MILEX26: Advancing European Strategic Autonomy Through Integrated Command and Training

MILEX26 is currently bringing together military planners, commanders, and operational staff across Europe to strengthen the European Union's ability to conduct autonomous crisis-response operations. At the heart of the exercise, the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) in Brussels is directing command and control activities, coordinating operational planning, and ensuring coherence across the training audience.

A key feature of the exercise is the close interaction between the MPCC and the Force Headquarters (FHQ) training audience in Zaragoza, manned by Eurocorps. Through continuous coordination, information exchange, and synchronized planning efforts, both headquarters are working together to test and refine procedures essential for future EU-led operations. Daily engagement between Brussels and Zaragoza is reinforcing interoperability and enhancing the effectiveness of command relationships within the EU military framework.

MILEX26 is also serving as an important demonstration of the European Union's commitment to strategic autonomy. By exercising the command structures and operational procedures associated with the Rapid Deployment Capacity (RDC), participants are validating the EU's ability to plan, command, and conduct military operations when required. The exercise is providing valuable opportunities to strengthen readiness, improve decision-making processes, and further develop the capabilities needed for a credible and responsive RDC.

As MILEX26 continues, the collaboration between the MPCC in Brussels and the FHQ in Zaragoza manned by Eurocorps highlights the progress being made toward a stronger and more capable European defence posture. The exercise underscores the EU's determination to enhance its strategic autonomy through effective command structures, integrated training, and a deployable Rapid Deployment Capacity.