Required levels of readiness and preparation 114. Adequate levels of preparation and readiness of the forces ensure that they have the military capabilities to carry out any intervention if approved by the government. These parameters are important indicators for assessing the actual output of operational potential of the military and the effectiveness of the investments made in it. Over the last twenty years, the Italian Defence Force has made a substantial contribution to international military action abroad. Functional to this objective, was the possibility of using the forces in a variety of military missions and multinational operations, which was possible thanks to adequate preparation levels and readiness. 115. Planning the correct levels of readiness and operational preparation is a sophisticated and complex exercise. It requires the right balance between available resources and the level of risk that the nation is willing to take. Keeping a large part of the forces in a high state of readiness and preparation reduces the level of strategic risk for the nation. However, it also involves high costs and pressure on military staff, resources, systems and operational infrastructure. In contrast, low levels of readiness and preparedness are unacceptable, because it will result in the inability of the military forces to perform the tasks and missions it is assigned, while putting military personnel at high risk, therefore, a pointless exercise. 116. As part of NATO, Italy helped develop three benchmarks by which it is possible to objectively evaluate the level of “employability” of the armed forces and their performance to operate in today’s scenarios and the foreseeable future. They consist of: the usability of forces, or the percentage of forces readily employable in the terms of required certificates and professional qualifications, availability of systems, and training levels; - 53 -