Friend or Foe in the Sky? Thales Provides the Big Picture
It was an ordinary air surveillance mission until the air commander noticed an unexpected intrusion into his air space. But what exactly was it?
The answer was provided by Thales’s augmented Air C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) solution, which gave the commander access to real-time information from all other actors highly connected in the flying mission . This information, stored in a “collaborative combat cloud ,” was analysed using artificial intelligence for augmented air awareness and faster collaborative air combat. The intruder turned out to be a harmless off-course drone.
AirC4I, currently being rolled out in NATO European Nations, will provide even higher connectivity, a secured digital platform, and cyber resilience to win the Air Battle of the Future. It will be the pillar of tomorrow’s AI Connected Collaborative Combat, including Air-Ground continuum with new generational aircraft.
“Air commanders today have to deal with much more information than in the past,” Thomas Got, VP Air Operations and Weapon systems at Thales
Today’s airborne threats are changing, with drones, hypersonic missiles, and cyber attacks joining more conventional dangers. AirC4I allows governments to master their air space by detecting and identifying all flying objects during surveillance as well as directing and controlling all possible military missions.
“Air commanders today have to deal with much more information than in the past,” says Thomas Got, VP Air Operations and Weapon systems at Thales. “We can help them manage this with systems that allow to respond to upcoming threats quickly and in an optimal way by constructing different scenarios and suggesting the appropriate actions for each one.”
AirC4I includes SKYVIEW Command and Control Systems, an open-architecture solution that delivers a single, integrated air picture and common situational awareness through command and control systems that are both scalable and interoperable.
“We can help them manage this with systems that allow to respond to upcoming threats quickly and in an optimal way by constructing different scenarios and suggesting the appropriate actions for each one.” Thomas Got, VP Air Operations and Weapon systems at Thales
SKYVIEW is the answer to modern air warfare facing evolving and multi directional threats. With its embedded ’plug and fight‘ capability, SKYVIEW enables customers to replace or optimise their legacy systems. It also enables operators to keep track of all Air assets, in real time, to ensure that effectors (fighters and weapon systems) are prepared to immediately respond to threats. SKYVIEW provides relevant capabilities to operate 24/7 protection of a zone, territory or country.
As a world leader in Air C4I systems, Thales is playing an active role in defining the future of combat air operations More globally, Thales digital solutions such as Cybersecurity, Cloud or Collaborative Combat improve mission systems for a better operational efficiency, this is what Thales calls Augmented C4Is . Thales is there for governments, the military and citizens, protecting our skies, keeping people safe.