Systematic Software Engineering

After delivering the force tracking software for the Royal Danish Navy, the group developed a Variable Message Format communications platform, for use between NATO partners, known as IRIS. It is characterised by one defence analyst, Joseph J Molitoris, as a “comprehensive message handling and formatting system” that is “compliant with multiple USMTF and JVMF baselines.”[9]

The US Army’s Command Post Computing Environment, used at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, is an iteration of the battle management system.

IRIS became the foundation software for more complex systems for battle management.[10] By 2011 Systematic had iterated blue force tracking software, called SitaWare, which the Danish army began using on operations.[10] Originally designed to provide situational awareness to commanders in the land domain, SitaWare generates a common operational picture that can be shared between operators in battle with partner forces.[11] The first military force to use SitaWare was Denmark. It's understood that the first land force to adopt SitaWare, outside of Denmark, was the Slovenian Army.[12]

The system is integrated (at top left) in the command area of the M1A2 main battle tank acquired by Poland in 2023.

During the War in Afghanistan, several ISAF partners deployed SitaWare as their command and control system, such as the Danish Army, Slovenian Ground Force and Swedish Armed Forces.[10] The Swedish army began training with SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare WebCOP from 2010, then formed part of Regional Command North in Mazar-e Sharif, with 500 soldiers. Its force tracking capabilities may have prevented fratricide.[2]

The 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea affected uptake of the system, particularly amongst US commanders, and it was chosen over Raytheon for their requirements.[3] By 2017, the US Army Mission Command Center of Excellence had selected SitaWare Headquarters for its command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) system.[13]

The Frontline system, deployed in a Bundeswehr GTK Boxer.

Systematic moved to be a supplier of software systems for the health sector and large data projects, as well as defence.The first iteration of the software for hospitals, Columna Flow, was used for Electronic Health Record management, in the small central region of Denmark in 2011–13.[14] Its first national project was the deployment of software to manage and track infection and testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] Systematic has built data management platforms for Danish Police, for Danish intelligence services as well as its libraries and educational institutions.[2]

While the company has attempted to move to a broader product offering, the military side has continued.[1] By 2023, there were 45 nations using the SitaWare platform at some level of command.[16] The company's 2022 annual report states they have a million warfighters using one of their software solutions.[17] In 2023, a change of senior leadership was shared with the business community, with Holm transitioning from being CEO and Chairman, to Chairman alone, in that year.[18]

The IRIS Suite is a Military Message Handling System.[9] As commercial off-the-shelf software, using NATO command and control standards, it integrates with the systems of allied users.[9][10] Its structured message format can assist with the simplification of orders, reports, and messaging.[10] IRIS Forms and IRIS WebForms comply with NATO Interoperability Standards including NATO ADatP-3/APP11, OTH-T GOLD, United States Military Standard and Australian Standard Military Text Format.[20][21]

Australian soldiers on exercise at Talisman Sabre 2019, where the software was deployed.

SitaWare Suite provides C2 for static and deployed command.[16] It envelops SitaWare Headquarters, SitaWare Frontline, and SitaWare Edge.[16][22] It provides C2 at command-post, command vehicle or at the combat lines.[23] It is used to track friendly forces, to provide situational awareness, to connect force elements and to share battleground information with the command chain and allies.[24][25] The Suite is used by several NATO partners, including its newer members. In 2023, the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) disclosed its plans to use the entire SitaWare suite the Finnish Army.[26]

SitaWare Headquarters connect echelons, such as a national command centre to the individual soldier.[12] It aggregates large volumes of data, from military and civilian sources, to generate a common operational picture for land, maritime, air and joint operations.[11] The software supports staff in planning and executing operations with tools for C2, for operational planning while providing situational awareness.[16] Australian and American commanders used the system in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019.[27] In 2020, the British Army 3rd Division - took SitaWare Headquarters into service, for situational awareness and command and control, at the battalion level and above.[28] It is reported that the system's ability to create interoperability with allied forces was a key reason for adoption by the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Australian Defence Force.[24]

The Pandur used by Slovenian Armed Forces is equipped with the Frontline iteration.

SitaWare Frontline is a mission planning system designed for use in command vehicles. The system can issue orders from an electronic map; communicated via tactical radio networks – both IP and non-IP.[29][16] Since 2021 it has included force tracking, geospatial tools, and cursor on-target messages.[28] It may display two video feeds from external sensors and subsystems.[26] It can include a Fire support module (known as Thor in the Danish forces).[30] The system is used by Very High Readiness Joint Task Force elements within NATO.[24] In 2023, the Australian Defence Force has issued a statement that they had down selected SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline, to be deployed in the Army's Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle and Hawkei and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons.[16]

In 2023 ADF and NZDF decide to deploy the software in its Bushmasters, also used by the Netherlands Armed Forces.

Danish soldier using C2 in live-fire exercise Dynamic Front held at Oksbol Denmark 30 March 2023

SitaWare Edge is designed for Android devices, used by dismounted soldiers, at the line of contact.[26] The software adjusts to fit the screen of any such device to give 2D or 3D maps.[31] It has a simplified planning feature and an integrated chat function.[25][31]

SitaWare Insight supports intelligence handlers and commanders.[32] It uses artificial intelligence systems to process large volumes of data from open source documents to video of enemy defence assets.[25] From 2023 the platform will use the feed of defence intelligence from Janes Information Services.[33] It is reported that the system is now being used by Swiss Armed Forces.[34]

SitaWare Maritime generates a Recognised Maritime Picture (RMP).[35] It ingests data from sea domain information channels, such as AIS, OTH-Gold, and Link 16.[20] It can be used by national headquarters, surface commanders, individual ships, boarding teams, RHIBs, and mobile coastal units. SitaWare Maritime was initially developed for the Royal Danish Navy, but was also adopted by the German Navy.[35]

Aalborg University Hospital has been a user of Columna Flow

This software supports hospital administrators with patient management, resource allocation and logistics processes.[36] The system allows health providers, and the patients themselves, to access medical history.[37] One University of Georgia study found the system had reduced administrative costs, allowed patients to return home earlier, and resulted in "a cost benefit of 1.6."[37] As of 2023 it was being used in Denmark, parts of Britain's National Health Service and University Medical Center Utrecht.[36][38] According to the head of Healthcare Denmark, Systematic is largest provider of digital health solutions in Scandinavia.[14]

Black Diamond Royal Danish Library is one of the facilities linked by the Cicero system.

This library management software can serve as the system of systems to local libraries. Since 2018, the platform has been used to automate many tasks in the Danish Joint Library System, that provides overall management to the systems of 2,428 library facilities which, in turn, manage 62 million library items.[39]