Sven T. Heursch,
Member of the Group Executive Committee
Chief Digital Officer , HENSOLDT
As modern battlefields become increasingly data-saturated and contested across multiple domains, the ability to fuse information and deliver timely, actionable intelligence has emerged as a decisive factor in military operations. In this interview, , discusses how digitalisation, artificial intelligence and data-centric architectures are reshaping command and control. He explains HENSOLDT’s approach to multi-domain operations, the challenges of legacy systems and interoperability, and how solutions such as MDOcore aim to transform raw battlefield data into information dominance for commanders operating in complex, high-threat environments.
Armed forces today generate vast volumes of data, yet commanders often lack clarity in combat. Where do traditional command-and-control architectures fall short, and how does MDOcore change this paradigm?
Historically, battlefield data has been organised in stovepipes. Each weapon system, sensor, or mission operates within its own isolated data cycle, air, land, maritime, cyber, each producing separate situational pictures. These architectures evolved over decades, but today they create a major challenge.
Modern sensors across the electromagnetic, optical and electronic warfare spectrum generate enormous amounts of data. In theory, commanders should be better informed than ever. In reality, they are overwhelmed. It is like placing 10,000 puzzle pieces in a war room and asking a commander to assemble them in minutes. Fusion still happens manually, across multiple screens, and the volume and speed of data now exceed human cognitive limits.
With MDOcore, HENSOLDT addresses this challenge through a distributed data management software suite that acts as a universal translator. It connects to diverse data sources, fuses information automatically, and delivers actionable multi-domain situational awareness. Artificial intelligence identifies what is operationally relevant, enabling true information dominance.
MDOcore is often described as a universal translator. What exactly does it translate, and why is this critical for multi-domain operations?
The defence community often speaks about standards, but the reality is there are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of them. Most are legacy standards that took years to define and represent the lowest common denominator across nations and industries. In today’s rapidly evolving battlespace, we cannot wait decades for new standards.
Instead, MDOcore adopts open architectures and commercially proven internet standards at the application and service layers, while respecting defence-specific requirements for resilient communications. We use modular APIs that allow virtually any system to connect.
Crucially, we use AI-assisted software development to build “wrappers” around legacy standards. Given a specification, we can generate, test and integrate interfaces overnight. This means coalition forces, often operating together for the first time, can integrate disparate weapon systems rapidly, without prior interoperability planning. That is why MDOcore is truly a universal translator.
How does HENSOLDT’s sensor heritage shape this approach?
Sensors are our heritage. We understand how electromagnetic and electro-optical signals are transformed into data, and, most importantly, the operational context in which that data is generated. Because we know where a sensor is deployed and how it is used, we can extract not just data, but meaning.
We extend this understanding across a distributed cloud-like mesh of weapon systems, creating what we call semantic defence. Data is contextualised, fused across domains, and transformed into knowledge a commander can act on. This represents the future of distributed defence data management.
How does MDOcore remain operational when communications are degraded or contested?
Contested communications are the norm in modern warfare. Our philosophy mirrors the “flight mode” concept, weapon systems must remain fully operational even when disconnected.
MDOcore does not interfere with onboard combat management systems. Instead, it creates a secondary use of data. When connectivity exists, data is shared and fused; when it does not, systems continue to function independently.
We use a data mesh architecture rather than a central cloud. Data stays where it is generated and is only pulled when needed. This avoids bandwidth saturation and ensures resilience. If one node is lost, data reroutes automatically, just like the internet.
Drones are often seen as the symbol of modern warfare. Why is this view incomplete?
A drone is just one element, it may act as a sensor, a relay, or an effector. The real challenge lies in swarms. Once a swarm reaches its target, defence systems can become saturated.
The key is early detection. With multi-domain data fusion, MDOcore enables forces to detect swarm formation at its origin, track it across domains, and initiate countermeasures during flight, reducing the threat before it reaches the defended asset.
No single sensor or platform is sufficient. Only by fusing data from air, land, maritime, space and cyber domains can forces achieve information dominance. That dominance is not optional, it is a prerequisite for success in modern warfare.
