Ashton B. Carter, US Secretary of Defense, will visit the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence today.
“It is important that high-level decision makers and military leaders are up-to-date with the latest in cyber security as it has become an inherent part of modern warfare,” explained Colonel Artur Suzik, Director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. “The Centre supports NATO and our member nations with applied research, trainings and exercises. However, cyber increasingly needs to become integrated into operational planning.”
Secretary Carter will be briefed about the Centre and developments in cyber security during his visit to Estonia.
The Tallinn-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is a NATO-accredited knowledge hub focused on interdisciplinary applied research and development as well as consultations, trainings and exercises in the field of cyber security. The Centre’s mission is to enhance capability, cooperation and information-sharing between NATO, Allies and partners in cyber defence. The Centre is staffed and financed by sponsoring nations and contributing participants.
Membership of the Centre is open to all Allies. The United States joined NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in 2011. Currently, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, the United Kingdom and the USA have signed on as sponsoring nations. The accession process for Greece and Turkey is being finalised. Austria has become a contributing participant and Finland is well on its way to doing the same.