A proactive situational awareness requires a reliable, real-time situational awareness system that brings field operators and devices together on a shared, secure map-based platform. A map application alone, however, is not enough to create operational capability. The real value comes from skilled users, expert integrations and robust back-end systems.
The development and wider deployment of reliable, scalable and shared situational awareness systems is gaining momentum in Europe and in Finland. When applied effectively, a situational awareness system can provide a strategic, data-driven advantage at critical moments of decision-making.
At its best, such a system connects the capabilities of defence forces, civil authorities, reservists and other civilian operators into a seamless and secure entity. It enables different parties to develop and demonstrate their capabilities before they are integrated into one shared operational environment.
A shared view enables shared actions
TAK is a map-based situational awareness system that can be tailored to different needs. It brings operators, devices and data into one view. The TAK system has been in use for more than 15 years and is a NATO-compatible platform. In joint NATO exercises, it is already part of everyday situational command.
– The easiest way to understand TAK is to think of it as a map application — but with stronger muscles, says Niko Rantalainen, Defence & Security Quality Assurance Competence Lead at Gofore.
The TAK map enables agile, real-time collaboration. Troops, observations, hazardous areas, routes, drones, sensors, and cameras can all be marked on it. Messages, sensor data and camera feeds can also be displayed on screen.
All users can see the situation as it is updated in near real-time on their own devices. A smartphone is enough: for a basic user, TAK works through an application downloaded from regular app stores.
When users see and share situational information with others operating in the same environment, the situational picture is genuinely shared. The benefits are clear: decisions are made faster, misunderstandings are reduced, and safety improves.
Application alone does not create operational capability
In a defence environment, TAK stands for Tactical Assault Kit. In civilian use, it is known as Team Awareness Kit. The two names reflect the system’s versatility and the different operating contexts in which it can be applied.
The real value of TAK emerges when the capabilities of different actors can be displayed in the system simultaneously and reliably. This requires integration expertise.
– The system has three main customisable elements. At its core is the TAK application itself, which displays the map and the situation. Plug-ins make it possible to bring an organisation’s own devices and data onto the map. The third element is the back-end system: servers that can be connected to the organisation’s own systems, where more demanding data enrichment can be carried out, Rantalainen explains.
The value of a situational command system becomes visible when different actors’ capabilities can be displayed at the same time and with a high level of trust. Achieving this requires strong integration expertise.
Capabilities for situational awareness are built beforehand
It is the back-end system that separates TAK from an ordinary map. The application can draw on almost any type of data in the background, from National Land Survey maps to radio signals and target designation devices — or the location where a hunter last saw an elk injured in a road accident.
Rantalainen illustrates this with a concrete example:
– At one trade fair, a robotic dog was demonstrated that used artificial intelligence to detect mines and mark them on the map. At the same time, it retrieved information from the back-end system on what type of mine it was and made that information visible to others. Data moved rapidly through the TAK application in both directions, Rantalainen says.
– The police forces, rescue services, the Border Guard and the Defence Forces have many shared interests that a national-level integrator can connect. Ultimately, this is a strategic advantage that must be built well in advance, Rantalainen summarises.
“A truly capable integrator views the ecosystem and its lifecycle instead of a single application. When the same partner maintains the ecosystems of several actors, connecting them becomes much easier.”
Strong architecture design reduces security risks
Platforms that bring together information from multiple sources are understandably subject to strict security requirements. In Europe’s current security environment, the US origin of the TAK system is sometimes raised as a consideration.
– TAK has been in use for a long time. Concerns related to digital sovereignty, data availability and data movement are understandable. At the same time, it is important to recognise that the risks associated with TAK are similar to those of any other digital platform. Currently, there is also no equivalent situational awareness system of European origin available, Rantalainen says.
Here too, the integrator’s expertise plays a significant role. Strong architecture design determines what data is shared, where it comes from, where it ends up and where it is physically located. This makes it possible to minimise the risk of data leakage and, if required, build the system within an organisation’s own trusted network without cloud connections.
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