65 Protecting and Securing Our Nation “We conducted many field trials and a lot of iteration with the end users,” the integrator said. “They are not interested in a fancy technical solution; they’re interested in something that helps them do their job better.” Maps are a key means to keep things simple because we all innately know how to use a map. “Maps always were and always will be in some way the backbone for military leaders and for conducting military operations,” he said. Contrasting to Current Conditions in Ukraine The modernization approach among NATO forces stands out against the Russian approach in Ukraine, because modern combat is not won by the number of soldiers anymore. Instead, it relies on information superiority to enable decision dominance and coordinated collaborative actions. Ukrainian forces have apps on their phones, and they are sharing information about where Russian troops are and where high-value targets are located. Then they can decide what artillery system to use without having to throw all their soldiers at the target. “It’s a clever way of doing things that also cares about our soldiers,” the integrator said. When it comes to the next generation of soldier systems, the emphasis isn’t on empowering each individual to do it alone, it’s about collaboration and working together as a whole. System integrators have also come together to make this happen, with many technical minds piecing together different parts from aligned industry partners, working to advance what’s possible. “I think it’s the same as our approach to building a complex system of systems,” the integrator said. “You have to focus on a deep level about the functionality of all the different parts of the system and coordinate all the different parts to get them working together. Together they form a system you couldn’t create on your own.” Drones provide soldiers with extended perspectives to see their context and detect other actors.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA2NTE0Mw==