In any mission, situational awareness (SA) refers to the ability of decision-makers to identify, process, and analyse critical information from various sources. Thus, SA plays a key role in any air, naval, and military operation. Advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technologies integrated with command and control capabilities provide air, ground, and maritime solutions with real-time SA information for strategic decision making. High-bandwidth sensor processing, video management systems, secure network routers, and switches play a crucial role in effective decision-making in a mission. These products and solutions are essential for commanders to make informed decisions.
Situational awareness systems
A significant increase in the adoption of situation awareness systems by governments in various countries around the world for the defence sector, an increase in the use of displays among end-users to process real-time videos, and remarkable benefits of GPS systems such as detection, immediate and precise situation awareness even in extreme weather conditions, and extensive use of control and command systems in the aerospace industries are expected to drive the growth of the C2 market.
Modernisation of existing military infrastructure
These command and control systems are expected to improve situational awareness between various military assets, such as aircraft, ships, and army units. New generation infrastructure includes the addition of network-centric warfare and battlefield management systems. The researchers found that increasing focus on data analysis with the use of data mining techniques has enabled improved decision and operational planning for armed forces. The military uses video- and voice-based data obtained from UAVs, satellite, and ground-based communication systems.
Military expenditure
In 2020, the global military expenditure was worth USD 1,981 billion, the highest level since 1988 as per Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The global military expenditure in 2020 was 2.6% higher in real terms than in 2019 and 9.3% higher than in 2011. While most countries around the world experienced severe economic downturns in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global military expenditure continued to rise due to growing tension and disputes on several international borders around the world.
Based on application, the government & defence segment is projected to lead the command and control systems market from 2022 to 2027, due to the increasing investments by various countries in battle management systems and air and missile defence systems.
North America accounts for largest share
North America led the command and control systems market in 2022, with the US accounting for the largest share of the regional market. Countries in North America are investing in command and control systems to enhance defence and surveillance capabilities of the armed forces. Critical infrastructure and law enforcement sectors are increasingly using command and control systems. Critical infrastructure includes government installations, power plants, airports, and seaports. These systems are being used to manage the safety systems and security of this critical infrastructure.
Major command and control system manufacturing companies, such as Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, and L3harris Technologies, are headquartered in this region. The command and control systems market in North America is majorly driven by factors, such as the US Army’s overseas missions and the need to safeguard homeland security.
Some of the main players in the command and control systems market and not already mentioned above inclue, Collins Aerospace, Thales Group, BAE Systems, and Data Link Solutions.