Airbus Defence & Space has conducted live trials new mobile communication system for NATO NRF 101414.

The NATO Deployable Communications Information System (DCIS) is a high profile joint initiative that has seen Airbus Defence and Space work to provide the NRF with cutting edge technology – both voice and data - to significantly improve their ability to communicate with other troops and with headquarters across the world.

DCIS will be used by peacekeeping forces across the world to ensure effective communication between the front line and headquarters.

The NATO Deployable Communication and Information System allows the NRF to communicate on the front line in often challenging weather and environmental conditions.

Described as ‘extreme hot desking’, troops can use voice and data to communicate securely in real-time with fellow troops across the world. NATO has been working with Airbus Defence and Space over the past five years as it wanted one uniform system that could be used by all NATO countries to ensure consistency.

A key feature of DCIS is that it can be set up anywhere in the world in a matter of hours which is vital as the traditional mode of operation for both combat and peacekeeping missions is changing. Increased acts of terrorism along with political instability are driving fast reaction requirements.

Whereas a traditional military deployment may have involved weeks or months of pre-deployment planning, the current situation is that events can occur quickly and unpredictably and the ability to quickly deploy is vital.
The trial in Poland was carried out earlier this year by a NATO Signal Battalion who are based out of the Joint Forces Training Centre at Bydgoszcz.

Key findings:

- Airbus Defence and Space aimed to get the DCIS fully up and operational within 72 hours. It surpassed its target and the system was fully deployable within just 12 hours for full operational deployment.
- DCIS met all of the operational requirements of the battalion
- Users found it easy to use
- Video conferencing facilities allowed headquarters staff to be ‘virtually present’ on the frontline. They found face-to-face communication effective
- The fact that frontline users have access to databases and intelligence in the field made them feel they had a more rounded picture of their operational requirements

Cassidian/Airbus was awarded the NRF DCIS contract from NATO back in March 2009. Five years later in March this year Airbus supported three NATO Signal Battalions NSB I, II & III (Polish, American and Turkish) with their Operational Live Test in Bydgoszcz, Poland