At an industry conference in Prague earlier this month, NATO’s Command, Consultation Command and Control Agency (NC3A) officials pointed to potential business opportunities valued at more than $1.2 billion that could be available pending national approvals.
These opportunities range from recompeting the Afghanistan operational communications backbone to cyber defense NC3A officials said. Other opportunities could include: continued counter-IED investment, improved information sharing between NATO forces in Afghanistan and beyond, advanced satellite communications in support of Afghanistan’s mission, maritime security information systems, logistics and missile defense.
There is likely to be a greater investment in capabilities while NATO bureaucracy and command structures shrink, NC3A’s General Manager Georges D’hollander, in his opening address.
Deputy General Manager Kevin Scheid said NC3A projects a reduction of 11 percent of revenues, resulting in a cut of 110 personnel, which will be completed by 2011. “This is a benefit to NATO, in that these cost-cutting initiatives are taken without any specific direction from NATO headquarters, as a result of our customer funding model,” he said.
Close to 300 industrial representatives from North America and Europe attended the conference.