Training Command Posts and C4 Research Laboratory

General information

Training command posts (TCP) and C4 research laboratory are independent units of the National Defence University of Ukraine (NDUU) and subordinated to the National Defence University Commandant. The coordination and direction of their activities is carried out by the Deputy Commandant of the University on Academics.

The TCP are tasked to:

  • ensure the conduct of command and staff exercises, mobilisation training, wargaming, staff training with students and academic staff of the NDUU;
  • ensure the conduct of comprehensive operational tasks, practical classes, group exercises and other training activities with NDUU students;
  • introduce automation tools and the latest information technologies into the educational process;
  • ensure the functioning and technical maintenance of automated workstations, servers, telecommunications networks, peripheral equipment, and means of communication;
  • develop and improve the educational and material base.

The C4 Research Laboratory is tasked to:

  • develop and implement the C4 means into NDUU educational process;
  • ensure the development of the NDUU educational and material base based on the use of modern information technologies;
  • organize and conduct research and applied research within C4 domain;
  • organize and conduct research during the preparation and conduct of command and staff exercises with students using C4 means;
  • organize and participate in scientific, scientific-technical and scientific-information activities, inventive and rationalisation activities;
  • provide scientific support for the preparation and conduct of practical classes, group exercises and command and staff training with students and academic staff;
  • analyze, generalize and share the experience in scientific and scientific-technical activities in the field of development and implementation of C4 means, provide its implementation in the educational process of the NDUU;
  • prepare and conduct scientific conferences and seminars.

Structure

The TCP consist of:

  • TCP Chief;
  • TCP Deputy Chief;
  • TCP senior engineers;
  • TCP engineers;
  • C4 (OPCON) Research Laboratory.

Foundation and development history

  • 2000 – Training command posts were created following the Order No. 40 of the Minister of Defence of Ukraine dated 11 February 2000 ‘On enhancing the role of the National Defence Academy of Ukraine in the building up and development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’ and in accordance with the order of the Chief of the National Defence Academy of Ukraine dated 4 July 2000 No. 86 ‘On the creation of training command posts at the National Defence Academy of Ukraine’;
  • 2000 - 2010 – training command posts of the National Defence Academy of Ukraine;
  • 2010 – till now – training command posts of the National Defence University of Ukraine;
  • since 2012 – C4 research laboratory was integrated under operational control of the TCP.

TCP functioning

During 2024–2025 academic year, five command and staff exercises and two comprehensive operational exercises were conducted with NDUU students of all education and training levels. During the preparation for command and staff exercises and during their conduct, TCP the operation of approximately 120 automated workstations for staff officers and, on the basis of equipped computer classrooms, all types of practical classes with NDUU students in accordance with the established forms of conduct.

All command and staff training exercises were conducted in accordance with NATO standards using special software and a simulation modelling system, taking into account the experience of the ATO and JFO.

Tactical operations centre (ТОC – 1)

Tactical operations centre (ТОC – 2)

The training classrooms and lecture halls of the TCP are constantly used to accommodate students of full-time and part-time programmes, L3 and L4 courses, and NDUU advanced training courses (on average, 6 to 10 training groups are accommodated per month). During the 2024-2025 academic year, approximately 500 officers were accommodated.

Scientific potential

The scientific potential of the Research Laboratory consists of two scientists, two candidates of technical sciences, and senior research associates.

Main achievements

  • Completed operational task: ‘Problems of developing, implementing and supporting automation tools and their complexes to improve the intensity and quality of military specialists training.’ Code name ‘Process-AS’;
  • Scientific and prtactical seminar held ‘Problems of increasing the intensity and quality of military specialists (managers) training through the use of the latest information technologies, development, implementation and support of training automation tools and their complexes’;
  • Participation in scientific and scientific-practical conferences and seminars;
  • Scientific works have been prepared: a textbook ‘Conducting Operational and Tactical Calculations Using Information and Calculation (Information) Tasks,’ a scientific article ‘An Improved Algorithm for Calculating Time Indicators in Hierarchical Structures of Operational Training Plan Tasks,’ and abstracts of reports from a scientific and practical seminar;
  • Submitted a rationalisation proposal;
  • Conducted comprehensive classes with Military Training Department students on the study of C4 systems;
  • Conducted research on using the ‘Dzvyn’ C4 system for operational planning and direct control of troops (forces) during operations during the preparation and conduct of command and staff exercises with NDUU students;
  • In accordance with the Annual Plan for Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activities for 2025, the C4 research laboratory performs the following scientific and scientific-technical activities;
  • as part of the operational task ‘Structure – AS’, special software was developed to manage the operational and tactical situation on an electronic map, and a methodological manual on the use of special software was developed;
  • a scientific article ‘Improving the intensity and quality of training for military specialists through the use of a complex of automated training tools’ was prepared;
  • a scientific article ‘The use of AI to solve military-applied problems’ was prepared;
  • an application for a rationalisation proposal was developed;
  • participation in an initiative group on the creation of an electronic class schedule, developed a special programme for transferring data from Excel to WEB format;
  • comprehensive classes were held with the Military Training Department students on C4 systems;
  • comprehensive classes were held with 3rd and 4th year cadets of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Physical Culture and Sports and Health Technologies on the use of modern geoinformation systems for solving military-applied problems.

Rationalisation activity