SitaWare WebCOP integrated into SitaWare Headquarters

We are pleased to announce that the powerful web-based capabilities of SitaWare WebCOP have been integrated into the newly released next generation SitaWare Headquarters version 6.0.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

SitaWare WebCOP users can now enjoy the intuitive, state-of-the-art user interface of the next generation SitaWare Headquarters (version 6, released October 2014),  whilst using all the powerful features of SitaWare WebCOP in a fully web-based platform. For improved efficiency, no browser plugins are needed to run SitaWare Headquarters 6.

This enables SitaWare WebCOP users to make full use of their current web-based capabilities, whilst also benefitting from the modern user interface, technology and future developments of SitaWare Headquarters.

At the same time, the unification of the two clients increases the flexibility of users to scale the system to match their needs in a single unified high performance client.

Learn more about SitaWare Headquarters 6 here

Support for SitaWare WebCOP

SitaWare WebCOP will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future but new capabilities will only become available in SitaWare Headquarters 6.

Please contact us for more information on upgrading to SitaWare Headquarters 6 or for information on SitaWare WebCOP.

First C2 Days celebrated by the Association of Finnish Defense and Aerospace Industries

As a member of the Association of Finnish Defense and Aerospace Industries (AFDA), Systematic was represented during the first ever C2 Days, which was celebrated last week in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

With the newly established AFDA C2 sub-group leading and organizing the two-day event, around 120 members and decision makers from the Finish Defense Forces, Police, Rescue Services, Border Control, Customs and Industry among others, benefitted from panel discussions, presentations and networking – all focusing on the present and future of C2 in Finland. Besides Defense and Aerospace, major public companies, like Finnair and Kone, were invited to give a glimpse into how they “command and control“ their everyday multinational operations. 

C2 on everyday equipment

An interesting trend confirmed at the show is the growing demand for C2 solutions, which can run on both military specific hardware as well as on everyday equipment. A trend that is embraced perfectly by the Systematic SitaWare Suite of C2 products, all of which are fully operational on both military hardware and everyday equipment. Learn more about the SitaWare Suite here.

Want to learn more?

If you’re eager to learn more about the SitaWare Suite yourself, click on our Event Calendar or simply contact us.

SitaWare's Role in the Digitisation of the Leopard 2 Tank

Ingeniøren, Denmark's leading engineering publication, has published an article on the digitisation of the Danish Army's Leopard 2 tank, featuring the role of SitaWare Frontline as its battle management system.

What the media saidThursday, April 2, 2015

The online article by Steffen McGhie looks at the upgrading of the Danish Army's Leopard 2 tanks with digital radios, computers, routers, sensors and GPS equipment in line with the installation of the Army tactical communication network. SitaWare Frontline is the battle management software used by the Danish Army and provides real time situational awareness of own and hostile units during combat situations. Here is a translation of the original Danish article. 

Danish Leopard tanks go digital

Digital radios, routers and GPS systems will create “a whole new way of waging warfare,” says a Danish officer.

By Steffen McGhie

The Leopard 2 tanks of the Danish Army are now entering the digital age. This is taking place with the implementation of the Army tactical communications network (HTK in Danish), which will involve upgrading the Danish Army tanks with digital radios, computers, routers, sensors and GPS in a process extending until the end of 2016 and costing double-digit millions in Danish kroner.

In 2013, Defence Command Denmark decided to upgrade a total of 405 Danish Army vehicles by installing the Army tactical communications network, and now it is the turn of  the army’s tanks, they face the biggest technical challenge.

“Now we are -digitizing the battlefield, and we are beginning to use electronic maps. This is a huge step, and it will result in a whole new way of waging warfare,” said Major Anders Wendt, head of technology and simulation at the Danish Ministry of Defence’s Material and Procurement Agency (FMI).

At the present time, the use of maps in combat situations is only analogue, involving visual contact with hostile units and radio communication with the Danish Army’s own forces.

Helping prevent friendly fire incidents

From now on, all input from the tank commander and from the tank sensors will be registered in the so-called battle management system (BMS), which represents the software component in the Danish Army tactical communications network. Data is fed into a digital map that is updated in real time and provides all units with the same view of the positions of both friendly and hostile forces. The BMS software used by the Danish Army is SitaWare Frontline, supplied by the Danish company Systematic.

”The data registered can include reports about the position of hostiles, messages about firing directions, the presence of chemical hazards , and much else. Not least important is that crews can see positions of their own troops and units – also called blue force tracking. This is done by registering GPS positions from their radios, thus helping avoid friendly fire incidents,” explains Anders Wendt. The term blue force tracking refers to the fact that NATO forces are traditionally marked in blue during exercises.

“One of the developments that has increased the need to distinguish between friendlies and hostiles in combat situations lies in the trend towards asymmetric warfare,” Anders Wendt continues. ”On the modern battlefield, it is extremely important to be able to share information and identify who’s who. This is often difficult in current operating contexts, when you are often engaged against irregular forces in a fragmented battlefield, and where hostilities are no longer fought by two large armies confronting each other across a clear front line. Nowadays we often have to engage in operations involving small forces,” he explains.

At the same time, the digitization of tank operations makes for more rapid decision-making. “In layman’s terms, you can say that the forces quickest to make decisions in a combat situation are the ones that get ahead of the game. Currently, we have to actually get together in order to pass on orders over a map onto which we have drawn the plans. With the new digital system, we can distribute the plans to each individual tank commander, without having to actually bring them all together to pass on orders,” says Anders Wendt.

According to the Danish Army, which uses the Leopard 2 tanks, the need for quick decisions is becoming increasingly urgent. ”Many of the current threats will accelerate in the future. One example of recent developments is that RPGs (shoulder-fired rocket launchers, ed.) are now readily available on the black market, and are easy for irregular forces to get hold of. This places new demands on our tank units,” according to Lt. Col. Jess Nørgaard Rasmussen, Head of Technology and Infrastructure Department in the Danish Army General Staff.

Not much space

The Danish FMI organisation is currently working on prototypes of the upgraded Leopard 2 tanks. Over the next 18 months, all 16 operational tanks will be equipped with a monitor and an encrypted digital radio, which together form the hardware cornerstone for the BMS software.

The tanks will also be given new military-grade GPS systems for target designation and ruggedized computers that can withstand dust, shocks and fluctuations in the power supply, along with a new intercom system and a router that connects the tank communication system and sensors with the BMS.

”It’s quite a job to make room for all these electronics and the many cables in these 18-year-old tanks,” notes Lt. Col. Bjørn Kongsbak, who is in charge of vehicles at FMI.

”For example, making room for a large screen and a computer is quite a challenge within the confines of a tank. The turret has to be dismantled,” he explained.

FMI cannot yet disclose the final price for these tank upgrades, but a realistic estimate lies in the region of tens of millions of Danish kroner. According to FMI, implementation of the Danish Army tactical communications network in all 405 vehicles will amount to hundreds of millions.

UAV control in your hands!

Systematic has teamed up with one of the most innovative companies in the UAV industry; Sky-Watch. This partnership has resulted in a demonstrator that shows a BMS system controlling and displaying the video feeds from several UAVs as well as also taking control of the UAVs themselves.

Monday, May 18, 2015

A live video feed from a UAV could be the final piece of vital information you need for tactical advantage on the battlefield. But in order to get that video feed, or even to control the UAV itself, you probably need to be looking over the UAV operator’s shoulder, telling him where to go next.

And when you see that picture, you will often spot something that needs a closer look. Then you have the problem of explaining your exact requirements, wait for the operator to pilot the UAV, locate the target and give you a grid. Your next challenge will then be to describe the target location by voice to your sub-commanders. There has to be a better way!

Look, No Hands!

What if you could avoid piloting the drone altogether? What if you could simply point at the exact spot you want to investigate on the map in your C2 or BMS system - and the UAV will fly there on its own? And what if you could switch between different UAVs operating in your area and get the video stream displayed on your screen, by simply clicking on them in your C2 system? 

Try it out. Like US Army.

Systematic has teamed up with one of the most innovative companies in the UAV industry; Sky-Watch. This partnership has resulted in a demonstrator that shows a BMS system controlling and displaying the video feeds from several UAVs as well as also taking control of the UAVs themselves.

The capability demonstrator connects SitaWare Frontline (C2/BMS) with the Huginn X1 (UAV) and has recently been showcased for the US Army during the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments (AEWE) at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA.

To learn more or try out our capability demonstrator get in touch with Systematic or Sky-Watch.

IFAD and Systematic collaboration integrates C2 into military simulation exercises

The collaboration between IFAD, providing training and simulation systems, and Systematic, delivering interoperable command and control solutions, paves the way for situational awareness to simulation systems. The C2 - Simulation Gateway from IFAD bridges the two systems enabling the user to act in his real C2-system based on simulated input.

Press releaseMonday, May 11, 2015

Reduced defence budgets and emphasis on international collaboration and interoperability are just some of the military challenges today. Challenges that put a restraint on live military exercises and call for simulated exercises being more cost efficient than live exercises. The long-standing collaboration between IFAD and Systematic, now formalized in an OEM collaboration agreement, has brought along the development of the C2 - Simulation Gateway (C2 Sim GW) in close collaboration with the Danish Army. The gateway provides a simple integration with Command and Control systems allowing customers with a simulation system to operate with their real C2 solution in simulated exercises.

Read more about the C2 - Simulation Gateway here (pdf)

We have been working closely together with IFAD for many years. The technologies from IFAD within training and simulation and our technologies within SitaWare complement each other and we are delighted to present a concrete collaboration agreement. We believe that together we can give our customers improved educational possibilities based on simulation systems and solutions from our SitaWare suite as we can also offer the gateway now bridging these two systems – put in other words, it is the works

- Henrik Messell, Group Senior Vice President, Systematic

The C2 Sim GW integrates the SitaWare C2 Suite seamlessly into military simulated exercises in a vast majority of simulation systems providing a direct interface to the SitaWare C2 suite – from the tactical edge equipped with SitaWare Edge and Frontline to joint commands using SitaWare Headquarters. Positions from the simulation tool are sent to the C2 Sim GW that “translates” the GPS positions into the SitaWare suite making training for the real world in a simulated universe possible.

“The agreement gives the Danish Army a national industry partnership that provides them with a better and more modern educational environment based on the C4i – and training systems that they already have today. The gateway can be integrated within a short timeframe and the interface is platform and protocol independent adding value also internationally to both existing and new customers“, says Benny Graff Mortensen, President & CEO, IFAD TS.

With the C2 - Simulation Gateway, live systems and simulators are linked into integrated test beds, training environments and distributed simulation exercises. 

Learn more about the C2 - Sim GW (pdf)

Fifty percent of MH-60R offset agreement in place

The Danish Business Authority has approved projects corresponding to fifty percent of the MH-60R offset agreement. Systematic is working with Lockheed Martin and CAE from Team Seahawk on projects developing flight-training simulators and an Electronic Warfare Support System (EWSS) for the helicopters.

What the media saidWednesday, July 1, 2015

Team Seahawk – the four companies producing nine U.S. Navy MH-60R helicopters to the Danish Defence – has launched the initial phase of a range of cooperation projects. The projects are established in cooperation with Danish companies due to the offset agreement made when the Danish Defence ordered the helicopters from the U.S. Navy back in the autumn of 2012. Projects corresponding to fifty percent of the offset agreement have already been pre-approved by the Danish Business Authority.

Systematic are one of the Danish cooperating companies. Systematic is involved in projects with two of the four companies – Lockheed Martin and CAE. Systematic will work with Lockheed Martin on a project to develop an Electronic Warfare Support System for the MH-60R helicopters. The other project made in cooperation with CAE concerns developing a full-motion flight-training simulator planned for installation at Karup Air Base.

Read the original articles here by Teknovation.dk (partly in Danish) and here by Nytkampfly.dk (in Danish).

Experienced supplier for the Danish Navy

Systematic has years of experience providing the Danish Navy with our EWare solution. EWare is an electronic warfare support system that provides military organisations with a powerful EW tool for the day-to-day management and updating of this mission-critical data. Among others, we have supplied the Navy’s branch in Frederikshavn with our solution.

We bring this substantial experience with us in developing the solution for the MH-60R helicopters in cooperation with Lockheed Martin. The project will integrate EWare with Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Warfare Support System (EWSS) to provide the Navy with a comprehensive EW management system.

Moreover, we will establish the infrastructure for the EWSS as well as provide support once usage starts.

Read more about EWare here.

Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet takes Systematic’s SitaWare C2 into the air domain

Systematic and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have successfully tested the interoperability of Systematic’s SitaWare Forward Air Controller (FAC) solution with the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Press releaseMonday, August 17, 2015

The interoperability test was a result of Boeing’s October 2014 collaboration agreement with Systematic and five other Danish defense industry companies.

Boeing is helping Systematic explore other applications for its command and control systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles. Collaboration with Danish technology companies like Systematic is one of several areas Boeing is pursuing in support of long-term Danish industry growth. A recent study commissioned by Boeing found that collaboration among Denmark’s defense industry and Boeing could create more than 10,000 jobs in Denmark and add 6 billion DKK to the country’s GDP over 20 years.

About Boeing

A unit of The Boeing Company, Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Defense, Space & Security is a $31 billion business with 53,000 employees worldwide. Follow Boeing on Twitter.

Fight as you train and train as you fight

Systematic has, in collaboration with IFAD, developed the integrated simulation system C2 Simulation Gateway for the Danish Army, providing a realistic training environment for our troops. The system encompasses all units in a typical military operation and enhances and embeds improved interoperability awareness for participating troops.

What the media saidTuesday, September 8, 2015

A more integrated simulation system

There is no doubt that the gap between simulation and reality will be much smaller for Danish soldiers in future. This is due in no small part to the new simulation system based on C2 Simulation Gateway (C2 Sim GW), developed by Systematic in partnership with IFAD for the Danish Army.
Integrating the SitaWare C2 Suite into simulation systems gives troops an opportunity to perform their C2 training in a much more realistic environment. The C2 Simulation Gateway bridges the simulator with the C2 system to enable users to react to events from the simulator using the C2 system that they would use in actual combat. In this way, instructors and their troops are able to perform exercises using much more realistic events and data.

Preparing troops and saving lives

By integrating SitaWare with the simulation system, the troops get a better grasp of how their tools will be used in an actual operation when interacting with other users so they are better prepared for real operations. Thus the information exchange process is smoother and more effective across military units, and gives troops a more life-like learning experience.
SitaWare is a scalable battle management and C2 information system that connects the different units of a military operation with each other as well as with their headquarters. The system provides every unit with the same information through cameras, radars, sensors and information systems, increasing the level of collaboration and securing a more uniform communication environment.
This high quality solution gives the Danish Army a modern, innovative training system, which is applicable to other national defences and organisations with similar systems.

This is an extract from the fifth edition of Telegrafen 2015. Read the entire article on page 10 here. 

For more information about C2 Sim GW, click here.

Nordic Interest Soars in Simulation, Combat Training Tech

The future of streamlined military training and combat software is found at defense industry players, including Systematic. C2 Simulation Gateway and SitaWare Frontline are mentioned in an article on DefenceNews’ website.

What the media saidMonday, November 16, 2015

“HELSINKI — push for improved simulated training and battlefield protection for troops is driving higher levels of research, development and investment among Nordic militaries.

They are looking for technologies that are cost-effective and readily deployable, whilst interoperability of equipment is becoming a more critical factor in material acquisitions”

Nowadays, some national defense budgets are being cut and need to streamline their processes, including their training. (DefenceNews website 10 October 2015)Reducing costs with C2 Simulation Gateway

In collaboration with IFAD, Systematic has developed the integrated simulation system C2 Simulation Gateway, providing the Danish Army with a comprehensive training tool. C2 Sim GW combines the SitaWare interoperable C2 Suite consisting of Edge, Frontline and Headquarters with an interface that can operate with the vast majority of simulation systems. This means that troops can train in a simulated, yet realistic environment using the same software they use in actual operations. This streamlines training time, reduces costs and reinforces more traditional tactical and operational training.

Read more about C2 Sim GW here.

The agreement gives the Danish Army a national industry partnership that provides them with a better and more modern educational environment, and training systems than they already have today

- Benny Graff Mortensen, IFAD CEO

SitaWare Frontline in the Danish tanks

One of the integrated elements in the C2 Sim GW is the SitaWare Frontline solution that provides real time situational awareness of friendly and hostile units during combat. SitaWare Frontline is now being implemented in the Danish Army’s Leopard 2 tanks and helps give commanders an overview of friendly force tracking and enemy sightings. In addition, the data from the sensors on the tanks is automatically captured by Frontline, displayed on its electronic map and relayed to other units in the network.
The units, whether comprising-transports or fighting vehicles, are integrated with Frontline's sophisticated C2 system to provide headquarters with a real time update of each vehicle's position and status on their graphical display and Common Operational Picture. This can speed up and support the decision making process in critical combat situations. In addition, the battle management system component provides the situational awareness picture that can prevent friendly fire.
The SitaWare Frontline software will be put into operation in more than 400 heavy and light armored fighting and transport vehicles in the Danish Army’s fleet.

Read the full article at DefenceNews here.

New version of NATO APP-11 message catalogue

On March 1, 2016, NATO will officially release the new version of the APP-11 message catalogue. The version is called APP-11(D)(1) and is the first new publication of the NATO Message Catalogue for almost five years.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

This version introduces 54 new messages and deprecates nine messages. Significant new information exchange capability has been included:

• Maritime – a number of new maritime OPTASKs and Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) messages are included as well as significant changes to the OPTASK LINK.
• Air – Eight new air messages have been added to support the NATO ACCS and TBM programmes as well as significant updates to the Air Tasking Order (ATO) and OPTASK LINK.
• Land – new messages supporting reporting at the tactical level, such as the MEDEVAC 9 liner and the IEDREP 10 liner.
• Joint – An overhaul of the CBRN message set to reflect the changes to ATP-45(E)(1). The Friendly Force Information message (STANAG 5527 ed1) that replaces the unratified NFFI schema and a suite of logistics tracking messages (STANAG 2185, 2291) to support the LOGFS programme.

It is anticipated that many nations will move to APP-11(D)(1) and it is likely to become the underlying standard for many NATO systems. NATO plan to publish a new version of APP-11(D) in early 2017 and 2018; these will include new operational requirements that are required before the next edition in 2019.

All messages in APP-11(D)(1) are supported by IRIS FORMS 5.

Overview of the APP-11 Message Catalogue

Our domain experts have created on even more extensive overview on the APP-11. Click here to learn more.

Systematic presents a modern Command and Control solution that works on existing radios

During the Swedish Army Land Warfare Demonstration Days in Boden, Northern Sweden, Systematic and MilDef Group presented an operational C4IS solution that works on radios in use by the Swedish Armed Forces today.

Monday, March 14, 2016

 
Reuse existing equipment

“The Swedish Armed Forces can use their existing equipment, which has a positive impact on the investment already made. This solution will make them able to share information much faster than before. And with that they gain speed, agility and flexibility,” says Johan Pakarinen.

According to Jonas Olsson, Product Manager at Systematic, the idea behind the solution is to demonstrate what you can do with existing radios and SitaWare.

“We don’t think a customer should be forced to purchase a new IP-radio in order to deploy a modern Command and Control-system. SitaWare is designed to handle narrow bandwidth communication on IP- and Non-IP radios, and this is exactly what we demonstrated at the Swedish Land Warfare Demonstration Days,” he explains.  

Learn more about the SitaWare C4I System

Innovative collaboration

The three companies behind the solution share knowledge and combine competences.

 “We have shown that by combining our different competences, we have developed and deployed a solution that is innovative and anchored in functionality,” says Johan Pakarinen.

He adds that the collaboration with Systematic is dynamic.

 “It’s a collaboration based on sharing knowledge and combining competences. We have worked with Systematic for many years and we are looking forward to bringing this solution even further to market. Together we have developed a turnkey solution ready for use. It shows how dynamic collaboration can be,” says Johan Pakarinen.

For more information, please feel free to contact us here.

Knowledge flies through the air at SitaWare User Forum

Participants engaged and knowledge was shared at high speed during the SitaWare User Forum in Slovenia. Meet some of the participants and hear their thoughts on what the event means to them.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

They both agree that the need to share is greater than the need to know, and emphasise that Ireland is in Slovenia to share their knowledge. 

During a previous Systematic SitaWare User Forum, Ireland held inspiring discussions with other nations.

“Ireland met on a bi-lateral basis with some other nations to discuss and advance capability following the last 2014 event, underscoring the usefulness of the forum to attendees,” says Brian Mathews, Lieutenant Commander, Naval Computer Centre.

They both agree that the need to share is greater than the need to know, and emphasise that Ireland is in Slovenia to share their knowledge.

”This event is a good opportunity to share ideas and experience. There is no doubt that participants inspire and learn from each other,” says Ken Amidon, US Army Engineering Research and Development Center. “In my opinion it will be very powerful to both the participants and Systematic to have a virtual forum between the forums, where we can continue to share ideas, experience and challenges,” says Ken Amidon.

There is no doubt that participants inspire and learn from each other

- Ken Amidon, US Army Engineering Research and Development Center

Ken Amidon joining from the United States has participated in the SitaWare User Forum several times. 

Joining from France was Enrico Raue, MASA.

“The SitaWare User Forum is a great place for the industry to meet the users. We get a lot of information and have the opportunity to discuss requirements and needs. Furthermore, it is very exciting to learn from so many different nations,” says Enrico Raue.

The high level of engagement from the participants is key to the success of SitaWare User Forum.

“In Systematic, we strive to create a forum where experiences, information and ideas can be shared across nations, units and industries. We are listening and adapting to what we hear. By working together we can make a difference, and we are looking forward to seeing you all in 2017,” says Hans Jørgen Bohlbro, Director Business Development & Sales, C2 Systems Defence.

Slovenia invests in the future

The Slovenian Armed Forces are using a new Systematic C2 solution, which increases both speed and manoeuvrability. Learn why Slovenia chooses to use software from Systematic.

Monday, July 18, 2016

In Slovenia, the Armed Forces are using the latest C2 Systems from Systematic. It is the second time Slovenia has chosen C2 software from Systematic.

“We have gained speed, reliability, flexibility and a common operational picture,” says Colonel Boris Cimpric, Chief of CIS sector in General Staff of Slovenian Armed Forces.

An employee in the Slovenian Armed Forces explains the benefits in daily work.

Today, Slovenia is using a modern C2 software, which has increased the efficiency of the Slovenian Armed Forces.

“We optimise the resources we have and at the same time increase safety for our personnel,” Colonel Boris Cimpric points out.

To Slovenia, one thing in particular has been important in choosing a supplier of C2 software: Trust.

“We don’t have the capabilities to test everything ourselves and have to trust our supplier to deliver a reliable solution, which meets our needs,” says Colonel Boris Cimpric.

Another key element that plays a role in Slovenia’s choice of C2 software from Systematic is vision.

“CEO Michael Holm has a vision, which goes beyond making software. He wants to make a difference. Furthermore, Systematic is not too big and can be flexible, which is crucial in building the right solution,” says Colonel Boris Cimpric.

Slovenia is one of a growing number of nations using SitaWare; the most modern C2 software currently available and Colonel Boris Cimpric was responsible for implementation of the original Systematic C2 system for the Slovenian Armed Forces for operational use.

Visit the Slovenian Armed Forces

Learn more about the Systematic Command & Control Systems

U.S. Army Mission Command Awards Contract to Systematic Inc.

The U.S. Army has selected Systematic Inc. as a new supplier of IT solutions to the US military. With the SitaWare solution, the U.S. Army gets a command and control system that provides the warfighter with greater situational awareness at all levels of command, as well as easier cooperation with other forces and greater security.

Press releaseFriday, February 3, 2017

U.S. Army Mission Command announced the award of a multi-million dollar contract to Systematic Inc. for its Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) C4I product, SitaWare.

The U.S. Army has selected Systematic Inc. as a new supplier of IT solutions to the US military. With the SitaWare solution, the U.S. Army gets a command and control system that provides the warfighter with greater situational awareness at all levels of command, as well as easier cooperation with other forces and greater security.

Systematic Inc. President and retired U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres is excited to bring the capability to the Army.

“SitaWare meets most of the Army’s C4I requirements straight out-of-the-box,” said Torres.

In addition, he highlighted SitaWare’s open architecture which allows for integration with legacy and third party systems.  

“It also has built-in support for international information exchange standards providing unmatched interoperability with international allies and intra-operability between U.S. forces,” Torres said.

“With this award, SitaWare will become a key component of the Army Common Operating Environment, and Systematic will work with Mission Command and industry partners to develop a common framework to enhance intra-operability between U.S. and Coalition Partners.”  

About Sitaware

SitaWare is a software product suite providing robust situational awareness of blue and red force data at all levels of command. Each dedicated product in the suite is specifically designed for the challenges facing commanders in headquarters, mounted and dismounted environments, to provide unrivalled tactical data communication.

SitaWare was selected as the architecture framework for the Command Post Computing Environment, allowing for immediate third party development of integrated Command Post, Mounted and Dismounted tactical computing capabilities.

About Systematic Inc.

Systematic Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and has offices in Centreville, Virginia. It supplies software products and services to the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and Homeland Security on some of the nation’s most sensitive programs.  

SitaWare Headquarters 6.5

Increase your operational successes with the latest release of SitaWare Headquarters. Ease the deployment of your system using the enhanced and intuitive SitaWare Headquarters Communication. Other new features include Unit Aggregation and Operational Status.

Monday, May 1, 2017

SitaWare Headquarters Communication

SitaWare Headquarters 6.5 offers a new and intuitive approach to setting up and managing communication contracts between server nodes. You will gain the ability to quickly and easily setup, manage, and monitor your data contracts and layers shared with other units. The presentation and overview in SitaWare Headquarters Communication will ensure you always know exactly what, where, and how information is being shared across the battlefield.

Operational Status 

Retrieve and visualise own and subordinates’ operational status in order to qualify your tactical decisions. With configurable status dimensions and the ability to view status for all friendly units, you will instantly have a clear overview of your operational capacity, ultimately promoting sound tactical decisions and operational success.

Unit and Zoom Aggregation

Automatically aggregate Friendly Force Track (FFT) units and subsequently display these units by echelon level and map scale. Now you can monitor units at all relevant echelon levels based on your predefined settings. This will allow a quick and precise overview of your units deployed on the battlefield.

Other new capabilities

Please contact us to get the full overview of the new capabilities in SitaWare Headquarters 6.5.

Access and availability

SitaWare Headquarters 6.5 is available for all SitaWare Headquarters maintenance customers.

Get in touch with Systematic Defence Product Support for more information on access and availability.

SitaWare Frontline 1.12

Maintain situational awareness while using any of the applications in SitaWare Frontline thanks to its restyled side panel menu. Also, display deployed units according to echelon level and map scale using Unit Zoom and Aggregation. This and much more in the newly released SitaWare Frontline 1.12.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Side panel menu

Use any of the applications in SitaWare Frontline, chat or send structured messages while having a clear view of your digital map to stay updated at the same time. SitaWare Frontline now opens a side panel menu next to the map. This helps you maintain situational awareness without switching between different views on your system and it can help improve your ability to operate faster.

Unit and Zoom Aggregation 

Automatically aggregate Friendly Force Track (FFT) units and subsequently display these units by echelon level and map scale. Now you can monitor units at all relevant echelon levels based on your predefined settings. This will allow a quick and precise overview of your units deployed on the battlefield.

Operational Status

Retrieve and visualise own and subordinates’ operational status in order to qualify your tactical decisions. With configurable status dimensions and the ability to view status for all friendly units, you will instantly have a clear overview of your operational capacity, ultimately promoting sound tactical decisions and operational success.

Honesty Trace Display

Replay recorded movements of own and other units on the digital map using different colours for highlighting defined time-periods. This gives you a clear overview of where your soldiers have been moving and is an effective tool for avoiding setting patterns that your enemy can use. The Honesty Trace Display in SitaWare Frontline can use standard GPX format (such as the one used by Garmin) as well as SitaWare’s own format.

Access and availability

SitaWare Frontline 1.12 is available for all SitaWare Frontline maintenance customers.

Get in touch with Systematic Defence Product Support for more information on access and availability. 

SitaWare Edge 1.6

Navigation on the battlefield is now part of SitaWare Edge; you can easily set any point on the map as a navigation point. Moreover, you can take even more control over the use of the available bandwidth with attachment size limitation in chat.

Friday, May 5, 2017

Navigation Mode – navigate on the battlefield

SitaWare Edge 1.6 can now assist soldiers to navigate on the battlefield. In the new Navigation Mode, you can set any point on the map as a navigation point. Bearing and distance to the navigation point, as well as a clear map indication, are constantly displayed. This will make navigation easier for soldiers and allow them to keep eyes on the enemy and not on the map.

Attachment Size limitation -control your network

System administrators can now set a maximum size for attachments in chat. This increases your control of bandwidth and helps administrators in prioritizing the kind of information that is important to share. 

Access and availability

SitaWare Edge 1.6 is available for all SitaWare Edge maintenance customers.

Get in touch with Systematic Defence Product Support for more information on access and availability.
 

IRIS FORMS AND WEBFORMS 5.4

IRIS Forms and WebForms 5.4 introduces support for VMF messages (MIL-STD-6017C).

Monday, May 8, 2017

VMF Messages

IRIS Forms now supports all VMF messages according to MIL-STD-6017C. This enables creating and viewing VMF messages in the IRIS Forms user interface. VMF messages are also supported in the server/client APIs, which means VMF messages, can be identified, validated and converted to XML via the existing APIs.

Send as Email

The new “Send Mail” functionality makes it very easy to send a formatted message as an email with Outlook. Clicking the “Send Mail” will open Outlook and insert the formatted message in the body of the new email window.

Validation Errors in Read Mode

Where an opened message contains validation errors, this will now be indicated in Read Mode by showing a warning icon in the header. This makes it very easy for the operator to determine if the message needs to go into an error correction workflow before further processing such as importing the information into a C2 system.

API: Getting and Setting Field Value

The API have been extended with two new methods that easily allows to get or set the value of a field. This benefits use cases where parts of the message needs to prepopulated by information from a C2 system. The integration is possible both on the client side using the Integration API or on the server side using the Server API.

Other new Capabilities

Please contact us to get the full overview of the new capabilities in SitaWare Headquarters 6.5.

Access and availability

IRIS Forms and WebForms 5.4 is available for all IRIS Forms and WebForms maintenance customers.

Get in touch with Systematic Defence Product Support for more information on access and availability.

GAO Rules in Favor of Systematic Inc. for Army IT Contract Award

Systematic Inc. is pleased with the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) decision to reject the protest of its original award of a U.S. Army Mission Command multi-million dollar IT contract to provide an architecture framework for the Common Operating Environment.

Press releaseThursday, June 1, 2017

Centreville, VA, June 1, 2017 - Systematic Inc. is pleased with the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) decision to reject the protest of its original award of a U.S. Army Mission Command multi-million dollar IT contract to provide an architecture framework for the Common Operating Environment.

Several top defense contractors bid on the U.S. Army Mission Command contract, it was Systematic Inc.’s SitaWare Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) that beat the competition, readily meeting the requirements and capabilities of the U.S. Army Mission Command. SitaWare is a software product suite providing reliable situational awareness at all levels of command in mounted and dismounted environments. Troops on the ground can easily access information, as well as coordinate and cooperate with other U.S. forces and coalition partners.

“This award is a testament to our team’s commitment and dedication to providing the highest level of products and services to clients abroad, and solidifies our role as a significant provider of IT services and solutions for the Department of Defense,” said Systematic Inc. President and retired U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres. “We look forward to providing our Soldiers and Army with robust warfighting capabilities to improve future command control. “

The SitaWare Headquarters solution enhances situational awareness, security and cooperation with other forces. Combined with SitaWare Frontline and SitaWare Edge, SitaWare Headquarters provides collaborative military planning and picture management.

“We’re excited about the capabilities that SitaWare provides, especially as it relates to meeting coalition interoperability requirements. It also provides the core framework that other Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) application developers can rapidly integrate with,” said Lieutenant Colonel Shane Taylor, the lead developer for CPCE infrastructure from the Army’s PEO C3T.

About Systematic Inc.

Systematic Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and has offices in Centreville, Virginia. It supplies software products and services to the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and Homeland Security on some of the nation’s most sensitive programs.  

Systematic Inc. at AUSA 2017

Providing the Open Architecture for United States Army Mission Command

Press releaseFriday, October 6, 2017

Systematic Inc. at AUSA 2017 - Providing the Open Architecture for United States Army Mission Command

Systematic Inc., whose SitaWare solution was chosen to provide the open-architecture of the United States Army mission command, will attend and participate in the annual AUSA Meeting & Exposition on Oct. 9-11, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. AUSA is one of the largest land warfare expositions and professional development forums in the world. Systematic Inc. will be exhibiting its technology at booth No. 219 in Hall A.

Held each October, AUSA is comprised of informative presentations, workshops, meetings and panel discussions on the state of the Army and topics of military and national security. A three-day event, AUSA has more than 500 industry and military exhibits displayed in over 250,000 net square feet of exhibit space. Over 26,000 attendees are hosted at the event, including high-level leaders from the Army, DoD, foreign dignitaries and other military personnel.

“AUSA is the perfect platform to display and demonstrate why SitaWare was chosen to provide the open-architecture for the United States Army mission command,” says retired U.S. Army Colonel and president of Systematic Inc., Rafael Torres.  “We look forward to AUSA and discussing how we can continue to provide support for our warfighters not only in the Army, but in other areas of the DoD.”

A key part of the development of the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) SitaWare is comprised of six different computing environments (CE) that include the dismounted, handheld CE, vehicle-centered mounted CE and the static command post CE (CPCE).

SitaWare was chosen by U.S. Army mission command because of its ability to meet its existing C4I requirements and needs out-of-the-box. SitaWare significantly increases operational flexibility and reduces deployment time while delivering extensive interoperability capabilities, and can be accessed directly from a standard browser, giving instant access to a full C4I system from any computer within the network. No client installation is needed and a typical deployment can be carried out in just hours rather than weeks or months. SitaWare requires only minimal training, making it a highly economical solution to deploy and maintain. Its open architecture allows for customized extensions and integration with legacy and third-party systems, while its intuitive interface enables users to make full and operational use of the C4I system’s rich capabilities supporting mission critical decision-making in high stress situations.

A team of Systematic staff from various disciplines will be available to discuss SitaWare’s many benefits and provide demonstrations to show the comprehensive toolset and its ease of use.

To schedule a meeting onsite at AUSA, please contact Melissa Mullins at 703-969-8160 or melissa.mullins@sseusa.com

About Systematic Inc.

Systematic Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and has offices in Centreville, Virginia. It supplies software products and services to the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and Homeland Security on some of the nation’s most sensitive programs.  

SitaWare Supports Future US Army Technology

The US Army is about to change how soldiers operate mission command networks through future Command Post Computing Environment (CP CE).

Monday, October 9, 2017

The US Army is about to change how soldiers operate mission command networks through future Command Post Computing Environment (CP CE). Systematic provides the backbone of CP CE, allowing the system to function through SitaWare and supporting the commanders with a seamless look and feel of the battle space.

In a future operating environment, in which the decision cycle needs to be much quicker, the US Army has to get away from large forward-operating bases and tactical operation centres. This established the foundation of CP CE, which sums up a set of computing technologies and standards that enable a variety of communications capabilities with common baselines.

“SitaWare is an open architecture command and control system, 15 years in the making, and provides the customer with the ability to customize their tactics, techniques and procedures, and fighting within mission command. At the same time, the system is bringing in capabilities for the war fighter, whether they are sensors or other battlefield-operated systems,” Systematic President Rafael Torres says in an interview with C4ISRNET.

Rafael continues by stating that the system reduces size and footprint, giving the ability for commanders to customize how they want to see their fight.

AUSA 2017 - A Systematic Success!

This past week, Systematic Inc., whose SitaWare solution was chosen to provide the open-architecture of the United States Army mission command, participated in their most successful AUSA Meeting & Exposition to date.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Systematic Inc., whose SitaWare solution was chosen to provide the open-architecture of the United States Army mission command, participated in the annual AUSA Meeting & Exposition this past week at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Held each October, AUSA is one of the largest land warfare expositions and professional development forums in the world. Over 26,000 attendees are hosted at the event, including high-level leaders from the Army, DoD, foreign dignitaries and other military personnel.

In a recent press release, retired U.S. Army Colonel and president of Systematic Inc. Rafael Torres noted, “AUSA is the perfect platform to display and demonstrate why SitaWare was chosen to provide the open-architecture for the United States Army mission command,” and that’s just what several generals from the United States Army were treated to when they stopped by Systematic’s booth to preview SitaWare in action. 

Demonstrations averaged 15-30 minutes and highlighted SitaWare’s ability to meet most of the Army’s C4I requirements right out-of-the-box, its open architecture for integration with legacy and third-party systems, interoperability with NATO allies, and greater situational awareness and security at all levels of command.

This year’s AUSA Meeting & Exposition proved to be the most successful one to date, and Systematic looks forward to repeating that same success in 2018.

(Above, Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend and Lt. Gen. John M. Murray stopped by Systematic's booth at AUSA and discussed C4I solutions and interoperability with Systematic President, Rafael Torres.)   

A New Network Approach is Changing how the Army does Business

The U.S. Army is currently in the throes of a massive change in the way it handles IT systems. After an intensive internal process and insight from congressionally mandated studies, the service has determined that drastic changes are needed for its network and command posts.

Monday, October 30, 2017

Systematic Inc. Celebrates New Office Facility with Grand Opening

Systematic Inc. celebrated its new office grand opening last Thursday in Centreville, Va., with honorary guests including the Danish Ambassador to the United States, Lars Gert Lose, and U.S. Army Colonel Troy Crosby, who represented Systematic’s largest client – U.S. Army Mission Command, participating in a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the new facility.

Press releaseThursday, January 18, 2018

Systematic Inc. Celebrates New Office Facility with Grand Opening

Systematic Inc. celebrated its new office grand opening last Thursday in Centreville, Va., with honorary guests including the Danish Ambassador to the United States, Lars Gert Lose, and U.S. Army Colonel Troy Crosby, who represented Systematic’s largest client – U.S. Army Mission Command, participating in a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the new facility.

Systematic Inc. experienced exponential growth during the past six months, and a much larger facility was needed to accommodate this growth.  The new office facility provides Systematic Inc. an environment that promotes efficiency and collaboration, with state-of-the art conference and break out rooms for client engagement, and ergonomically-friendly office furniture for employee well-being. 

Established 22 years ago, Systematic Inc. is a leading provider of reliable C4I integration software solutions for the Department of Defense. Systematic’s products and services provide warfighters enhanced situational awareness at all levels of command, world-class interoperability with international allies and coalition forces, and greater security abroad.  Systematic delivers high quality, user-friendly services and solutions on time and on budget, something its customers have come to know, value, and expect.

US Army Expands Use of SitaWare

Jane's International Defence Review report on the US Army's decision to broaden its use of the SitaWare C4I software suite. The US Army's Common Operating Environment (COE), which uses SitaWare Headquarters in the Command Post CE, will now include the use of SitaWare Frontline in the Mounted Computing Environment (MCE).

What the media saidTuesday, February 13, 2018

Giles Ebbutt, C4ISR editor for Jane's International Defence Review, reports the US Army's decision to extend the use of SitaWare in the COE with SitaWare Frontline providing the backbone of it's developing MCE.

The US Army’s Mission Command office, part of the Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications - Tactical (PEO C3-T), purchased enterprise-wide licenses for SitaWare in early 2017 as a result of a conscious effort to switch to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions wherever possible. This was initially to provide the common architecture in the CP CE, using SitaWare HQ. The latest development will now use SitaWare Frontline to achieve the same in the MCE.

Read the full article from Jane’s International Defence Review here.

Systematic Inc. Attends AUSA Global Force

Last week, Systematic Inc. attended AUSA's Global Force Symposium for the first time in its 20-year history. Held in Huntsville, Al at the Von Braun Center, the conference focused on the theme "Modernizing and Equipping America's Army for Today and Tomorrow" in its quest of overall Army Readiness to “Fight Tonight” and be “Fit for Tomorrow."

Press releaseMonday, April 2, 2018

Last week, Systematic Inc. attended AUSA's Global Force Symposium for the first time in its 20-year history.  Held in Huntsville, Al at the Von Braun Center, the conference focused on the theme "Modernizing and Equipping America's Army for Today and Tomorrow" in its quest of overall Army Readiness to “Fight Tonight” and be “Fit for Tomorrow."

The three-day event included presentations from the United States Army Material Command, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology). The symposium explored the capabilities outlined in the Army Operating Concept and how the force transforms from being adaptive to driving innovation for Force 2025 and beyond.

AUSA Global Force was the first of three AUSA shows Systematic Inc. will be attending in 2018.  In May, Systematic Inc. will be attending the AUSA LANPAC Symposium and Exposition at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu, HI (also as a first-time exhibitor), and the AUSA Annual Meeting later in the Fall at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.

SitaWare Community Meets to Discover, Share, and Influence at 2018 User Forum

More than 130 attendees from 16 countries gathered in Stockholm for the 2018 SitaWare User Forum last week, marking it the largest User Forum in Systematic's history.

Press releaseThursday, April 26, 2018

More than 130 attendees from 16 countries gathered in Stockholm for the 2018 SitaWare User Forum last week, marking it the largest User Forum in Systematic's history. 

The 2018 event ran from the 23rd to 25th of April and was the largest to date, bringing together members of the military from around the world, as well as representatives from industry and government agencies.

“The User Forum provides a unique opportunity for us to engage with our customers and partners, it is a great way for us to understand customer requirements and shape the development of our products,” explained Michael Holm, Systematic CEO.

“The informal environment encourages open dialogue, enabling the many attendees to learn from one another and further develop best practice in their use of SitaWare. The event also allows us to brief on our product roadmaps and highlight the innovative features that we will be introducing across the family of solutions.”

This year’s User Forum featured presentations from the Danish Army and Navy, New Zealand Defence Forces, and the US Army, among many others. It also included a variety of company-led sessions, among the examples were the application of SitaWare in the maritime domain, enhancing situational awareness for the dismounted commander, and the introduction of 3D functionality in SitaWare Headquarters.

The event also saw Systematic open its ‘Innovation Garage’, where delegates had first-hand briefings on a range of projects undertaken by the company, such as the integration of a shot detection sensor with SitaWare and the ability to geo rectify imagery.

SitaWare’s application in crisis response and peacekeeping operations was also examined via the VIKING 18 Exercise, which was concurrently being held in Sweden. “We are grateful to the Swedish Armed Forces for providing us with the opportunity to witness SitaWare Headquarters in operation in support of a multinational, globally distributed training exercise,” Michael Holm said.

Army to Test New Data Sharing Equipment at Upcoming Exercise

C4ISRNET's Mark Pomerleau reports that the Army will be using the Joint Warfighting Assessment to test a coalition interoperability system - Systematic's SitaWare.

What the media saidTuesday, April 17, 2018

During a major exercise in Germany next month, the Army hope to test technology that will better enable data sharing and communications between the United States and coalition partners.

The Army Coalition Interoperability Solution (ACIS) is a response to an urgent need from U.S. Army Europe to ensure a variety of coalition systems could share position location and other situational awareness data across what’s called the Multinational Interoperability Programme (MIP), an Army spokesman, Paul Mehney, said.

ACIS, however, is designed to replace the MIP gateway software.

ACIS will be independent from national command and control systems allowing data and situational awareness information sharing between coalition nations. ACIS, though, will not act as a common operating picture, Mehney said, rather, it will provide a data exchange between coalition systems to form a common operational picture on U.S. Army systems.

One of the most common phrases by top U.S. defense leaders is that the U.S. does not fight alone. These leaders have stressed the importance of coalition interoperability in coordinating plans and communicating in battle.

Coalition interoperability being written into requirements

The Army is looking to incorporate coalition interoperability within its requirements when it comes to network solutions.

This is especially important in Europe where Russia has stoked fear among European allies for its bold behavior. However many top leaders have been critical that interoperability with allies is quite limited, both from over classification of data and a communications perspective.

Participants at a recent symposium hosted by the Army and Marine Corps on multi-domain operations discussed how radio systems between partner nations can’t talk to each other. This is due in part to proprietary systems from each nation and the nature of encrypted communications. This leads to the cumbersome process of having to exchange liaison officers to coordinate communications between nations.

The former commander of U.S. Army Europe, retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, has discussed the need for greater coalition interoperability in the European sphere noting he wants three things as it relates to coalition interoperability; secure voice, digital fires and a common operating picture.

ACIS will be leveraging an existing Army capability for its Command Post Computing Environment (CP CE), an effort to shrink down command post services into a single common operational picture. The Army has partnered with company Systematic to use its SitaWare product that will serve as the backbone.

“With the Army’s acquisition of the SitaWare product for CP CE and a [U.S. Army Europe Operational Need Statement] requesting a single MIP compatible solution, the program office determined that using the Mission Command Integrated Software as a solution for backwards compatibility supported a single MIP compatible solution and laid the groundwork for future implementation of CP CE,” Mehney said.

Joint Warfighter Assessment

ACIS will undergo an assessment during the Joint Warfighter Assessment 18.1 in Germany in May. During the exercise, ACIS will enable compatibility to enhance information sharing across both U.S. and NATO networks, Mehney said.

ACIS will be provided to U.S. Army Europe as well as other Army units participating in coalition exercises.

Read the original article here.

SitaWare Supports Bulgarian Army Demonstration

A recent SitaWare demonstration for the Bulgarian Army is the perfect example of how Systematic's command and control and battle management solutions is hardware agnostic, but also interoperable with allied forces.

Monday, March 26, 2018

Systematic’s suite of SitaWare advanced command-and-control (C2) and battle management solutions has successfully supported a live C2 demonstration for the Bulgarian Army.

Operating for the first time with the BNET communications system – an advanced internet protocol-based Software Defined Radio (SDR) developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems – SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline delivered the tactical scenario, which was held in late February. The event involved a comprehensive scenario demonstrating the dynamic re-tasking of military objectives in a representative mission that centered on the capture of a high-value target in a fast-paced tactical operation, including multinational interoperability and information sharing between NATO allies.

Due to SitaWare’s unique open architecture, no development or integration work was required to enable the suite to operate on the BNET radios, which are Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) capable.

“SitaWare performed flawlessly on the Rafael BNET radios, requiring no integration or adaptation,” says Paul Fielding, a Senior Manager Business Development at the Systematic U.K. office, adding “SitaWare was intuitive and quick for the Bulgarian Army to learn, and to operate in the military scenario in just a couple of days - both from the headquarters and from the vehicles.”

Eleven BNET radio nodes were utilized across a headquarters and multiple vehicles, with a variety of data and information shared between the participants, including the common operating picture, tactical chat messages, plans, and logistics information, as well as voice and up to 7 video streams in parallel.

The vehicles were equipped with the SitaWare Frontline battle management system, which provides Friendly Force Tracking (FFT) information to all units and an automatically updated situational awareness picture that features the disposition of forces, danger areas, points of interest, and intelligence on an enemy. Further functionality includes tactical chat, support for high performance mapping – without the need for a map server – and the ability to make and display plans directly on the touchscreen interface.

The scenario was conducted in challenging weather conditions in and around the town of Karlovo in central Bulgaria, with urban, wooded, and mountainous terrain. Bulgarian Army personnel staffed the headquarters and vehicle-based units and followed standard operating procedures.

The operating environment precluded direct line of sight communications which benefitted from the SitaWare Tactical Communications (STC) support for low bandwidth and dynamic routing over multiple ‘hops’ to enable communications to be maintained between units.

SitaWare Operates Across Viking 18 Exercise

SitaWare Headquarters was employed at multiple international sites in support of the crisis management and peacekeeping exercise

Friday, May 4, 2018

The world’s largest civil-military staff exercise concluded in late April, with SitaWare Headquarters playing a key role.

The VIKING 18 exercise trained civilians, military and police for joint operations in a peacekeeping or crisis response mission area. The Swedish Armed Forces and the Folke Bernadotte Academy led the exercise with the United States as a strategic partner, the event included around 2,500 participants from 50 countries and 35 organizations, distributed across nine sites in Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland, Ireland, Serbia, and Sweden, where the exercise was headquartered.

The aim of the 10-day event was to train and educate multinational participants in planning and conducting a UN-mandated Chapter VII Peace Support Operation, with a focus on cooperation and coordination in an unstable environment.

SitaWare provided participants with comprehensive awareness of the operational picture across the exercise, with only minimal training required to enable personnel to benefit from the system’s capabilities. “There was one person in every staff who was a well-trained SitaWare operator, we trained them for three days and they were the staff trainers,” explained Captain Peter Lindskog of the Swedish Armed Forces, “They then trained the staff for 30 minutes and after that the staff could start receiving the operational picture,” Capt Lindskog added.

The exercise scenario drew on a variety of real-world examples and unfolded across the fictional country of ‘Bogaland’. It included a wide range of actors, with challenging issues to deal with, such as humanitarian crises, terrorism, cyber attacks, and organized crime.

“We had 35 factions in the scenario and we could put in whatever frictions we’d like to. The main purpose was to have military personnel communicating with civilian organizations and trying to figure out what information they should share,” Capt Lindskog explained.

“We used SitaWare to distribute the common operating picture to the different military elements, and we pushed a lot of information to them,” Capt Lindskog said.

The system’s ease of use was a key aspect, in order to ensure that the participants worked with the same operating picture and did not revert to analog tools, “SitaWare was really easy to understand and use, it is intuitive and the participants were enthusiastic. There was a lot of discussion about the best practice for the use of SitaWare,” noted Capt Lindskog.

20 SitaWare HQ servers – used by up to 1,000 operators - supported the exercise, with the system maintaining and distributing the common operational picture from brigade to joint headquarters levels. SitaWare also integrated with multiple training and simulation systems in order to support the decision making process.

General John F. Campbell Named Systematic Inc. Chairman of the Board

Systematic Inc. is excited to welcome General John F. Campbell (U.S. Army-Ret.) as its new Chairman of the Board.

Press releaseMonday, July 16, 2018

CENTREVILLE, Va., July 16, 2018 -- Systematic Inc. is excited to welcome General John F. Campbell (U.S. Army-Ret.) as its new Chairman of the Board.

In this role, General Campbell will deliver strategic guidance and direction to position Systematic Inc. as the leading provider of C4I solutions in the defense industry.

"We are absolutely honored to have General Campbell as part of our team," said Rafael Torres, Systematic Inc. president.  "He is a strong believer in our core product, SitaWare, and the value it brings to the warfighter."  Torres commended Campbell's leadership record as one of integrity, foresight, and putting the needs of the Soldier first.  "General Campbell's extensive history of leadership and dedication, along with his ability to predict and address the needs of our warfighter, makes him the ideal person to take on this pivotal role," said Torres.  

Campbell brings a vast array of experience and leadership from his 37-year U.S. Army, where he commanded units at every echelon from platoon to division, with duty in Germany, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States. Most recently, he was the commander of the Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces—Afghanistan.

Prior to this command assignment, he was appointed by the President of the United States to serve as the 34th Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.

General Campbell began his career as an infantry officer. After completing his assignments with U.S. Army Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany, and attending the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and Special Forces Qualification Course, he was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While assigned to Fort Bragg, he commanded Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha in the 5th Special Forces Group, and rose through the ranks to lead an Infantry company in the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1994, he served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, deploying in support of Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and in 1996, he took command of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

During Operation Enduring Freedom, Campbell commanded 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan, and later served as the Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  In between these assignments, he was Deputy Commanding General (Maneuver), 1st Cavalry Division and Multinational Division Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During his military career, General Campbell held a number of joint assignments in Washington, D.C., and duties spanning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan. He served as the Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the Combined Joint Task Force 101 at the operational headquarters for Regional Command East in Afghanistan, and in July 2014, General Campbell was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and U.S. Forces—Afghanistan.  ISAF later transitioned to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Resolute Support Mission.

General Campbell holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy and a master's degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. During his military service, General Campbell earned a number of individual and campaign awards and decorations to include the Defense Distinguished Service medal, three Distinguished Service Medals, the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, six Meritorious Service Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, as well as the Ranger and Special Forces Tab.

Systematic Inc. is a leading provider of simple and reliable C4I integration software solutions for the Department of Defense.  Our products and services provide warfighters enhanced situational awareness at all levels of command, world-class interoperability with international allies and coalition forces, and greater security abroad.  We deliver what our customers have come to know, value, and expect; high quality, user-friendly services and solutions on time and on budget.

Army Strives to Speed Advancements to Warfighters

U.S. Army leaders are sloughing off some of the old ways of fielding technology and embracing commercial and government advances in tactical communications - and this is exactly where SitaWare is helping speed up advancements and get capabilities into the hands of warfighters faster.

What the media saidWednesday, August 1, 2018

Army Strives to Speed Advancements to Warfighters

By Kimberly Underwood

Leaders fielding tactical communication technologies move to agile methods to support the service’s cross-functional needs.

Systematic Features in the Defense Press

A roundup of Systematic news from around the world

What the media saidWednesday, September 26, 2018

Media coverage includes the new capabilities developed for the SitaWare suite, the Danish Army’s selection of a SitaWare-based solution for its artillery, and the roll out of SitaWare Frontline on the Lithuanian Land Forces’ future armored vehicles.

Shephard Media’s Digital Battlespace reported on the range of enhancements introduced to SitaWare Headquarters, SitaWare Frontline, and the IRIS military messaging system. In SitaWare Headquarters 6.7 these include a new map mode that brings 3D functionality to the system; among the new features in SitaWare Frontline 2.1 are a Guard Zone function that is designed to enhance force protection.

Check out the rest of the story here

Sita Ware HQ - 3D Visualization

Mönch Publishing Group’s Military Technology covered the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation’s award of a contract to Systematic to deliver a new fire support capability for the Danish Army’s latest artillery systems. The new function builds on the Fire Support Module developed for the SitaWare Headquarters solution and will significantly shorten the sensor-to-shooter engagement cycle, among other benefits.

Read more here

The Lithuanian Land Forces’ decision to equip its Boxer armored vehicles with SitaWare Frontline features in Jane’s International Defence Review. The SitaWare suite is already in service with the Lithuanian Land Forces, and the addition of Frontline to its latest IFVs will provide advanced C2 capabilities at the tip of the spear.

Find out more here

Systematic Around the World: Partnering for Success in the Pacific

The New Zealand Army as part of an integrated New Zealand Defence Force is undertaking a bold transition to an advanced networked communications infrastructure and Systematic is playing an important role

What the media saidFriday, September 21, 2018

An enduring and close relationship between the New Zealand Defence Force and Systematic has resulted in a fruitful working collaboration as part of the New Zealand Army’s Network Enabled Army (NEA) program. The relationship is aiding the NZDF in its development of an advanced integrated and networked military towards 2025.

NEA is a 12-year program spread over four incremental tranches that will equip Land and Special Operations Forces with a range of systems, from satellite bearer communications and command posts through to individual soldier radios and sensor systems. Lieutenant Colonel Darren Beck, Capability Integration Lead for the NEA program, stresses the importance of the SitaWare Battle Management System (BMS) utilizing SitaWare Headquarters, Frontline, and Edge as the key to enable, integrate and interoperate across C4ISR functions. “It’s the glue that enables us to ‘fight’ the command post and operate with the partners that we routinely work with.”

“We started using SitaWare Headquarters in our Army command-and-control battle-lab in the early 2000s, we were really only dipping our toe in the water at that time, but we learnt a lot and established a really good relationship with Systematic and its NZ partner Eagle Technologies. This endures today with Systematic supporting our system design process.”

SitaWare is the glue that enables us to 'fight' the command post and operate with the partners that we routinely work with.

The New Zealand Army adopted SitaWare as its Battle Management System (BMS) for its Tactical Area Network Environment (TANE). In time it will operate the full suite of SitaWare products as a common platform to link soldiers, sensors, and other related systems. The software and related applications are a key component to better enable integration and interoperability to support C2 and information management as the basis of the networked force.

“NEA is designed to improve the operational effectiveness of the NZDF’s Land and Special Forces, as well as reducing operational risk”, Lt Col Beck noted. It is focused on enhancing interoperability, command-and-control, and situational awareness capabilities, as well as enabling an increased operational tempo.

Through NEA, both Land and Special Operations Forces are integrating a new Mobile Tactical Communications Systems (MTCS) that will enhance its Mission Command philosophy. SitaWare Tactical Communications (STC) is an important component in this effort, as its radio-agnostic technology can bring together extant and future systems with bandwidth efficiency, friendly force tracks, situational awareness information, chat, and messaging to be shared across the operating environment. The SitaWare suite will function throughout this operational environment, from the tactical edge through combat, combat support, and combat service support elements and across a range of information environments and user domains.

New Zealand’s military has a diverse and challenging mission set, with regional responsibilities as varied as Security and Stability Operations (SASO) tasks, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), in addition to policing the fourth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. On the wider international stage, the NZ Army is often called upon as a trusted partner in combat operations and peacekeeping missions, most recently including in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and the South Pacific, among others.

Given that the Defence Force typically operates in collaboration with partners – including domestic agencies and non-governmental organizations – the ability to work with a variety of communications systems and at varying levels of security is of paramount importance and has been tested in a range of environments from the South Pacific to Antarctica.

In early 2018 a HADR Cloud solution developed by Systematic in conjunction with Microsoft was employed in support of relief efforts following Cyclone Gita, which devastated parts of the South Pacific. A multi-agency team that included representatives of the Defence Force, fire and emergency service, and Ministry of Health, among others, deployed to Tonga and utilized elements of the Cloud service to assist with their work in assessing damage to the airport, seaports, critical infrastructure, and major transit routes, all of which were crucial to re-establishing essential services and delivering aid to the island.

The SitaWare Headquarters-based solution – designated Wave Alpha – is tailored for use in HADR missions and can be accessed via COTS laptops or a web browser. As it is configured as an unclassified information environment, it gives non-military personnel the ability to access the advanced command-and-control tools employed by the military and share information across a broad team. The use of a common tool that allowed collaborative planning was an advantage.

Systematic has a large footprint in New Zealand and is a part of the NEA program’s Test, Reference and Evaluation Capability (TREC) which is at the forefront of the delivery of the NEA capability. “We are delivering the program as an incremental process to enable us to equip the Army at a pace that they can absorb and at a pace where we can incorporate new technologies,” Lt Col Beck noted, “The relationship we have with Systematic as a system design partner – which is quite unique – recognizes that they have a lot of experience not only in the product, but how to integrate it across mounted and dismounted platforms. We want to utilize the experience that Systematic has, through this close partnership.”

Systematic Around the World: SitaWare Frontline to Take on New Role with Lithuanian Land Forces

The integration on the ‘Vilkas’ platforms sees Frontline equipping yet another advanced armored vehicle

Press releaseThursday, August 9, 2018

Systematic’s SitaWare Frontline command-and-control (C2) solution will be rolled out across the Lithuanian Land Forces’ fleet of future armored vehicles.

Lithuania is the first customer to order an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) variant of the Boxer and SitaWare Frontline will feature on all of the Land Forces’ platforms - designated Vilkas (‘Wolf’) in Lithuanian service. Its fleet will operate in four different configurations: squad, platoon, company commander, and command post.

“The SitaWare suite is already in service with the Lithuanian Land Forces, and the addition of Frontline to its latest IFVs will provide advanced C2 capabilities at the tip of the spear,” notes Merja Annala, President of Systematic Oy Finland, “Frontline addresses real-world challenges and has been designed by and for commanders operating in challenging environments, where a clear operational picture with rapid updates of friendly force tracking is absolutely essential. It has also been built with deployment and in-theatre management in mind.”

A total of 88 Vilkas platforms are being procured from the German-Dutch ARTEC industrial group, as well as trainers. The vehicles will be delivered through to 2021.

Testing of the SitaWare Frontline solution on the Boxer platform has taken place with vehicle manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). The ARTEC group consists of KMW and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles on the German side, and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Nederland.

“Vilkas represents a step-change in the modernization of the Lithuanian Armed forces. The introduction of new, advanced IFVs into service for the ‘Iron Wolf’ brigade will bring new capabilities to the Lithuanian Land Forces,” explained Land Forces spokesman, Captain Donatas Suchockis, “The integration of SitaWare Frontline on Vilkas will give commanders a comprehensive overview of the battlefield, from headquarters to tactical levels. Importantly, it also brings interoperability, which as a NATO country is key for us,” Capt Suchockis added.

SitaWare Frontline can provide friendly force tracking information and an automatically updated situational awareness picture that features the disposition of forces, danger areas, points of interest, and intelligence on an enemy. Further functionality includes tactical chat, support for high performance mapping, and the ability to make and display plans directly on a touchscreen interface.

SitaWare Frontline is an operationally proven system and equips several armed forces, integrated on both vehicles and at forward-deployed infrastructure.

The Danish Army is fitting all its tactical land vehicles with SitaWare Frontline; among other users are the armed forces of the UAE, for whom the solution forms part of its Emirates Land Tactical System, and the Slovenian Army, who have recently selected the Boxer as the basis for two new mechanized infantry battlegroups.

The Army will Test New Software for its Vehicles' Computers

The Army is bringing two software products into the testing environment as the service changes its approach to its new vehicle-based common mission command system - and SitaWare's Frontline 2.0 is one of them.

What the media saidSaturday, October 20, 2018

The Army will Test New Software for its Vehicles' Computers

C4ISR.net

By: Mark Pomerleau

The Army is bringing two software products into the testing environment as the service changes its approach to its new vehicle-based common mission command system, the service’s program manager said.

The Mounted Computing Environment will serve as one component of the Army’s eventual common operating environment, which envisions a suite of tools that provide commanders and soldiers the same look and feel from the command post to the tactical edge. The Mounted Computing Environment will be featured on ground combat platforms.

The Army is accelerating its Joint Battle Command-Platform, which provides friendly forces awareness information known as blue force tracking.

The two software products, which operate on Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFoCS) hardware, include Frontline v2.0 — the core software that has a common look and with Command Post Computing Environment software — and the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) solution, which has a common look and feel with Nett Warrior.

The Army will test these software products at the upcoming Network Integration Evaluation at Fort Bliss in October and November. These customer tests will inform the design for Mounted Computing Environment going forward, Col. Troy Crosby, project manager for Mission Command at Program Executive Office Command, Control Communications-Tactical, told C4SIRNET in an interview at the AUSA annual meeting.

Following NIE, Crosby said the manufacturers should have the broad technical data from the instrumentation as well as useful soldier feedback to continue to mature the design.

Crosby added Army leaders and representatives from industry are looking for a conditions limitations report coming from Army Test and Evaluation Command and coupled with the feedback, the two can make the necessary adjustments to the development effort.

A best case scenario fort he Mounted Computing Environment from NIE, Crosby said, would be getting a dedicated Forces Command unit to equip an entire brigade with and work with them to mature the design.

To date, the experimentation with Mounted Computing Environment has been developmental testing as the program office has not had a dedicated unit from Forces Command to conduct the demonstrations with.

To view the original article, click here

Mission Command Solutions set to Leverage Soldier Feedback, Inform Army Network Design Choices

The Army is just days away from an operational customer test of two mission command solutions that will gather Soldier feedback and inform future Army Network design decisions.

What the media saidThursday, October 25, 2018

Army.Mil

Justin Eimers

October 25, 2018

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The Army is just days away from an operational customer test of two mission command solutions that will gather Soldier feedback and inform future Army Network design decisions.

An assessment of the Mounted Mission Command (MMC) and Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) Mounted Computing Environment (MCE) solutions will place each product in Soldiers' hands during the Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE, 18.2 in Fort Bliss, Texas beginning Nov. 1. During the test, Soldiers in the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment will use MMC for 96 hours and then switch to ATAK for the same amount of time -- or vice versa -- enabling back-to-back comparison and equipping the program office with valuable data for decision-makers.

"Our goal for MCE from this NIE is to give the Army enough information to inform network design decisions that enable simple and intuitive mission command on-the-move for Soldiers," said Col. Troy Crosby, Project Manager for Mission Command (PM MC). The systems will be evaluated on metrics ranging from message completion rate, bridging multiple networks simultaneously, cybersecurity posture, interoperability and backwards compatibility with currently fielded Army systems.

MCE is the Army's initiative to provide simple and intuitive Mission Command on-the-Move and situational awareness down to the tactical edge. Part of the Army's common operating environment, MCE is standards-based, protected and supports incremental improvements with additional application capabilities over time. MCE will leverage the existing Joint Battle Command-Platform (JBC-P) hardware and network and be deployed to replace JBC-P software, meaning it will operate on the currently fielded Mounted Family of Computer Systems Hardware and the Blue Force Tracking 2 SATCOM network.

MMC is based on Frontline v2.0, a commercial product similar to the Command Post Computing Environment software, Sitaware HQ. The ATAK solution is a government-owned, government-developed product similar to the Handheld Computing Environment developed by PEO Soldier.

In the early phases of identifying MCE capability gaps, PM MC began by building its own solution but soon looked to available and emerging commercial software to determine which best met the Army's need. As part of the developmental operations, or DevOps, model, the team evaluated several emerging technologies as potential MCE solutions

"That's what has led us to this assessment between MMC and ATAK. At the end of the day, you want to provide the best solution to Soldiers," said Krupal Kapadia, lead engineer for Product Manager Tactical Mission Command (PdM TMC), assigned to PM MC.

According to Lt. Col. Shermoan Daiyaan, PdM TMC, MCE will reduce network complexity and provide Soldiers with an intuitive system.

"Regardless of which product the Army chooses, these solutions cut down on the training required to get Soldiers up to speed on the system. They also bring familiar functionality with them from either the command post to the mounted space, or from the mounted space down to the handheld platform," said Daiyaan.

See the original article here

Army Looks to New Acquisition Authorities, Modest Iterations as it Builds Tactical Network

It's been over a year since the Army decided to forgo the WIN-T program, and since then a joint effort between the Army's network cross functional team and the program executive office for command, control and communications-tactical (PEO-C3T) have been focusing on a future network of communication that is more resilient to near-peer adversaries, simpler for soldiers to use, and one that will have a more interactive approach.

What the media saidThursday, November 1, 2018

Federal News Network

By Jared Serbu  

It’s been a little over a year since the Army decided to largely abandon the WIN-T program into which it had already invested $6 billion for tactical communications, declaring that “the network we have is not the network we need.”

Officials assert they’ve made significant progress in determining what soldiers actually do need in the intervening months. And even though it’s far from clear what the eventual architecture will look like, a few things have become apparent: the successor won’t be a single acquisition effort akin to the massive Warfighter Network Information-Tactical it’s replacing, it won’t be a single technical approach, not every Army formation will get the same gear and it certainly won’t happen all at once.

“That’s kind of what we’ve tried to do in the past, and it may not fit the way technology emerges now in the network space. It may not be the way of the future,” Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, the director of the Army’s network cross functional team said in an interview for Federal News Network’s On DoD.

Gallagher’s team is one of six the Army established in the leadup to the creation of the new Army Futures Command — the service’s new one stop shop for acquisition management — each representing the Army’s top modernization priorities.

He described his role as helping to define the “what” portion of the overall network modernization effort. But that effort is joined closely with the program executive office for command, control and communications-tactical (PEO-C3T), the same organization that led the WIN-T procurement, and whose acquisition professionals will determine exactly how to buy the new equipment.

Maj. Gen. David Bassett, who became the new PEO earlier this year, said whatever family of systems the Army settles on, with the goals of making its communications more resilient to near-peer adversaries and simpler for soldiers to use, will use an iterative approach.

“For a given unit, it’s impossible for the institutional Army to move fast enough to field to everyone all at the same time, for every commander that’s looking for kit to arrive within their tenure to change the way they fight,” he said. “And so I think we can get significantly better in terms of delivering capability. It means looking at the whole process, from how quickly can we get consensus and agree upon what we’re going to go buy, to how long it’s going to take to go test it, to how long it takes to make it operationally supportable and trainable. We’ve got to do all of those processes faster.”

To that end, Bassett said future network buys are likely to rely heavily on nontraditional acquisition authorities Congress has offered up to the Defense Department in recent years, including other transaction agreements (OTAs), and Section 804 of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which permits the military services to bypass most of their usual acquisition processes when they’re conducting rapid prototyping and rapid fielding of new equipment.

It also means finding creative ways to repurpose systems the Army has already procured, he said.

“So where we’ve got a program that may have already run its course but has requirements that are still valid, we can introduce new capabilities through engineering changes without having to go through a whole new DoD 5000 process,” Bassett said.

“And on the contracting side, we’re putting in place larger contracts that allow us to do multiple deliveries under them to give us flexibility going forward, including the Common Hardware Systems contract that was just awarded. … We’re starting with contract vehicles that allow us to go significantly faster than if we had to start from scratch with a new solicitation.”

Army uses new structure to reorient R&D priorities

Part of the raison d’etre behind Army Futures Command was to help unify what the Army’s current senior leadership viewed as a disparate and disconnected modernization enterprise. When it comes to the network, the Army is using the new structure, in part, to reorient its research and development priorities.

 “A lot of our effort over the last 11 months has been unpacking what the science and technology community inside the Army has been doing,” Gallagher said. “At Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) and the Communications, Electronics Research and Development Center (CERDEC), we’ve got a lot of smart engineers working on a lot of initiatives, but as we took a look at where we’re trying to go with the Army network modernization strategy and how it relates to the other modernization priorities, we’ve made serious recommendations of realignment of resourcing within that S&T portfolio to address the emerging threats and emerging capabilities. We’re trying to focus their efforts on capabilities that are going to be more promising to transition to either an existing program, or define a new program based on an emerging technology.”

In the meantime, Gallagher and Bassett said the Army has made some concrete progress in starting to field entirely new equipment in the aftermath of WIN-T’s phase-out.

One focus for the new gear has been the Army’s new Security Force Assistance Brigades, which have begun using radios that leverage waveforms the Army had not even considered as of two years ago. Those systems, previously proved out by special operating forces, are now under consideration for broader use in infantry, armored and Stryker brigades.

“There’s also an entirely new set of equipment for signal brigades, which the decision was made for less than a year ago. We’re fielding it right now,” Bassett said. “We’re long past the point of admiring the problem and moving forward with meaningful capability going into the hands of our soldiers. And I think as we look forward into the next year, as we begin to demonstrate this integrated tactical network in the infantry brigades, the Stryker brigades and the armor brigades, every one of those gives us the opportunity to introduce new technology, new design options and design choices.”

View the original article here

Interoperability a Key Focus in Building the Army's Future Network

Bolstering the Army's network against increasing enemy threats has become a crucial point of emphasis in the Army's ongoing modernization efforts.

What the media saidThursday, October 25, 2018

WASHINGTON -- Bolstering the Army's network against increasing enemy threats has become a crucial point of emphasis in the Army's ongoing modernization efforts.

Although a network secure from peer threats is critical, officials said that network must be accessible across each level of the Army in order for it to be functional.

"The overall network strategy is to have a network that's flat, fast, mobile and protected," said Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, director of the Army Network Cross-Functional Team, or CFT. "What does that mean for me? That means we've got to have a network that our Soldiers can depend on. It will enable them to have unified network transport from every base, post, camp and station out to the tactical edge."

Army leaders outlined goals for network modernization at the Association of the United States Army's Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. Among those initiatives will be to develop an integrated network to win battles in peer-contested environments, and the CFT will work toward joint coalition interoperability. Another goal is sustaining the network's command post.

Gallagher said eventually the Army plans to scale the integrated network to brigade-sized formations. The service will start fielding formations in 2020. 

Much work remains to simplify the complex network and make it more user friendly, Gallagher said, but added the Army has been making strides toward achieving those goals. 

A pilot for smaller, lighter kits for an expeditionary signal battalion will soon be tested. Next April, during a joint warfighting assessment and warfighting exercise, III Corps will be rolling out a "coalition interoperability mission partner environment." 

Advanced networking waveforms have already been incorporated into software-defined radios, he said.

"We're working toward a common operating environment -- whether it's a command post, a dismount, a mobile platform, an aviation platform where we have a common look and feel, [or] a decision-making tool that allows leaders and Soldiers to understand and be able to communicate," Gallagher said.

Finally the network must be protected against adversaries and measures must be taken to limit GPS tracking to protect valuable information and intelligence. 

Since interoperability will be key to the success of the network, Gallagher said the CFT is working toward making the network interoperable with joint partners and accessible to coalition partners. 

"The battlefield of the future is going to be incredibly data rich," said Angela Dalton, a CFT partner and communications and networking systems group supervisor at John Hopkins University. "There are sources of information all over the battlefield that can provide incredible situational understanding. We need to have a network that enables through capacity and orchestration of the ability to get that information to decision makers where it's needed, to warfighters where and when it's needed."

The Army Network is one of the service's top six modernization priorities. Secretary of the Army Dr. Mark Esper said the network must be dependable and mobile in any environment. 

Gallagher said the CFT functions as the "action arm" of Futures Command to build the Army's network. The Network CFT includes team members from requirements, acquisition, science and technology, capability development, communications, spectrum, cyber security, intelligence, operations, test and evaluation, resourcing, contracting, costing, acquisition logisticians, and U.S. Army Forces Command as well as Army Service Component Commands. And, it is closely aligned with the joint and special operations community.

The general added that the Network CFT will host another technical exchange meeting with industry and academia in early 2019.

View the original article here

NIE IN ACTION

Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division are using their on-the-move Tactical Network Transport equipment and expeditionary satellite terminals during #NIE 18.2 at Fort Bliss, Texas, which begins Nov. 1.

What the media saidThursday, November 1, 2018

Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division are using their on-the-move Tactical Network Transport equipment and expeditionary satellite terminals during #NIE 18.2 at Fort Bliss, Texas, which begins Nov. 1. The Army’s unified tactical network enables uninterrupted mission command and secure reliable voice, video and data communications worldwide, at every phase of the joint operational spectrum. These systems will provide the tactical network transport needed to support the systems under test during NIE 18.2.

Last Network Integration Evaluation will Inform Army Network Design

Over the next two weeks, Soldiers will test, assess and experiment with the latest mission command computing environments and server hardware, aspects of the Army's Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) concept, data radios, air-to-ground integration and a host of industry capability that could enhance network connectivity and capacity.

What the media saidMonday, November 5, 2018

By Kathryn Bailey, PEO C3T public affairs November 5, 2018

Over the next two weeks, Soldiers will test, assess and experiment with the latest mission command computing environments and server hardware, aspects of the Army's Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) concept, data radios, air-to-ground integration and a host of industry capability that could enhance network connectivity and capacity.

According to Brig. Gen. Johnny Davis, commander of the Joint Modernization Command, which manages the NIE, "the multi-domain operational concept guides everything we do in NIE." NIE 18.2 sets rigorous operational conditions, including contested domains such as cyber, unmanned air threats, electronic warfare, social media and peer-on-peer engagements to mirror current real-world threats.

In this environment, more than 1,900 Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division (3/82) are working to evaluate the Army's Command Post (CPCE) and Mounted (MCE) Computing Environments in an operational setting and will provide feedback on the usability of the ITN effort in a contested environment. Elements of the brigade are also serving as the opposing force during the exercise.

"NIE Soldier-driven feedback allows us to continue to enhance our design efforts," said Lt. Col. Shermoan Daiyaan, who manages the CPCE and MCE programs under the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T). "We embraced the [Developmental Operations] DevOps concept to make our systems better, and to enable the Army to evaluate potential technology concepts and solutions earlier and more frequently."

Feedback from NIE and prior lab-based and operational events has allowed developers to incorporate real-time operational feedback to help inform Network Cross-Functional Team (N-CFT) design choices and decisions, Daiyaan said.

The major test effort at NIE is the Initial Operational Test for the CPCE system. CPCE, part of the Army's Common Operating Environment (COE), is made up of a common software standard and tactical server infrastructure that decreases the amount of hardware in today's command posts, provides core software for applications to be written onto and provides commanders a true common operational picture.

CPCE and MCE are both intended to provide extensible data model and core services such as maps, chat and messaging to rapidly facilitate the integration of new applications and functions over time. The initial version of CPCE being assessed by Soldiers at NIE replaces four legacy mission command systems and enables web-based applications, meaning commanders and staff can access these apps using any authorized government laptop connected to the appropriate server and network. 

"CPCE creates a shared understanding faster and we can be more lethal because of the collaboration," said Col. Arthur Sellars, commander of the 3/82. "It is web-enabled and intuitive."

CPCE test results will be used to determine if the initial version is mature enough to field in late FY19. 

Airborne Soldiers are also testing the MCE and providing feedback to Army leaders, who will use the feedback to help select the best MCE core software that, over time, will replace the Joint Battle Command-Platform software -- the Army's current blue-force tracking, chat and critical situational awareness tool. Once the selection is complete, the program office will equip three units with MCE, which will serve as DevOps partners to complete MCE design decisions prior to Army-wide fielding.

While not under formal test, Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (1-508 PIR) are experimenting with the Integrated Tactical Network, a concept designed to address existing gaps in the current network architecture. The ITN is not a replacement for the Army's network; rather, it will be comprised of innovative commercial components and current network systems that will offer commanders multipath communications diversity and will interoperate with current network systems.

The ITN leverages a network environment allowing for the secure exchange of information through a unified yet diverse network -- taking advantage of both commercial and military transport to provide commanders multiple communications pathways in degraded environments.

One NIE 18.2 focus-area is using ITN components in a contested environment. As part of the ITN, Soldiers are utilizing both a Secret and a Secure but Unclassified (SBU) Network environment, allowing data to be categorized in accordance with its classification to simplify training and network initialization.

"Instead of self-limiting the unit to an encrypted-only network, SBU eases the burden of communication by providing other options," said Sgt. Jason Rosenberry of the 1-508 PIR.

Components of the ITN make use of familiar commercial handheld capability to reduce training.

"Soldiers are handed equipment that they have trained on since they were 10 years-old -- their cell phones," Rosenberry said. "That's the beauty behind the ITN concept."

NIE 18.2 ITN assessments and experimentation will help inform ITN design decisions and provide data for full N-CFT brigade-level assessments planned to begin next year.

Slated to conclude on November 12, this last Army NIE will provide instrumented technical data and Soldier feedback to enable the Army to make informed network design decisions for the CPCE and MCE programs. It will also provide feedback for continued DevOps of the ITN construct.

The Army plans to continue to leverage other training and test events such as the Warfighter Exercises and the Joint Warfighter Assessment to inform network requirements and modernization possibilities.

"We will continue to use the DevOps model with Soldiers versus the old way of developing something for five years before we test it," Daiyaan said. "It's critical that we continually provide them with capability that is better than what they currently have."

Review the original article here

Systematic Leads as Prime on Army's Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE)

Breaking Defense reports that the US Army lists the Command Post Computing Environment as amongst the most important programs in its modernization plan.

Press releaseWhat the media saidFriday, February 1, 2019

In the July-September timeframe (4Q19), the first operational units will get the new Command Post Computing Environment. CPCE is a package of hardware and software to improve command and control, not only to make command posts more capable but to shrink the stacks of servers, tangles of wiring, and rows of diesel generators that have grown into a real hindrance to maneuver. Systematic is the software prime contractor.

The Breaking Defense article quotes Bruce Jette, United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, as recognizing the Systematic-developed Command Post Computing Environment as one of the key elements in the service’s effort to modernize its network and command-and-control capabilities.

Read the full story here.

Systematic Featured in the Defense Press

National Defense reports on the performance of the Command Post Computing Environment at the US Army’s latest, and final, Network Integration Evaluation.

Press releaseWhat the media saidTuesday, February 12, 2019

 The article quotes service officials as stating that the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) improves collaboration and has the potential to increase lethality.

Also noted by service officials are CPCE’s ease of use, the benefits of its app-based approach, and the ability of the software to consolidate the functionality of four platforms from the field into one system, among other plus points.

Read the full story here.

Image caption: NIE 18.2 was held at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Image credit: US Army

Systematic SitaWare Continues to Support the US Army Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) at JBLM

Systematic SitaWare continues to support the US Army Command Post Computing Environment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in preparation for JWA 19.

Press releaseWhat the media saidThursday, February 21, 2019

In preparation for Joint Warfighting Assessment 19 (JWA 19), the Army's largest annual modernization exercise, the Joint Modernization Command has been training soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in new computer systems, including the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE). CPCE is a package of hardware and software to improve command and control, not only to make command posts more capable but to shrink the stacks of servers, tangles of wiring, and rows of diesel generators that have grown into a real hindrance to maneuver. Systematic SitaWare continues to support this effort as the software prime contractor on CPCE.

Read the full story at the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service here.

The Army Wants a Singular Focus, Not One-off Solutions

C4ISRNET reports the Army is getting ready to field the first set of capabilities under a new modernized network architecture in 2021, which will include the first iteration of the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE).

Press releaseWhat the media saidFriday, June 7, 2019

The Next Key to the Army Network: Air-ground Integration

C4ISRNET reports the Army is pursuing a common operating environment that will allow soldiers in a command post, ground vehicle, aircraft or on the ground to easily pass data back and forth, share information, communicate and look at the same map.

Press releaseWhat the media saidSunday, June 16, 2019

Cursor on Target (CoT) Gateway Improves Data Sharing on the Battlefield

Systematic, Inc. has developed a new capability to improve the way dismounted military personnel communicate on the battlefield. Its SitaWare suite now includes a Cursor on Target (CoT) Gateway.

Press releaseMonday, May 18, 2020

Systematic, Inc. has developed a new capability to improve the way dismounted military personnel communicate on the battlefield. Its SitaWare suite now includes a Cursor on Target (CoT) Gateway.

The CoT Gateway is an interface that allows handheld devices to employ CoT message exchange standards to improve targeting, and relay friendly force locations, situation reports and chat with other CoT-enabled devices and command posts.

Current devices utilizing CoT applications are limited in their ability to communicate with headquarters personnel whereas Systematic Inc.’s CoT Gateway addresses that issue, providing greater situational awareness to military forces in combat.

The CoT Gateway technology is currently available to all branches of the U.S. military. Systematic Inc. is continually evolving its software solutions to meet emerging warfighter needs.

Command Post Computing Environment Enables Interoperability in Military Exercise

Systematic, Inc.’s team of subject matter experts recently supported Exercise Allied Spirit, a Defender-Europe 2020 linked exercise, where they served as a conduit for participating forces in Europe and U.S. Army Mission Command, and helped 1st Cavalry Division soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, learn how to fight more effectively using the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) software framework.

Press releaseThursday, June 25, 2020

Systematic, Inc.’s team of subject matter experts recently supported Exercise Allied Spirit, a Defender-Europe 2020 linked exercise, where they served as a conduit for participating forces in Europe and U.S. Army Mission Command, and helped 1^st Cavalry Division soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, learn how to fight more effectively using the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) software framework. Systematic’s SitaWare Headquarters command and control software functions as the backbone for CPCE, providing soldiers with enhanced situational awareness and battle management capabilities.

Exercise Allied Spirit took place in Poland earlier this month and featured a Polish airborne operation and a U.S.-Polish division-size river crossing. The exercise showed how CPCE software can be used by operational units while providing interoperability with coalition partners. It is one of several that Systematic, Inc.’s team of subject matter experts is expected to support throughout the year where they will advise users on the integration, application and operational use of SitaWare. 

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Systematic Bridges Interoperability Gap at CWIX 2020

NATO has not let the COVID-19 pandemic stand in the way of its premier interoperability event – the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination eXercise (CWIX) – with the 2020 iteration held virtually, and Systematic has risen to the challenge of working in a distributed manner, successfully demonstrating its Multilateral Interoperability Programme (MIP) 4.3 gateway.

Press releaseMonday, July 6, 2020

NATO has not let the COVID-19 pandemic stand in the way of its premier interoperability event – the Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXploration, eXperimentation, eXamination eXercise  (CWIX) – with the 2020 iteration held virtually, and Systematic has risen to the challenge of working in a distributed manner, successfully demonstrating its Multilateral Interoperability Programme (MIP) 4.3 gateway.

CWIX 2020 has taken place at locations across NATO and partner countries, with the event connecting participants via a range of networks. While a number of aspects of CWIX 2020 were scaled back – notably those that focused on vehicles and forward-deployed applications – most could be undertaken, including proving how Systematic’s MIP 4.3 gateway ensures that forces limited to working with MIP 3.1 systems can operate alongside those deploying with the latest specifications.  

The MIP 4.3 gateway was developed for SitaWare Headquarters command and control software as a company-led initiative. The Systematic-designed bridging capabilities of the MIP 4.3 gateway provides assurance for those countries using MIP 3.1. As long as at least one member of a coalition is operating with SitaWare Headquarters, a “bridge” can be made to bring in 3.1 countries and ensure that information exchange can take place with the MIP 4.3 operators. At CWIX 2020 the MIP 4.3 gateway successfully bridged to multiple MIP 3.1 systems and countries, demonstrating the potential for a coalition to work seamlessly.

The Systematic SitaWare MIP 4.3 gateway will be integrated into the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) as part of a regular maintenance update to provide continued interoperability for the Army and coalition partners. SitaWare functions as the backbone for CPCE. 

Systematic, Inc. Awarded U.S. Air Force ABMS ID/IQ Contract

Systematic, Inc. has been awarded a $950,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

Press releaseFriday, July 31, 2020

Systematic, Inc. to Support U.S. Air Force Initiative to Address Battlespace Interoperability Challenges

Systematic, Inc. has been awarded a $950,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). This contract is part of a multiple award multi-level security effort to provide development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms.

About Systematic Inc.

Systematic, Inc., located in Centreville, Va., is a leading provider of innovative and reliable Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) integration software through an open architecture. Systematic’s software solution simplifies critical decision making in complex, demanding environments.

CONTACT:

Mary McAdam
Communications Manager
C: 703-397-3300
E: mary.mcadam@systematicinc.com    

SME Team Assists Army Units with CPCE Proficiency

Understanding our U.S. Army customers’ needs is a top priority for our Systematic, Inc. team – especially for our Subject Matter Expert (SME) trainers like Jeff Fisher (pictured) who travel to Army installations to train soldiers how to use Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) software to increase their operational effectiveness.

Monday, September 28, 2020

Understanding our U.S. Army customers’ needs is a top priority for our Systematic, Inc. team – especially for our Subject Matter Expert (SME) trainers like Jeff Fisher (pictured) who travel to Army installations to train soldiers how to use Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) software to increase their operational effectiveness.

SME trainers, all of whom have prior military experience, offer more than basic software familiarity – or “buttonology.” They translate the agility of the software and work directly with users to show them how the technology works, how it supports their job and how it makes their processes more efficient.

“It wasn’t long ago I was wearing the uniform and had to use mission command systems. Being able to show how CPCE can assist soldiers in performing their jobs better is what I strive for,” said Fisher, an Army veteran who is a familiar presence at Fort Hood and embeds with units, teaching classes and ensuring the software is set up and running smoothly.

This month members of the team are at Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Bragg, N.C. and Fort Carson, Colo. helping units that are participating in Warfighter Exercise (WFX) 21.1 in October become proficient on CPCE and giving Army leadership an overview of the software’s capabilities. WFXs validate a unit’s ability to conduct mission command and are often the culmination of a “crawl-walk-run” series of Command Post Exercises that are designed to ensure the unit’s readiness.

During WFX 21.1, Systematic, Inc.'s SMEs will provide technical support for CPCE and show how units can integrate the software into their command post operations and enhance the tools they use to provide more timely information to the commander and staff.

Having prior military experience helps SME team members better understand their customers’ needs and tailor solutions accordingly.

“Having 24 years of experience in levels from platoon to division means that I have been in their shoes and know what pressures they are dealing with when it comes to a WFX,” Fisher said. “Being able to understand a unit’s processes and Army systems enables me to better assist units in meeting their objective of conducting mission command. “

CPCE is built on Systematic’s SitaWare Headquarters and is the core command and control (C2) software that U.S. forces will use in the WFX.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

SYSTEMATIC, INC. RECEIVES 2020 HIRE VETS MEDALLION AWARD FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia recognized Systematic, Inc. as one among other recipients of the 2020 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a recent virtual award ceremony hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes job creators who successfully recruit, hire and retain veterans.

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia recognized Systematic, Inc. as one among other recipients of the 2020 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a recent virtual award ceremony hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes job creators who successfully recruit, hire and retain veterans.

 “At Systematic, Inc., supporting the warfighter is our mission, not just in the field but at home, and we celebrate the positive impact veterans have in the workplace,” said Systematic, Inc. President Rafael Torres Jr. “We strive to create a culture where their unique perspective is valued, and they have ample opportunities for professional growth and fulfilling careers.”

Systematic, Inc. joins other companies that have shown a commitment to hiring veterans, but also ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through their military service.

The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is based on a number of criteria, ranging from veteran hiring and retention to providing veteran-specific resources, leadership programming, dedicated human resources, and compensation and tuition assistance programs – with requirements varying for large, medium and small employers.

 About Systematic, Inc.

Systematic, Inc., located in Centreville, Va., is a leading provider of innovative and reliable Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) integration software through an open architecture. Systematic’s software solution simplifies critical decision making in complex, demanding environments.

About the HIRE Vets Medallion Program

The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is earned by leading businesses that demonstrate unparalleled commitment to attracting and retaining veterans. The 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Program will open to employers on Jan. 31, 2021. For more information about the program and the application process, visit www.HIREVets.gov.

Systematic launches latest mounted C2 solution: SitaWare Frontline 3.0

Systematic has evolved its mounted command-and-control (C2) capability with the development of SitaWare Frontline 3.0, which builds on an operationally proven solution and meets the challenges of the modern battlespace.

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Systematic has evolved its mounted command-and-control (C2) capability with the development of SitaWare Frontline 3.0, which builds on an operationally proven solution and meets the challenges of the modern battlespace.

“Providing commanders with dramatically enhanced C2 capabilities is critical to disrupting their adversaries’ decision cycle and giving U.S. military forces an operational advantage on the battlefield,” said Systematic, Inc. President Rafael Torres Jr. “Frontline 3.0 is a significant step forward in the evolution of our battle management system and exemplifies our commitment to meeting our customers’ emerging needs.”

 The new system is Android, Windows and Linux compatible, and introduces a range of enhancements over the current SitaWare Frontline variant, with features that are designed to improve the commander’s situational awareness. These include a new mapping system, comprehensive force tracking and geospatial tools that are designed to deliver an enhanced picture of the human and physical terrain.  In addition:

Situational Awareness:

• SitaWare Frontline 3.0 integrates seamlessly with SitaWare Headquarters and the SitaWare Edge dismounted variant, giving top-to-bottom C2 and situational awareness across the battlespace. Mission data can be shared between echelons, ensuring that all levels of command have the same operational picture.  
• The system utilizes Systematic’s tried-and-tested SitaWare Tactical Communications (STC) software protocols, which optimize the management of data and enable large volumes to be transmitted over limited bandwidth and in challenging conditions.   

• The integrated chat feature enables commanders to maintain situational awareness via the map and simultaneously communicate across the battlespace, sharing messages, command layers, images and more.

Interoperability:

• As with the other members of the SitaWare suite, SitaWare Frontline 3.0 features an open architecture and the availability of a software development kit that enables third-party applications to be built and integrated, empowering customers to drive the development of their mounted C2 capability.
• Plans and orders can be composed directly on the electronic map and include sketches and text. These can be shared via tactical radio networks – both IP and non-IP.
• The standards-based design also permits interoperability with non-SitaWare users. The software is able to share key information – such as positional data – with other systems.

Mapping:

• SitaWare Frontline 3.0 has a new self-contained map engine that supports multiple map types in 2D and 3D format. The terrain analysis tools include the ability to display area-of-sight and line-of-sight among other functions.
• SitaWare Frontline 3.0 also includes a responsive display that adapts to screen size and orientation, ‘light’ and ‘dark’ modes to meet tactical requirements and symbology alignment with the other members of the SitaWare suite.

Systematic SitaWare Command and Control Suite Supports Presidential Inauguration Perimeter Security Operations

Systematic, Inc. is proud to have successfully supported the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in perimeter security efforts during the recent United States presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. using the Systematic SitaWare Command and Control (C2) software suite. The software, used for Common Operating Picture (COP) management, enabled soldiers to visualize and monitor checkpoint areas and disposition resources accordingly.

Press releaseTuesday, February 23, 2021

“Security measures like those undertaken by local, state and federal agencies for the inauguration present unique challenges to commanders and their staffs who rely on timely information and shared situational awareness to make informed decisions,” said Systematic, Inc. President Rafael Torres, Jr. “SitaWare enabled Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers to relay pertinent information, to make smarter decisions more rapidly and to make better use of their resources. We are extremely pleased with how the software performed in a secure, but unclassified environment and was utilized during this important event.”

Soldiers responsible for providing security at road checkpoints around the inauguration area used SitaWare Headquarters, Frontline and Edge products developed for command post, vehicle mounted and handheld applications. With the suite, they were able to seamlessly blend unit-reported information and open-source data to establish a digital COP of the security perimeter for improved situational awareness. Systematic, Inc. C2 subject experts, with previous experience participating in Army warfighting exercises using SitaWare, provided on-site training to soldiers.

SitaWare is currently being used by U.S. Army and National Guard units, and is also compatible with any hardware, network and radio utilized by local, state or federal agencies. It is designed to integrate unique capabilities and enable data-sharing with these agencies.

About Systematic Inc.

Systematic, Inc., located in Centreville, Va., is a leading provider of innovative and reliable Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) integration software through an open architecture. Systematic’s software solution simplifies critical decision making in complex, demanding environments

SitaWare Demonstrates Coalition Interoperability at Warfighter Exercise 21-4

We’re pleased that Systematic’s SitaWare Headquarters, the underlying software framework for the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE), successfully enabled interoperability between U.S. troops and their British and French coalition partners at Warfighter Exercise 21-4 – a major multinational exercise. (Photo Credit-- U.S Army Photo)

Monday, May 10, 2021

Throughout the event, U.S. and non-U.S. forces demonstrated the ability to pass data to each other. In real-world operational scenarios, this ability to share information more efficiently with coalition partners enables participating nations to have a common view of the battlespace. It also provides commanders with the situational awareness needed to make timely and informed decisions and aligns with Department of Defense strategic objectives.

Read here for more information: https://www.army.mil/article/245647

SitaWare Provides Common Operating Picture at JWA 21

Systematic’s SitaWare software enabled interoperability and command and control (C2) during the recent U.S.-led Joint Warfighting Assessment 21 (JWA 21). (Photo Credit-- U.S Army Photo)

Monday, July 19, 2021

“SitaWare’s proven ability to share data and communicate across coalition standards is absolutely vital for joint all-domain operations and improved decision-making on the battlefield,” said Rafael Torres, Jr., Systematic, Inc. president. “Equipping our warfighters with this capability will ensure they outpace our nation’s adversaries while providing greater force protection.”

Held in Colorado, Hawaii and Washington, JWA 21 was a multinational exercise that was conducted in live, virtual and constructed environments. The event replicated missions across all domains with particular focus on enhanced coalition network interoperability and shared situational awareness. U.S. forces were joined by elements from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Through use of SitaWare Headquarters, exercise participants benefitted from a detailed Common Operating Picture (COP) and the ability to share mission information. The U.S. Army contingent, led by the 4th Infantry Division, used the SitaWare Headquarters-based Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE), while coalition partners utilized other iterations of the standard SitaWare Headquarters.

During JWA 21, SitaWare Headquarters and CPCE were able to draw, display and manage simulated data from a number of sources including Link 16, NATO Friendly Force Information and Air Tasking Orders/Airspace Control Orders. C2 information composed within the systems was shared between participants. SitaWare also shared and received data with various external systems. 

Click here for a US Army article on JWA 21.

Systematic launches new features for SitaWare suite

New features bolster in-app video capabilities, as well as improvements in situational awareness and intelligence sharing.

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Aarhus, Denmark

Systematic is pleased to announce the latest updates to its SitaWare suite of products, with major new features in Frontline and Edge allowing users to maximise their situational awareness and share even more intelligence with other operators.

SitaWare Frontline and SitaWare Edge users are now able to watch live video feeds from UAVs within the application; and are able to take snapshots from feeds for sharing through chat attachments. Position information for objects of interest is also automatically added to the image metadata, along with the display of the viewshed information. This allows for the smooth creation of intelligence products and improvements to situational awareness and the recognised intelligence picture. Furthermore, Frontline users can record video streams for later replaying in the app or sharing to other users.

“The ability to manage, process, watch, and share video from the Frontline and Edge platforms is an absolute game-changer in the modern battlespace,” Hans Jørgen Bohlbro, Vice President, Product Management, Defence, said. “In an age where more devices have the ability to transmit video to improve situational awareness to troops on the ground, the ability to distribute precious video intelligence across a wider range of customers helps to support smarter decision-making and support greater understanding of the operational environment.”

Additional video processing and display features of the SitaWare suite are currently being worked on and are expected to be rolled out to users in 2023, Bohlbro added.

Intelligence boost to Headquarters

As part of the update process, SitaWare Headquarters has also received new capabilities, helping to deliver intelligence-led capabilities to users, as well as to its underlying network base.

AI-assisted kinematic track correlation allows for the joint common operating picture to be efficiently compiled when using radars and electronic warfare sensors, using prediction models to remove duplicate tracks, as well as anticipating future moves based on historic track information. Dead-reckoning and furthest-on-circle tools also help to evaluate the likely position of lost tracks, and further help support the use of open-source intelligence tools such as ADS-B and AIS. These new capabilities allow for more intelligent decision-making, as well as ensuring a comprehensive joint common operating picture that is shared across the land, sea, and air domains. Integration with Systematic’s new intelligence platform, SitaWare Insight, also allows seamless gathering, fusion, dissemination, and analysis of data from internal and third-party open sources. 

Communications upgrades

The backbone for SitaWare Headquarters, SitaWare Headquarters Communications (SHC), has also received new capabilities through the upgrades. These include improvements to the synchronisation algorithm to allow for reductions in bandwidth overheads to maintain connections, while retaining high levels of redundancy and optimising network efficiency. This has also helped with scalability improvements, which allow for more nodes in a SHC-based network before the system has to breakup into multiple networks. This also allows for more data to be shared across an SHC network before users experience latency and CPU-load interference.

“Scalability is a key differentiator in the SitaWare suite’s offering. We have the ability to scale upwards and downwards as the user or operation requires and do so with a very small a hardware footprint. These latest improvements to SHC will continue to allow users of our Headquarters product to operate confidently in complex network and operational environments,” Bohlbro said.

For more information, please contact Charles Forrester, Communications Manager, at Charles.Forrester@systematic.com   

About Systematic

Established in 1985, Systematic A/S develops software and system solutions to customers in both the public and private sector. A common feature of these customers is a need to integrate, compare and analyse large volumes of complex data, and to generate an overview that allows decision-making based on a solid foundation, often in critical situations.

Systematic’s SitaWare Suite consists of three different systems, providing critical C4ISR capabilities from the headquarters level down to the deployed troop commander. SitaWare Edge is designed for a dismounted commander using an Android device, SitaWare Frontline is designed for the vehicle-mounted commander, and SitaWare Headquarters supports headquarters-level units. The suite has also been developed for use aboard naval vessels, and in support of airborne C4ISR missions.

Today, Systematic is the largest privately owned software company in Denmark, with solutions sold to customers in 50+ countries. More than 1 million people worldwide use Systematic solutions and services every day.

For more information visit:

• Website: Systematic – Defence
• LinkedIn: Systematic – Defence
• Twitter: @SystematicC4ISR

Under one roof – vehicle architecture and SitaWare

Modern armoured vehicles are becoming increasingly complex platforms, as an ever-growing number of sensors, effectors, communications systems, and more are being added. But how to make the most efficient use of them, and ensure they all work together?

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Underpinning modern armoured vehicle design is a common principle, referred to as a generic vehicle architecture (GVA). The overarching aim of a GVA is to help deliver common standards, ease system integration, and reduce risks and costs, while also ensuring that future upgrades can be undertaken easily. This helps end-users avoid vendor lock-in, as well as migrating new and legacy subsystems to support cross-fleet interoperability.

Work on a formalised GVA standard began in the United Kingdom and has continued over the past 20-30 years to develop a baseline GVA standard, with NATO also developing a standard, NATO GVA (NGVA), and Australia also creating their own standard (AS-GVA). Early efforts at delivering this standard focused on the power and electrical systems within a vehicle, before evolving to include data systems and subsystem integration.

GVA now promotes the idea that data is to be in the centre, and systems and applications can be both consumers and providers of data. The design seeks to lay the foundation to avoid direct system-to-system, system-to-sensor integrations by describing a common approach based on data, use cases/workflows, and using the same technology for exchanging data.

“Under earlier vehicle design and subsystem integration practices, systems sometimes each required their own sensor for essentially the same data, which also meant duplicated integration into the overall vehicle architecture,” Christoph Pauls, Business Product Manager at Systematic, said. “Under the concept of GVA, this could be simplified. For example, a vehicle may have had multiple GPS receivers to provide the position to the radios, battle management system, inertial navigation system, remote controlled weapons stations, and so on. Under GVA principles only one GPS receiver system is needed, and its data is easily shared out to each subsystem through a common software data bus.”

This means that there is a reduction in cabling and external antennas, as well as reduced power consumption to support these common subsystems. This can support positive changes in other areas such as reductions in overall vehicle weight, added space availability for extra loads, increased protection, or improved ergonomics for passengers. Other benefits can include easier maintenance and a reduced number of components that can break and potentially undermine vehicle availability.

 1: Source: NATO Standard AEP-4754 NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture (NGVA) For Land Systems

Data communication under GVA

Data exchange is governed through the Land Data Model, allowing for specified information to be transferred over standardised interfaces such as ethernet cables. Enabling an open systems architecture allows for “interoperability by design,” which can mean both within the vehicle’s own subsystems, as well as in sharing data with other vehicles and units.

SitaWare Frontline, the battle management system (BMS) designed for mounted commanders, has been designed from the outset as a modular and extendable system to allow for easy integration with various radios, sensors, and vehicle and weapons stations. A public API and software development kit also allows original equipment manufacturers to smooth the integration journey, and supports customer choice in vehicle subsystems and equipment, while futureproofing SitaWare Frontline equipped vehicles.

SitaWare Tactical Communication acts as the core backbone underpinning the integration between the BMS, radio systems, and vehicle, weapon, and sensor interfaces. Integrations with external sensors and systems can be saved and reused on other GVA-compliant vehicles, thereby reducing the costs of redevelopment on vehicles developed to the same GVA standard.

Upgrade and update cycles

The process of upgrading and updating the technology within a military vehicle is made even more complicated by the different timeframes for technology refreshes, Pauls said.

“We typically see the IT side of a vehicle platform or subsystem going through an innovation cycle every one to two years. For the electronics side - the networking infrastructure, power interfaces, plugs, and cabling, and so on – this goes through an innovation or replacement cycle every four to six years. The mechanical componentry, which brings in new mounts and cabling, as well as other interfaces or entirely new systems, could only be really changed every 10-20 years.”

As a result, the IT systems within an armoured vehicle are usually added in at the end of the initial development cycle to ensure that all the planned subsystems can be integrated together. However, with the IT environment constantly evolving to account for a range of factors such as cybersecurity, changing interoperability requirements, and new subsystems and payloads, it is essential to keep updating it.

Working with an agile open architecture software system such as SitaWare Frontline that can be easily upgraded and patched as necessary is essential. If changes and upgrades to the software system deployed through a vehicle requires a corresponding significant hardware refurbishment, then costs can rapidly increase. More extensive and invasive works can reduce the availability of vehicles, and potentially require further re-integration work of existing subsystems.  The ability to migrate an IT system to a broader fleet is also a key part in ensuring that a national operating capability can be maintained, and supporting interoperability across vehicles undertaking different roles in support of operations.

Current methods employed for fleet software upgrades help to ensure that vehicles equipped with SitaWare Frontline can operate the latest technology quickly, and that user profiles can be easily transferred from one SitaWare Frontline-equipped vehicle to another. New technology is being developed by Systematic to further improve the ease of system upgrades and support, allowing for rapid deployment of new software, drivers, and firmware.

SitaWare Frontline as an ISR tool

As the variety of sensor and effector systems are integrated, the ability for the vehicle commander to improve their situational awareness through a single screen is dramatically increased.

Sensor data gathered by a vehicle can be rapidly disseminated automatically to SitaWare Insight, feeding into a data lake and being assessed as part of a regular intelligence cycle by analysts. Vehicle commanders operating SitaWare Frontline are then able to take advantage of the resulting analysis to change mission plans dynamically or reorient rapidly to address new threats. As a result, a SitaWare Frontline equipped armoured vehicle can be a powerful asset to any mission, being able to rapidly improve and support situational awareness

The modular and open architecture of SitaWare Frontline and SitaWare Tactical Communication, both being compatible with the approaches set out by GVA, can support a faster and easier integration of ISR sensors, thereby aiding this workflow from the beginning already. The creation of standards and open architectures under GVA also enables governments to make smarter investments, reducing costly integration work and helping to de-risk subsystem integration.

The seamless integration across the SitaWare suite of products – including the SitaWare Edge product for dismounted forces – allows for enhanced battle management, situational awareness, and intelligence sharing across the combat environment. This vertical integration also allows for greatly reduced risk in acquisition and installation management, with the SitaWare suite also enjoying a high degree of hardware agnosticism and reducing the need for multiple user interfaces.

The Systematic Software Development Kits allow both governments and equipment manufacturers to undertake this work to allow for seamless installation, meaning that the work can be done more openly than other BMS providers may allow.

For more information on GVA and SitaWare, contact our team for our Generic Vehicle Architectures and SitaWare Frontline whitepaper at: https://systematic.com/en-gb/industries/defence/contact/

Systematic, Inc. Awarded 5-Year Follow-On Contract

Systematic, Inc. Awarded 5-Year Follow-On Contract to Support the U.S. Army Command Operating Environment (COE) Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE)

Press releaseMonday, August 1, 2022

August 1, 2022, Centreville, VA– Systematic, Inc., a provider of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software products that simplify critical decision making, has been awarded a contract by Program Executive Office, Command Control and Communications Tactical (PEO C3T) Project Manager Mission Command (PM MC). The contract provides product maintenance and technical support services for SitaWare, Systematic Inc.’s C4ISR suite.

The single award, firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract has a total potential value of approximately $75 million. This includes an 11-month base period of performance with four additional one-year option periods.

SitaWare is a C4ISR software suite which provides robust situational awareness at all levels of command. Providing a common framework to converge warfighting functions, SitaWare enables soldiers with a simplified command and control system and improves interoperability with coalition forces. Each dedicated product in the SitaWare Suite is radio, network and hardware agnostic, and provides unrivalled tactical data communication. Its open and extendable framework allows for customized extensions and integrations with legacy and third-party systems, as well as user-defined information sharing.

SitaWare was initially selected in 2017 as the architecture framework for the Army’s COE, which establishes a common foundation of shared components across key Army systems. As one element of COE, CPCE provides battle management assistance to warfighters. CPCE transforms the command post by consolidating the capabilities for missions related to fires, logistics, intelligence, airspace management and maneuver into a single pane of glass environment by leveraging integrated maps, chat and other services.

“Since 2017, the Army has fielded SitaWare under CPCE to Divisions and subordinate brigade combat teams around the world,” said Systematic Inc. President Skot Butler. “We provide Mission Command with a technically mature C4ISR capability ready to deploy. SitaWare also enables reliable and efficient performance over tactical data networks, including in degraded and contested environments. SitaWare continues to evolve. With enhancements heavily influenced by Army users, we are ensuring our products meet the emerging requirements of the JADC2 vision. Systematic is proud to continue our support to Mission Command and all Army users.” 

Systematic Inc. is providing the open architecture for U.S. Army mission command. Work will be performed primarily in Centreville, Virginia.

Further information

Pam Burke

Marketing Operations

Systematic Inc.

Email: pam.burke@systematicinc.com

About Systematic Inc.

Systematic Inc. is a leading provider of simple and reliable C4ISR integration software solutions for the Department of Defense.  Our products and services provide warfighters enhanced situational awareness at all levels of command, world-class interoperability with international allies and coalition forces, and greater security abroad.  We deliver high quality, user-friendly services and solutions on time and on budget.

About Systematic

Established in 1985, Systematic A/S develops software and system solutions to customers in both the public and private sector. A common feature of these customers is a need to integrate, compare and analyse large volumes of complex data, and to generate an overview that allows decision-making based on a solid foundation, often in critical situations. Systematic’s software solutions are used in healthcare, intelligence, law enforcement, defence, education, renewable energy and utilities industries. Today, Systematic is the largest privately owned software company in Denmark, with solutions sold to customers in 50+ countries. More than 1 million people worldwide use Systematic solutions and services every day. Systematic has approximately 1,100+ employees and is headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, with offices in Copenhagen, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Romania and the United States. www.systematic.comSystematic can also be found on the web at www.systematic.com 

Costly field service support of your battle management software is not the way to ‘train as you fight’

Software-driven situational awareness requires more than advanced systems. You also need quality training that does not rely on civilian FSRs in the field. Colonel Ros L. Gammon explains more below.

Monday, October 31, 2022

Proper training is the key to fielding any new tool, and software is no different. At Systematic Inc., USA, we have spent the last five years gathering real-world lessons. Here are  my top sure-fire tactics to help ensure operational success. 

The Systematic SitaWare software suite sits at the core of the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE), providing critical support to overall mission command capabilities. SitaWare stands apart from other C4ISR software. For one, its usability and intuitive design enables rapid, yet thorough pre-deployment training which eliminates the need for costly field service representative (FSR) support during operational deployments. 

While ease-of-use significantly lessens costs and operational complexity, it must be preceded by  quality home-station training prior to deployment. From the individual troop to divisional and even brigade command levels, software-driven situational awareness requires purposeful integration—optimized for user and unit-specific needs. Otherwise, mission success will be at risk, and in a combat environment lives may  be jeopardized.

Lessons Learned

For this reason, training must be tightly integrated into the software fielding– a step too many users fail to appreciate.  Rudimentary ‘one-size-fits-all’ video training followed by on-the-fly learning is a recipe for failure. SitaWare is  a highly customizable solution designed to conform to existing Mission Command Integration Systems (MCIS). It offers CPCE users myriad options not only to improve data collection and analysis, but to optimize situational awareness and capitalize on the often-fleeting opportunities that can mean the difference between success and failure. 

A quick look at some of SitaWare’s key capabilities highlights the criticality of proper training. The CPCE software platform can leverage the current capabilities found inside SitaWare to execute “seven-minute drills” and battle drills to near perfection. It also offers a collaborative briefing tool giving commanders the ability to have real map dialogue from many different locations at once. Finally, it is joint and coalition-interoperable with advanced tools for staff training and multi-echelon training. 

Mission success can only be maximized with a robust foundation. At Systematic, we believe this means investing the time and commitment to receive expert guidance from certified trainers. Our team consists of highly skilled subject matter experts who deliver critical shoulder-to-shoulder domain-specific instruction. Additionally, real-time reach-back to the solutions architects, software engineers, and testers with broad knowledge of CPCE products and systems ensures that any challenges that arise can be solved in the moment, before heading out into an operational environment.

Knowledge Management

This  level of training also forms the basis of a knowledge management structure that allows a shared understanding throughout the chain of command. Regardless of the situation, a properly trained team has the wherewithal to adapt its usage to a wide range of circumstances which, as every soldier knows, can change dramatically once the shooting starts. 

In this way, both forward and rear teams are assured to have complete knowledge of CPCE capabilities: friendly and hostile positions, operational plans and options, and a wide range of other critical data points. All this data can is ingested, analyzed, and shared in real-time—not just with a Common Operational Picture (COP), but with a common operational understanding – providing critical decision making, maximizing collaboration and mitigating confusion. 

My recommendations to maximizing the utility of your battle management software in general—and CPCE in particular—include the following: 

• After fielding, ensure collective training is conducted as early as possible. Focus on Digital Crew training (section level) prior to Command Post Exercises.   
• Develop in depth knowledge management procedures and incorporate them into unit-specific SOPs/TTPs. 
• Conduct collective training with staffs (CPXs) on unit equipment. Embed the skills learned from digital crew training and knowledge management SOPs.
• Invest in training server technicians. Develop their skills focusing on diagnosing and fixing problems related to connectivity and data maintenance. 

With this level of training in hand, military leaders know that soldiers are prepared to be sent into harm’s way. Users up and down the command chain are fully equipped with the skills they need to maintain situational awareness and battle readiness – without a civilian FSR in tow.

As a cost-saving measure, proper training offers significant value. In terms of overall mission success, it is immeasurable.

Ros L. Gammon

Colonel US Army, Retired

Manager, C4I Operational Experts

Bringing the Tactical Edge into the 21st Century

The focus for possible conflict has shifted to near-peer threats. Edge technologies need to be better integrated and orchestrated to maintain technological primacy.

Monday, December 12, 2022

Communication is key in any military conflict. From the semaphoric systems of ancient civilizations to colonial fifes and drums to today’s modern digital platforms, getting information to and from the field of battle has often meant the difference between victory and defeat.

Despite the dramatic advances in technology in recent decades, however, much of the battlefield communications infrastructure remains disjointed, making it expensive, resource-intensive and slow. Not only does this result in missed opportunities when trying to complete a mission or achieve an objective, it can put lives at risk when units become isolated or information or orders fail to disseminate properly.

Both the newly released US Army Field Manual 3.0 and the UK’s Defence Doctrine Publication 0-01 (UKDD) describe a shift from irregular warfare to peer and near-peer threats.

These are set alongside NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept which asserts that it is ‘pervasive instability, rising strategic competition and advancing authoritarianism’ that now challenges the international world order. 

All three agree this is further complicated by the acceleration of technological development, enabling threats in new domains of cyber and space. If conflict breaks out, it is technological primacy that will influence success on the battlefield.

Changing character of war

Shifting from counter-insurgency operations to preparing for possible peer conflict requires not only a revamp of doctrine but a significant change to the methods of warfare – how nations organize the composition of their fighting arms.

In recent asymmetric conflicts such as Afghanistan, tactical forces comprised company or platoon operations which allowed them to be more responsive and agile. Combat was fast-moving, unpredictable and came in short bursts, with forces fighting close up to the enemy and often using small arms fire.

Planning was not conducted symbiotically between operational headquarters and tactical units –instead taking place in permanent compounds with access to personal computers, wired networks and large monitoring screens.

Edge technologies offer a chance to rectify these problems, but only if they can be integrated and orchestrated properly. Under a well-architected environment, the edge can aggregate and declutter information so it can be presented in ways that are easier to digest and understand.

The edge can provide seamless communication between multiple field devices regardless of whether they use high or low bandwidth frequencies. And perhaps most importantly, information flowing to and from command posts and backup resources is more fluid with higher levels of automation that reduce delays and the number of errors.

Peer and near peer conflict

By contrast the nature of peer-to-peer conflict requires not only the sharing of a common operational picture but also the ability for all echelons to have an integrated, planning ability. This involves the coordination of larger formations which tend to be more fluid than irregular war or counter-insurgency operations.

There are often significantly more troops involved in this method of warfare. Forces at the front will need to be rotated with reserves which requires detailed sharing of plans and information with staff back at the planning headquarters at brigade and battalion level.

Threats from drones and long-range precision-guided weapons also require dispersal of both headquarters and deployed units to reduce their vulnerabilities, presenting a real challenge for command and control. It is essential that personnel remain connected through a swift electronical exchange of information across all levels of command.

In these scenarios, plans must be done on the move to allow for flex in rapidly evolving situations. These need to not only be sent down the chain of command, but also up, providing information to continually inform the operational level of war. That co-ordination of movement and fire among soldiers on the ground and the supporting weaponry is essential for both successful engagement and to mitigate casualties.

While no plan survives contact with the enemy, an instant exchange of information is needed to assess how plans should be adapted before being sent out to units. Counterattacks require swift planning, coordination, and execution to be effective. This includes coordination of indirect and direct fire support.

The need to maintain technological primacy

To meet these challenges, as the new doctrine suggests, command and control (C2) comes firmly into the spotlight. Essential for all military activity, it must be done well, or it invites disaster, even against a poorly equipped enemy. To do this, considerations should include:

1. The assimilation of all warfighters into the planning and information process is necessary to coordinate the movements of largescale forces. Many legacy systems are simply not equipped to do this – a C4ISR suite that integrates the strategic, operational and tactical levels enables the exchange of battle-winning information, plans and orders quickly and at scale across all echelons. The ability for mobile units to be fully armed with fresh information about the enemy and own plan of attack is imperative to peer-to-peer conflict strategy.
2. Speed and accuracy are essential for all types of warfare, but especially when managing forces en masse. Maps and data need to be constantly refreshed and synchronised – even when there is little or no bandwidth. Offensive electronic warfare can severely impede the ability of a force to conduct an informed assault as they may be offline for significant periods. Solutions that are not reliant on internet bandwidth are therefore paramount.
3. An ability to share a common operational picture that includes troop tracks, enemy tracks and tactical graphics is an essential means of communicating tasks, plans and orders to everyone across the battalion.
4. Off the shelf solutions offer flexibility and integration – these are tried and tested, ensuring peace of mind. They come with the ability to integrate into a full suite, allowing the compilation of battlefield planning tools such as a synch matrix to produce maximum relative combat power.
5. Uncomplicated systems that have the same look and feel across all products mean that soldiers and units work with an integrated system from the tactical edge to the command post right up to the operational and strategic levels. This builds trust and knowledge that is essential for operating at reach. 
6. Using highly specialised modern equipment in big tech, peer-to-peer conflicts means that training must be prioritised. In-app training solutions provide mobilised forces flexibility to conduct their training without spending time attending classroom training or needing a tutor. 

Today’s edge technology can make all the difference. In order to support rapid, decisive action in fast-moving, chaotic conditions, nothing less than complete situational awareness across all levels of command will suffice. A single network that connects mounted, dismounted and support units all the way back to headquarters enables data access at literally the touch of a finger.

Change is Needed

While the need for a robust tactical edge is abundantly clear, most deployments to date have fallen victim to excessive cost, complexity and user-unfriendliness. What’s needed is a streamlined system that is rugged enough to handle extreme conditions but advanced enough to make the complex simple. 

A single user interface across the entire chain of command, for example, does wonders to reduce training time and increase operational proficiency. At the same time, it enhances the sharing of data across the board and, perhaps most importantly, builds trust in a system that our nation’s finest are counting on for their very lives. 

Like all other forms of human activity these days, digital technology is heavily influencing war. Both the speed of battlefield communications and operations has increased dramatically over the past decade, and this is likely to accelerate as the century unfolds. 

But one thing has not changed: the side that can gather, digest, interpret and disseminate data most rapidly and accurately will almost certainly be the winner. 

For information on how Systematic can ensure the most complete C2 at the tactical edge please click here.  

Systematic Demonstrates SitaWare Effectiveness for the Pennsylvania National Guard

Successful exercise employed Systematic’s C2 software platform, SitaWare, to provide feature-rich command and control capabilities including a Common Operational Picture and resilient tactical communications. Jeff Fisher, Senior Military Operations SME, explains more below

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Systematic recently made a crucial contribution to the Pennsylvania National Guard’s (PANG) effort to enhance its operational readiness. Systematic enabled full command and control interoperability between the state’s Joint Forces Headquarters for Pennsylvania (JFHQ-PA) and operational units in the field. 

The exercise enabled PANG to experience the features and benefits of the SitaWare Suite, which already provides the common software platform for the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) program of record. Systematic’s SitaWare suite provides all essential Command & Control and Battle Management capabilities right out of the box with modules customized for Command Post, Mounted, and Dismounted users. SitaWare’s browser-based interface is intuitive and quickly deployed, providing a feature-rich and scalable platform to support domestic operations—including interoperability among echelons and across agencies.

Training and Preparation

The PA exercise began with a single day of live classroom instruction by Systematic’s expert trainers. Initial classroom instruction was followed by hands-on applications training, demonstrating that users can be brought up to speed on the platform in as little as four hours. As an out-of-the-box solution, SitaWare is designed for rapid deployment and integration into existing military frameworks, providing an advantage over complex bespoke platforms which require extensive training and ongoing deployed support after fielding.

Advanced Functionality

For the exercise, training continued with instruction on more advanced SitaWare functionality, such as map installation, live radar functionality and data ingestion from multiple sources. Users learned to employ SitaWare’s feature set to plan and conduct a winter storm Table Top Exercise (TTX) and leverage the system’s single-pane interface. This statewide Common Operational Picture enables real-time intelligence sharing and highly coordinated strategic action. 

Operational Planning

Following training, the Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) utilized SitaWare’s tools to create a realistic weather event consisting of a simulated weather layer, an official journal entry, an execution matrix, and baselines for the various metrics, pictures, and layer constructs that needed to be tracked. A full set of bookmarks were created for the areas of the state impacted by the storm, enabling users to anticipate every element necessary in preparing their responses.   

 Finally, the simulated environment was presented to the various operators taking part in the TTX, enabling each to customize their own COP based on their operational role. This planning step ensured that leadership teams would have complete situational awareness of their AOR in near real-time—enabling informed decision-making regarding deployments, operational maneuvers, and resource allocation.

 To enhance the TTX simulation, the team established SitaWare Headquarters instances at the PTF-West base in Washington, PA connecting users via a central SitaWare Headquarters Communications (SHC) module to exchange crucial data regarding situational awareness across the entire network.

Operational Execution

The TTX simulation called for the PANG to conduct a live test of the system under a simulated winter storm emergency covering the entire state of Pennsylvania. The force structure included the five individual Pennsylvania Task Forces (PTFs) and JFHQ-PA, where command and control was conducted via the SitaWare COP and displayed on a single screen at the Joint Operations Center (JOC). 

As the exercise unfolded, TTX operators received simulated State Active Duty (SAD) missions from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), which were assigned to the appropriate PTF and added to the corresponding SitaWare layer. Operators also added journal entries for these missions, which were integrated into the overall execution matrix, providing commanders with up-to-date situational awareness.

Because these types of emergencies are dynamic and unpredictable, incoming information must be ingested quickly and easily incorporated into the multiple layers, journals, and execution matrix already constructed in SitaWare during planning. At the same time, operators leverage the holdings feature in SitaWare to reflect the status of resources available to each mission. SitaWare automatically updates this information from the subordinate command, providing JFHQ-PA operators with the necessary real-time information to make timely and accurate decisions.

After Action

The test exercise confirmed SitaWare’s capabilities and performance. JFHQ-PA commanders were pleased and confirmed that all objectives of the TTX had been met. Systematic stands ready to support the Pennsylvania National Guard and all other state units across the country to ensure superior C2 capabilities with full situational awareness and readiness for all domestic operations.  

Systematic is the prime software contractor on the U.S. Army’s CPCE program of record, delivering SitaWare Headquarters for Army units worldwide, including Army National Guard activities under Title 10. While Domestic Operations (DOMOPS) under State Active Duty is a different mission, operational requirements for planning and operations—including interoperability across agencies (federal, state and local)—are similar. As the underlying platform for CPCE, Systematic’s SitaWare Suite is ideally suited to provide National Guard units with seamless and familiar solution, ready out-of-the-box.

For information on how Systematic can ensure the most complete C2 at the tactical edge please click here.  

Why Interoperability is Key for Modern Command Systems

The interoperability challenge is greater in coalition operations featuring multiple languages and cultural differences. The United States and Japan alliance is a prime example.

Friday, February 17, 2023

Communication is the most important aspect of any military operation. This rule applies not just to combat, but to training, planning, logistics and a host of other functions as well. While maintaining effective communication is difficult enough within a single command and control structure, the challenge is far greater in coalition settings featuring multiple language and cultural differences.

The United States and Japan is one such coalition. The U.S.-Japan relationship is the foundation for the support and protection of stability throughout the Asia-Pacific region, not to mention the territorial integrity of Japan and other nations. In times of increasing geopolitical stress like we are experiencing today, Japan and the United States must continue to work closely to maintain the highest standards of military readiness – and that means continually improving communications at all levels of engagement.

Modern communications, of course, are data-driven and encompass more than just written and verbal exchanges to include a wide range of information-sharing and analytics. By nature, this requires a great deal of interoperability between various systems and platforms, which, sadly, does not always exist across multiple organizations. Data infrastructure is often implemented in an uncoordinated manner, with deployment decisions guided by immediate objectives rather than the need to contribute to a wider command structure.

Building Interoperability

There are a number of ways to alleviate this situation and produce greater compatibility across all communications infrastructure. Out-of-the-box platforms, for instance, deliver higher levels of interoperability than proprietary systems. Many commercial, off-the-shelf software solutions have proven track-records for interoperability, which is why they’ve been deployed in numerous militaries around the world.

The use of intuitive interfaces and processes also cut down on training time and lowers overall operational costs, while deploying flexible, open software solutions that integrate easily into legacy environments enable the development of highly customized capabilities.

Overall, however, interoperability must become a core criterion for all future systems design. This is the best way to set the foundation for a common, easily understood view of operational conditions. With full interoperability, information can be democratized and easily shared by all operators, decision-makers and stakeholders, while at the same time preserving the ability to control any data that should not be shared.

An interoperable environment is also more adept at ingesting data from multiple, diverse sources and then analyzing and presenting it in ways that can be easily ingested by others. With information aggregated and displayed under a single pane of glass, multi-domain forces can better understand the tactical picture and implement coordinated responses.

End-to-End Communication

This level of awareness and coordination is necessary across all phases of an operation, from planning to execution. Platforms that support integrated, multi-domain maneuver elements, provide hardware- and signal-agnosticism and are scalable, self-healing and extensible will fare much better in future engagements than the static, self-contained platforms still in use today.

Systematic’s SitaWare system has demonstrated all of these capabilities and more. To begin with, interoperability between SitaWare Headquarters, Frontline and Edge servers and the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) is available right out of the box using SitaWare Headquarters Communications (SHC) protocols. This instantly brings a high level of shared understanding between all partners – everyone sees what others see.

Systematic showed what true coalition interoperability looks like at the recent 2022 AUSA Exposition last October. The Systematic demonstration used three servers. The first server replicated a Joint Task Force using SitaWare HQ; the second server replicated the 25^th Infantry division connected to CPCE; and a third server replicated the Australian 7^th division using SitaWare HQ.

Real-time data was exchanged seamlessly between all three servers, connecting both divisions to each other and to the Joint Task Force HQ. In addition, this data interoperability was extended to SitaWare Edge, connecting all three entities to a replicated tank and dismounted soldier in the field.

This sharing capability also extends to legacy systems within the CPCE and can be overseen by SitaWare’s Smart Filters. These allow owners of any particular data set to establish governance policies to determine exactly what they want to share and how.

From an operational perspective, SitaWare HQ allows seamless integration for all coalition partners from planning to execution. Not only can information be shared at all appropriate levels of command, the system provides a metering capability that helps determine what information is appropriate for what group. Numerous add-ons in the SitaWare suite also integrate multi-domain maneuver elements across the coalition to incorporate elements like maritime and fire suppression activities.

Japan has one of the most sophisticated militaries in the world, but it must maintain strong partnerships with countries like the United States in order to maintain the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region. This requires resilient communications at all levels of interaction between our respective armed forces.

Tight integration between the U.S. military and the Japan Self-Defense Force is crucial to this effort, and can best be accomplished through the SitaWare platform.

For further information click here, or contact Systematic for a demonstration. 

Systematic's C4ISR Software leverages Commerical-off-the-shelf (cots) framework to help military users navigate software engineering complexity

Systematic’s SitaWare Suite utilizes an open architecture software framework to provide users customizable and upgradeable solutions with a high degree of futureproofing to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Monday, March 13, 2023

How can the U.S. military  balance the dynamic nature of the complex technology required to be successful on the modern battlefield with the innate pressure to rapidly acquire and field these technologies for maximum operational impact?   And how can industry focus its engineering efforts to support these competing requirements in an uncertain acquisition environment without jeopardizing quality and sustainability?  

Modern military technologies and equipment are complex – from the research and development costs of creating a new solution, to the footprint of a supply chain, disposal costs of canceled equipment, and regulatory barriers.  This means that traditional defense manufacturers are less likely to build equipment without a guaranteed contract. As a result, they may be reluctant to invest and maximize innovation.

For software firms, however, this challenge is different.

Engineering and development concepts have similarities with  hardware and platform procurements; yet remain very different. Prototypes, for example, remain centered on code that comes together in support of a physical product. Costs come primarily  from human hours and intellectual capital versus physical components. A prototype software program can go through a significant  number of iterations before it is ready to launch and will continue to be refined and developed through its lifecycle. Physical equipment changes are typically limited to block upgrades so that multiple new capabilities can be installed in one major update, while software can be easily patched and upgraded throughout its lifecycle.

The challenge for software modernization

Over the last two decades, militaries around the world have sought to increase their deployment of computing power through the digitalization of the battlefield. Building networks and deploying sensors and computing power closer to the tactical edge has increased the need for robust and evolving software capabilities.

Sometimes a requirement is created and then the software is developed around it as a solution, iIf a software solution is created without the robust industry by non-specialists that do not employ the best practices of the software industry, such as CMMI, deployment and maintenance challenges are likely.

Systematic has a CMMI Level 5 certification - the highest rating - proving its maturity as a software developer.

Challenges through the accreditation process can compound this issue, as new requirements and milestones for the software are added in. If a bespoke solution is stumbling ahead of its rollout, delays for acceptance and introduction into service are inevitable. If another program is relying on the rollout of the software system, then this can lead to greater program delays, and potential capability gaps.

While military IT systems, like those on a vehicle platform, might only get through an innovation cycle once every few years---and many times that in most cases--the development and delivery cycle for a software system is much shorter.

As a result, the IT systems within an armored vehicle are usually added in at the end of the initial development cycle to ensure that all the planned subsystems can be integrated together. However, with the IT environment constantly evolving to account for a range of factors such as cybersecurity, changing interoperability requirements, and new subsystems and payloads, it is essential to keep updating it.

Thankfully, updating software is much less intrusive than hardware updates, meaning that the regular iterations can be easily deployed and amended without too much hardware engineering.

So, what is the solution?

For military customers seeking software solutions, the desire now is to reduce risk and acquire open architecture platforms. While there may be the temptation to keep acquiring internally developed and military-oriented solutions commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products can be rapidly deployed with lower risk.

Some governments are beginning to recognize this benefit, with the US Department of Defense Software Modernization Strategy identifying the need for commercial partnerships to meet the need for speed and reliability and specifically calling for COTS software to support the wider goal to “Transform Processes to Enable Resilience and Speed”.  Key NATO ally Norway’s 2020-21 Cooperation for Security: National Defence Industrial Strategy states it even more succinctly “as civilian as possible and as military as necessary.” The commercial sector and the military can create the best solutions when technology, personnel, expertise, organizational structure, and management are properly coordinated, leading to increases in defense capability.

Implementing software feature updates based on user feedback helps to grow COTS products and can support a wider user community

Managing multiple deployment cycles can be a complex challenge for defense customers, particularly when dealing with both hardware and software systems. Changes in personnel and program managers can further complicate acquisition and implementation pathways, compounding any other changes in capability scope.

COTS technologies see the product supported by the industry owner, with development being funded to support further development spirals. Risk is moved away from the military customer and shouldered more intensely by industry. Within software systems, open architecture technology means the new sensors and technologies can be incorporated using a plug-and-play system, granting greater flexibility and ensuring a level of futureproofing for new subsystems.

Additionally, sourcing staff to help with the development and maintenance of a software system is much simpler if using a COTS product, as industry standard software code and technology is likely to be deployed. This can mean that a military can utilize reservists, readily train their own personnel on publicly available coding platforms and utilize a wide choice of industry consultants where necessary.

Systematic’s SitaWare suite of software is delivered through a COTS model, allowing end-users to avoid vendor lock-in through its support of open architecture principles. Our operating processes ensure that users receive regular updates to their software and can also work to develop their own modifications and applications to bolt onto the software as desired.

For further information click here, or contact Systematic for a demonstration

See Yourself, See the Enemy and See the Environment: Systematic’s SitaWare Suite Masters Situational Awareness across Domains, Geographies and Alliances

Leverage true Shared Understanding of complex operating environments through SitaWare’s proficiency in multi-domain situational awareness, with built-in interoperability to maximize effect and efficiencies.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

The revolutionary advances in information management--speed of access, breadth of sources, and sophistication of tools--are some of the greatest strengths we possess on the modern battlefield. However, these advances create an unintended consequence--the potential for information overload. The sheer quantity of data available can delay decision-making, increase operational complexity, and potentially add confusion to the battlespace.

To be agile, adaptive, and resilient, militaries must have the ability to make critical decisions based on accurate, real-time information. These decisions require full, multi-domain situational awareness and tools that automatically deliver the most timely and relevant information to the commander.

The recognition of the challenge brought forth by the constantly increasing degree of operational complexity is doctrinally recognized in the latest iteration of the US Army Field Manual 3-0, the US Army’s capstone document for operations. Within FM 3-0, the demands of fighting and winning a modern conflict require a knowledge and mastery of multi-domain operations. 

Systematic’s SitaWare suite of C4ISR solutions is uniquely positioned to help today’s military leaders navigate the challenges of the modern battlespace and harness the potential across operational domains to support decisive operations.

The SitaWare suite—in addition to being the C2 ‘engine’ underpinning the U.S. Army’s Command Post Computing Environment—has extensive heritage across domains. From NATO members utilizing SitaWare in a maritime role to help build a Recognize Maritime Picture (RMP) in the Black Sea, to  real-time battle tracking in the Indo-Pacific for the Australian Army, to enabling the Irish Armed Forces with a Common Operational Picture (COP) and integrated C2 across land, sea and air, SitaWare is at the forefront of C4ISR Multi-Domain Operations (MDO).   

Recognizing the challenges presented by accurately understanding a multi-domain operating environment, FM 3-0 lays out the first operational imperative bluntly: see yourself, see the enemy, and understand the operating environment. In the modern battlespace, critical advantage builds to the commander who can ‘see’ friendly and enemy disposition in relation to the operating environment quickly and accurately.

Even more valuable is a shared understanding amongst allied and joint elements–the dissemination of ‘seeing yourself, the enemy, and the environment’ to permitted command posts, mounted and dismounted users across the battlespace. This shared understanding strengthens common purpose and increases the likelihood of success when operating in complex MDO environments.

Shared understanding is at the core of the SitaWare suite—with situational awareness and interoperability as first order principles. From the highest headquarters to mounted platforms and to the dismounted operator at the edge, SitaWare is designed to gather information from—and disseminate information to—all corners of the battlespace.

As the US Army recognizes the doctrinal importance of knowledge of the battlespace in FM 3-0, it goes even further to prescribe tactical implementation of this imperative through its FM 6-0 (Commander & Staff Organization & Operations). Specifically, it underlines the importance of using Knowledge Management and Information Management to “…to create shared understanding within the force and with unified action partners. Essential to command and control (C2) is the shared understanding and appreciation of the operational context and the commander’s intent by multiple participants” (FM 6-0, section 5-2).

Herein lies the concept of the COP – a resource to allow shared understanding amongst friendly elements to best coordinate operations within an operating environment.

The idea of a COP is not new. It is the same concept of any commander who has had an impromptu briefing with a map on the hood of a tactical vehicle or who tracked enemy formations as accurately as possible with grease pencils on acetate map sheets. What has changed is the speed of reporting, the range of information sources, and the technology with which to process and use this information. Modern commanders are bombarded with raw information from across the battlespace at a staggering rate. It would be easy to swamp a staff section with just the task of organizing this information and let slip by the chance to process the information into actionable intelligence with which to operate decisively.  

Compounding this challenge is the nature of today’s environment, which is almost always Joint or Combined, likely both.  This means differing standards and operating procedures, not the least of which is how information systems talk across nationalities and domains.

Facing this challenge head-on, Systematic’s SitaWare suite, combined with our IRIS Military Message Handling System (MMHS) suite, works to streamline the input and throughput of information from a range of sources and reporting from across the functional areas of  operations and intelligence. Fully integrated by SitaWare, this builds a COP with fine detail on both the ‘Blue and Red’ composition and disposition. Further, the IRIS suite of software allows for deeply interoperable connectivity for users of SitaWare – bridging the gap between numerous operators and messaging systems in seamless manner to go beyond just a COP to  a ‘Common Data Picture’ (CDP) lying underneath it all.

This concept of CDP, made possible by the built-in interoperability of SitaWare and the IRIS suite, means in future operations a commander will be able to focus less on the joining of incongruent and chaotic data feeds, and more on fusing and forging this data into actionable intelligence for decisive operations. The underlying ease of data translation provided by the CDP means less time ordering, vetting and sorting information and more time making critical decisions enabled by a complete picture of the operating environment.

SitaWare enables allied interoperability via our Coalition Gateway. This is real interoperability and the dream of every commander – a true picture in every direction shared from every echelon across alliances and through every domain.

Just as exciting is the potential of even more functionality, interoperability, and warfighting effectiveness going forward for the SitaWare suite. At Systematic, we continuously improve SitaWare, adding new features to further enhance functionality and ease of use. The integration of operations, intelligence, fires and other combat support functions into a ‘single pane of glass’ puts an ever increasing span of critical information and capability into the hands of commanders faster and with greater effect than ever before. 

There is no time to rest when attempting to have complete battlespace awareness. But with a battle management system like SitaWare, there is also no reason to fear the challenges either.

For more information about how Systematic’s SitaWare suite can help understand the battlespace, please click here or contact Systematic for a demonstration.