ESG - Command, Control and Information Systems

ESG is one of the leading German companies for the development and integration of IT and electronic systems. We accompany the entire lifecycle of complex high-tech products and are a longstanding partner of the military, public authorities and industry. For these national and international customers we provide system development, consultancy, logistics, training and technical services. Impartial with respect to hardware and manufacturers, we develop and integrate customer-specific solutions including:

• TARANIS: a tactical C4I system for all troop operations on the battlefield
• ADLER II: a C2I and weapon deployment system for the artillery
• CHARLY: a psychosocial support and training platform
• GeoBroker®: a geospatial data management system

TARANIS: modular tactical C4I system

TARANIS is a modular tactical C4I system which provides state-of-the-art data processing support for all troop operations on the battlefield. It consists primarily of field-tested components for information and resource management, fire control and ballistics. TARANIS integrates sensors and shooters from all troops and supports surveillance, target and engagement management. Modules for integrating different communication equipment complete the system functionality. This network-centric solution supports joint and combined operations with standardised interfaces.

TARANIS’ most significant features are its modularity and scaleability. These enable not just easy customisation of the system to the specific requirements of different troops, but also provide core functionality and offer our customers the best possible investment protection through reusability. ESG has developed and realised various solutions based on TARANIS modules for the German Army.

ADLER II: artillery C2I and weapon deployment system

Used by the German Artillery, ADLER II is a state-of-the-art command, control and weapon deployment system based on TARANIS modules. One of its main strengths is decision support for indirect fire support functionality for artillery and mortar systems. Flexible communication services manage the secure information flow from sensor to shooter. Combined operations are enabled by the standardised multinational ASCA (Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities) interface.

ADLER II is the central system component of the artillery system, which improves artillery fire control, fire precision, the quality of target acquisition and flexibility during deployment and reduces response times for fire missions.

System features include:

• An integrated map and situational awareness module
• Processing and distribution of commands, messages, target and status information
• Surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance
• Tactical fire control including the calculation of optimal weapon and ammunition deployment for combat
• Technical fire control including ballistics calculation using the NABK
• Interfaces to other systems including UAVs and meteorological systems

CHARLY: pyschosocial support to help reduce PTSD

The multimedia training platform CHARLY supports the primary prevention of possible psychotraumata, helping to increase mission forces’ stress resilience with the aim of reducing absences caused by stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD).

With CHARLY soldiers learn to recognise causes and symptoms of acute stress disorder and to recognise and accept their own limits. Methods and ways of coping are also imparted and practised. The users are guided through the system by a virtual coach. Videos, photos and interactive formats are used to play through possible mission scenarios/crises. The user observes, evaluates, assigns, selects, makes decisions, tags information, categorises, changes arrangements, models and simulates, tests and expands his behavioural options. Direct “biofeedback”, collected through the skin conductance, helps the user to become more aware of his stress and relaxation reactions. CHARLY also measures the results and documents user behaviour.

CHARLY is being implemented in the Explosive Ordnance Division of the German Armed Forces. A version for the German military police is planned for 2010.

GeoBroker®: geospatial data management system

GeoBroker® is an intelligent, high-performance solution for the archiving, management, retrieval, display and dissemination of all kinds of imagery and geospatial intelligence information. The graphical, web-enabled information system supports more than 60 different data types including the standardised NATO formats for imagery, elevation data, raster maps, and vector data. Typical applications of GeoBroker® are:

• Acquisition, verification and dissemination of geospatial data for public authorities, armed forces and intelligence agencies
• Set up and management of large worldwide geospatial and image archives
• Planning and support of civil and military crisis operations
• Geospatial data preparation for the generation of 2D/3D simulation databases

GeoBroker® can be easily customised and tailored to user needs, existing hardware and software environment. GeoBroker® is in operational use at public and military authorities and is the central information system for geospatial data at the Bundeswehr Geoinformation Office.

The ESG solution for mobile geospatial data provisioning enables geospatial information to be provided quickly, efficiently and centrally to military and civil missions and exercises. The system provides access to file-based geospatial data, geospatial data search via a Web portal, various Geo Web services and a high-performance 2D / 3D visualisation.