The European Union is conducting its Crisis Management Military Exercise 23 (MILEX 23) which started on 18 September and will continue until 22 October. 

19 Member States will participate in the MILEX 23 to enhance the EU’s military readiness and capacity to respond more quickly and decisively to external conflicts and crises.

During the MILEX23, the EU will carry out its first military live exercise (LIVEX) between 16 and 22 October in Cadiz, Spain.With this first LIVEX, the EU is taking a significant step forward in EU security and defence policy in line with its Strategic Compass by boosting cooperation, preparedness and interoperability.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell said: “With the Strategic Compass, we are making a quantum leap to become a more assertive and capable security provider, better prepared to tackle present and future crises. Exercises are a key tool to increase the readiness and interoperability of our forces, strengthen our rapid response and reinforce our posture. As we conduct our first ever live exercise, we are making steps forward towards a stronger Military Planning and Conduct Capability and operational EU Rapid Deployment Capacity."

The LIVEX is a crucial step in the preparation of the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) – a key instrument that will increase the EU’s ability to act rapidly and robustly in response to crises by mobilising the necessary Member States’ capabilities in a coordinated manner. The LIVEX represents also the EU’s need for common training and exercises of its personnel in order to test and validate its concepts, procedures and tactics. Similarly, together with future LIVEX, it is a step further to reach full operational capability of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) by 2025, which should become the EU’scommand and control structure, including for the EU RDC.

Background/details

MILEX 23 will be carried out in two phases/parts:

1. Exercise Part 1 – A Command Post Exercise (CPX) from Monday 18 September to Friday 6 October. It will test the military planning process at the military strategic and operational levels.

2. Exercise Part 2 – The Live Exercise (LIVEX) will take place from 16 October to 22 October. The EU will bring together approx. 2800 military personnel from different Member States that will engage in a simulation of realistic crisis events that are specific for military operations and their support. The simulation will take place in the province of Cadiz (Spain) and will put in practice the Operational scenario developed during Part 1. This scenario involves naval elements, land components, air, space and cyber assets.

The first EU LIVEX will engage at three levels: 

• An EU Operations Headquarters (OHQ) provided by the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) in Brussels at military strategic level

• An EU Force Headquarters (FHQ) provided by the Spanish Armed Forces at operational level

• An EU Battlegroup sized force provided by Spain as framework nation and with the participation of military units from EU Member States at tactical level

The programme of the LIVEX also includes a VIP visit Day, on 17 October, with the participation of High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and a Distinguished Visitors Day (DVD) on 19 October, with the participation of EU Chiefs of Defence, when they will be able to observe Member States’ forces and assets operating together.