Used for Overall Mission Management and to Support Advanced ISR
The Irish Air Corps has installed Systematic’s Sitaware C2 software on its fleet of four PC-12NG aircraft – one of which is configured for the utility role, with the other three SPECTRE platforms providing advanced ISR capabilities.
SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline both feature on the aircraft, the former for overall mission management and Frontline to interface with ground and naval components, explains Capt Paul Shorte, CIS Officer at the Defence Forces Training Centre. The software can draw on data from the SPECTREs’ multi-mission sensors, as well as external sources. SitaWare enables data to be shared with all mission participants, ensuring seamless C2 and near real-time situational awareness across all domains and command levels.
“Onboard the PC-12s, SitaWare is intended for a range of military and non-military roles,” says Capt Shorte. “For example, the software was recently used to help tackle wildfires, where it was linked to crews operating on the ground […] The software also enables us to seamlessly handover the management of an operation to a new aircraft when it comes on-station. When they arrive, they already have all of the mission data and are fully appraised of the situation.”
SitaWare is also set to be integrated on the two Airbus C295s due to enter service with the Irish Air Corps in 2023 – platforms will focus primarily on maritime patrol duties.
“Defence Forces Ireland [is] an experienced operator of the entire SitaWare suite across all branches, and [is] quick to introduce innovative ways of working with the software,” notes Matthew Millward, Systematic’s VP of Business Development for UK, North Africa and Western Europe.
SitaWare has been used in a number of operational roles with Defence Forces Ireland, as varied as fisheries protection, peacekeeping in the Middle East, and counter narcotics. Recently, SitaWare was used by the Defence Forces as they assisted in the Irish government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
