In March 2024, the Tawazun Council, Naval Group, and Marakeb Technologies entered into a collaborative development agreement to create the national combat management system (NCMS). This deal involves a comprehensive and thorough transfer of technology. The agreement, inked in Abu Dhabi, is a strategic initiative aimed at bolstering the UAE's defense and security sectors.
It seeks to facilitate the rapid expansion of the industry and develop national defense solutions that can effectively address future requirements. Naval Group and Marakeb Technologies, a subsidiary of Strategic Development Fund Company (SDF), have entered into an agreement to collaborate on this program. Marakeb Technologies has been selected as the national partner for collaborative development. Naval Group will enhance the NCMS capability for the UAE Navy, allowing them to establish a national CMS that will be seamlessly incorporated into their naval fleet, for both new ships and existing ones that require modifications.
In October 2023, Thales and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) entered into a contract for the provision of the TACTICOS integrated combat management system (CMS), sonars, air-surveillance and fire-control radars, and a 360° infrared sensor for the MIECZNIK1 Frigate programme of the Polish Navy. The frigates will be delivered by the PGZ-MIECZNIK Consortium as part of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2022 by Thales, PGZ, and PGZ SW. This agreement enables the consortium to meet the required multirole capabilities. Thales will install the TACTICOS combat management system, sonars, infrared sensor, and radars on the Polish Navy MIECZNIK frigates.
These systems will enhance the warships' capabilities in detecting, identifying, commanding, controlling, and making decisions. The inaugural vessel is anticipated to commence operations in 2029 as part of a strategic initiative that involves a collaborative partnership between Thales and the PGZ-MIECZNIK Consortium, headed by Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa.
The MIECZNIK class multi-role frigates have been specifically designed to perform various tasks at sea, such as safeguarding sea lines of communication and critical infrastructure. These frigates will greatly enhance the capabilities of the Polish Navy and serve as a significant contribution from the Republic of Poland to the North Atlantic Alliance. The warships will be outfitted with a suite of sensors designed by Thales and seamlessly integrated into the ship's combat system.
Elbit Systems: Unveiled a new open-architecture combat management system called "ETHOS" designed for flexibility and scalability across various platforms and missions. (August 2023)
Northrop Grumman Corporation: Successfully tested its Integrated Fire Control Network (IFCN) for joint all-domain operations, enabling seamless communication and targeting across air, land, and sea forces. (July 2023)
Thales Group: Secured a €1.7 billion contract from the French Ministry of Defense to upgrade the combat management systems of the Marine Nationale's frigates and aircraft carriers. (November 2023)
For instance,August 2021 To integrate fire control naval radars within the Brandenburg Class Frigates (F123) of the German Navy, Saab AB was given a contract worth USD 535 million by BAAINBw (the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support). As part of the contract, a new CMS will be implemented to reduce the risk of integrating fire control and naval radar capabilities.
For instance,September 2022 Lockheed Martin was chosen for a USD 93 Point 2 million one-year contract as part of a modification for maintaining the Freedom Class Littoral Combat Vessel's component-based Total Ship System. The contract also covers COMBATSS-21 testing and integration.