Thales has been chosen by NATO to implement phase 3 of the NCOP (NATO Common Operational Picture) initiative, known as “NCOP-BMD.” This programme aims to furnish NATO commanders with a cohesive, real-time visualization of operational theaters and the associated threat environment, thereby enhancing the situational awareness of joint forces operations.
Since 2012, Thales has collaborated with NATO on its tactical situational awareness program, contributing to the development of Increment-1 and Increment-2 of NCOP, which currently serve approximately 30 NATO command centers.
This contract presents Thales with the opportunity to further assist NATO in its coordination, planning, and command functions by delivering advanced ballistic missile defense (BMD) capabilities, which are essential for safeguarding European member states against the escalating threat posed by ballistic missiles.
“Thales has built up a wealth of expertise in managing NATO interoperability issues since 2015, and this third contract will draw on that legacy. Thales will be providing new functionalities for ballistic missile defence in order to improve the situational awareness of NATO Commanders with BMD enhancement.” said Gérard Herby, Vice President, Protection Systems, Thales.
Joint operations today involve land, air, and naval units utilizing various command systems, resulting in the generation of vast amounts of georeferenced operational data. The NCOP application effectively captures, aggregates, and correlates this data to create a unified and comprehensive overview of the operational theater.
This provides NATO commanders with a Common Operational Picture (COP), enhancing their awareness of joint forces operations and facilitating more informed decision-making and actions. To address this need, Thales has developed a software system that grants the operational community secure access to multiple COPs.
By integrating tactical information from diverse data sources, the system enhances situational awareness of joint forces operations, ensuring information superiority across the battlefield.
Each COP is presented in real time and encompasses critical elements such as ongoing operations, the logistical and operational capabilities of both friendly and enemy forces, as well as potential action plans for future coordinated initiatives.
