At Euronaval, DCNS introduces next generation CIC for suface vessels and submarines

: Posted On Friday, 26 October 2012 10:48

Euronaval 2012 - Show Daily News

At Euronaval, DCNS introduces a next generation CIC for suface vessels and submarines

As sensor datasets grow by the day, theatres of operations become more complex and the digital revolution advances in leaps and bounds, DCNS is helping client navies to cope with the challenges by developing new systems to display operational information and decision aids. The overriding aim is to put operators fully ‘in the loop’ and to facilitate decision-making in the most complex situations. This new concept is an excellent example of a DCNS naval system designed to deal with new threats while ensuring information supremacy in combat.

Inside the simulated NextGen Command & Information Center of a Gowind corvette at the DCNS stand during Euronaval 2012. This is how a 2020 CIC may look like according to DCNS.

At Euronaval 2012, DCNS gave us demonstration inside a simulated Gowind corvette next generation ops room to illustrate how DCNS envisions naval command systems in the future. DCNS is well aware of the new emerging threats such as ballistic missiles and assymetric threats and of the growing complexity of combat systems. Information flow is constantly increasing while existing sailors worldwide are gradually being replace by the new "Y" generation (people born between 1980 and 2000).

The NextGen CIC concept presented by DCNS at Euronaval takes into consideration all these factors in order to offer the most ergonomic and user friendly CIC systems to the new generation of sailors. It presents a certain number of breaktroughs in terms of:
- Collaborative work
- Multi-task workstations
- Technologies
- Presentation of the information

The NextGen CIC is surrounded by a panoramic screen which allows any operators inside the CIC to share relevant information with everybody. Workstations may be used by one of several operators depending on the threat level and allow for control of unmanned vehicles from the corvette itself but also from other platform. In the demonstration that was given to us for example, the Gowind Corvette requested VTOL UAV support from a nearby FREMM Frigate. The Gowind eventually took over the control of this UAV to identify an hostile ship. In this scenario, the panoramic view was usefull to display a live video feed from the UAV, a panoramic view of the surroundings of the ship we were onboard, the tactical situation, and the engagement plan all at once.

The planification zone revolves around a collaborative table (similar to a Microsoft Surface table) display detailed information on each tracks and allowing for replay of former tactical situation. In the NextGen CIC, the operation center and planification zone are no longer separated in order to keep a continuity between "real time" (operation center) and reflective time (planification zone).

As sensor datasets grow by the day, theatres of operations become more complex and the digital revolution advances in leaps and bounds, DCNS is helping client navies to cope with the challenges by developing new systems to display operational information and decision aids. The overriding aim is to put operators fully ‘in the loop’ and to facilitate decision-making in the most complex situations.

The 3D tactical situation concept

A growing issue affecting both surface ships and submarines is the growing flow of data (because of the increasing number and quality of sensors) while modern vessels crew are getting smaller.

To adress this issue, DCNS is involved in research and technology development focused on ergonomics and human machine interface. DCNS unveiled to us a concept (still in development) in the form of a 3D represenation of the tactical situation of a theater. The idea is for a surface vessel or submarine operator to quickly gain knowledge of the tactical situation, from various angles. The operator may get information on each of the tracks thanks to a pointer.

We felt this concept really eased the global understanding of the tactical situation. This technology may be present on the next generation submarines.