"Arbër Shield 26”: Light Infantry Battalion Group certified as Mission Capable

Published: Monday, 21 September 2026 17:56

Minister Nufi: “The Armed Forces are Fully Interoperable with the Forces of NATO Allies”

The Light Infantry Battalion Group (LIBG) has been certified as “Mission Capable” following the completion of the evaluation process conducted as part of Exercise “Arbër Shield 26” at the Biza Training Area.

The closing ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj; Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji; commanders, NATO representatives, military attachés and partners. During the ceremony, Defence Minister Ermal Nufi described the certification as a significant achievement for both the Land Force and the Albanian Armed Forces.

“Today, the result speaks for itself: the Light Infantry Battalion Group has been certified as ‘Mission Capable’. This is an achievement of which we should be proud. At the same time, it carries responsibility, the responsibility to maintain this standard, turn this experience into a sustainable operational capability, and remain prepared to demonstrate that capability whenever the mission requires it." - Minister Nufi said.

Exercise “Arbër Shield 26” served as a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process conducted across the CREVAL functional areas. It tested the unit’s ability to plan, command, deploy and conduct operations in a complex operational environment, in accordance with NATO standards and procedures.

The national certification process was monitored by NATO representatives and focused on the standardisation and interoperability of the Albanian Armed Forces with Allied forces.

“Albania is and will remain a committed ally, one that contributes responsibly to the Alliance and works continuously to strengthen its capabilities. In this regard, the modernisation of the Armed Forces is an ongoing and irreversible process,” the Defence Minister stated.

Linking the certification process to the broader transformation of the Armed Forces, Minister Nufi emphasised that modernisation concerns not only equipment, but also the way operations are planned, personnel are trained and missions are conducted.

“This is precisely the purpose of the modernisation we are undertaking: to build Armed Forces that are more capable, more mobile, better protected, more technologically advanced and fully interoperable with the forces of our NATO Allies." - he said.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Minister Nufi commended the work of the commanders, staff officers, instructors, evaluators, and all military and civilian personnel involved in the exercise. He underlined that the certification reflects their hard work, discipline, preparedness and professionalism.

Exercise “Arbër Shield 26” marks another important step towards strengthening operational capabilities and enhancing the readiness of the Albanian Armed Forces to fulfil national missions and commitments within the NATO Alliance.