Command and Control Information Systems for Military Applications
Abstract
Introduction/purpose: A command and control information system (C2IS) is a technical system designed to provide decision makers with the information they need to plan, coordinate, and manage operations. It consists of hardware and software, and includes a specialized set of tools and processes that aim to ensure the timely and accurate flow of information. C2IS can be intended for military applications, public safety, and corporate management. The paper presents the historical development of military C2IS. Examples of modern C2IS of some technologically advanced countries are given, such as the USA (NATO), the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, India, the United Kingdom, France and Israel.
References
Builder, C.H., Bankes, S.C. and Nordin, R. 1999. Command Concepts – A Theory Derived from the Practice of Command and Control, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica (CA). ISBN 0-8330-2450-7. Available at: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_reports/2006/MR775.pdf
Ellis, C., Lucas, R., Fawkes, B., Robson, M., Brown, A., Keedwell, E. and Black, J. 2024. Command and Control in the Future, RAND Europe, Cambridge (UK). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669e455049b9c0597fdb01bd/Paper_3_Conceptualising_C2_as_a_Capability_Final.pdf
Black, J., Lucas, R., Kennedy, J., Hughes, M. and Fine, H. 2024. Command and Control in the Future, RAND Europe, Cambridge (UK). Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65c4dde79c5b7f0012951b35/Command_Control_Future_C2_Complexity.pdf
Kroening, D.W. 1986. Army Command and Control Information Systems Requirements Definition, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 16(6), pp. 974-979. DOI: 10.1109/TSMC.1986.4309015
Cartwright, M. 2024. Dowding System, World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Dowding_System/
Freeman, E.C. (Editor). 1995. Technology in the National Interest, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington (MA). Available at: https://www.ll.mit.edu/about/history/sage-semi-automatic-ground-environment-air-defense-system
IBM History. 2025. SAGE. Available at: https://www.ibm.com/history/sage
Salisbury, A.B. 1979. TACFIRE: A case history of a weapon system software development, Journal of Systems and Software, 1, pp.155-175. DOI: 10.1016/0164-1212(79)90015-3
Bausch, F. A. 1987. Distributed TACS Communications, Proc. of IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM), Washington (DC), pp. 0796-8000. DOI: 10.1109/MILCOM.1987.4795326
Brick, D. and Ellersick, F. 1980. Future Air Force Tactical Communications, IEEE Transactions on Communications, 28(9), pp. 1551-1572. DOI: 10.1109/TCOM.1980.1094859
Fried, W. R. 1978. Principles and Simulation of JTIDS Relative Navigation, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 14(1), pp. 76-84. DOI: 10.1109/TAES.1978.308581
Golliday, C. 1985. Data Link Communications in Tactical Air Command and Control Systems, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, 3(5), pp. 779-791. DOI: 10.1109/JSAC.1985.1146251
Roetzheim, W. H. 1987. JTIDS Dynamic Net Management, Proc. of IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM), Washington (DC), pp. 13-18. DOI: 10.1109/MILCOM.1987.4795150
Wang, H., Kuang, J., Wang, Z. and Xu, H. 2005. Transmission performance evaluation of JTIDS, Proc of IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM), Atlantic City (NJ) pp. 2264-2268. DOI: 10.1109/MILCOM.2005.1606006
Collins Aerospace. 2025. Available at: https://www.collinsaerospace.com/what-we-do/industries/military-and-defense/communications/tactical-data-links/multifunctional-information-distribution-system
Donnelly, C. 1976. The Soviet War Machine: An Encyclopedia of Russian Military Equipment and Strategy, Chartwell Books, New York. ISBN 978-0890090848
Sterling, M.J. 1985. Soviet Reactions to NATO’s Emerging Technologies for Deep Attack, RAND Note N-2294-AF. Available at: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/notes/2009/N2294.pdf
Военное обозрение. 2013. Концепция автоматизированной системы управления боем. Available at: https://topwar.ru/33550-koncepciy-avtomatizirovannoy-sistemy-upravleniya-boevymi-deystviyami.html
Herspring, D.R. 1990. The Soviet High Command, 1967-1989, Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691633428
Военное обозрение. 2012. Манёвр – первая советская АСУВ поля боя. Available at: https://topwar.ru/19414-manevr-pervaya-sovetskaya-asuv-polya-boya.html
Ivanov, D.A, Savelyev, V.P. and Shemanskiy, P.V. 1977. Fundamentals of Tactical Command and Control: A Soviet View (translation from Russian), Soviet Military Thought, Moscow. Available at: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA141119.pdf
Lingel, S., Hagen, J., Hastings, E., Lee, M., Sargent, M., Walsh, M., Zhang, L.A. & Blancett, D. 2020. Joint All-Domain Command and Control for Modern Warfare, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica (CA). ISBN: 978-1-9774-0514-2. Available at: www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR4408z1.html
Deptula, D. 2022. Making joint all domain command and control a reality, War on the Rocks. Available at: https://warontherocks.com/2022/12/making-joint-all-demand-command-and-control-a-reality/
Aptima, 2025. Available at: https://www.aptima.com/aptima-awarded-id-iq-contract-with-950-million-ceiling-to-enable-joint-all-domain-command-and-control-jadc2/?utm
Businesswire. 2020. Available at: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200804005364/en/SAIC-to-Partner-with-U.S.-Air-Force-on-Joint-All-Domain-Command-and-Control-under-Multiple-Award-950-Million-Advanced-Battle-Management-System-Contract?utm
Businesswire. 2022. Available at: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220926005136/en/Oceus-Awarded-to-the-Advanced-Battle-Management-System-IDIQ-to-Enable-Joint-All-Domain-Command-and-Control-JADC2?utm
Harper, J. 2023. Pentagon requesting more than $3B for AI and JADC2, DefenseCoop. Available at: https://defensescoop.com/2023/03/13/pentagon-requesting-more-than-3b-for-ai-jadc2/?utm
Pecina, M. and Dufek, R. 2016. Use of LOGFAS tools in logistics planning in NATO, Revista Academiei Fortelor Terestre, 2(82), pp. 120-126. Available at: https://www.armyacademy.ro/reviste/rev2_2016/Pecina.pdf
Pecina, M. and Husak, J. 2018. Application of the new NATO logistics system, Land Forces Academy Review, 23(2), pp. 121-127, DOI: 10.2478/raft-2018-0014
NATO IAMD. 2025. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_8206.htm
Army Programs FBCB2. 2025. Available at: https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2011/army/2011fbcb2.pdf?ver=2019
Studylib.net. 2014. Available at: https://studylib.net/doc/10878983/unclassified
Army Programs FBCB2/BFT. 2025. Available at: https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/budget/fy2005/dot-e/army/2005fbcb2.pdf
Nett Warrior IOT&E Report. 2015. Available at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/Science_and_Technology/16-F-0250_(REPORT)_Nett_Warrior_IOT&E_Report.pdf
Hitchens, T. and Valasek, T. 2006. The security dimension of European collective efforts in space. In: SIPRI Yearbook 2006: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security. Available at: https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/YB06%20565%2011.pdf
Poulsen, N.B. and Staun. J. (eds.). 2021. Russia’s Military Might – A Portrait of its Armed Forces, Djøf Publishing, København. Available at: https://www.fak.dk/globalassets/fak/dokumenter/publikationer/-russias-military-might-.pdf
McDermott, R. 2019-a. Russian Military Introduces New Automated Command-and-Control Systems, Eurasia Daily Monitor, 16(86). Available at: https://jamestown.org/program/russian-military-introduces-new-automated-command-and-control-systems/?utm
McDermott, R. 2019-b. Moscow Showcases Breakthrough in Automated Command and Control, Eurasia Daily Monitor, 16(164). Available at: https://jamestown.org/program/moscow-showcases-breakthrough-in-automated-command-and-control/?utm
Withington, T. 2025. Of Strelets and Andromeda, Armada International. Available at: https://www.armadainternational.com/2025/01/russian-land-forces-tactical-and-operational-command-and-control-milcom/?utm
Live Journal. 2025. Единая система управления тактического звена. Available at: https://ru-artillery.livejournal.com/550096.html
Dbpedia.org. 2025. https://dbpedia.org/page/Russian_Space_Forces
Uppal, R. 2024. Russia’s Electronic Warfare Dominance: A Comprehensive Overview, International Defense, Securuty & Technology, Available at: https://idstch.com/geopolitics/russias-electronic-warfare-dominance-a-comprehensive-overview/
Scobell, A. and Kamphausen, R. 2007. Right Sizing the People's Liberation Army: Exploring the Contours of China's Military, USAWC Press. Available at: https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=monographs
Bommakanti, K. and Amjad H. 2023. China's military modernisation: recent trends, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi (India). Available at: https://www.zbw.eu/econis-archiv/bitstream/11159/654398/1/1845125193_0.pdf
Alsaied, J. 2023. The People’s Liberation Army’s Command and Contol Affects the Future of Out-of-Area Operations, Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, 6(2), pp. 145-153. Available at: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/Display/Article/3371571/the-peoples-liberation-armys-command-and-control-affects-the-future-of-out-of-a/
Demarest, C. 2023. China developing own version of JADC2 to counter US, c4isrnet. Available at: https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2023/01/05/china-developing-own-version-of-jadc2-to-counter-us/
Rej, A. and Joshi, S. 2018. India’s Joint Doctrine: A Lost Opportunity, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi (India). ISBN: 978-93-87407-49-7. https://www.orfonline.org/public/uploads/posts/pdf/20240812130129.pdf
Pant, H.V. and Bommakanti, K. 2023. Towards the Integration of Emerging Technologies in India’s Armed Forces, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi (India). Available at: https://www.orfonline.org/public/uploads/posts/pdf/20240610150049.pdf
Borja, L.J. and Ramana, M.V. 2020. Command and Control of India’s Nuclear Arsenal, Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament, 3(1), pp. 1-20. DOI:10.1080/25751654.2020.1760021. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/25751654.2020.1760021?needAccess=true
IndraStra Global. 2015. India’s Integrated Air Command & Control System (IACCS): A NCW Milestone. https://www.indrastra.com/2015/09/ANALYSIS-IACCS-257.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
BEL C4ISS. 2025. Available at: https://bel-india.in/product/c4is-trinetra-command-control-solution-for-integrated-air-defence-operations/
Pandit, R. 2014a. Naval Intelligence Network Launch Tomorrow. The Times of India, November 21, 2014. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naval-intelligence-network-launch-tomorrow/articleshow/45237364.cms
Pandit, R. 2014b. Navy Gets New Facility to Communicate with Nuclear Submarines Prowling Underwater.” The Times of India, July 31, 2014. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Navy-gets-new-facility-to-communicate-with-nuclear-submarines-prowling-underwater/articleshow/39371121.cms
BEL CIDSS. 2025. Available at: https://bel-india.in/product/command-information-and-decision-support-system-cidss/
BEL BSS. 2025. https://bel-india.in/product/battlefield-surveillance-system-bss/
DE&S. 2022. https://des.mod.uk/guardian-air-command-control-system/
Borealis. 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-made-space-system-to-help-protect-military-satellites?utm
BAE TC2. 2025. https://www.baesystems.com/en/product/tactical-command-and-control
LETacCIS. 2023. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/le-taccis-programme
BattleSpace. 2023. https://battle-updates.com/update/trinity-breathes-life-into-morpheus/
RDN. 2025. Available at: https://www.defnat.com/e-RDN/vue-article-cahier.php?carticle=1233
Thales. 2016. Available at: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/press-release/thales-provide-first-interoperable-command-information-system-french-army
IsraelDefense. 2016. https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/22310
Elbit. 2024. Available at: https://www.elbitsystems.com/blog/the-science-behind-our-air-defense
Janes. 2022. Available at: https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/c4isr/idf-using-thousands-of-orion-handheld-c2-systems
Copyright (c) 2025 Branislav Todorović
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Proposed Creative Commons Copyright Notices
Proposed Policy for Military Technical Courier (Journals That Offer Open Access)
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).