The G6 conference took place on 18-19 February 2014 in Izmir, chaired by Colonel John Pugliese, Land Command (LANDCOM) G6.
As declared by Major General Uǧur Tarçin, Chief of Staff, LANDCOM, during the opening session:
"This G6 conference aims at reinforcing the LAND Community of Interest, making the Connected Forces Initiative go faster and ensuring the Graduated Readiness Forces Land (GRF-L) are successful. This requires playing the advocate role, and through Strategic Partnership with the NCI Agency, filling the gap between the NATO Force Structure and the NATO Command Structure, including clarifying who pays for what.
To do so, LANDCOM G6 is collecting and sharing the good ideas that come out from the combined visits that are conducted in the Corps with the NCI Agency this early 2014".
This was the opportunity for this Audience to discuss matters of importance such as Federated Mission Network, Cyber Defence, NATO Response Force certification, Land Command and Control Information Services (LC2IS) and NATO (NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP), but also as a driver throughout the whole conference, the implementation of the NATO solution in the 9 Graduated Readiness Forces (LAND) with the Agency in support of the NRF and Joint Task Force Headquarters - Land Heavy (JTF-HQ (L) certification processes.
The discussions generated by the various briefings highlighted the strong interest from the Corps to gain support from the Agency in their certification process, tailored to their specific requirement, in accordance to the operational requirements stated by Allied Command Operations (ACO). The network capacity and connectivity remain in the critical path for success, but the implementation of the functional services, and specifically of LC2IS and NCOP, are at the centre of expectations for achieving a successful certification.
Lieutenant General Frederick "Ben" Hodges, Commander LANDCOM concluded with a statement recognizing the "terrific support provided by the NCI Agency to support his highest expectations regarding Communication in the Alliance".