What does future force C2 look like in the maritime domain?

A discussion by Commodore Steve Prest (Royal Navy) & Commander Nick Kristof (US Navy). Originally recorded at CNE 2025 in Farnborough following a live LinkedIn webinar discussion.

As the naval battlespace grows more complex, maritime command and control systems must adapt accordingly - while becoming simpler to employ.
In an era defined by digital connectivity, coalition warfare, and contested information- domains, the question “What does future force C2 look like in the maritime domain?” is not just timely - it’s urgent.

In a follow-up discussion held during CNE 2025 in Farnborough, Commodore (Rtd) Steve Prest, RN and Commander (Rtd) Nick Kristof, USN, and now US Director in Defense Sales, Systematic, took a moment to reflect on some of the questions that did not make it into our original webinar. 

Here, we share key insights from that conversation – which is less about predicting the future and more about shaping it.

Real-time data sharing in a multi-stakeholder environment

The problem: How do we securely and efficiently share data across military, government, and private stakeholders when no single actor leads the mission?

Kristof: “The protocols are there. Technically, we know how to do this. Classified systems can interconnect when built to the same standards. The hard part? Culture.”

As Kristof goes on to point out, the technical mechanisms for secure data exchange already exist. Cultural resistance proves the more stubborn obstacle—mistrust, legacy habits, and bureaucratic rigidity all play a part. He adds an example of officers being barred from seeing their own classified work once it has been incorporated into another nation’s classified material.

Prest: “In the days before digitization, we knew how to share information. The principles of good staff work - classification, record keeping, disciplined release - are still valid. We just stopped applying them when computers arrived.”

The path forward is not to reinvent the wheel, but to remember how it rolled. In Prest’s view, if we treat digital information with the same discipline we once applied to analogue communications, we could restore trust in the process. We must embed the principles of good staff work into the design of our digital architectures, making secure sharing not just possible but routine, he continues.

Interoperability in multi-domain operations: system or systems?

The problem: As C4ISR expands across domains, geographies, and security policies, does a “one-size-fits-all” approach help or hinder?

Kristof: “Historically, each mission got its own system. That’s changing. Interoperability is no longer optional - it's a requirement.”

In the US Navy, systems such as the 'Aegis missile defense system' or those used to conduct Antisubmarine Warfare evolved for specific operational needs. They weren’t built to talk to each other. Today, that is no longer sustainable. Future force C2 must enable timely, cross-domain decision-making, which means stitching together disparate systems - or designing new ones - with interoperability as a core principle, Kristof explains.

Prest: “We must resist the temptation to build a single system for everyone. One size fits none.”

Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, Systematic takes a tailored approach, offering a shared C4ISR architecture that enables interoperability across domains while supporting mission-specific roles. The SitaWare suite provides a flexible foundation for integration, aligning with the realities of modern, multi-domain operations.

Acquisition and architecture: Getting the “dull stuff” right

The problem: Can acquisition strategy enable a more cohesive digital future, or does it get in the way?

Prest: “The real challenge is the discipline to get the foundations right—standards, interfaces, data formats—before you buy.”

In both MOD and DoD circles, there is often a rush to procure capabilities, with integration considered only after the fact. That is backwards. As Prest noted, successful digital transformation requires making the dull, foundational work a priority - agreeing on architectures, ensuring system compatibility, and enforcing standards that enable future interoperability.

A useful analogy emerged: “I can write a document in Word; you can read it in Google Docs. Why? Because the format is standardised. We do not need the same computer - we need the same protocols.”

Bandwidth and the “digital dark”

The problem: Are we training and equipping our forces for bandwidth conditions they will not actually have in wartime?

Kristof: “In peace, we have fat pipes. In war, those turn into straws for a variety of reasons.”

This is perhaps the most overlooked challenge in the digital battlespace: In peacetime exercises, operators grow accustomed to real-time feeds, continuous updates, and rich situational awareness. But in contested environments - where bandwidth is denied, jammed, or degraded - none of that holds.

Prest: “We must design systems—and train people—to fight in the digital dark.”

This means systems that gracefully degrade when disconnected, and operators who are trained to continue the mission even when the data stops flowing. C2 solutions must work on the edge, in isolation if necessary, and re-sync when reconnected. That resilience is not a luxury - it is mission critical.

From “more data” to “better decisions” 

The problem: Are we over-sharing, over-sensing, and overloading our commanders?

As data volumes grow, so does the risk of overwhelming our operators. Every new system promises more insight, but without discipline, we risk turning situational awareness into noise. In other words: Information superiority is not about having all the data - it’s about having the right data at the right time.

Kristof: “Operators need to know what’s necessary and what’s just nice to have.”

Prest: “Operator discipline is as important as acquisition discipline.”

We live in an age of sensor saturation, but more inputs don’t automatically lead to better outputs. Quality trumps quantity. Prest adds that people must be empowered, not overwhelmed, by information. That is a training challenge, a design challenge, and a cultural one.

Final thoughts

If future maritime C2 is going to work, it will not be because of a single “silver bullet” system. It will be because of smart architectures, flexible interoperability, and disciplined people working with disciplined systems.

Future maritime forces will need to:

•    Share data securely across domains and nations while preserving trust
•    Train for low-bandwidth and disconnected operations, not only when peacetime luxuries are available
•    Build interoperable systems without sacrificing domain expertise
•    Enforce acquisition discipline focused on data standards and integration
•    Empower commanders to make faster, better-informed decisions, not just see more information

It is not science fiction—it is just staff work, reimagined for a digital age.

We are grateful for the continued dialogue between allied services, and we hope this discussion helps surface some of the hard questions that future force leaders must answer - now.