The Coalition Aerial Surveillance and Reconnaissance (CAESAR) Simulation Exercise 2003: Results and the Way Ahead

Abstract : The Coalition Aerial Surveillance and Reconnaissance (CAESAR) Project involves seven Nations in developing future Aerospace Ground Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AGS&R) applications. In October 2003, the CAESAR project conducted a combined joint simulation exercise at the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) in The Hague. Various sensor system simulations, their associated ground stations and national exploitation stations were integrated in one exercise. About 80 national military operators and technical experts trained and conducted combined and joint AGS&R operations. For operational and procedural interoperability, the exercise validated large portions of a Coalition Concept of Employment for AGS&R. Concerning technical interoperability, the exercise proved the application of a Coalition Shared Database (CSD) and various Standardisation Agreements such as for Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). In October 2004, the CAESAR project will conduct a final Technical Interoperability Experiment. For the years 2005 to 2009, the Multi-Sensor Aerospace-Ground Joint Interoperable Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Coalition (MAJIIC) project is being developed to expand on the findings of CAESAR.