The Targeting and Communication Command Kit (TCCK) is a solution designed for use by JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) and JFO (Joint Forward Observer) operators in coordinating air operations. This flexible and straightforward software enables the sharing of operational picture information and the identification and acquisition of targets.
Secure communications, awareness of the situation and information, agile command capabilities and total control of your resources: these are some of the needs arising from new and evolving defence scenarios, characterised by complex operations linked to both conventional and asymmetric threats. In this context, the deployment of advanced systems and innovative technologies for Land Command and Control is crucial, allowing the Armed Forces to meet new challenges and adapt to changing scenarios.
The Targeting and Communication Command Kit (TCCK) software was created with this aim in mind, in order to digitalise the operational scenario and targeting systems, facilitating multi-domain integration following a net-centric approach. The Command Post and JTAC/JFO versions of the system are developed at the Leonardo Electronics site in Rome, a centre of excellence for developing and producing defence technologies. Initially developed for the Italian Army’s FORZA NEC programme, it quickly took on an inter-force connotation.
Today, the TCCK significantly enhances effectiveness, meeting the targeting requirements of the Army, Navy and Air Force in increasingly dynamic and complex environments. Its potential can be applied to all platforms and systems in service.
Land artillery systems: Digitally-aided Artillery Support, DaRTY
Naval systems: Digitally-aided Naval Fire Support, DaNFS
Air systems: Digitally-aided Close Air Support, DaCAS
The system includes a Command and Control component, a communication suite (Satellite and Radio), and electro-optical sensors equipped with markers and laser rangefinders. Operators can use these tools directly via handheld devices or equipment mounted on vehicles.
Featuring advanced technology, analysis, and data fusion technologies that manage a large volume of real-time information, the TCCK facilitates the sharing of the operational picture at all levels, along with the identification and acquisition of targets. The system enables the coordination of targeting across a multitude of systems operating in three domains (land, sea and air), optimising their effects. The design allows for deployment across various forces operating in the field.
The Targeting and Communication Command Kit’s hallmark is its maximum interoperability with various defence systems across all domains. It provides added value that facilitates its effective deployment in inter-force and multinational contexts.
This feature, highly prioritised during the design phase, was realised through the collaboration of Leonardo experts with the Army, Navy, and Air Force during development. This synergy of skills has produced a flexible and versatile system, whose operational effectiveness is certified by the numerous platforms used to carry out continuous tests and simulations in the field
Interoperability encompasses all technologies in the sensor-to-shooter cycle, including radar, electro-optical systems, and communication, radio and satellite suites based on Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR).
The Targeting and Communication Command Kit is compatible with Leonardo technologies, like LINX and NOX, for medium and long-distance target detection and location, as well as third-party technologies. This compatibility allows for easy deployment in multinational operations, facilitating cooperation between systems from different countries’ Armed Forces using the Variable Message Format (VMF) communication protocol.
The ability to communicate via radio (HF-VHF-UHF) and satellite allows for interaction with other systems, facilitating the sharing of a live, continuously updated operational picture that includes the tactical situation and the ‘geography’ of targets of interest.
The TCCK, developed by incorporating the latest and most advanced technological and digital standards, features an intuitive and user-friendly next-generation human-machine interface. Its modular and scalable architecture makes it flexible software that can be installed on tablets, laptops or other compact devices. This ensures immediate usability for frontline operators and caters to their varied operational requirements.
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