Swiss Armed Forces delegation participates in CWIX 2026 in Bydgoszcz, Poland; 3,500+ specialists across 41 nations involved

Swiss Armed Forces delegation participates in CWIX 2026 in Bydgoszcz, Poland; 3,500+ specialists across 41 nations involved

CWIX 2026: Strengthening Digital Defence Capabilities

Communication Published on 30 July 2026

CWIX 2026: Strengthening Digital Defence Capabilities

In June 2026, the multinational interoperability exercise CWIX 2026 brought together more than 3,500 specialists from 41 NATO Allies and partner nations in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Switzerland, represented by the Swiss Armed Forces, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse, and industry partners, successfully participated in the three-week exercise. The focus was on advancing digital capabilities for multinational operations. Matthias Sommer, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Simulation, armasuisse Science and Technology

CWIX (Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination, eXercise) is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) most significant annual interoperability exercise. It serves as a testing ground for the digital interoperability of armed forces. It is conducted by the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Command Transformation (HQ SACT) and authorised by the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the Military Committee of NATO.

The NATO multinational interoperability exercise CWIX (Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination, eXercise) aims to strengthen the digital cooperation capabilities of NATO Allies and partner nations, evaluate emerging technologies, and promote collaboration between operational and technical communities. To achieve this, national systems are tested within multinational command, control, communications and information systems in realistic operational environments.

The Swiss delegation comprised experts from armasuisse Science and Technology (S+T), armasuisse Procurement, and several specialist organisations of the Swiss Armed Forces. Participants included representatives from the Armed Forces Staff, the Training Command, the Cyber Command, specialists in information systems and command-and-control capabilities, as well as industry partners.

During this year’s exercise, the Swiss contribution focused on integrating national command and information systems into multinational C4ISR structures and validating interoperable communications solutions. Over the three weeks, systems and capabilities covering meteorological and geospatial data services, Space Situational Awareness (SSA), future IT Core Services, and simulation and modelling environments supporting command and operational processes were evaluated. Compliance with the standards of the Federated Mission Networking (FMN) community was also verified.

C4ISR stands for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. It refers to the integration of command functions, communications, information systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The objective is to connect sensors, databases and command systems to provide an accurate and up-to-date operational picture

Successful Participation by armasuisse Science and Technology and armasuisse Procurement

On behalf of the Swiss Armed Forces’ Simulation Competence Centre, specialists from armasuisse S+T tested the interoperability of simulation and command support systems. These experimental activities support the definition of requirements for future procurement programmes. During the exercise, the specialists connected their own systems with those of partner nations and executed predefined scenarios simulating operational workflows. For example, each participating nation simulated its own forces within a shared exercise environment. Other scenarios combined the simulation environment of one nation with the Command and Control (C2) system of another. This approach enabled participants to identify interoperability gaps and system weaknesses at an early stage while gaining valuable insight into the procedures and capabilities of partner nations.

The ‘Swiss Information Exchange Gateway’ (SIEG) project, led by armasuisse Procurement, tested the interoperability of various solutions in the field of Data Centric Security (DCS) on behalf of Cyber Command. The objective of SIEG is to enhance the security of the Swiss Armed Forces’ IT interfaces. Particular emphasis was placed on testing data labelling. This NATO-defined technology enables data flows to be controlled with precision and helps prevent the unauthorised disclosure of information.

Testing within the SIEG project covered three levels: observation, experimentation and verification. The results will provide a robust basis for the targeted development and continuous improvement of Swiss systems.

Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Simulation (AISI)

Within armasuisse Science and Technology, the Competence Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Simulation (AISI) is responsible for developing and transferring innovative solutions in the fields of artificial intelligence and simulation, with a particular focus on security technologies for the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS).

With more than 3,500 participants from 41 nations, CWIX provides a unique environment for testing and evaluating emerging technologies. The exercise promotes knowledge exchange between armed forces, industry and research organisations while enabling participating nations to compare, validate and further develop technical standards and procedures. As such, CWIX complements scientific conferences and industry exhibitions, whilst strengthening national expertise and fostering the development of interoperable capabilities within an international environment.

For the first time in the history of the exercise, the Swiss delegation received formal recognition from the CWIX Management Team. The award acknowledges Switzerland’s outstanding commitment to international cooperation, active knowledge sharing and the collaborative development of capabilities in the spirit of CWIX.

The findings from CWIX 2026 will be analysed over the coming months and incorporated into ongoing digitalisation and networking projects within the Swiss Armed Forces. Particular attention will be given to the standards evaluated and the interoperability issues identified. This will help avoid costly stand-alone solutions while further strengthening cooperation and interoperability with international partners.

Schweizer Armee stärkt digitale Verteidigungsfähigkeit an NATO-Übung (in German)

CWIX 2025: armasuisse supports the interoperability and digitisation of the Swiss Armed Forces

Competence Centre Artificial Intelligence and Simulation AISI