Last October another Level 1 Operation, Configuration and Maintenance Training Course was held for the C4I soldier system equipment.
Our EID team successfully completed another stage of this project with the Portuguese Army at the Escola das Armas in Mafra. The photo shows the two teams that spent a few days in active interaction in order to complete this training.
In order to better understand what the Soldier System project is and the various stages of its journey, here are some more descriptive topics.
Photo caption: Group photo with the trainees, the project manager from the Army TCor Susana Pinto, trainer Ricardo Rodrigues, and the project manager from EID, Delfim Veiga.
Delivery of the Soldier System to the Portuguese Army
The contract for the Soldier System is multi-annual and began in 2021, with the most significant delivery of goods taking place in 2023. At the beginning of 2024, the goods for 2024 were delivered and the supply will continue through to 2026.
Steps for the System’s Operation in the Field
To ensure the system operates effectively in the field, operational validation tests were conducted. In December 2023, the first tests were carried out with the Comandos Regiment in Carregueira, using three teams with Commander and Individual Radio configurations. In May and September 2024, operational tests were carried out at company level in Infantry Regiment No. 13 in Vila Real and in October 2024, a training course for trainers was held, which will be replicated within the Army.
Current Project Status
The project is in its final stages and the first companies will be equipped throughout 2025.
End Users of the System
The system is intended for lower-ranking military personnel, including sections soldiers (individual radio configuration), Section, Platoon and Company leaders (commander configuration). One of the operational scenarios includes dismounted sections supported by armed vehicles. The system allows dismounted soldiers to communicate with the vehicle crew and the dismounted section leader to communicate via the vehicle’s radio means.
Future Prospects
EID is currently developing a DH-450 vehicle integrator, which will allow section soldiers, when transported in vehicles, to integrate battery charging, voice communication, and information sharing between the soldiers’ C4I system and the vehicle’s data network.
C4I system tested at Infantry Regiment No. 13
From 20 to 23 May, the Communications and Information Directorate conducted a series of tests of the company-level Command, Control, Communications and Information (C4I) system at the No. 13 Infantry Regiment, based in Vila Real.
The C4I Project, part of the Soldier Combat Systems Programme, aims to equip mounted forces with an advanced communications and information system, which will enable voice and data transmission, as well as improving Situational Awareness through the Dismounted Soldier System – Command & Control.
During the tests, the 1st Wheeled Mechanised Rifle Company of the 1st Wheeled Mechanised Infantry Battalion, part of the Intervention Brigade, carried out various tactical tasks in rural and urban environments, with the aim of testing different configurations and the interoperability of the system’s various components.
Tests of the C4I system will continue until it is validated, and the first equipment is expected to be delivered to the Companies of the Operational Component of the Force System in 2025. (Source: https://www.exercito.pt/pt/informacao-publica/noticias/6848)
