OCEAN2020: INSIGHTS INTO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT & ACQUISITION OF EUROPE’S MARITIME ISR CAPABLITIES AN INTERVIEW WITH LEONARDO, LEADER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION’S OCEAN2020 CONSORTIUM www.maritimerecon.iqpc.co.uk INTRODUCTION The brand-new OCEAN2020 initiative, signed in late March, is a largescale technology demonstration project from the European Defence Fund. Aiming at building up a Recognised Maritime Picture to secure maritime dominance, the initiative will consist in the integration of data from multiple sources and unmanned systems in existing fleets. Led by Leonardo, the consortium is composed of 15 member European countries who will work with industry to shape the future of maritime surveillance. Ahead of Maritime ISR Global 2018, we had the opportunity to gain an exclusive insight into this newly-formed project from Antonino Arecchi, the OCEAN2020 Programme Project Leader at Leonardo. He discusses the objectives of the initiative, the opportunities that lie for industry on the full supply chain and what we can expect from the first operational demonstration that will take place in 2019 in the Mediterranean Sea. “ The OCEAN2020 Consortium will solve the problems of integrating EU systems as well as integrating the individual organisations into a coherent team “ Antonino Arecchi, OCEAN2020 Programme Project Leader, THE OBJECTIVES OF OCEAN2020 The initiative aims to achieve operational, technical and impact-making objectives. Operational objectives Significant improvement to maritime Situation Awareness Extended ISTAR performance by use of UXS and integration into CMS EU-NATO interoperability by the use of open architecture and standards Impact-making objectives Diverse EU wide consortium to demonstrate large military R&T effort Improve market position of European defence industry in UXS Involve End-User in design choices Technical objectives High integration among EU countries and heterogeneous systems, demonstrated in full scale-demo Integration of EU/NATO/civil framework data Increased autonomy for UXS and swarm operations Application of advanced data and information fusion techniques for shorter decision time Development of EU C4ISR open architecture Identification of open and industry endorsed standards “To be successful in reaching these goals the OCEAN2020 Consortium will solve the problems of integrating EU systems as well as integrating the individual organisations into a coherent team” says Arecchi. The project will pull together the technical specialists relevant to the maritime domain covering the “observing, orienting, deciding and acting” operational tasks. In charge of chairing the OCEAN2020 Governance Bodies, such as Project Management Committee, Supervisory Management Board and General Assembly, it will ensure the links with the European Defence Agency and the European Commission. “Leonardo is responsible for the overall and administrative management of the project and the quality plan and as the Technical Coordinator, it will ensure the satisfactory development and successful demonstrations for an operational and market success” adds Arecchi. FOSTERING INDUSTRY COOPERATION TO BOOST INNOVATION The global market share of European industrials in the ISR segment is significantly low compared to the US. One of the main reasons is the lack of unity in the doctrine of the European nations and also the lack of transnational defence programmes in the field of unmanned systems, which led to duplication of solutions and technologies in Europe with heavy development costs and very low production series. “OCEAN2020 will pave the way towards future EU Defence by integrating legacy and new technologies for unmanned systems, ISTAR payloads and effectors” argues Arecchi. Implementing the contents of the proposal will help EU to lead innovation in the maritime domain and reduce reliance on non-EU countries. “OCEAN2020 will test mechanisms that can prepare, run and deliver EU-funded cooperative defence research and technology development activities, improving competitiveness and innovation in the European defence industry and stimulating cooperation of stakeholders The lack of unity in including R&T actors and end-users in all the doctrine of the European Member States” says Arecchi. nations led to duplication of The initiative has setup the consortium with an industrial agenda, including solutions and technologies business models that aim to foster in Europe with heavy cooperation beyond the Preliminary development costs and very Action for Defence Research funded by low production series. the European Commission. “ “ “The intention is to switch the European industries from a status of competitors, addressing single national markets, to a status of strong industrial partners focused on European developments for defence” argues Arecchi. OCEAN2020 Consortium covers many area of expertise: Unmanned Systems, Sensors, Weapons, Combat Management Systems, Maritime Operation Command Systems, Communication Systems, Naval Platforms, Communication and Information System Security, Space Communication and Sensing, Maritime Research and Experimentation, Electromagnetic Engineering, System Integration. “The full supply chain is represented in OCEAN2020 Consortium,” says Arecchi. The initiative also includes 12 Small/Medium Enterprises, which are developers of unmanned systems and system/software engineering houses, specialised in data fusion and video processing, system simulation or human computer interfaces. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE 2019 LIVE DEMONSTRATION? LEONARDO will deploy two kinds of assets in the demonstration that take place in the Mediterranean Sea next year: two rotary wing Unmanned Aerial Systems (AW-Hero ad SW4-Solo) and the CMS ATHENA-I installed on board the Italian Frigates FREMM. AW-Hero is a Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems of 200 kg equipped with AIS, EO/IR sensor and Radar. SW4-Solo is an Optionally Piloted Aerial Systems equipped with AIS, EO/IR sensor with laser designator, AESA Radar and ESM. Both of them will be controlled by FREMM Frigates and will be transmit payload video/data to FREMM Frigates for being integrated into on-board CMS through an advanced Tactical Situation Awareness Digital Table. Do you want to have a more thorough understanding of the OCEAN2020 initiative and meet its main stakeholders? 25 – 27 SEPTEMBER 2018 SHERATON PARCO DE’ MEDICI ROME HOTEL, ROME Domain Awareness & Decision Advantage, from the Seabed to Space This year, the 15th annual Maritime ISR Global conference will welcome over 150 military and industry partners and allies, in order to encourage the strengthening of international networks and interoperability towards a unified and effective ISR enterprise in a complex and hostile global maritime domain. Key topics will include: MPA acquisitions, undersea sensing, nanosatellites, littoral warfare, ISR network integration and aerial reconnaissance. DOWNLOAD THE 2018 AGENDA Confirmed speakers include: • • • • • • • Vice Admiral Jorge Millones Gonzales, Chief of Naval Personnel, Peruvian Navy Rear Admiral Jens Nykvist, Chief, Swedish Navy Brigadier General Ibrahim Nuemat, Commander, Royal Jordanian Navy Brigadier General Joseph Diop, Chief of the Air Staff, Senegal Air Force Brigadier General Dato’ Muhamad Norzlan bin Aris, Deputy to Assistant Chief of Staff for Planning and Development, Royal Malaysian Air Force Commodore Steve Dainton, Commander, UK Maritime Component Command Group Captain Piriyathrone Suwanruji, Air Defense Control Division, Royal Thai Air Force www.maritimerecon.iqpc.co.uk
