BALTDEFCOL hosted itsOperational Level Energy Security Course online

Since 23 March, the Baltic Defence College has been executing the Operational Level Energy Security Course, which is certified as a NATO course. College participants from the Higher Command Studies Course, the Joint Command and General Staff Course and the Civil Servants Course were joined by two external participants.

The aim of the course is to introduce fundamental concepts and to analyse energy security developments in the current geopolitical situation and their potential impact on Alliance security and military operations at the operational level. It will underpin the participants’ ability to apply energy security factors relevant to NATO missions and operations within future assignments. The Course have been delivered in cooperation the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (ENSEC COE) in Riga. The lectures were delivered by ENSEC COE experts and by specialists from NATO Headquarters, European Hybrid COE, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and TOBB University of Economics and Technology (Ankara).

The course consists of a NATO online ADL module, lectures, reading tasks, and group work activities. Due to the current situation, all participants and lecturers cooperated online for delivery of education and conduct of syndicate tasks. Each day’s main topics were organized under NATO’s three pillars of energy security: energy security awareness, critical energy infrastructure protection (CEIP), and energy efficiency in military operations. Group activities focused on the collective defence of NATO’s Baltic Region Eastern Flank energy networks against hybrid threats and NATO’s energy security pillars – Red Teaming hybrid threats to energy security, Blue Teaming to improve protection of CEIP, and lastly consideration of actions to improve energy efficiency in military operations.

Next year’s BALTDEFCOL Operational Energy Security Course (NATO Course Catalogue number EGY-ES-35433) will take place from 22 to 26 March 2021 in Tartu. Check the BALTDEFCOL Website later this year for registration details.