Journal of Defense Resources Management (Jan 2011)
COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Abstract
This essay assesses the communications and information systems (CIS) in support of the civilian and military structures deployed in the European Union led crises management operations and missions. The article emphasizes the specific structure and function of CIS taking in consideration the particularities of EU led missions. The integration of the EU institutional networks and systems with the national systems provided by the EU member states is considered a key element. The analysis-part of this paper starts with the specific EU command and control system for crises management missions based on two autonomous solutions and one relying on NATO capabilities. Further, it continues with the challenges of the classifi ed information exchange at the operational theatre level. The most important contribution of this article is based on the long term vision implementation measures for the CIS structure, roles, functions and services provided and the information management infrastructure. CIS deployment mechanisms are described with references to the practical situation of the CIS deployed in support of crises management operations and missions. Two important defi nitions are provided regarding the CIS for crisis management and their roles in the specific EU operational environment. The system view of the operational CIS is depicted and analysed also, with a focus on the integration aspects of the infrastructure as the information transport layer for the information exchange flow. The last part of the article focuses on the CIS functions for the deployed systems which are detailed alongside with the C2 and Information Exchange Requirements in the EU operational environment. The variety of the theoretical approaches to determine the CIS infrastructure for EU-led civilian and military missions triggers the conclusion that the planning and implementation process is extremely complex especially in the context of the new security environment and requires national participation and adaptation of the national and institutional development programs in the CIS fi eld.
