Beginning this month, staff officers of the NATO Command and Control Centre of Excellence (C2COE) conducted Phase 1 of a Command and Control (C2) assessment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova.
A delegation comprising six officers visited the Ministry of Defence in Chișinău. Through a structured programme of visits, observations and interviews with senior representatives from the Ministry of Defence, the General Staff, and other relevant governmental institutions, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the delegation obtained a first comprehensive understanding of the existing C2 structures and processes within both the armed forces and the broader governmental system.
This assessment is conducted at the initiative of the Permanent Representation to NATO and conducted within the framework of the NATO Enhanced Defence and Related Security Building (EDRSB) Initiative and aims to support the Republic of Moldova in the ongoing (digital) transformation of its Armed Forces. By means of a desk-research and on-site assessment, the objective is to contribute to the development of an operational Moldovan Armed Forces, equipped with the necessary Communication and Information Systems (CIS) and interoperable with NATO and partner nations.
The assessment is structured around the three fundamental pillars of Command and Control: processes, people, and technology. It builds on real-world observations and insights across all aspects of C2, forming the basis for further analysis. During the assessment, the C2COE applied its newly developed C2 Assessment Tool, enabling a structured, consistent, and comprehensive analysis across all relevant domains.
“From the start, we experienced a strong sense of openness and cooperation from our Moldovan colleagues. This allowed us to develop a solid understanding of the way Command and Control is applied in practice and to provide realistic recommendations. It also made it easier to have honest discussions and get to the core of how things actually work rather than how they would function under ideal conditions.” said Major Verbruggen, lead assessor from the NATO C2COE.
Next visits to the Republic of Moldova as part of the assessment are scheduled throughout the year, with the objective of delivering a final report, including findings and recommendations, to the Moldovan military authorities by the end of the year. The findings will provide a practical basis for follow-on work in concept and doctrine development, policy development, education and training, and capability and requirements planning. The results of the assessment will remain confidential and will not be shared with external parties.
An assessment, not an evaluation
This activity constitutes an assessment, not an evaluation. An assessment is purely an analytical activity that examines how and why performance (for instance in C2 processes, structures, or human factors) occurs and identifies potential improvements. Assessments aim to generate insights, findings and recommendations, rather than a pass/fail readiness rating. It is definitely not a Combat Readiness Evaluation (CREVAL), as it does not certify whether a unit or headquarters meets predefined readiness standards.’
