1st week of the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) Exercise “Joint Planner 18” (JP18) is quickly reaching its end. BALTDEFCOL faculty and students of the Joint Command and General Staff Course 2018-2019 have been working shoulder to shoulder with external participants from Estonian SOF, Air Force and Navy; Latvian TRADOC HQ Training Branch; Lithuanian Armed Forces, Navy and Ministry of National Defence; Georgian National Defence Academy; Polish War Studies University; Swedish Armed Forces International Centre and NATO Joint Warfare Centre. Such multinational and –organisational cooperation will significantly contribute to the preparation of the participants of the course for operational level planning process within international environment.

By applying a combination of methods, including Comprehensive Preparation of Operational Environment, Centre of Gravity analysis and Operational Design, War Gaming and Course of Action Comparison, the students are learning to analyse operational environment, defining the operational-level problems, determine the key factors contributing to the crisis and designing courses of action. JP18 will continue for another week.

BALTDEFCOL is conducting the Exercise JP18 from 5th to 16th of November 2018 to provide the students an initial understanding of NATO Comprehensive Operational Planning Directive and prepare them for the Exercise “Joint Resolve 19” taking place in Polish War Studies University in May 2019.