Need more flexibility in battle management system delivery?

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The delivery of software through cloud computing has become a norm in the personal, commercial, and government spheres. The risk of losing work to temperamental operating systems or storage devices is a thing of the past, with autosaving ensuring the security of work as it is created.

As a result, more and more software is being deployed into the cloud. In addition to its resilience, cloud computing offers the opportunity to deliver new tools to users through the dispersal of computing powers, and the ability to enable capabilities through modular deployments of software packages.

Systematic’s newest solution, SitaWare BattleCloud, gives operators at all levels the ability to utilise cloud computing technology for operational use and software deployment, in addition to existing on-premises delivery. The new cloud-based delivery option gives users a greater degree of flexibility in deployment and access of a battle management system (BMS) and its supporting assets.

Supporting PACE planning

An inherent attribute of cloud-based computing is that it bases the data and software within dispersed data centres, offering redundancy and greater physical protection from attacks. Utilising mainframes outside conflict zones, or well away from front lines, gives operators the ability to maximise their physical security, while continuing to allow access to the resources that a mission needs.

In developing a PACE plan, where alternative communication methods are outlined to help with fallbacks, considering the positioning of mission-critical software is a key factor. While systems may be able to operate through resilient self-sustaining device networks, the role of centralised server hubs to facilitate data exchange can be a major part of ensuring continued operations.

Cloud computing technology gives users of software, such as a BMS, the opportunity to deploy into an environment that can be more secure than a physical centralised server cluster. As recent conflicts have shown, the requirements for more mobile and dispersed operations by headquarters means that computing power needs to be more mobile – moving away from large static or fixed sites that can provide it.

Enhanced security and resilience

Protecting data and software is a major aspect of a digitalised battlefield environment. Preventing cyberattacks – both at the tactical and strategic levels – is now a fundamental part of retaining the freedom of operations and competitive advantage. When employing a cloud-based solution for software access and deployment, hardware and software encryption techniques can assist in securing data from attacks, and ensure security for users. The size and scale of a data centre can also provide more advanced threat protection via software solutions. Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning can help develop and improve automation to detect and respond to threats such as malware, ransomware, and intrusions.

Cloud-based systems can also help with deploying software to users securely. Building in zero trust architectures for access to services helps with the overarching security ecosystem that is required for military operated systems. Maintaining credentialled access through multi-factor authentication (MFA) continues to give users at all levels the certainty that their software is operating effectively, optimally, and providing the best support to users.

Within the SitaWare ecosystem, tactical devices that use SitaWare Frontline and SitaWare Edge can take advantage of the extra layer of security that a cloud environment can provide. In addition to the off-board computing capabilities, administrators can remove or deprecate users from a network if they are considered to be compromised, as well as throttle intelligence and planning information. This approach allows for a more secure operating ecosystem that delivers optimised processes.

Boost capabilities through modularity

By design, cloud computing can give greater modularity to end users. Software deployed into the cloud, using a framework similar to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), means that functionality can be enabled or disabled as users or administrators require.

For military users operating in the tactical environment – from a headquarters through to infantry on the ground – this means that features to assist with missions can be added to their profile more easily. For example, if a deployed unit needs the ability to utilise a new communications system, modules that allow for the integration of new equipment can be enabled and the capability granted.

Featuring an open architecture design, Systematic’s SitaWare suite supports modularity at its heart. Users and integrators can take advantage of the SitaWare Software Development Kit (SDK) to create drivers and APIs to deliver a wide variety of capabilities to operators.