Spain will host the virtual cyber simulation environment to train the Alliance in multi-domain operations

• It will develop the platform in collaboration with Estonia to incorporate cyber defence directly into the planning of joint military operations

Spain, together with Estonia, will take the lead in creating NATO’s new virtual cyber simulation environment, the system for which will be hosted on Spanish territory. This platform, the Classified Cyber Range Constructive Simulation Environment (NCCR CSE), will enable allied forces to be trained to integrate cyber defence directly into the planning of global military operations, rather than treating cyber security as an isolated technical task.

Through this project, the Alliance aims to ensure that operations in the digital domain are coordinated in real time with the rest of the forces in the other four domains (air, space, land and sea). Both countries will be responsible for designing the basic structure and rules of the system to ensure that all NATO simulation tools use the same computer language and can connect with one another. 

Technical workshop at the MCCE

As a demonstration of Spain’s commitment to promoting the NCCR, the Joint Cyberspace Command (MCCE) hosted the NCCR Workshop – a technical and institutional event – at its headquarters at Retamares Base from 7 to 10 September. The event was opened by the commander of the MCCE, Vice-Admiral Javier Roca, and brought together delegations from Allied Command Transformation, Allied Command Operations, the Cyber Operations Centre, the Joint Commands in Naples and Brunssum, the Defence Staff and the national defence industry.

The meeting concluded with the planning of the cyber exercises scheduled for the third four-month period of 2027 and a review of the Memorandum of Understanding and the Service Level Agreement, which are key to achieving the platform’s full operational capability.