Thales,
Thales UK is playing a major role at this year’s Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) and we are contributing to or supporting many of the other trials running over the course of the exercise.
CWID – an on-line virtual battlefield exercise – is a unique event that brings together the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and UK industry. It demonstrates groundbreaking technological solutions that could fill MoD capability gaps, while reducing risk in current procurement projects and supporting innovation. The exercise runs over a number of weeks, based at Dstl's Portsdown site in Portsmouth, and this year it connects more than 20 countries around the globe, using real data and security constraints from a realistic military scenario. The goal: compatibility and interoperability through advanced C4ISTAR systems (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance).
To ensure that CWID 08 is relevant, coherent and realistic Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Equipment Capability) Lt Gen Andrew Figgures has requested that the focus for the UK element of CWID 08 be on an Afghanistan scenario against a 2011 timeframe.
CWID 08 is examining identified operational requirements learnt from current operations in Afghanistan, as well as investigate and demonstrate how these can be solved using in-service capability and solutions from industry.
Although Thales UK has been participating in the annual CWID trials since 2002, this is a particularly important year for us. Of the 32 accepted trials taking place at CWID 08, five of them are from Thales UK. This is the largest number of trials from a single company this year and testifies to Thales UK's commitment to CWID, and to working alongside our customers to fill capability gaps. You will be able to see our equipment in use during press day and talk to senior Thales staff about the technology involved.
Alex Dorrian, Thales UK Chief Executive Officer, says: “There is a clear operational imperative to improve C4ISTAR capability for future operations. This need has been recognised and a longer-term acquisition strategy is evolving within the DABINETT programme. The 'real-life' evaluations undertaken at CWID 08 enables Thales to help the MoD reduce risk on DABINETT and other current and future programmes with the ultimate goal of providing greater value for defence.
“With five trials on under evaluation this year, Thales is privileged to be an integral part of the CWID MoD-Industry Interoperability partnership and we're convinced that our £2 million of resources invested will accelerate the drive towards Network Enabled Capability.
“For Thales, as an innovative UK company providing the MoD with cutting edge capability, CWID is a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the contribution we can make to interoperability and to the integration of systems on the battlefield.”
