Phoenix Exercises Demonstrate Network Enabled Battlefield Technologies

Released on Friday, October 19, 2007

MBDA has participated in a series of PHOENIX exercises held atthe Mourmelon and Suippes military camps (in North-East France) from 13th to 19th October 2007. These exercises were carried out within a Network Enabled Battlefield (NEB) environment.

The PHOENIX evaluation, organisedby Sagem Défense Sécurité (Safran Group) with the support of the DGA and the French Army, is of great interest and relevance to the SCORPION demonstrator within the BOA programme (Bulle Opérationnelle Aéroterrestre) It proves the remote operation control activity of the DGA's Technical-Operational Defence Laboratory (LTO).

MBDA was able to use the opportunity presented by the evaluation to demonstrate the operational benefits and capability improvements that could be achieved by linking up the new MILAN ADT-ER weapon system to an infantryman equipped with info-centric FELIN technologies.*

Tactical information from the MILAN operator (such as firing position/s, observation and engagement sectors, azimuth, threat data, situational observations, kill assessment, effects obtained etc.) can from now on be exchanged via the network with other weapon systemsdeployed by the group or the unit. The MILAN operator can also benefit from this network-shared information through which orders and instructions (geographical limit, engagement orders, target designations etc) can be received.

The expected benefits of NEB lie in the speeding up of decision-making processes and the achievement of co-operative combat engagement.

PHOENIX has been of great value in enabling the benefits of info-centering the MILAN ADT-ER weapon system to be measured.