The character of conflict has fundamentally changed. Today’s operations unfold simultaneously across land, maritime, air, cyber, space and the electromagnetic spectrum, often below the threshold of open conflict and with little warning. In this environment, success relies not only on advanced platforms or individual capabilities, but on how effectively forces are prepared to operate within this complexity. This is where a train-as-you-will-fight approach, enabled by C5ISRT, is critical.
C5ISRT—command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting—forms the operational backbone that connects training, decision-making and mission execution. When designed as an integrated system of systems, it allows defence organizations to prepare forces in the same data-rich, contested conditions they will face during real operations.
Training for the Modern Battlefield
The modern battlefield is defined by speed, convergence and information dominance. Sensors produce vast amounts of data, decisions must be made in compressed timelines and operations increasingly involve joint, combined and coalition partners operating across dispersed geographies.
Traditional training models, built primarily around live exercises, are no longer sufficient on their own. They are costly, episodic and often unable to replicate cyber, space and electromagnetic threats realistically or at scale. A train-as-you-will-fight model embraces a blended approach that integrates live, virtual and constructive environments, creating repeatable and realistic training that mirrors operational conditions.
C5ISRT enables this integration. The same networks, command-and-control tools, data flows and decision-support systems used in operations are employed in training. This continuity ensures that personnel are not simply learning procedures, but developing muscle memory and confidence with the exact systems they will depend on during missions.
From Data to Decisions Faster Than the Adversary
At the heart of train-as-you-will-fight is the ability to move rapidly from sensing to decision to action. Forces must be able to ingest data from multiple domains, trust its integrity and act on it faster than an adversary.
C5ISRT provides the framework that transforms raw data into operational advantage. Persistent sensing feeds resilient communications networks. Advanced analytics and decision-support tools help commanders rapidly assess options. Integrated command-and-control systems enable coordinated action across units and domains.
Training within this ecosystem allows operators to practice decision-making under pressure, test assumptions and refine tactics in environments that simulate contested cyber and electromagnetic conditions. Just as importantly, it reinforces effective human-machine teaming, ensuring that technology enhances rather than overwhelms human judgment.
Readiness as a Continuous State
In today’s security environment, readiness is no longer episodic. It must be continuous. Forces must be prepared to respond to domestic emergencies, assert sovereignty in remote regions, deter adversaries and integrate seamlessly with allied operations.
A C5ISRT-enabled train-as-you-will-fight approach sustains readiness over time by linking training, operations and sustainment into a single, coherent ecosystem. Data generated during exercises informs capability development. Performance metrics guide improvements in both systems and training design. Lessons learned flow directly back into operational planning.
This approach is particularly critical in remote and challenging environments such as the Arctic, where infrastructure is limited, conditions are harsh and interoperability with partners is essential. Training that reflects these realities builds confidence long before forces are required to operate there for real.
Building Confidence Through Integration
Ultimately, train-as-you-will-fight is about confidence: confidence in systems, in data, in interoperability with partners and in the ability to execute under pressure. That confidence cannot be bolted on at the point of deployment. It must be built deliberately through integrated design and sustained over the lifecycle of capabilities.
C5ISRT is the connective tissue that makes this possible. By unifying sensing, communications, decision-making and training under a single operational framework, it ensures that forces are prepared to fight the way they train and succeed when it matters most.
