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A command and control (C2) system provides information to maritime decision makers by generating meaningful output pertinent to their operational requirements and mission objectives. If a sensor package identifies a threat, it is relayed to the C2 system, accounting for environmental data from other systems. The C2 system displays and processes all information, relaying it to and from weapon systems, so that the ship may engage optimally and eliminate a threat appropriately.

This report divides C2 systems into two segments: command management systems and combat management systems. A command management system is the overarching C2 system that will display and manage information from a variety of subsystems to inform decisions. The combat management system is used in conjunction with the command management system to track, assess, and engage threats. This global research service investigates changing concepts in operations, whilst covering wider geopolitical and market drivers and restraints. A discussion is provided for current technological trends and developments within the global C2 market that readers should be aware off.

C2 systems will evolve as maritime systems become more autonomous; fewer naval personnel will be needed with the proliferation of unmanned systems. Increasingly, naval warfare will take place across a multi-domain battlespace with further integration of air, maritime, and land-based C2 domains. New weapon systems are driving developments in C2 requirements, such as directed energy weapons, railguns, and hypersonic systems. These systems will need to be integrated into current C2 systems, which will have to manage the increased power requirements. Hypersonics is predominantly driving the requirement for C2 systems to be linked across domains and countries in order to engage through other systems’ sensors.