When looking at global conflict situations, we increasingly hear statements from politics and industry such as “the threats are getting closer.” This is unsettling for many people. In reality, given the number of global crisis hotspots, it is becoming harder to ignore this concerning development. We are interested in the strategic value the control room industry can and must deliver in this context – particularly in the field of air defence. To explore this, we speak with JST control room expert Marc Jenni.
JST Sales Consultant Marc Jenni:
“The technological and organisational build-up is not a short-term spike, but part of a long-term capability development – particularly in the NATO context. For providers of control room solutions, this means that it is not just displays and furniture that are in demand, but robust system architectures for operations management, air situational awareness, crisis communication, resilience and 24/7 operations.”
Why are air force control rooms and air defence centers gaining importance right now?
Marc Jenni: Because we can see the situation escalating. Globally, we are facing rising tensions, armed conflicts and hybrid threat scenarios. Disruptions to supply chains are intensifying competition for resources and reserves. In this environment, crisis scenarios are no longer theoretical exercises – they are real. Resilience, deterrence and defence capability are now among the key operational capabilities.
Marc Jenni: We need military control rooms that can consolidate information more quickly, coordinate forces and enable robust decision-making. The figures underline this: according to SIPRI [Ed. note: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute], global military spending reached a new record of USD 2.7 trillion in 2024. At the same time, NATO reports that in 2025 all allies have, for the first time, met or exceeded the former 2% defence spending target. This sends a clear signal: the trajectory of security policy is on the rise.
Marc Jenni: Anyone asking about an Air Operations Center in Germany today is, in practice, referring to very specific command and situation facilities. In Germany, this is known as the German Air Force’s Air Component Command. This is where air operations are coordinated in close synergy with other operations centers – around the clock, 365 days a year. This illustrates the direction of development: air force control rooms, air operations centers and air operations control centers are becoming more closely integrated in functional terms. The focus is no longer just on displays and monitors, but on real-time operational command. And when viewed at the NATO level, it is clear: an air operations center is no longer an isolated national entity.
Marc Jenni: Because air surveillance is once again understood as a continuous 24/7 mission. Radar control rooms, radar surveillance centers and air surveillance control rooms serve as critical hubs for air situational awareness, weapons deployment and technical systems. Within this environment, the military air traffic control center forms part of a robust command architecture that must perform reliably under time pressure.
Marc Jenni: Absolutely. As soon as multiple sources, differing priorities and tight timelines come together, it is no longer just about monitoring, but about operational command. Speed, availability, redundancy and clearly defined responsibilities are essential. Rapid detection, swift decision-making and a high level of coordination are also explicitly defined by NATO as core principles.
Marc Jenni: At its core, it is about the technology behind decision-making. How do we bring together sensors, radar, visualisation, alerting, communication and user interfaces in a way that ensures operators remain capable of acting, even in high-risk situations? That is the benchmark today. An air defence center must not only display data, but also provide redundancy, interoperability and system integration in a way that ensures operations can continue even under pressure.
Marc Jenni: Exactly. Ultimately, all components must work together in such a way that, even in the event of disruptions, cyber pressure or overload, no one loses situational awareness. This is where it becomes clear whether a control room for air surveillance systems simply “runs” — or truly enables command.
Marc Jenni: Today, we are no longer talking about individual drones, but about a broad spectrum of airborne threats. This ranges from small, slow-moving drones to hypersonic weapons. Air situational awareness in the control room is becoming a key factor. An air defence command center must not only detect activity in the airspace, but also prioritise, classify and present response options — in seconds, not minutes. That is why air situational awareness in the control room is no longer a “nice to have”, but a core element of operational command.
Marc Jenni: Air warfare can hardly be considered in isolation anymore. In real crisis scenarios, air, land and naval forces must be coordinated. What we need is operational command that works across domains. That is precisely why the EU and NATO are increasingly adopting multi-domain approaches: land, air, sea, cyber and space must be integrated. This is not just a technological trend, but a direct response to the changing global landscape.
Marc Jenni: For control rooms, this means that crisis communication becomes a command function. A military air defence center, an air defence control room or an air operations center can no longer simply “report upwards”. The coordination of forces, the evaluation of operational experience and the insights gained from exercises – all of this must happen in real time. Only then can we achieve reliable situational decision-making. This requires modern, high-performance technological systems.
Marc Jenni: As soon as communication slows down, the situational picture becomes unclear or capacities are prioritised incorrectly, friction arises – precisely where speed is essential. High-performance control rooms reduce this friction. They create clarity, shorten decision-making paths and strengthen the resilience of the entire command architecture.
Marc Jenni: I am convinced that this development will continue to accelerate. The EU roadmap “Readiness 2030” aims to close capability gaps by 2030. This means that air operations centers, air defence control rooms, air defence centers and air command and control system control rooms will not become smaller in the coming years, but more closely networked, more interoperable and increasingly geared towards rapid response, redundancy and joint procurement. The technological and organisational build-up is not a short-term spike, but part of a long-term capability development – particularly in the NATO context. For providers of control room solutions, this means that it is not just displays and furniture that are in demand, but robust system architectures for operations management, air situational awareness, crisis communication, resilience and 24/7 operations.
Marc Jenni: A modern military control room must do more than simply observe. It must understand the air situation, coordinate forces, ensure crisis communication and remain fully operational under time pressure. Whether it is referred to as an air force control room, an air operations center, an air defence center, an air defence control room or an air defense command center — the direction is the same: greater integration, more redundancy, higher speed and increased resilience.
The question is no longer whether we need such structures for our defence capability. The question is how quickly we can make them available in terms of quality, scalability and interoperability.
