TALON 2026

European Crisis Simulation for NRENs

Overview

TALON 2026 was the first large-scale, cross-border crisis simulation designed specifically for Europe’s NRENs. The exercise provided a unique opportunity to test how the NREN community would respond to a realistic, high-pressure crisis scenario unfolding in real time.

Developed under the GÉANT project, TALON 2026 focused on improving operational resilience, cross-border coordination, and crisis communication across the research and education sector in Europe.

A fully booked event

Participants included a diverse mix of large and small NRENs from across Europe, reflecting the range of operational contexts in the community. While the list of participating organisations is not publicly disclosed, the group represented a broad cross-section of the European NREN landscape.

Each organisation activated its internal crisis response teams and navigated a series of simulated disruptions and decision-making challenges. The exercise tested both internal procedures and the ability to collaborate across borders during a shared incident.

Building on CLAW

TALON builds on the foundations laid by the CLAW crisis management events, which helps NRENs develop, and test internal crisis plans. This new initiative took things further by simulating a multi-country, real-time incident that mimicked the stress and complexity of real-world disruptions.

The scenario was designed to reflect operational realities, such as working with incomplete information, facing communication pressures, managing service continuity, and meeting stakeholder expectations under time constraints.

Key insights and outcomes from the exercise were shared at GÉANT Security Days 2026.

Charlie van Genuchten, Project Lead, TALON

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