TRAINING OF MILITARY PERSONNEL ACCORDING TO NATO STANDARDS IN CONDITIONS OF WAR: INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article examines the training of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel according to NATO standards during the full-scale war with the Russian Federation. The concepts of "military education," "professional military training," and "learning" are delineated within the Alliance's doctrinal tradition and Bi-SC Directive 075-007. The NATO standardization architecture for military education is analyzed, including MC 0458/4, Generic Officer PME Reference Curriculum, and NATO Leadership Development Concept. A comparative analysis of NATO standards implementation in military education systems of Poland, the Baltic states, and Georgia is conducted, revealing three qualitatively different models of institutional transformation. The transformation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces training system during 2022–2025 is examined, including the transition from the Soviet multi-level model to the L-course system (L-1A, L-1B, L-1C, L-2), basic military training reform through its six iterations, and international programs Interflex and EUMAM Ukraine. The implementation of innovative educational technologies is investigated: VR/AR combat simulators, unmanned aerial systems operator training in over 30 certified schools, and Locked Shields cybersecurity exercises. Quality assurance mechanisms for military education under the DEEP program and dual accreditation per NAQA and NATO standards are analyzed, along with language training per STANAG 6001 revealing the gap between actual SLP 2 and required SLP 3 proficiency levels. Institutional and resource prerequisites for certifying national military education to NATO standards from September 2026 are identified. Four systemic contradictions are revealed: speed versus quality, formal implementation versus cultural change, technological innovations versus infrastructure limitations, and institutional continuity versus personnel rotation. Prospects for Ukraine becoming a regional exporter of military education expertise by 2030 are substantiated.