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The NIAG - “Supporting Alliance Capability Development and Enhancing Interoperability”

AFCEA Europe – June 2010“Interoperability Revisited”

“NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) and its Role in Interoperability”

Frans Picavet

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What is the NIAG ?

• A high-level consultative and advisory body of senior industrialists of NATO member countries, acting under the NATO Conference of National Armaments Directors, with the aims of:

– providing a forum for the exchange of views on industrial, technical, economic, management and other relevant aspects of research, development and production of armaments equipments within the Alliance;

– providing industry’s advice on how to foster government-to-industry and industry-to-industry armaments co-operation within the Alliance;

– providing assistance in exploring opportunities for international collaboration.

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What NIAG offers

“High level consultancy advice” -

– Trans-Atlantic Defence Industrial Cooperation– The contribution of Industry to Capability Development in NATO– Government-Industry Partnerships – Industrial support beyond traditional

boundaries– The Industrial Contribution to Achieving Interoperability

Technology advice -

– Pre-feasibility studies of TECHNOLOGIES– Technology Solutions for INTEROPERABILITY

– Questions addressed by studies:– What do future technologies offer ?– What is the current state-of-the art ?– What is practical, achievable, cost effective ?– How can we make systems interoperable ?

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NIAG Technical Studies Contributions to NATO Interoperability

C3 and ISR

• Software Defined Radio – achieving interoperability.

• Data Links– Alternative Tactical Data Links. – UAV Data links for high intensity operations.

• ISR– NATO ISR Interoperability architecture. – Use of digital video broadcast for ISR data links.

• Networks– NEC infrastructures for dissemination of ISR data to field

commanders.– New technologies for network based still imagery access and

exchange services.

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NIAG Technical Studies Contributions to NATO Interoperability

Land Systems

• Soldier Systems - communications interoperability

• Urban warfare:– Surveillance & Reconnaissance Data Fusion- Monitoring and Tracking for Situation Awareness in Urban Areas

• Ground Based Air Defence Systems

- integration and interoperability

• Artillery:– Reducing collatoral damage from artillery projectiles – Replacing cluster ammunition for area offence

• Military Vehicles - auxiliary power systems requirements

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NIAG Technical Studies Contributions to NATO Interoperability

Air Systems

• Precision Airdrop Systems - integration in operations.

• NATO Universal Armaments Interface – weapons to weapons carriers

– Aircraft and UAV.

• Interchangeability – Aircraft and UAV self protection systems – flares and chaff rockets.

• Precision Approach and Landing – the future NATO standard.

• Protecting against Directed Energy.

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NIAG Technical Studies Contributions to NATO Interoperability

Maritime Systems

• Maritime Air Operations:- Working with Automatic Identification Systems’

- Interoperability and deployment of Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

• Future Naval Fire Support;– “Smart” projectiles, – Interchangable155 calibre shells

• Ship Design:– An architecture standrd for virtual ship design,

– Potential for interoperable Modular Mission Packages

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The NIAG Perspective

• Interoperability in the NATO context stretches over a broad canvass.

• Achieving interoperability requires many contributors, including defence industries.

• Basic principles:– Generate interface solutions for integration of

systems nations’ currently ownThis also allows Industry to offer short term solutions without excessive constraints

– Think commercial and open standards/ architectures where possible

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The Industrial Challenge

• Choosing the Business Model.

– For Industry, proprietary solutions, at first sight, offer more contract control …and money.

But – – Business comes from meeting the customer needs,

and– Less costly solutions based on commercial and/or

open standards which offer interoperability can have competitive advantage.

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The Intentions ….

For the Alliance:Enhanced Military Capability and Interoperability as a

result of Industrial interaction. For Defence Industries:

Industrial interaction in providing Military Capability and Interoperability.