IAFCL and SCOMBA in Effective Dialogue
Lockheed Martin and Navantia Sistemas have successfully achieved a common operational picture for the first time between the new International Aegis Fire Control Loop (IAFCL) and Navantia’s Sistema de Combate de los Buques de la Armada (SCOMBA) combat management system (CMS), the companies announced on 18 May.
Navantia Sistemas is the CMS design agent for the Spanish Navy’s new F-110 Bonifaz-class frigates, a five-ship programme with am ASW primary mission and an additional anti-air warfare capability. Each object identified by a ship sensor is assigned a track by the combat system: this is a unique concept for an Aegis platform – while most such platforms use the Aegis Combat System, the F-110 combat system design allows SCOMBA to manage ship tracks.
During a demonstration held at Lockheed Martin’s Aegis-SCOMBA Integration Center in Moorestown, NJ, the IAFCL was able to send simulated SPY-7 radar data to SCOMBA, and receive the associated SCOMBA host track in return, also receiving non-IAFCL tracks from SCOMBA. Years of hard work from the combined international design, software, and integration teams facilitated the successful demonstration. IAFCL code is built from the Aegis Common Source Library (CSL), and the test proves that IAFCL can be integrated into a larger host-nation combat system.
Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin VP of Multi-Domain Combat Solutions, observed the company’s 25-year partnership with the Spanish Navy and Navantia has yielded successful integrations between the Aegis Weapon System and the F-100 and F-110 frigates for the Spanish Navy, as well as frigates for the Norwegian and Australian Navies. “We remain firmly committed to our industrial partnerships in Spain […] We are continuing our decades-long cooperation with Navantia on the F-110 frigate program and collaborating on commercial opportunities to export the platform and its systems”.
The interface will be further developed and matured, leading to the first F-110 IAFCL export, delivery, and installation at Navantia’s San Fernando test site in 2024. This initial integration, demonstrated in Moorestown, was the critical first building block to reach Combat System Light Off for the F-111 first-of-class, scheduled for 2027. Integration and test will continue after land-based test site integration, with the first solid state SPY-7(V)2 radar being installed at the Aegis-SCOMBA Integration Center in 2024.
Donato Martínez, Navantia Defence Systems and Services Director, explained that the company’s long-term collaboration with Lockheed Martin confirms its place in the technological vanguard of military shipbuilding. “On the basis of work and solid relationships, both companies are now developing the F-110 frigates — the new generation, state-of-the-art frigates for the Spanish Navy […] International collaboration and technological advantage are the foundations upon which a robust, agile and flexible defence is based, and not only governments and the armed forces but also industry has a crucial role to play”.
The system will also be installed at the Spanish Navy’s systems integration centre in Rota prior to installation on the vessels themselves. “With Lockheed Martin’s focus on ensuring our customers stay ahead of ready […]it’s important we develop and deliver mission-focused defence capabilities by innovating with agility, urgency, and affordability. This integration is another step forward in providing Spain with the world’s most advanced and capable weapon system,” DePietro added.
