The Irregular Warfare Center and Hybrid CoE Cooperation: A Vital Partnership for the Future
Shiho Rybski, IWC representative, Morgan 6 contractor and HCOE Director of Training and Exercise
Greg Bendewald, IWC Program Manager and Morgan 6 contractor
The Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) and the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (HCOE) entered into a unique partnership in FY 24 making both institutions stronger and more globally connected. The HCOE was born out of a desire to strengthen NATO-EU cooperation on hybrid threats with the 2016 Joint NATO/EU declaration committing both institutions to counter hybrid threats in a cooperative manner. In this declaration, NATO and the EU voiced the realization that hybrid threats exploited the divisions between civil and military responses. Success in countering these threats requires combining individual strengths and areas of expertise. Finland answered the call in 2017 by creating the HCOE and, to date, 36 NATO Allies and EU Member States have become members of the Center.
Similarly, the IWC was stood up by Congress in FY 23 to serve as a functional center with a distinct mission, expanding IW knowledge and capabilities globally. Its mandate includes three elements necessary to develop creative solutions to irregular problems: funding, authority, and expertise. These elements provide the framework for the IWC to examine challenges and offer solutions in multiple irregular arenas. Its funding provides a structure to study the current environment and recommend solutions. Its authority allows the Center to convene stakeholders from the U.S. Government, including the Defense Department and interagency, international partners, and academia. Lastly, the IWC’s expertise guides stakeholders through investigating, developing, and delivering sustainable processes and programs. Its mission and mandate separate the IWC from the regional centers that operate geographically to support regional combatant commands and partners.
Since that time, the United States has supported the HCOE as it pursues its role as a neutral facilitator for these important exchanges. By leveraging extensive U.S. expertise in exercises as well as funding for training courses, the United States continues to support a culture of cooperation between institutions, governments, militaries, civil society, and private entities, while the IWC provides a critical contribution by seconding an expert to serve as the Director for Training and Exercise. Dr. Dennis Walters, Director of IWC, stated, “This partnership with the HCOE is a critical component to our global strategy and the HCOE is a key stakeholder within the Hybrid Threat Community. Our support of this essential position continues the U.S. Government’s support to HCOE in partnership with our Department of State.”
“This partnership with the HCOE is a critical component to our global strategy and the HCOE is a key stakeholder within the Hybrid Threat Community,” said Dr. Dennis Walters, Director of IWC. “Our funding of this essential position continues the U.S. Government’s support to HCOE in partnership with our Department of State.”
As a Finnish legal entity, which is similar to but more independent than the NATO COEs or the hybrid-focused EU organizations, the HCOE is uniquely positioned to bridge impediments to cross-societal, intra-governmental approaches aimed at reducing the effects of hybrid threats on individual member state societies and institutions. The HCOE can help member states formulate a “whole of government” approach to best address hybrid threats and transition from civilian to military tools and responses. Member states can therefore minimize the gap between these responses that are often exploited by hybrid actors and can do all of this as a neutral actor not affiliated with either NATO or the EU.
Since the HCOE’s establishment in 2017, the U.S. has contributed more than $1 million in the form of grants, training programs, and expertise to support training for the 36 participating states, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia and the IWC now plays a critical role by filling the Director for Training and Exercises position and coordinating events and training on a global level. The partnership between the IWC and the HCOE is strategically significant for several reasons, particularly in the context of contemporary security challenges, such as: Enhanced cooperation and information sharing, strengthened defense capabilities, strategic and operational alignment, and strengthening alliances and partnerships.
On enhanced cooperation and information sharing, both organizations are working to bring mutual understanding and synergy to hybrid threats that often target political, economic, and social vulnerabilities to create instability. A unified strategic response from both U.S. and European entities ensures a coordinated and coherent approach to countering these threats. This is particularly important in responding to state and non-state actors that seek to undermine democratic institutions and international stability.
Furthermore, the IWC and HCOE each bring unique perspectives and expertise to the table. The IWC is well-versed in irregular warfare, focusing on unconventional methods in support of U.S. Defense doctrine, while the HCOE, on the other hand, specializes in countering hybrid threats, which combine conventional and unconventional, military and non-military, with a strong emphasis on NATO-EU cooperation. By working together, both organizations can develop a more comprehensive understanding of hybrid warfare for the trans-Atlantic community.
Strengthened defense capabilities is another key aspect to the centers’ partnership which greatly enhances the ability to shape and coordinate Joint Exercise through the Director of Training and Exercises. Collaborating on joint exercises helps build interoperability between the U.S. and European forces, helping to ensure that when responding to hybrid threats, the two can operate seamlessly together, leveraging each other’s strengths and capabilities.
For example, the HCOE plays a key role in exercising NATO conventional forces through exercises such as STEADFAST DETERRENCE and also plays a critical role in the training of NATO personnel. The IWC and HCOE have made significant impacts in shaping the understanding of hybrid threats through the development of NATO’s Hybrid Threats and Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum. Chaired by representatives from the Department of State and the IWC, the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) working group on irregular warfare / hybrid threats is a collaborative effort between IWC and HCOE to bring a collective understanding amongst Allies.
Led by the IWC representative to the HCOE, the HCOE also hosts one of the only wargame development courses specifically focused on hybrid threats, bringing together participants from various nations, ministries, academia, and private sector. The Center’s sponsorship and collaboration on these wargames includes over 12 allies and partner nations to include participation from Ukraine and focuses on countering Russian aggression.
Also critical to defense capabilities, is the Center’s strategic and operation alignment that the collaboration and partnership brings to both organizations. Working together, the IWC and HCOE can influence the development of policies and doctrines related to irregular and hybrid warfare, creating consistent and effective strategies across NATO and other allied nations. These efforts are an ongoing process that require close collaboration, funding, and execution to maintain a competitive edge against strategic competitors.
These combined efforts strengthen these alliances and partnerships by reinforcing transatlantic ties with Finland and other key allies and partners. This partnership underscores the commitment of the U.S. and Europe to collective security by collaborating closely on such critical issues, they reinforce mutual commitment to NATO and other transatlantic alliances. This solidarity is essential in deterring adversaries and ensuring a stable security environment. As the host nation, Finland plays a significant role in elevating the significance of hybrid threats among EU and NATO partners, establishing both the EU Horizontal Working Party on Hybrid Threats and the host of the first NATO Hybrid Threats Symposium, Finland endeavors to lead on these issues.
As the future location of a NATO Land Component, under JFC Norfolk, the IWC and HCOE partnership will increase in importance, opening joint opportunities to support NATO, and as noted by HCOE Director Teija Tiilikainen, “Our partnership with the U.S. Irregular Warfare Center is pivotal in enhancing our collective ability to detect, understand, and respond to hybrid threats. Together, we are stronger and more resilient.”
This partnership broadens strategic stakeholder network by both centers, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, academia, and the private sector. This broad engagement helps to foster a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to countering hybrid threats, leveraging the full spectrum of societal resources. It also provides for greater adaptability to emerging threats and enables a more agile response mechanism, by facilitating the rapid exchange of information and the implementation of adaptive strategies to address emerging threats swiftly. Critical to the Center’s agility is also the ability to learn and adapt, which is the cornerstone of the IWC’s vision as well as a core tenant to HCOE. By collaborating, the IWC and HCOE can create a continuous learning environment where lessons learned from real-world operations and exercises are quickly disseminated and integrated into future planning and operations.
The partnership between the United States Irregular Warfare Center and the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats is an essential alliance for addressing contemporary security challenges. It fosters deeper cooperation, strengthens defense capabilities, ensures strategic alignment, reinforces transatlantic alliances, and enhances the ability to adapt to and counter emerging hybrid threats. By combining resources, expertise, and strategic insights, this collaboration enhances the collective defense posture against hybrid threats, ensuring greater resilience and readiness among allied nations and best postures all of us to counter strategic adversaries.
