Science and Technology Cooperation and Strategic Priorities: NATO Science and Technology Organization Cooperation Work Plan ()

Key Chapter Title List

1. Preface
2. We – The Science & Technology Organization
3. S&T Strategic Priorities and the Collaborative Programme of Work
4. STB CPoW Activities
5. 2025 CPoW Structure
6. Key 2025 Meetings
7. Applied Vehicle Technology Panel
8. Human Factors and Medicine Panel
9. Information Systems Technology Panel
10. NATO Modelling and Simulation Group
11. System Analysis and Studies Panel
12. Systems Concepts and Integration Panel
13. Sensors and Electronics Technology Panel
14. Technology and Science Incubation Panel
15. Acronyms

Document Introduction

This report comprehensively presents all publicly releasable content of the NATO Science and Technology Organization's (STO) annual Collaborative Programme of Work (CPoW) approved for 2025. As the core output of the STO, the CPoW aims to harness the expertise of approximately 5,000 top scientists, engineers, and analysts from NATO and partner nations through the world's largest defense and security science and technology collaboration network. It addresses current and future military challenges to ensure NATO maintains and expands its "technological edge." The report clearly states that in an increasingly intense global strategic competition, science and technology have become a key arena, where substantial investments by competitors and potential adversaries could threaten NATO's freedom of action and security foundations across all operational domains.

The report systematically outlines the STO's organizational structure and operational model. It reports to the North Atlantic Council at the higher level and oversees the Science and Technology Board (STB), eight Science and Technology Committees (STCs), and three executive bodies: the Office of the Chief Scientist, the Collaboration Support Office, and the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation. The CPoW forms the cornerstone of the STO's project portfolio, encompassing 438 ongoing technical activities covering the full cycle from basic research to technology incubation. These activities operate under a voluntary, low-bureaucracy collaborative business model, with resources provided by participating nations through in-kind contributions, maximizing the return on R&D investment through shared knowledge and technology.

The core content of the report is a detailed analysis of the 2025 work priorities and specific research activities of the eight STCs. The Applied Vehicle Technology Panel focuses on the performance and safety of all-domain vehicle platforms; the Human Factors and Medicine Panel is dedicated to optimizing human performance and health of military personnel in operational environments; the Information Systems Technology Panel specializes in information warfare, next-generation communication networks, and cybersecurity; the NATO Modelling and Simulation Group aims to maximize the coordination and application of modeling and simulation within the Alliance; the System Analysis and Studies Panel provides decision-support analysis for strategy, capability development, and operational activities; the Systems Concepts and Integration Panel employs systems engineering approaches to develop integrated defense systems; the Sensors and Electronics Technology Panel advances and integrates all military sensing technologies; and the Technology and Science Incubation Panel, with a forward-looking vision, focuses on cultivating emerging disruptive technology fields such as quantum technology and biotechnology.

Furthermore, the report details the complete lifecycle of CPoW activities from proposal to completion, emphasizing the rigorous process requiring support from at least four nations and approval by consensus. The report also lists the timing and locations of nearly twenty key business meetings and workshops planned for 2025 by the various STCs and the STB, demonstrating the network's activity and planning. Finally, through detailed charts and data, the report quantitatively presents the type distribution and annual trends of CPoW activities, providing an authoritative benchmark reference for understanding the actual scale and strategic direction of NATO's collective science and technology cooperation.