EspañolC5ISR is an acronym for Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.
Used primarily in the military and defense space, C5ISR is an extension to the overall Command and Control (C2) framework defined by the DoD as “the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission.”
C5ISR expands on the term ‘C4ISR’ and is the basis for the term ‘C6ISR’. Each referring to specific capabilities required for mission success. C4ISR does not include ‘cyber’ as C5ISR does, while C6ISR adds ‘combat’ to the list. The main difference between the three at their core is the addition of computers, cyber, and combat resources.
What is a C5ISR System?
To enable Command and Control, warfighters need equipment that allows them to achieve ultimate situational awareness. This means commanders and their personnel must have reliable and secure access to communications and any form of intelligence that may aid them in their mission.
According to the United States Army, the purpose of C5ISR technologies is to, “enable information dominance and decisive lethality for the networked Soldier”. These technologies can range from radios, workstations, and smartphones to night vision and electronic sensors. These solutions pooled together are what make up a C5ISR system.
In addition to aiding C2, the equipment that makes up the system must be reliable in deployed environments, robust to withstand attack, flexible to maintain C2 as the mission evolves, interoperable to support coalition activities, and easy to use for warfighters under siege.
Enabling C5ISR
REDCOM supplies U.S. and coalition partners with proven and easy-to-use C2 solutions. Such solutions include REDCOM’s latest offering, Sigma XRI-400. This rugged, small form factor platform was designed to bridge disparate modes of communication (such as IP and RF) at the Tactical Edge without ripping and replacing existing equipment.
Sigma XRI-400 is powered by REDCOM Sigma, a DoDIN Approved solution and C2 platform of choice for the United States Army’s network modernization. The XRI has low SWaP making it the perfect support for C2 functions.
C2 Solutions from REDCOM