SOF combat divers emerge from the water in La Spezia, Italy, as part of Exercise ‘Bold Machina 2024'. (Allied SOFCOM)
Allied Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM), formerly the NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ), organised its ‘first official' exercise in November as part of its transition into a strategic warfighting headquarters, Janes has learnt.
According to SOFCOM's Commander US Army Lieutenant General Richard E Angle, Exercise 'Bold Machina 2024' (BOMA24) – conducted at La Spezia Naval Base in Italy – represented a “pivotal step” towards the organisation's new role.
“Historically, [NSHQ's] focus [has] been on developing policy, doctrine, and training to strengthen allied and partner SOF [special operations forces] capabilities and interoperability. Now, with this first official exercise, SOFCOM is advancing into operational experimentation to ensure readiness against emerging threats,” Lt Gen Angle explained in an exclusive interview with Janes.
Training goals
Conducted between 11 and 14 November BOMA24 was billed by the Allied SOFCOM as NATO SOF's “premier undersea operational experiment (OPEX) focused on securing critical undersea infrastructure (CUI) from complex hybrid threats”.
“[BOMA24] exemplifies NATO's commitment to innovation, interoperability, and maritime domain awareness in an increasingly complex security landscape. By doing so, [BOMA24] builds a robust foundation for enhanced situational awareness and response capabilities, addressing the full spectrum of maritime security challenges,” NATO documentation provided to Janes explained.
Co-hosted by SOFCOM and NATO's Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), the exercise was also supported by the Italian Joint Special Forces Operations Command (Comando Operativo Forze Speciali: COFS) and specifically the Italian Navy's Operational Raiders Group (Comando Subacquei e Incursori: COMSUBIN), which is based nearby at Le Grazie and includes the Operational Raider Group, Operational Diver Group, Special Naval Group, Study Centre Group, Education Group, and Logistics Group.
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