DIN | Defense Industry C4I | C4ISR & EW

Diehl Brings C2 Simulation In-House with e.sigma Acquisition

A strategic move to consolidate C2 training, reduce middleware dependency, and enable export-grade synthetic environments under German control.

by Großwald Systems Desk

Updated June 07, 2025

TL;DR: Diehl gains sovereign control of NATO-independent C2 and comms simulators (e.TACCS, KOFA), enabling export-ready, middleware-free training integration. This secures full-stack autonomy for Diehl — from simulation to weapons — under German jurisdiction.

Diehl Defence has acquired 100% of e.sigma Systems GmbH and its subsidiary e.sigma Technology GmbH, securing sovereign control over two core synthetic training platforms:

e.TACCS – Modular, offline-capable C2 simulation suite for multi-domain mission rehearsal. Simulates radar, landline, radio, and data link coordination (Link 1, 11, 16) across air and naval domains. Supports air policing, COMAO planning, HVAA protection, and red-blue force scripting in tailored operational scenarios.
KOFA – AI-based voice comms simulator operable under denied, degraded, or disrupted (D3) signal conditions. Enables zero-network training for contested EW environments. KOFA replaces the need for NATO-dependence in contested-spectrum training environments.

Both systems are operational and fielded. Neither relies on U.S., cloud, or third-party middleware — a significant divergence from NATO-common simulation stacks like VBS4 (Bohemia Interactive Simulations) or the U.S. Army’s STE/One World Terrain.

Strategic Function

e.sigma will remain a standalone entity. Diehl acquires control, not assimilation — a model seen in Saab’s retention of its training division (Saab Training & Simulation) or Rheinmetall’s handling of its LYNX training simulators.

Likely Integration Pathways

IRIS-T SLM: Enables coalition-aligned pre-deployment training for integrated air defense teams operating IRIS-T SLM batteries, including NATO tasking and partner nation deployments.
Export Kits: Inclusion of native-language, self-contained training environments.
Bundeswehr Gap-Fill: Non-NATO compliant C2 simulation layer for units outside allied network sync.

Structural Outcome

With the acquisition, Diehl now controls:

A sovereign mission simulation environment (e.TACCS) capable of generating a Recognized Air Picture (RAP) through multi-radar data fusion, procedural ID, and ATO/ACO verification.
A D3-proof comms training engine (KOFA)
A simulation IP stack developed in German code, under German jurisdiction

This reduces dependency on multinational primes (e.g. Elbit, Saab, BISim) for simulation layers and increases internal capacity for bundling C2 + training + weapon systems in fully validated export packages.

Systemic Impact

Vertical Integration: Adds upstream synthetic training to Diehl’s systems architecture
No Middleware Exposure: Eliminates licensing friction in export-oriented C2 training
Narrative Control: Diehl can now pre-train, validate, and deploy its systems end-to-end — independently

Comparative Note

Whereas Thales' SYNAPS or Leonardo’s Janus rely on federated training architectures with shared NATO interface layers, Diehl’s new stack is sovereign, closed-loop, and tactically scoped. The move mirrors trends toward national C2 stack independence in countries like South Korea (Hanwha) and Turkey (HAVELSAN).