SG2 Shareable (Fire Control) Software Suite (S4)

Last updated
S4 Architecture Diagram S4 Architecture.png
S4 Architecture Diagram

The NATO Army Armaments Group (NAAG) Integrated Capability Group Indirect Fires (ICGIF), formerly Land Group 4, and their Sub Group 2 (SG2) on Surface to Surface Ballistics has created a widely used set of shareable fire control software using the Ada programming language. This product is known as the SG2 Shareable (Fire Control) Software Suite (S4) and is sometimes abbreviated as S4 when referenced.

Contents

Fire-control system developers and most of the international (primarily NATO) ballistics communities are familiar with the mature NATO Armaments Ballistic Kernel (NABK) [1] and other software component items that have emerged from the NABK development effort. [2] The collection of these software items has been enhanced into the “suite” of NATO shareable fire control software.

S4 is one of the biggest pluses for NATO interoperability in the fire support domain

Significant development effort occurs in Aberdeen, Maryland, USA in the Firing Tables and Ballistics (FTaB) [3] Division, Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) with contributions from a variety of agencies within participating NATO nations.

NATO Standardization Agreements (STANAGS) and Supporting Research

The S4 implements a variety of NATO Standardization Agreements (STANAGs) including STANAG 4355 and STANAG 6022. [4]

STANAG which are the basis for S4 technology NATO STANAGS and S4.png
STANAG which are the basis for S4 technology

A number of papers and presentations have been published, such as a formal description of the early history of the suite [5] and a later presentation [6] in the International Symposium of Ballistics (ISB) forum sponsored by the International Ballistics Society (IBS).

Professur für Mess- und Informationstechnik (S4 testing research and related contributions by Germany)

Professur für Mess- und Informationstechnik (Crest Clearance algorithm contributions by Germany)

Integrating Weapon Systems

Implementation Summary S4 Implementations.png
Implementation Summary

Specific examples include:

Canada

Denmark

France

Germany

Norway

Sweden


Turkey


United Kingdom

United States


References

  1. "Read About S4".
  2. "Development of firing tables for accuracy stretches back more than 100 years". United States Army. December 27, 2018.
  3. "Firing Tables & Ballistics (FTaB)". Archived from the original on 2014-07-28.
  4. "NATO Armaments Meteorological Kernel (NAMK) Project" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
  5. "Article title" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-04-03.
  6. André J. SOWA (September 2008). "NATO shareable software developing into true suite supporting national operational, fire control systems" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.