Solbiate Olona, 31 October 2025 — The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA) hosted a high-level workshop dedicated to the evolution and digitalization of Command Posts. The event aimed to analyze lessons learned from recent conflicts and major NATO exercises, in order to define the requirements and characteristics of future command and control systems on the battlefield.
The initiative, which included participants from the Italian Army General Staff, COMFOTER, Division “Acqui,” Multinational Division South, as well as numerous brigades and Army branch commands, confirmed NRDC-ITA’s role as a training and conceptual hub for the modernization of command and control systems.
During the workshop, participants examined the typical operational scenario of a high-intensity conflict, in which land forces are required to operate across multiple domains, in highly complex conditions, and under the constant threat of cyber and electronic attacks. In this context, the command post plays a central yet exposed role: the ability to maintain continuity of command, protection, and mobility becomes a decisive factor for operational success.
The discussions began with an analysis of the hypothetical structure of command posts in a warfighting scenario, followed by working groups (syndicates) where participants shared experiences, proposals, and operational models. A clear need emerged to rethink the command post as a more agile, mobile, and interconnected entity—capable of operating in a distributed manner and enabling rapid decision-making even in degraded environments.
Among the key topics discussed was the growing need for mobility, given the dispersion of units on the ground and the challenges commanders face in maintaining constant contact with maneuvering elements. Participants also emphasized that information overload is one of today’s most complex challenges: the vast amount of available data can slow decision-making processes unless properly filtered and synthesized. At the same time, the increasing dependence on data and digital systems requires heightened attention to cybersecurity and resilience against electronic warfare threats.
Another central theme was the physical survivability of command posts, to be ensured through the use of protected mobile platforms, physical and thermal camouflage, reduced electronic and acoustic signatures, and the dispersion of functions across distributed command and control nodes. All these aspects call for a profound redesign of traditional command post structures and management.
The workshop marks a significant step toward defining a unified command post model across different command levels, with the objective of establishing standardized, digital, and mobile structures capable of operating in complex scenarios and ensuring command survivability and effectiveness in highly contested environments.
In the coming months, NRDC-ITA and the participating units will develop a technical document summarizing the workshop’s findings, outlining the key requirements for the Italian Army’s future command posts. This work will serve as a foundation for developing operational, technical, and training solutions to achieve increasingly interoperable, flexible, and rapidly deployable command posts.
Through this initiative, NRDC-ITA reaffirms its commitment to fostering innovation and cooperation within the Alliance, ensuring that land forces remain ready to operate effectively and securely in future operational environments.
