Leveraging SitaWare for Joint operations in Ireland
Defence Forces Ireland (DFI) has successfully harnessed the power of SitaWare software to facilitate joint operations designed to strengthen the nation's sovereign and economic interests.
By deploying SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline to create a Joint Common Operating Picture (JCOP) across platforms on land, sea and, in the air, DFI has created a unified situational awareness (SA) platform, enabling seamless information sharing across all three services.
The scalable nature of SitaWare and the way it has been used in deployments by the Irish Naval Service, from helicopter patrol and offshore patrol vessels to rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), has continued to facilitate interoperability between different forces involved in operations.
Commander Brian Mathews of the Irish Naval Service emphasises the value of a single SA platform across the entire force, highlighting the ability to seamlessly share information with the users who need it.
We have a high dependency on SitaWare. We use it in the conduct of operations. Our ships will not go to sea unless SitaWare is installed, working, and connected for that ship.
The deployment of SitaWare Headquarters in 2014 transformed the Naval Service's concept of operations, enabling a network-enabled approach that promoted collaboration with the land forces who had used it since 2010. This transition allowed for increased autonomy among commanders while maintaining real-time situational awareness at both operations centres and across air and sea assets.
By providing blue force tracking and real-time or near-real-time SA sharing, the system allows operational commanders ashore to monitor activities on the ships, eliminating the need for constant approval requests. This decentralisation of decision-making enables warship commanders to make informed choices based on their area's specific conditions, with the operations centre providing support.
We now have a fully joint common operating picture across all three forces, which is really powerful. We see the value of having a single situational awareness platform across all domains – it means information sharing and interoperability is seamless.
DFI recognises the crucial role of collaboration with industry partners in enhancing their operational capabilities. Using Commercial Off-the-Shelf Technology (COTS), supported by Systematic’s inhouse service capability, has allowed DFI to rapidly boost their capability and partnership-working.
They rely on industry support to not only provide assistance but also to discover new solutions that best suit their requirements. Their partnership with Systematic has been instrumental in delivering new services and applications within SitaWare, significantly enhancing their bespoke needs.
For us it's as much a partnership as it is a customer client relation.
One example of this collaboration is the development of track correlation in the maritime domain. Given the high level of activity in Ireland's waters, having a single picture provided by Systematic greatly improves situational awareness, allowing for faster reaction. It provides a less cluttered screen, enabling easier identification of risks and areas that require further attention. This development was undertaken by Systematic without the Defence Forces having to explicitly demand it, showcasing the proactive nature of the partnership.
It's important to have that level of trust to be able to pick up a phone if we have an issue and get the support that we need. And also, then if we want to develop new capabilities there is a way of passing our request into a road map for the product development and getting that taken into account and feeling like a valued customer who has something to contribute.
The DFI's strategic implementation of SitaWare software has revolutionised their joint operations, enhancing situational awareness and enabling efficient information sharing across all service branches. Through the adoption of SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline, the DFI has realised the benefits of a unified SA platform, empowering commanders, streamlining decision-making, and optimising resource allocation.
With ongoing collaboration and support from Systematic, the DFI continues to leverage SitaWare's capabilities to reinforce Ireland's national security objectives effectively.
