More than 1,200 Bosnian and NATO personnel to take part in major military exercise

The exercise, titled "Immediate Response 26", is among the largest and most complex military training activities organised by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Armed Forces this year, the country's Ministry of Defence announced.

A total of 881 personnel from designated AFBiH units will participate directly, while another 330 personnel from the Bosnian Armed Forces and NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) will serve in the exercise directorate and evaluation teams.

According to the ministry, the exercise will assess the training, equipment and operational capabilities of designated military units, with particular emphasis on improving interoperability with NATO forces.

Brigadier General Jasmin Cajic, Deputy Commander for Operations at the AFBiH Support Command, will oversee the exercise.

Armoured vehicles, helicopters and simulated combat operations

The five-day exercise will involve a range of military equipment, including M113 A1 armoured personnel carriers, modern military ambulances and helicopters operated by the AFBiH Air Force and Air Defence Brigade.

The activities will build on previous computer-assisted and command-post exercises conducted using the Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation (JCATS) system.

Following the simulation phase, participating units will conduct field training exercises involving simulated opposing forces, known as OPFOR, to test their ability to plan, command and execute peace support operations under realistic conditions.

Particular attention will be given to the operational capabilities of a provisional light infantry battalion group, military police platoons and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units.

The exercise will assess their ability to coordinate activities in real time, carry out assigned missions and respond to operational challenges.

NATO teams to assess operational readiness

The exercise will also include a NATO Evaluation Level 2 (NEL-2) reassessment of designated Bosnian military units under the Alliance's Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback (OCC E&F) programme.

The assessment will cover seven key capability areas, including preparation, planning and deployment, operational execution, sustainability, command, control and communications, force protection and information management.

External evaluations will be conducted by NATO teams from Allied Joint Force Command Naples, led by senior NATO mentor Robert Marciano, an OF-4 officer.

Certified evaluators from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina will also participate, providing opportunities for professional cooperation and the exchange of expertise.

The Ministry of Defence said the exercise represents one of the Armed Forces' key training priorities for 2026, highlighting its scale, organisational complexity and international cooperation.

The assessment is intended to determine whether participating units meet NATO operational standards and are capable of carrying out assigned tasks in multinational peace support operations.