Situational awareness is critical to military operations, enabling soldiers and pilots to make informed decisions and respond quickly to changing situations on the battlefield. Intelligent displays play a key role in increasing situational awareness in aviation and ground applications. In this article, we explore how high-resolution, high-throughput displays improve situational awareness in military operations, both in the air and on the ground.
The importance of situational awareness in military operations
Situational awareness is the ability to understand and assess the environment and conditions in real time to make informed decisions and act effectively in critical situations. In the military context, situational awareness is crucial to:
- Identify and locate targets and threats
- Coordinate and plan joint actions
- Reduce reaction time
- Minimize errors and casualties
- Improve the effectiveness of mission accomplishment
Multifunctional aeronautical displays: increasing situational awareness in the air
High-resolution multifunction aeronautical displays allow pilots to access critical information in real time.
This type of displays manufactured by Tecnobit-Grupo Oesía are used exclusively in the F-18, and are designed for:
- Providing information on aircraft position and velocity
- Facilitate navigation and route tracking
- Display information on weapon systems and targets
- Facilitate communication with other aircraft and control centers.
The use of these displays increases pilots’ situational awareness by enabling them to make faster and more accurate decisions in combat situations.
Ruggedized ground displays: improving situational awareness in ground combat vehicles
The family of intelligent multifunction displays Tecnobits COMputer Touch Equipment (COMTE) of Grupo Oesía is specially designed and qualified for its use in land vehicles. These ruggedized displays offer:
- Resistance to shocks, vibrations and extreme temperatures
- High-resolution touch screens and processing capabilities
- Integration with navigation and communications systems
These displays enable soldiers to access crucial information in real time, improving their ability to make informed decisions and react quickly to changes on the battlefield.
Covering the complete product cycle: adaptability to project needs
Grupo Oesía takes care of the complete cycle of its products, from design to manufacturing and after-sales support. This allows the displays to be adapted to the electronics and security requirements of each project, guaranteeing customized solutions for the specific needs of each customer.
The vision of the future in displays: combat cloud or tactical cloud
The combat cloud or tactical cloud represents the future of defense and situational awareness. These concepts are based on the interconnection of systems and platforms to share information in real time, improving decision making and coordination on the battlefield. The development of intelligent displays must be integrated with these emerging technologies to provide military forces with a competitive advantage in the future.
The role of intelligent displays in technological innovation
Grupo Oesía, as a Spanish multinational engineering company dedicated to technological innovation, is committed to develop products and services that respond to the challenges of the planet and its inhabitants. Intelligent multifunction displays are an example of how innovation can improve situational awareness in military operations and ultimately contribute to a safer and more efficient future.
Integration of displays with artificial intelligence and machine learning systems
As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning advance, smart displays are also benefiting from these technologies. The integration of AI into multifunction displays enables the processing and analysis of large volumes of data in real time, making it easier to identify patterns and anticipate events on the battlefield. Some benefits of this integration include:
- Automatic detection and classification of targets and threats
- Real-time image and data analysis for improved decision making
- Automation of routine tasks, allowing soldiers and pilots to focus on mission-critical aspects of the mission
Virtual reality and augmented reality
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have revolutionized the scope of displays used in the defense field, making it possible for soldiers to have an immersive and enhanced battlefield experience at their fingertips. In particular, they have transformed the way information is collected, analyzed and visualized. This competitive advantage is key to making quick decisions in critical situations.
With virtual reality, soldiers can immerse themselves in realistic virtual environments that simulate different scenarios and terrains. This immersion is achieved through VR viewers and by generating different combat situations, from urban operations to combat in difficult terrain. The simulation of these conditions in real time hones tactical and strategic skills without putting soldiers at real risk while training under any possible scenario.
Augmented reality, on the other hand, is a very useful tool on the battlefield. AR viewers or glasses overlay digital information on the real world, providing an enriched view of your environment. It also supports situational awareness by allowing them to access data such as maps, patrol routes, target locations and biometric data of their teammates, all in real time and directly in their field of view.
Customizable and modular displays: adaptability to different platforms
Smart displays should be characterized by being customizable and modular, allowing them to be adapted to different platforms and military systems. This flexibility is crucial to ensure interoperability between different armed forces and weapon systems. Some advantages of customizable and modular displays include:
- Facilitating integration with different military systems and platforms
- Enable upgrading and modernization of displays without the need to change the entire infrastructure
- Facilitate maintenance and repair of displays in the event of failure or damage
Training and coaching: how smart displays improve military readiness
Multi-function intelligent displays are also a valuable tool for training and education of military forces. By simulating combat situations and providing real-time feedback, the displays enable soldiers and pilots to develop essential skills and improve their ability to deal with real-life situations. These are some of the benefits that displays bring to training and coaching:
- Simulation of realistic combat scenarios to enhance readiness and adaptability
- Real-time evaluation and performance monitoring of soldiers and pilots
- Facilitating learning and adoption of new tactics and technologies
Future challenges in the development of intelligent displays
Despite advances in display technology, there are still challenges in developing even more advanced and efficient solutions. Some of these challenges include:
- Improve the strength and durability of displays in extreme conditions and harsh environments
- Integrating emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, to improve situational awareness
- Develop displays with higher throughput and lower power consumption
Intelligent displays development by Grupo Oesía
The multifunction intelligent displays developed by Grupo Oesía are fundamental to improve the situational awareness in military operations, both in aeronautical and terrestrial applications. These high-resolution, high-throughput devices enable pilots and soldiers to access critical information in real time, facilitating informed decision making and increasing mission effectiveness. In addition, the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, together with the adaptability of customizable and modular displays, ensure interoperability between different armed forces and weapon systems.
Training and coaching also benefit from the use of intelligent multifunction displays, as they allow the simulation of realistic combat scenarios and the monitoring of soldiers’ and pilots’ performance in real time. Despite future challenges in the development of more advanced and efficient displays, Grupo Oesía continues to lead the way in technological innovation and the development of cutting-edge solutions for global defense and security.
With the vision of integrating emerging technologies such as combat cloud, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, Grupo Oesía is positioned as a key player in the field of technological innovation applied to military operations. Through its commitment to developing products and services that respond to the challenges of the planet and its inhabitants, the company continues to make a difference in improving situational awareness and effectiveness on the battlefield.
Juan Carlos Gómez, EPIIC Project Manager en Grupo Oesía