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Eurocorps activates key phase of ‘Common Tenacity 2026’ exercise

key phase of ‘Common Tenacity 2026’ with an eye toward NATO certification

9 November 2026

In recent months, the Eurocorps Headquarters (HQ EC) has been engaged in the internal exercise COMMON TENACITY 2026 (CT26). This operational-level training, conducted as a Command Post Exercise (CPX), serves as a preparatory laboratory for NATO’s STEADFAST DUEL 2027 (STDU27) exercise, scheduled for the second half of next year. The primary objective is to train Eurocorps—acting as the Principal Training Audience (PTA)—in the planning and execution of a non-Article 5 Multi-Domain Operation (MDO) against terrorist groups (TGs) that threaten stability and security in a simulated African region.

The exercise is based on a 360-degree simulated scenario covering the Southern Flank of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe’s (SACEUR) Area of Responsibility. This framework aligns with NATO’s Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA) concept, which focuses on geographic zones designated for stabilization efforts and counter-terrorism operations abroad. Within these parameters, the internal CT26 exercise serves as a precursor to the joint evaluation that the Eurocorps Headquarters will undergo during upcoming Atlantic Alliance exercises.

From Planning to Orders: Developing the OPLAN

The previous phase of the CT26 exercise, designated Block C (COMMON ADVENTURE), focused on Crisis Response Planning (CRP). In this new stage, the primary effort centered on developing the Operation Plan (OPLAN) for the Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ), as well as issuing the subsequent orders that will govern the deployment and employment of forces in the field.

Under the leadership of the G5 (Plans) section, the Eurocorps Headquarters successfully executed Phases 3 and 4 of the Operational Planning Process (OPP). This coordinated effort enabled the achievement of the first critical milestone in the military timeline: the delivery of an operational OPLAN to the Commander of the Eurocorps (COMEC). Once the OPLAN was finalized, the G7 (Training) section, the G35 (Current Plans) section—specifically its Synchronization Section (OPS SYNC)—and the G5 (Future Plans) section established the timeline that guided the development of the Joint Coordination Order (JCO).

Activation of the Combined Joint Coordination Group (CJCG)

With the strategic OPLAN now on the table, the exercise has entered its executive planning phase. Under the direction of the G35 section, the Combined Joint Coordination Group (CJCG) has been officially activated to initiate the production cycle for the Joint Campaign Order (JCO).

The development of this campaign order rests on four fundamental pillars:

  • The exercise’s strategic documents and the documentation for the simulated scenario.
  • Intelligence products provided through the Comprehensive Understanding of the Operational Environment (CUOE).
  • The Directives and Guidance (D&G) from the Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander.
  • The final version of the OPLAN developed during the Crisis Response phase.


Through the execution of exercise COMMON TENACITY 2026, the Eurocorps not only strengthens the cohesion of its internal structures and multi-domain procedures but also reaffirms its position as a high-readiness headquarters—trained and prepared to respond to complex, asymmetric threats along the Alliance’s strategic flanks.