DSEi 2011: SAFIR looks ahead towards CJEF
Cassidian has revealed details on how it intends to build on the first Anglo-French command and control (C2) exercise conducted in June this year.
Speaking to Shephard at the DSEi exhibition in London on 13 September, Cassidian officials described the inaugural Support the Anglo-French Interoperability and Readiness (SAFIR) exercise, which culminated in Exercise Flandres in Mailly-Le-Camp in France.
'This was the first joint exercise for C2 operations,' Afzal Ali, Cassidian's SAFIR project manager announced, while outlining the culmination of four years' work. It is understood that DSTL and DGA will conduct another exercise in 2013 before the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force becomes operational the following year.
According to Ali, June's exercise involved a 'synthetic wrap' of simulation technology designed to mimic Tiger attack helicopters, a 'generic' Thales UAV thought to resemble the UK's Watchkeeper, and the Talarion UAV. Other sensors which were simulated included GMTI radar.
'This reduced costs of training but used a variety of C2 networks to deliver,' Ali explained. Networks included the UK's ComBAT C2 system and France's Scipio system.
Ali went on to describe how the exercise replicated what systems would soon be available to UK and French forces further down the line. The exercise itself comprised 1,500 warfighters.
Looking to the future, Ali said there was potential to simulate Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft as well as C2 fits for the General Dynamics SV vehicle, Talarion sensor suites and additional radars.
'It will include different TTPs, doctrines, platforms and sensor capabilities,' he continued.
He described the possibility of a joint exercise being conducted on two separate training areas in the UK and France, interconnected with C2 networks and simulation of additional assets.
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family]()
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
-
![BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme]()
BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
-
![Just Released: Space Technology Report]()
Just Released: Space Technology Report
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
-
![Work-from-home warfare: the power of mixed reality]()
Work-from-home warfare: the power of mixed reality
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
-
![Northrop Grumman receives follow-on contract for CUAS and C-IED systems]()
Northrop Grumman receives follow-on contract for CUAS and C-IED systems
The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
-
![Adarga’s Vantage AI software selected for UK Strategic Command’s Defence Support]()
Adarga’s Vantage AI software selected for UK Strategic Command’s Defence Support
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.
