From Systems to Data: Our key takeaway from FSi INI 2026

The shift from systems to data

One message stood out clearly throughout this week's FSi INI Conference: the future of operational effectiveness will not be driven by standalone platforms and applications, but by the ability to connect people, data and capabilities.

Across presentations from the Norwegian Armed Forces and industry a common theme emerged: military organisations are moving from platform-centric and application-centric solutions towards data-centric operations, where information sharing, interoperability and rapid decision-making are critical success factors.

Lessons from Ukraine: Integration creates advantage

The lessons from Ukraine illustrate this shift in a very tangible way. Operational advantage is no longer determined solely by access to technology, but by the ability to integrate data, sensors, decision-makers and effectors into a coherent operational ecosystem. The conflict has also demonstrated that those who learn and adapt fastest gain a significant advantage.

From information to operational effect

For Teleplan Globe, these discussions reinforced the relevance of many of the strategic themes we have been working on for years. Through the continued development of FACNAV (known as NORBMS in the Norwegian Armed Forces), we are focused on enabling effective information sharing, interoperability and decision support across operational domains. We are also working to make relevant lessons learned accessible where decisions are made. The real value lies not in collecting knowledge, but in operationalising it, transforming experience into faster and better decisions in a Norwegian operational context.

Innovation is only valuable when it is used

We were proud to contribute to the discussion through Magne Killingstad's presentation on lessons from Ukraine. One of the central messages was that innovation should be viewed as a value chain that moves from new, to useful, to utilised. The challenge is rarely generating new ideas. The challenge is bringing them into operational use. True value is only created when technology is adopted and delivers measurable operational effect.

Magne also highlighted the need to further evolve the collaborative model between the Armed Forces, industry and FFI. Maintaining the current pace of innovation requires broader and earlier collaboration across a larger ecosystem of stakeholders. The solutions of the future will be developed through partnerships between organisations with complementary strengths, regardless of size.

Partnerships will drive the future

The Armed Forces are not asking for more isolated systems. They are asking for the ability to connect people, data and capabilities within a data-centric architecture. At the same time, innovation must be accelerated through partnerships that move solutions rapidly from new, to useful, to utilised. This is exactly where Teleplan Globe operates.