ThalesRaytheonSystems proves real-time coordination capabilities in Mali

The system was qualified by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) in 2012 and is providing France with an effective air defence management centre capability (CMD3D and its chain of command) in the Malian theatre and enhancing its capacity to coordinate air-land combat operations in real time.

 

"Since the CMD3D air defence management centre was deployed close to combat zones, it has displayed high availability and played an active role in supporting joint, combined-arms and allied operations, enhancing the efficiency and security of all the assets engaged on air-land combat missions in the Malian theatre.

 

The system offers a key capability in that it provides the commander and the operations centre with shared awareness and the ability to act in real time, which translates into a higher level of confidence and greater freedom of action," said Col. Sagon, commanding officer of the 54th artillery regiment.

 

Operation Serval in Mali is the first time that the French Army has implemented real-time coordination of airborne assets under operational conditions since the French armed forces took delivery of the system from ThalesRaytheonSystems.

 

In Mali, where the full range of air-land observation, intelligence gathering, strike and post-strike analysis assets have been deployed, the main roles performed by the 1 CMD3D: Centre de Management de la Défense dans la 3ème Dimension CMD3D system on a routine basis are support for real-time deconfliction, combat management and intelligence operations.

 

An integrated support system combining the resources of the armed forces and ThalesRaytheonSystems ensures full operational availability of the CMD3D centre. Interoperability is assured by the use of a Link-16 tactical datalink and a wide range of other communication systems, enabling the CMD3D to interconnect air-land assets in real time and generate a common operational picture that is shared with the Air Force's airborne and ground-based command and control systems.

 

Flown into Bamako at the end of January 2013, this lightweight interoperability unit, operated by two dozen military personnel and comprising a small number of vehicles, travelled 1,200 km to Gao, where it was deployed immediately to support the Combined Arms Brigade's operations centre. One priority was to set up a remote CMD3D console inside the operations centre itself to coordinate reconnaissance and offensive missions by airborne assets (Tiger, Gazelle, Caesar, UAVs, Rafale, Mirage 2000, Puma and Transall).