consisting of conventional land, sea and aerospace capabilities, will ensure the defence of the nation in the future and contribute to the joint defence of NATO territories, in accordance with on-going agreements. 98. The support of Italian citizens for the armed forces and the awareness of international commitments will be increasingly decisive for the success of the delicate tasks that Italy will be required to carry out in the future. Much has already been done with regards to this issue, and there is a growing awareness in the nation of the role of the armed forces and the professionalism of the Italian soldiers. However, it is still necessary to improve communication with the general public by sharing the aims, the scope and the actions of the armed forces, thus ensuring transparency and control. Implications for the armed forces 99. Some of the lessons learned and observed trends are definitely of value and should be used as a starting point for improvement. The armed forces must take the following concepts into consideration, regardless of whether or not they are able to perform their assigned duties. 100. The need to respond more quickly to changing needs means that activities have to be adapted in order to identify and purchase new equipment, to define how capabilities will be used, and to develop doctrine and operating procedures. The process of transformation and adaptation of the armed forces requires more effort in order to speed up analytical and procedural changes, as well as changes in attitude and predisposition, at all levels and in all sectors. 101. Actions to prevent crisis and conflict must be anchored to a better information collection and analysis capability, to the study of phenomena and to knowledge of the situations in which the armed forces will have to play an active role along with the other organisms of the State. In situations of crisis or conflict, the action of the military component will be effective only if it has superior command and control, surveillance, - 48 -