Stanag 5525

[Heron Mathis]

JC3IEDMor Joint Consultation, Command and Control Information Exchange Data Model is a model that, when implemented, aims to enable the interoperability of systems and projects required to share Command and Control (C2) information. JC3IEDM is an evolution of the C2IEDM standard that includes joint operational concepts, just as the Land Command and Control Information Exchange Data Model (LC2IEDM) was extended to become C2IEDM. The program is managed by the Multilateral Interoperability Programme (MIP).

JC3IEDM is produced by the MIP-NATO Management Board (MNMB) and ratified under NATO STANAG 5525.[1] JC3IEDM a fully documented standard for an information exchange data model for the sharing of C2 information.

The overall aim of JC3IEDM is to enable "international interoperability of C2 information systems at all levels from corps to battalion (or lowest appropriate level) in order to support multinational (including NATO), combined and joint operations and the advancement of digitisation in the international arena."[2]

According to JC3IEDM's documentation,[3] this aim is attempted to be achieved by "specifying the minimum set of data that needs to beexchanged in coalition or multinational operations. Each nation, agency or community ofinterest is free to expand its own data dictionary to accommodate its additionalinformation exchange requirements with the understanding that the added specificationswill be valid only for the participating nation, agency or community of interest. Anyaddition that is deemed to be of general interest may be submitted as a change proposalwithin the configuration control process to be considered for inclusion in the next versionof the specification."

"JC3IEDM is intended to represent the core of the data identified for exchange across multiple functional areas and multiple views of the requirements. Toward that end, it lays down a common approach to describing the information to be exchanged in a command and control (C2) environment.

JC3IEDM has been developed from the initial Generic Hub (GH) Data Model, which changed its name to Land C2 Information Exchange Data Model (LC2IEDM) in 1999. Development of the model continued in a Joint context and in November 2003 the C2 Information Exchange Data Model (C2IEDM) Edition 6.1 was released. Additional development to this model, incorporating the NATO Corporate Reference model, resulted in the model changing its name again to JC3IEDM with JC3IEDM Ed 0.5 being issued in December 2004.

Subsequent releases have seen areas of the model developed in greater depth than others and there is variation in the number of sub-types and attributes for each type in the current version. An example is HARBOUR within the FACILITY type which has 43 attributes compared to a VESSEL-TYPE with 12 attributes or a WEAPON-TYPE with 4 attributes. The associated attributes of a certain type also lack support for exploiting with those of other types. For example, VESSEL-TYPE does not support the length or width of a vessel in its attributes but HARBOUR has both maximum vessel length and width attributes.

The UK Ministry of Defence has mandated JC3IEDM as the C2 Information Exchange Model, in Joint Service Publication (JSP) 602:1007, for use on all systems and/or projects exchanging C2 information within and interoperating with the Land Environment at a Strategic and Operational Level. It is strongly recommended for other environments and mandated for all environments at the Tactical level.[4] JSP 602:1005 for Collaborative Services has also mandated JC3IEDM in the tactical domain for all systems/projects providing data sharing collaborative services.[5]

The JC3IEDM training covers the key specification of the Multilateral Interoperability Programme (MIP) interoperability solution that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon. This serves as a coherent set of standards needed to build and test a MIP Common Interface and gives a basis for further development and improvement.

JC3IEDM, or Joint Consultation, Command and Control Information Exchange Data Model is a model that, when implemented, aims to enable the interoperability of systems and projects required to share Command and Control (C2) information. JC3IEDM is an evolution of the C2IEDM standard that includes joint operational concepts, just as the Land Command and Control Information Exchange Data Model (LC2IEDM) was extended to become C2IEDM.

The vision for the Multilateral Interoperability Programme (MIP) is to server as the principal operator-led multinational forum to promote international interoperability of C2IS (Command and Control Information Systems) at all levels of command. The MIP scope is to deliver a command and control interoperability solution focused on the Land operational user in a Joint environment.

JC3IEDM is produced by the MIP-NATO Management Board (MNMB) and ratified under NATO STANAG 5525 enabling international interoperability of C2 information systems at all levels from corps to battalion (or lowest appropriate level) in order to support multinational (including NATO), combined and joint operations and the advancement of digitisation in the international arena.

JC3IEDM represents the core of the data identified for exchange across multiple functional areas and multiple views of the requirements. Toward that end, it lays down a common approach to describing the information to be exchanged in a command and control (C2) environment: The structure should be sufficiently generic to accommodate joint, land, sea, and air environmental concerns.

The data model describes all objects of interest in the sphere of operations, e.g., organizations, persons, equipment, facilities, geographic features, weather phenomena, and military control measures such as boundaries.

Rheinmetall Canada, the overseas arm of the German group, has been active for years in the unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) arena with its Mission Master, the hybrid 88 platform that from today becomes the Mission Master SP (Silent Partner) as the family gets a new member, the Mission Master XT.

The Mission Master XT is however an optionally piloted platform, as all control elements have been retained, a driver being thus able to seat in the front section i.e. for movements inside a camp. The PATH is getting increased Artificial Intelligence add-on, and is capable to operate in numerous modes such as image recognition/classification, sensor fusion and data association, simultaneous localization and mapping, obstacle detection and avoidance, target classification and tracking, environment mapping and terrain analysis, trajectory generation and route execution, mission planning and task assignment, and hierarchical multi-operator control, although not all those functions might be selected by the customer. Obstacle avoidance is ensured by a 3D LIDAR that also provides objects tracking, the latter function being key when the UGV is used in follow-me or convoy mode. In difficult weather conditions, snow, rain, dust and fog, two radars supplement the LIDAR, which performances are severely degraded in those situations. An interesting feature is that the Mission Master XT is fitted with an automated mode that manages the CTIS, adapting the tires pressure to the type of ground and mobility situation encountered by the platform along its mission path. To increase the UGV survival capability Rheinmetall added some armour elements to provide some degree of ballistic protection to the vital elements of the vehicle.

Coming tomission systems Alain Tremblay underlines that the Mission Master XT wasdesigned and build in accordance with a number of NATO STANAGs [1]as well as with US MIL-STD-6017 (Variable message format and Joint variablemessage format), this considerably reducing the integration burden of missionmodules, the new UGV being fully compatible with NATO-standard battlemanagement systems. While the XT is not able to move silently as its smaller brother,it is however equipped with a set of Li-Ion batteries that ensures a six hoursendurance in silent watch mode. The first mission module developed byRheinmetall Canada to be installed on the new Mission Master XT is the simplerone, the cargo, however in the coming weeks and months other modules willbecome available; according to a slide seen during the unveiling presentation,different fire support modules are proposed such as a twin-M134 Minigun RCWS, aSpike NLOS launcher, a Fieldranger rocket launcher, a loitering UAS module, ora Fieldranger Multi armed with a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Surveillancemodules, also with Counter-UAS effectors, are being considered, as well as atactical air surveillance module, apparently based on small AESA flat antennasradar.

RheinmetallCanada developed a man-machine interface in the form of a smart tablet, whichallows a single operator to control the platform functions as well as tomonitor and operate the mission package, such as a RCWS or a surveillancesystem. The tablet also allows a single individual to operate multipleplatforms. The XT is compatible with other systems such as the single-handcontroller, smart watches and soldier systems, military equipped with the ATAKsystem being able to task the Mission Master XT.

The XT canbe transported under slung by CH-53 and CH-47 transport helicopters and can becarried internally on C-130 class transport aircraft. The new Rheinmetall UGVis also apt to be delivered by parachute, to provide a logistic or combatsupport platform to airborne troops, or to be used for stand-alone missions.Rheinmetall Canada is already working on integrating SATCOM systems onto itsMission Master XT, a key capability considering its range. The XT was developedwith cyber protection in mind, security and resilience being part of designrequirements, while also a base level of resilience against electronic warfarehas been added.

Entirely financed with company funds and wholly build in Canada, the Mission Master XT is undergoing the latest characterisation and safety tests, to be ready for production in mid-August 2021. The XT will soon start a European tour that will keep it busy until the end of the year, some initial virtual presentations having already been carried out with some potential customers, namely the UK, which has acquired a small number of Mission Master SP for its RPV Experimentation Programme. Looking ahead, according to Alain Tremblay one or two more platforms will be needed to cover all requirements, hybrid propulsion being also considered. More to come from Rheinmetall Canada.

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