NAVY OPENS INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE

English philosopher Francis Bacon famously argued that knowledge is power.

And in the light of today's transnational security challenges such as terrorism and piracy, information-sharing has become an increasingly important area of cooperation among countries and national agencies. Swift and effective action is often dependent on the provision of timely, accurate and relevant information.

To that end, the inauguration of the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) Information Fusion Centre (IFC) on 27 Apr, one of three key entities to be located in the Changi Command and Control (C2) Centre, marks a step forward in the advance of national and multilateral collaboration in maritime security. Previously, the IFC was located on an interim basis at Tuas Naval Base.

"Since the interim IFC was set up in Tuas Naval Base in March 2008... we have had several encouraging incidents which bear testimony to the value of such (information-sharing) partnership", said Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Chew Men Leong, who officiated at the inauguration ceremony.

Citing examples such as the MT Kraton, a ship hijacked in the Lingga Archipelago, Indonesia, in 2007, he remarked that "information shared among Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore led to the detection, localisation and successful seizure of the ship".

"Truly, the need and merit of information sharing is compelling, and the IFC at the Changi C2 Centre will be an invaluable platform to facilitate this," added RADM Chew.

Located in Changi Naval Base, the Changi C2 Centre is expected to be ready and operational by 2010. It will house the IFC as well as the Singapore Maritime Security Centre and the Multinational Operations and Exercises Centre.

Once completed, the Changi C2 Centre is set to be a one-stop information and response coordination hub to meet the maritime security needs of Singapore, as well as function as a key node in the region's info-sharing network.

Built to improve collective situational awareness among the international maritime community, the IFC houses various information sharing and sense-making systems such as the Regional Maritime Information Exchange (ReMIX) and the Malacca Straits Patrols Information System (MSP-IS).

Both systems are Internet portals which incorporate shipping databases and sense-making tools to facilitate info-sharing on a real-time basis among member nations of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and the Malacca Straits Patrols (MSP) respectively.

Apart from bringing these different systems together under the same roof, the IFC also works closely with other established information-sharing centres, such as the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC).

By tapping into this wide variety of available sources, the IFC draws together the information gathered to produce and disseminate a synthesised overview of the sea situation in the region. This, in turn, translates into a clearer maritime picture for participating navies and agencies, enabling early detection and identification of potential threats.

Information on its own is useless unless utilised effectively. As such, the IFC will also serve as a venue to host International Liaison Officers (ILOs) from other countries. Navies from regional groupings such as the WPNS and MSP have been invited by the RSN to attach ILOs at the IFC.

Commenting on the significance of the ILO presence, MAJ Nicholas Lim, Head IFC, said: "Besides helping us to analyse information, these ILOs act as a point of contact for their respective countries, and help to ensure that the information we're sharing is fully understood when communicating with operational centres from other countries to cue early warning and responses."

"We will also organise and participate in seminars, workshops and conferences to build a deeper understanding and awareness of maritime security, so that it benefits all of us," he added.

An upcoming exercise, the inaugural Maritime Information Sharing Exercise (MARISX), which will be held from 11 to 15 May, will see the IFC staff partnering ILOs from various countries to test and validate the capabilities of the centre.

"During this exercise scenario, we'll collaborate to piece the data together into a common maritime picture, and analyse it for specific information that will allow us to track down a rogue ship and identify the location of the threat", explained MAJ Lim.

27 Apr 09 - Inauguration of the Information Fusion Centre (IFC)
27 Apr 09 - News Video: Inauguration of the Information Fusion Centre