NATO at NITEC18 in Berlin will unveil a new technology for deployable communications and information systems (CIS)

NATO will unveil a new technology on communications in Berlin on 23 May, in occasion of NITEC18. The Alliance Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) and Industry partners will show new blueprints for deployable communications and information systems (CIS). “These ground-breaking advances will dramatically reduce the size, weight and preparation time of NATO’s deployable CIS, while at the same time increasing their resiliency.” is reported in a NCI press release. “The blueprints are the result of a technology challenge launched at the NCI Agency’s flagship industry conference NITEC17 in Ottawa, Canada, in April 2017. Today the Agency’s Industry partners – including HP, CGI, Microsoft, VMware and Cisco – will demonstrate solutions that are based on these radically new blueprints and architecture”.

Which will be the benefits of the new NATO CIS?

Which will be the benefits of the new CIS? “The new architecture will deliver a number of benefits; an expected weight reduction of 1.8 tons, a 50% reduction in the size of the equipment and a reduction by half of the power consumption,” said Murray Davidson, NCI Agency Director for Service Strategy. “That is less fuel, fewer generators, and simplified logistics.  But the technology is also easier to setup and inherently scalable, allowing NATO to mount operations more rapidly; we expect service set-up time will be reduced by more than 50% and require far fewer personnel.” The new architecture is open and platform agnostic. “We believe – Mr Davidson added – it is very relevant not just for Alliance’s own needs, but also for national authorities as they look at their own deployable communications and information systems”. Morever, the mobility and resilience of NATO’s CIS underpins its ability to manoeuvre as part of its enhanced forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance.