NATO is having the NATO Common Operational Picture (NCOP) software package updated and expanded. This provides commanders with a common situation picture for their respective area of interest. It is intended to improve the planning, coordination and command of operations and missions. With real-time information from the theatre of operations, NCOP supports improved situational awareness and provides essential decision support. On 17 March 2021, Thales was contracted to deliver and install the second increment of the software.
In joint operations, the forces on land, in the air and at sea generate a large amount of geo-referenced information that needs to be collected, correlated and aggregated so that it is available in a comprehensive situation picture. The resulting Common Operational Picture ensures that the forces involved have a common view of the location, activities and objectives of the deployed units.
Thales was already contracted in 2012 to deliver Increment One of the NCOP software. The software is based on an open architecture, is modular and follows commercial and military standards. Increment Two updates this system, which has been used since 2015 in NATO command posts alongside both static and deployable headquarters. It is also in use in the national command staffs of France, Poland and Italy.
With the expansion, Thales is implementing additional functionalities such as time management, event correlation and a strategic analysis capability.
Wolfgang Gelpke
