In October, the NL3M held the first official meeting.
The first National Lessons Learned Leadership Meeting (NL3M), organized by the JALLC and hosted by the Estonian Defence Forces in Tallinn, Estonia, from 14-15 Octobre 2025, marked a significant milestone in the commitment of Nations and NATO to improve LL sharing and synchronize relevant LL activities for a more effective and efficient Alliance.
The event, chaired by the Commander of the JALLC, BGEN Cristinel Colibaba, was the first-of-its-kind and brought together participants from Allied Nations and NATO’s critical LL commands (the JALLC; HQ SACT; and SHAPE) to exchange insights, reflect on operational experiences, and strengthen collective understanding and implementation of the NATO LL Capability across the Alliance.
The participation of representatives from 22 Allied Nations stands as a powerful testament to the Alliance’s unwavering commitment to fostering a shared capacity for learning, adaptation, and continuous improvement. This event was perhaps even more timely given the recent incursions into NATO’s air space, providing an opportunity for Nations to discuss their own LL responses as well as understand NATO’s approach. As such, it has proven to be a potential defining moment for the future of NATO and National LL, as both Nations and the Organization move to work even closer together in this critically important area.
The meeting opened with a recorded keynote address by Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), Admiral Vandier. His message emphasized the strategic importance of National contributions to NATO’s transformation, stating that “we need to make sure that we all collectively contribute to the best Lessons Learned Process possible.” Referring to what he called the “LL Race,” his remarks set the tone for a meeting focused on collaborati
on, transparency, and mutual growth.
Throughout the event, participants shared lessons from exercises, recent challenges faced by the Alliance, and institutional practices, highlighting the diversity of National experience and the value of learning from one another. These exchanges reinforced the idea that no Nation learns in isolation—and that shared lessons lead to shared success.
The JALLC played a central role in facilitating this exchange, acting as NATO’s hub for Lessons Learned (more information here). The meeting reaffirmed the JALLC’s unique position as a bridge between NATO and National LL perspectives.
The success of this first NL3M indicates that this LL forum looks set to be a key part of NATO’s LL future. The next edition of this meeting will take place under the auspice of the upcoming iteration of NATO LL Conference, which will be held in Lisbon in Q3 of 2026.
