Commentary by Russian military blogger Vladimir Orlov
Modern warfare is not only weapons based on new physical principles and strikes across the entire economic and political territory of the enemy, modern warfare is primarily fast communications, digital combat control and knowledge of the enemy. Especially in the tactical level of command and control.
Today, in different armies of the world, there are many different systems that, to some extent, allow organizing information and communication interaction on the battlefield. This is the Ukrainian "Krapiva", this is the NATO "DELTA" system, this is the unified combat control system of the US Armed Forces (JADC2), of which ATAK (Android Tactical Assault Kit) is an integral part, this is the IVAS (Microsoft company) individual display of the situation, and a lot others.
In Russia, too, a number of developers in the interests of the Ministry of Defense and special services are developing tactical information and communication systems. The Kalashnikov Concern has developed the "Fox" system, there is the "Veterok" system, and there are other similar systems that have appeared recently. But all these systems have one drawback. They solve a rather narrow and specific problem. These systems cannot be compared with the "JADC2" level and its component - ATAK (Android Tactical Assault Kit).
Last autumn, NPO Dvina, on its own initiative, began developing a domestic digital multi-domain system that would improve the overall awareness of commanders making decisions on the battlefield.
Why did we choose the American ATAK (Android Tactical Assault Kit) system as the basis, why did we not take the Ukrainian "Krapiva" or the NATO "DELTA" as the basis..?
This is if you want, as in sports. A certain level, a threshold of achievement. A certain planochka record that you need to take. Well, in the end, the famous DARPA is related to the ATAK system, and this already says something. You need to equal and compete with the best ...!
What is the KPO-A Awareness Complex...?
"KPO-A" is a cross-platform geoinformation communication system that combines the functions of cartographic geoinformation systems, communication platforms and operational-tactical information managers. Due to its powerful functionality, "KPO-A" provides communication, target designation, coordination, planning and presentation of information about the situation in one device. Also, "KPO-A" allows you to organize a "direct" transmission of data from military personnel to command posts of the operational-tactical and strategic levels.
An ordinary commercial smartphone or tablet running the Android operating system with software (SW) Awareness raising complex "KPO-A", which allows you to:
- coordinate the actions of military personnel during their combat mission, determining their location by the signals of the GPS / GLONASS / BeiDou space radio navigation system;
- provide joint access on the battlefield to electronic interactive maps of the area.
If necessary, maps, layers and elements of the environment can also be downloaded from the servers of the headquarters of units, from the servers of the National Center for Defense Control of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (NTsUO MO RF) and other government departments. For a predetermined digitized area, a three-dimensional display of the relief and urbanized infrastructure is available.
Cartographic layers are also capable of:
- displaying meteorological conditions, zones of radiation, chemical and biological contamination, features of terrain conditions;
- apply the tactical situation (objectives and enemy forces, positions of individual military personnel, units, fire weapons with their sectors of fire, elements of the operational equipment of the area, the state of infrastructure facilities and other important information) on the cartographic layers in the form of conventional signs according to the KEUZ-2012 classifier (2015) and the US military standard MIL-STD-2525, supplemented by a textual description.
It is possible to use libraries of symbols and markers from Google Maps, OSM, FEMA applications, as well as other sets that are easily imported into the system;
- indicate targets on the map and the sequence of their destruction, including for cruise missiles, aviation (unmanned systems) and artillery;
- Observe the current aviation situation;
- to carry out video broadcasts, exchange of photographic materials, text messages and combat control signals in a time scale close to real;
- display on the smartphone display intelligence data from various sources, including from ground-based robotic systems and UAVs.
Users of "KPO-A" can also receive current situational political and information reports that relate to their immediate location.
The KPO-A Awareness Enhancement Complex software was originally designed so that it can work without a central node, that is, in peer-to-peer networks with IP addressing. This feature is required for units operating autonomously. If there is a connection between the advanced units and the headquarters, the information collected on the battlefield is summarized and stored on a local server running the Linux operating system with the KPO-server software installed.
This device can be located at a command post or tactical-level headquarters, which can include an automated workstation (including a laptop or desktop computer) with a Windows/Linux operating system and pre-installed console software "KPO-K Awareness Enhancement Complex". Also, if necessary, a WEB-interface can be available at remote workstations.
Console Software The KPO-K Awareness Enhancement Complex also has a functionality that provides the output of tactical situation data to large-format displays for collective use.
At the same time, the displayed information is transmitted from peripheral devices (from individual servicemen from the battlefield, from command posts of active formations) to the server via a secure communication channel using RS-232, Micro-USB or Type-C cable connected to a commercial smartphone or tablet of standard radio stations (Azart R-187P1, PRTs-117KV1(a)(C), XK-V104TE/XK-V103TE, GRANITE R48U.7 and others with packet data protocol support).
The full functionality of the KPO-A Awareness Enhancement Complex, including video broadcasting, is provided through the use of mobile self-organizing communication networks using broadband data transfer protocols. Also in "KPO-A" it is possible to use DMR, UHF and VHF radio stations for data transmission due to a special attachment to the smartphone.
The KPO-A Awareness Enhancement Complex software will be licensed under four main licenses:
- KPO SOF: Version for use by Special Operations Forces;
- KPO MIL: Version for use by units of the Ministry of Defense and other special services;
- KPO GOV: Version for federal, regional and municipal departments of Russia (Municipal and regional administration, medical assistance, police, Ministry of Emergency Situations, etc.). The application will be complemented by specialized plug-ins to fulfill the tasks of each specific organization;
- KPO CIV: Version for civil use. The application is devoid of special features that are necessary for military use and is adapted for use in cellular networks. Registration requires an account linked to a mobile phone number or Mobile-ID. The application will be available in the NPO Dvina Internet service only for Russia's partner countries.