Joint Force Training Centre

The Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) is a new NATO Headquarters located in Bydgoszcz in Poland, responsible to Allied Command Transformation at Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States. Its date of birth is on the official activation date 31 March 2004.

The Joint Force Training Centre has a distinct and unique role in focusing on joint and combined training at the tactical level. In particular, it focuses on the conduct of joint tactical training to achieve joint tactical interoperability at the key tactical interfaces - one of the critical areas of weakness identified in the Iraqi campaign.

The JFTC develops as a focal point and centre of expertise for NATO joint operations and warfare at the tactical level. The centre is able to host activities or deploy to provide support and expertise to assist in the training of all Alliance and Partner forces. The centre runs courses, conducts training and provides advice to a variety of training audiences across the Alliance. It co-operates with other national training centres, including PfP training centres, and “Centres of Excellence” to ensure the application of NATO standards and doctrine in the combined and joint areas. In these roles, the JFTC is a critical element in assisting the transformation of Alliance and Partner forces. As a priority, the JFTC provides support to the NATO Response Force (NRF) joint and component commanders in the training and exercising of the NRF, focusing on joint and combined competences at the tactical level.

JFTC supports the NRF joint and component commanders in ensuring that each NRF rotation achieves a high level of interoperability, flexibility and extensive training as a combined and joint force, in order to be fully ready at the beginning of the duty cycle. The JFTC support includes:

• Training, support and assistance in achieving NRF standards and criteria;
• Promotion of NATO doctrine and procedures for joint and combined operations;
• "Train the trainers" in achieving combined and tactical standards;
• Assist commanders with exercise design and planning;
• Provide exercise support and control in joint exercises;
• Conduct training for subordinate NRF staffs (command posts) introducing joint aspects and the integration of joint effects;
• Act as observer/trainers during training and support after action analysis;
• Include lessons learned from previous NRF training cycles;
• Assist the relevant commander in certification;
• Contribute to emerging doctrine and concepts in joint tactical interoperability.

With these functions, the JFTC is an important element in ensuring that each NRF becomes a truly integrated joint force, at a high level of training and is able to deploy at short notice. It serves to raise the standards, set by SACEUR, of the NRF in each cycle as new concepts and lessons learned are constantly fed back into training, thereby acting as a catalyst for the transformation of all Alliance forces.

In November 2008, JFTC will move from its home on Dwernickiego street to a brand new simulations centre on Szubinska street. The new center was originally intended to integrate computer assisted simulations (CAX) into their future exercises to enhance the realism of the training.