Naval Innovation: Toward decision and information superiority for collaborative combat

Collaborative combat
Defence
Naval

Type Insight
Published 14 Oct 2026

In the face of the resurgence of high-intensity conflicts, the proliferation of threats, and the acceleration of decision-making cycles, navies must today rethink their operational capabilities. In an environment where drones, autonomous systems, and electronic warfare are redefining the rules of naval engagement, mastery of information and rapid decision-making have become decisive factors in achieving superiority.

Olivier Ondet, VP of Marketing & Strategy, and François Gelebart, Head of Operational Development for Thales, detail the challenges and responses to these new threats, particularly through a new approach to naval communications combining hybrid connectivity, artificial intelligence, and spectrum control. The ambition: enable naval forces to better understand their environment, decide more quickly, and conduct collaborative operations in the most contested environments.

Why are decision and information superiority becoming critical for navies?

Surface ships, submarines, aircraft, drones and shore-based command centres must now operate as a unified force, sharing a common tactical picture in real time.

With the exponential growth of operational data, the challenge is no longer simply to access information, but to turn it rapidly into actionable decisions.

This is the ambition behind next-generation multi-domain Command and Control (C2) systems such as HexaForce, which combine open architectures, artificial intelligence and resilient communications to accelerate decision-making and coordinate engagements.

The challenge, which relies more than ever on connectivity between platforms—is now to transform the data they generate into a collective operational advantage. Tomorrow’s competitive edge will depend on our ability to share the right information, make decisions more quickly, and act in a coordinated manner.

François Gélébart - Head of operational development for Thales

How can information superiority be maintained in an increasingly contested electromagnetic environment?

To collaborate effectively, naval forces need to communicate more. Yet every electromagnetic emission can potentially reveal their position to the adversary.

Faced with jamming, interception and passive detection threats, the challenge is to strike the right balance between connectivity, resilience and electromagnetic discretion.

To address this, Thales is developing SPAI (Spectrum Powered with AI), a solution combining artificial intelligence, naval communications and electronic warfare expertise.

By consolidating data from emitting systems (radars, radios and antennas), SPAI provides a comprehensive view of the electromagnetic environment, anticipates risks and helps operators adapt emissions to mission requirements.

The ability to better understand and control our own electromagnetic footprint represents a major step forward. It helps protect naval forces while preserving their freedom of action.

Olivier Ondet - VP, Strategy & Marketing

Spectrum dominance is therefore becoming a key enabler of information, decision and engagement superiority.

The electromagnetic environment of a Naval Force: balancing connectivity and stealth in the face of enemy sensors.

How can innovation address the urgent capability needs of naval forces?

While threats are evolving rapidly, designing and building new warships still takes years. Navies must therefore strengthen their capabilities without waiting for complete fleet renewal.

Naval communication systems containerization offers a practical response, enabling communications, command and control or drone operation capabilities to be rapidly integrated onto existing, suitably prepared platforms. This modular approach allows ships to adapt their capabilities to mission requirements without major structural modifications.

However, its real operational value lies in seamlessly integrating these additional capabilities into the naval force's communications network.

With Naval DRAKON, Thales provides open and scalable communications architectures, combining military and commercial technologies, radio and satellite links, to connect warships, drones and command centres within a common operational environment.

Find out more about Thales's Naval DRAKON solution

What is the vision for tomorrow's naval forces?

The future of naval combat relies on the convergence of several innovations: multi-domain C2, hybrid and resilient communications, intelligent spectrum management and rapidly deployable modular capabilities.

By placing connectivity at the heart of this transformation, Thales helps naval forces become more integrated, responsive and better prepared for high-intensity operations, because naval superiority increasingly depends on the ability to understand, decide and act together, faster than the adversary.