The first NC3A Chief Information Officers (CIOs) International Conference closed its doors in the end of February. The objective is reached: the NATO C3 Agency achieved to start a discussion and encourage the South-Eastern cooperation with NATO in the area of C4I. In the long run NC3A is willing to repeat this regional conference model on an annual basis.
Entitled “C4I Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe – The new outlook” the conference aimed at fostering and promoting multinational cooperation in the areas of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) with the ultimate goal to achieve a better and greater interoperability across NATO, NATO Partners and EU.
The potential for enhanced cooperation with Nations and in particular with SEE Nations is greatly confirmed by the success of the event. The presentations outlined many national priorities that could be tackled with NC3A Support, both bi-laterally and multi-laterally, whenever possible.
The conference began on 23 February with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable a more efficient cooperation between Bulgaria and the NC3A on C4ISR issues. Both the Deputy Minister of Defence, Dr. V. Radev, and the General Manager of NC3A, Mr. D’hollander, were present to sign this important document that will leverage the benefits of multinational approaches to capability development.
Shift of paradigm
“We are in essence looking at a shift of paradigm. Traditionally, we have worked on developing capabilities nationally and then worked –and paid – again at the Alliance level to make them interoperable. Now we are seeking to engage Nations in a direct, comprehensive approach that will deliver capabilities that are ‘born interoperable’. After all – as National budget come under pressure – Nations only want to pay once for capabilities that will work with their NATO partners and protect the safety of their troops”, said Mr. D’hollander.
“Through such an agreement, we allow Nations to select the projects in which they are interested and we go on hand in hand. NC3A and the Bulgarian Army are going to cooperate in Information and Computer Technology Area as well as in the domain of Civil and Military relations and crisis command where Bulgaria has already a serious role”, declared Velizar Shalamanov, the NC3A Director of Sponsor Account for NATO Nations.
“I would like to express our gratitude toward NC3A for their commitment in the South-Eastern Europe processes. The signing of the Memorandum is linked to the Ministry of Defence’s will to focus on the quality of the defence policy. This step is also correlated with the attempt to introduce a modern process of strategic control and managerial approaches to political leadership, command and administrations”, underlined Dr. Radev.
To a further cooperation
During the two-day conference, NC3A presented the Comprehensive C4ISR Approach and Vision to explain how, by acting in cooperation with relevant NATO Agencies, it is well positioned to facilitate multinational cooperative efforts at regional level and support multi-national C4I transformational efforts towards enhanced and more interoperable capabilities.
The conference ended with the drafting of a Strategic C4ISR Plan prototype which supports the new level of cooperation between the countries engaged in the SEDM initiative in tailoring the NC3A offer to national requirements.
This first successful meeting laid the foundation stone to the establishment of the CIO Conference format on an annual basis. In 2011, the next CIO conference will be organized in Poland to look at potential multi-national cooperation for NATO Nations and Partners.