Session 1.8d: Update - Commanding the Future: Attributes of the Next Generation Tactical C4 System
Tracks
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| Tuesday, November 18, 2025 |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Nicholls Theatre |
Details
Modern land warfare is increasingly characterised by information saturation, contested communications, and the rapid evolution of autonomous systems. To maintain operational overmatch, the next generation of tactical Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) systems must be built around key attributes that ensure adaptability, resilience, and integration in complex environments.
This presentation explores the essential characteristics of future tactical C4 systems designed for Army applications. At the core is a shift toward distributed architectures that blend edge and cloud computing, enabling real-time data fusion, decision support, and sensor-to-effector coordination in Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) communications environments. Key enablers include artificial intelligence (AI) for automated information triage and threat detection, low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) edge processing for dismounted and vehicle operations, and mesh networking for robust, high speed, self-healing communications.
A sovereign, modular, and standards-based approach is essential to ensure interoperability with joint, coalition and partner forces while retaining national control over critical data and systems. Security remains paramount, requiring the integration of zero trust architectures, hardened hardware, and resilient satellite and terrestrial links.
This session outlines how these capabilities converge to deliver enhanced situational awareness, faster decision cycles, and scalable mission command—supporting both human-led and autonomous operations in littoral, urban, and dispersed battlespaces. Lessons from recent conflicts and technology trials will be discussed to illustrate both the opportunities and the implementation challenges ahead.
The next generation tactical C4 system is not just an upgrade—it's a transformation of how land forces fight, communicate, and win.
Speaker
Mr Leith Mudge
Senior Systems Engineer
DTC
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Biography
Leith Mudge is a veteran communications systems engineer with over three decades of experience in the design, integration, and deployment of mission-critical communications solutions across defence and public safety. At DTC, he leads efforts in the development and optimisation of HF and mesh radio systems, with a strong focus on secure networking, interoperability, and tactical resilience.
Throughout his career—spanning roles at Navantia, Raytheon, Australian Department of Defence and BAE Systems—Leith has been instrumental in delivering complex system-of-systems solutions and aligning emerging technologies with real-world operational requirements. He has a proven track record of working alongside military stakeholders to ensure communications systems meet the demanding needs of modern and future battlespaces.
Leith holds a Master’s degree in Applied Physics and is recognised for his ability to bridge the gap between theoretical engineering and practical field deployment. His forward-leaning approach ensures he remains at the forefront of innovation in military communications.
