PIT-RADWAR: “FENIKS C2ISR” Suite Will Provide Information Advantage For The Polish Army

The Multi-Level Integrated Command and Battle Management System (“FENIKS”) offered by the PIT-RADWAR company is a hardware and software solution, the purpose of which is to integrate the command cycle processes management for the land forces component.

The concept of this system constitutes a response to the requirements related to the WIERZBA system developed by the Army, and to the ROSOMAK-BMS system requirements, which have been created within the framework of modernization programme pertaining the command system of the Polish Armed Forces.

PIT-RADWAR has developed two variants of the “FENIKS” suite, which are to support the command posts of the Land Forces, at the corps, division, brigade/regiment and partially at the battalion level (“FENIKS C2IS” variant offered within the “WIERZBA” programme). Secondly, the system is going to be used for battle management at the battalion, company, platoon and team level (“FENIKS-BMS”, proposal offered within the ROSOMAK-BMS programme).

What for does the Army need a C4ISR suite?

The system in question makes it possible to raise the operational awareness regarding the situation present within the battlefield at the given moment. In any case, the above process is related to transfer, analysis and presentation of the information for the user, with particular emphasis placed on its being up to date, detailed, accurate and credible.

The user of a C4ISR system, which provides a higher level of situational awareness, and, at the same time, informational superiority, both of which make it possible to achieve military advantage, is automatically placed in a favourable position.

Not only are the required pieces of information related to own and enemy units, but they are also connected to the factors that could possibly have an impact on the operations in the field, including the terrain layout, destruction imposed due to the operational activities or the weather conditions.

All of the data pertaining the above areas, coming from a variety of sources, are subsequently processed by IT C4ISR systems, and graphically presented on screen, in a clear way, to the commanding officers. In case of the “FENIKS” suite, the presentation is realized “...on a map, with the use of a set of tactical symbols, complemented with detailed information, including the data which defines the status of the units and individual elements, in a text or table form, tailored within the scope of its content to the decisions to be made”.

What is more, modern C4ISR systems also offer tools that may be used to analyse the current situation, support the decision-making process (by multi-layered planning, verification of those plans and distribution of the decisions made on the basis of the adopted plan) and battle management.

What is it that the Land Forces want to buy?

Within the scope of the programme, the purpose of which is to modernize the Polish Armed Forces, the Army is going to procure two systems:

• WIERZBA – used to plan the operations at the command posts, starting from the Land Forces Command, down to the battalion level. The suite is to be used “(…) within the IT systems based in telecommunications and data transfer nodes and posts installed at the mobile command post modules or in immovable facilities”;
• BMS (ROSOMAK-BMS) which is to be used to manage the battle at the level of units and elements, from the battalion level and downwards. The system is going to include IT equipment installed on a variety of mobile combat platforms.

Both suites are going to be fused at the battalion level. The battalion units, involved in the planning process, will also manage the battle when it comes to the elements that are placed within their jurisdiction.  The above means that there is a need of applying, both in the WIERZBA, as well as in the BMS system, the same vocabulary items, graphics, procedures etc. The above conditions are easiest to be realized, once both systems are based on a single, common design.

PIT-RADWAR’s Offer

When a decision has been made to take part in two tenders organized by the Ministry of Defence, pertaining the WIERZBA and BMS systems, it became clear that PIT-RADWAR is going to offer completely new design, using the 30 years of experience and expertise gathered throughout the process of developing the air defence systems, such as DUNAJEC-P, ZWD-ŁOWCZA or REGA, and within the process of automating the higher levels of the command chains, realizing the PASUW, SZAFRAN and KOLORADO initiatives.

Two systems have been offered: “FENIKS C2IS” and “FENIKS-BMS”. At the same time, integration of those systems, within the scope of the programme related to an integrated multi-level command support and battlefield management system for the land forces component, is being offered.

PIT-RADWAR suggests that “FENIKS-C2IS” suite meets all of the requirements that are placed in front of the C4IS-class systems, also offering some special features, addressed at the missile units, artillery, anti-aircraft component, elements working in the area of logistics, reconnaissance, engineering units and for realization of the tasks common within the area of human resources management. This system is going to additionally offer interoperability capabilities, as it is going to cooperate with other specialized systems used by the Land Forces (TOPAZ, ŁOWCZA), the Air Force (DUNAJ), and the Navy (Łeba). The aforementioned suite is also going to be compliant with the NATO interoperability standards, meaning that it would be capable of operating in a network with similar C4IS environments.

On the other hand, “FENIKS-BMS” is going to constitute a response to the ROSOMAK-BMS programme requirements. Elements of that suite are going to be installed on the mobile combat platforms. Their purpose would be “not to interrupt, at the same time, providing assistance”, as PIT-RADWAR defines the role of the latter suite.

The system is going to utilize a dedicated software kit which, taking into consideration the combat stress, is going to maximally simplify and accelerate realization of the combat tasks. For example, the system uses a touch screen and a simplified menu which does not require a lot of input, on the part of the operator. “After many years of analysing the operations carried out by the elements, after constructing numerous concepts and battle models, a new system has been created, offering a capability of achieving informational advantage over the enemy, creating an actual synergy of the operations.”.

“FENIKS-BMS” makes it possible to “assign tasks, realize reporting, inter-elements information exchange, and it has functions that provide safety to the fighting elements. The remaining functionalities offered by the FENIKS-BMS system include provision of situational awareness, full sensor-related integration with the platform (ROSOMAK APC), and exchange of the tactical plans and drafts” At the same time, it is stressed that the new system is efficient, within the scope of the bandwidth required to realize the communications within the tactical network.