which is late evening in Europe. It gives much more flexibility to the centralized service desk Why is your work important for the Agency and for NATO I think my work in Training and Liaison gives our personnel – especially newcomers – the knowledge they need to do their work. The NCI Agency is not just a mix of different Nations, we are also a mix of civilians and military staff. So it is up to people like me to help bridge the gap between these two sides and support them to work as a team, and also help every individual staff member with any problems they might face No

Every three to four years, Nations send their talented military personnel to fill NATO positions and learn more about the Alliance, while contributing to its mission. Military staff spend their careers rotating regularly to gain experience.

general 1 949 1 business/current-opportunities/boa/115168-Wi-IMA/rfqco115168wiimaannexdrequestforclarification.aspx Download RF Reference RFQ release RFQ closing Contact email Expected contract award Entry Last Modified

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general 1 952 1 business/current-opportunities/boa/115268-FGFS.aspx Download RF Reference RFQ release RFQ closing Contact email Expected contract award Entry Last Modified RFQ-CO-115268-FGFS natalia.wojciak t Q4 2020 Q3 2020 11 September 2020 suitable

The scope of this upcoming opportunity is for the provision of a Structured Cabling System, also referred to as the Passive Network Infrastructure (PNWI), in specialised technical areas at the NCI Agency The Hague (The Netherlands).Successful implementation of the new Structured Cabling System and its integration with the existing cabling system requires certified installers who can provide long term warranty and maintenance of the installation.

general 1 953 1 about-us/newsroom/nato-agency-appoints-nci-academy-director.aspx Dr Garry Hargreaves has been appointed the new Director of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academy. Run by the NCI Agency, the Academy provides education and training services to NATO and the Nations. Expert instructors deliver individual and collective training on NATO Communications and Information Systems (CIS), including air command and control. The training delivered supports the technical operation and maintenance of NATO commands, Military Training and Exercise Programme and assists NATO and national commands in preparing for NATO operations The NCI Academy, one of the Agency's nine service lines, was formed by combining the Education and Training Service Line and the NATO CIS School in Latina, Italy Dr Hargreaves will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of world-class training to NCI Academy customers from NATO and the Nations NCI Agency General Manager Kevin J Scheid sai I am pleased and proud to announce that Garry Hargreaves will be leading the NCI Academy to expand our training capabilities. Garry was instrumental to achieving the initial operating capability of the NCI Academy. His hands-on leadership skills, academic background and vision for implementing our strategy made him the right fit for the role. The NCI Academy is a more than 140-member-strong team with staff in Oeiras, Portugal; The Hague, Netherlands; Mons, Belgium; and Stavanger, Norway Major General Göksel Sevindik, Chief of Staff and Senior Responsible Officer for the NCI Academy said We have big plans to become the point of reference for innovative education and training excellence in NATO community. I look forward working with Garry to finalize the structure of the Academy and start implementing our strategy. Developing and delivering world-class CIS education and training services, including cyber, is one of the NCI Agency's highest priorities. Smart training for smart defence is the ethos of the Academy. Dr Hargreaves said To say that it is a profound honour to be asked to lead the Academy would be a phenomenal understatement. The men and women of the NCI Academy have worked tirelessly over the last few years, and certainly deserve the attention and support of a leader worthy of them. We look forward to further collaboration with NATO and the Nations to deliver the education solutions that work best for their teams. No

Dr Garry Hargreaves has been appointed the new Director of the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Academy.

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An overview of CIS Support Units (CSU) Commanders at the NCI Agency.

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