Interoperability tests of the command and control systems

In July the Capitán Sevillano Barracks in the Madrid suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón hosted the preparatory exercises for the interoperability tests scheduled for November 2011.

The aim of both these preliminary and definitive tests is to assess the degree of integration between the various army command and control systems (C2) currently deployed or under development.

Interoperability between the various C2 systems, for exchanging orders and information, greatly enhances the chances of automating the different combat functions, as one of the main purposes of the C2 systems. This is now one of the army’s prime concerns, under the aegis of the Head Office of Information Systems, Telecommunications and Technical Assistance (Jefatura de los Sistemas de Información, Telecomunicaciones y Asistencia Técnica: JCISAT).

GMV, when designing its C2 systems, has always borne this interoperability factor in mind, to favour interoperability with other C2 systems, both internal and external. They have therefore been provided with all the necessary elements for representing knowledge and exchanging information and messages compatible with these systems.

As the Spanish army’s main supplier of C2 systems, GMV took an active part in preparing and conducting these exercises, inputting its systems and the necessary test-support personnel to demonstrate the level of interoperability with other C2 systems.

GMV therefore presented its C2 systems and demonstrated the interoperability between TALOS (fire support C2) and COMFUT ( future combat system C2) and BMS (Battlefield Management System) via NFFI (NATO Friendly Force Information).

GMV’s demonstration was highly satisfactory, demonstrating the qualities of its C2 systems not only operationally but also from the point of view of their interaction with other systems.

Ahead of the definitive tests GMV intends to expand these demonstrations to bring in other C2 systems based on the JC3IEDM data model.