Quantity of C4ISR assets isn’t the issue; sharing and using data to facilitate Network Enabled Capability is…

With so many nations and multiple C4ISR assets in theatre, how do you achieve a ‘common operational picture’ and Network Enabled Capability?

This is the current issue facing leaders of joint ISR and multinational C4ISR programs right now. ISR programs including Afghan Mission Network (AMN), MAJIIC 2, Empire Challenge, NATO AGS & AEW&C are all aiming for interoperability and information superiority.

Leaders of such programs including Sean Midwood, Deputy Program Manager for MAJIIC 2 recognize that it’s not the lack of ISR assets but not knowing where they are situated that is the issue.

The countries involved in MAJIIC 2 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each country is aiming to share information across one platform and sharing assets such as UAVs.

Midwood cites several goals but overall it is to achieve improved mission effectiveness. Given the budgetary constraints, joint ISR programs need to find the ability to do more with less by allowing commanders greater access to whatever ISR assets are most readily deployable.

Essentially the main ambition is to realize NECs. Midwood goes on to say “NEC is network-centric warfare in NATO-speak—same goals, same objectives, everything shows up on the cloud or in the network as a service, and users don’t have to worry about everything else.”

So, with many ISR assets, new and old, in operations the solution is to find a way of sharing assets across coalitions. In addition to this, building a platform or infrastructure to make sense of all the data that is being collected is needed to enable commanders to have a ‘common operational picture’.

All of the issues, programs and plans mentioned above will be the focus of discussion at Future ISR 2011, 28th– 30thNovember, Le Plaza, Brussels, Belgium.

About Future ISR

Working together with the head of the NC3A George Hollander and other key ISAF contributors the Future ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) conference has been designed to tackle C4ISR inhibitors such as Networking Existing Assets, Developing a Joint ISR Network for Future Threats and Fusing Information to Enhance Situational Awareness.

In contrast to conventional conferences featuring prepared briefings, Future ISR will advance the discovery of practical solutions to these common C4ISR challenges by creating a forum for candid discussion, sharing of best practice and enhanced collaboration with industry and technology providers.

For more information visit www.FutureISR.com, email FutureISR@wbr.co.uk or call +44 (0) 20 7368 9465.

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