Open Community supports the Armed Forces
International companies now networking their competence
04/27/2005
With the interest group 'Open Community', a number of leading German technology companies have started a trailblazing initiative that is aimed at paving the way to an open standard for military system architectures. The Bundeswehr and other armed forces stand to benefit greatly from high-performance technical solutions that are based on common standards and therefore network-capable.
Atos Origin, Diehl BGT Defence, CONET, CSC Ploenzke, ESG, IBM Deutschland, Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, THALES Defence Deutschland and Unilog Systems are the founders of the 'Open Community'. To the benefit of the armed forces, the participating firms have agreed to realize interoperability on the basis of recognized open civilian and military standards using an inter-company approach.
The transformation process of the armed forces – not only of the German Bundeswehr – calls for continuous networking of existing or future capabilities (NEC, Network Enabled Capabilities) over different platforms, armed services and countries. This requirement applies from the sensors through a connecting element of the command & control support up to the effector systems.
The companies participating in the 'Open Community' view their initiative as being an effective contribution from the industry in supporting the reorientation of the armed forces through suitable network solutions. This is because the approach of conducting military operations in joint and combined mode necessitates a closer coordination between companies and their systems on the industry side too.
'Open Community' utilizes the experience and know-how of its members for complex system integration, thus ensuring that the diverse demands and requirements of the armed forces are harmonized. Solutions that are already available, and to a degree proprietary, can also be used in the sense of the overarching NEC system.
With this conceptual approach, the 'Open Community' is offering low-risk and financially feasible implementation possibilities within the scope of the CPM for the expansion of the Network Centric Warfare capabilities of the armed forces.
"With the 'Open Community', all participants are making a major contribution to the information and decision-making advantage of the armed forces," emphasizes Joachim Dierig (Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, Bremen/Germany), current spokesman for the interest group. "Here we are also heeding the call for networking of the available competence in the technology industry."
In principle, any industrial company can become a member of this group. The forum is represented by a committee whose speakers are provided through rotation at regular intervals by the participating companies.
Contact
Rheinmetall AG
Corporate Sector Defence
Press and Information
Oliver Hoffmann
Rheinmetall Platz 1
40476 Düsseldorf
Germany
Phone: +49 211 473-4748
Fax: +49 211 473-4157
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