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New Three-Nation Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC) Headquarters Fully Operational

By NATO News Release - December 9, 2020

Dutch and Italian Special Operations Forces enter a building filled with smoke while searching for simulated casualties at the International Special Operations Training Centre’s NATO Special Operations Medic Course in Stetten, Germany March 19, 2019. The NSOCM course is designed to transform international SOF operators into Special Operations Combat Medics through 24 weeks of training, through hands-on scenarios, trauma lanes, and prolonged field care clinical skills. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SPC. PATRIK ORCUTT

Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands declared their Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC) headquarters as fully operational on Monday 7 December 2020. The Composite Special Operations Component Command combines national capabilities from the three participating nations into a deployable multinational headquarters, specifically designed for commanding several Special Operations Forces task groups. This innovative approach provides the participating nations with a capability that exceeds the sum of their individual national contributions.

The full operational capability was declared in the framework of the virtual Distinguished Visitors’ Day of the exercise Steadfast Jupiter-Jackal 2020, which tested and verified all the relevant functions of the Composite Special Operations Component Command.

The Composite Special Operations Component Command is one of NATO’s multinational High Visibility Projects and was launched by the Defence Ministers of the three nations through a Letter of Intent in February 2017. This was followed by a Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2018, and the achievement of Initial Operational Capability in second half of last year.

The Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Camille Grand emphasized the swiftness of implementation of the project: “Moving from political intent in 2017 to the actual delivery of a complete capability in 2020 is a remarkable achievement. It demonstrates that multinational cooperation can achieve rapid results when implemented effectively.”

As a next step the three Allies will make the Composite Special Operations Component Command available for the NATO Response Force 2021 rotation.

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