The Armed Forces Command Support Organisation provides ICT services to the DDPS. These services include office automation, specialised applications, ICT systems and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) applications. The AFCSO also comprises a Centre for Electronic Operations, which is responsible for the defence against attacks from cyberspace, electronic warfare and cryptology.

With its independently functioning communications network and protected data centres, the AFCSO guarantees the operational readiness of the Swiss Armed Forces in any conceivable scenario.

The 41^st Command Support Brigade (CS Bde 41/SCS) serves as the AFCSO’s military arm.

Organisation

Head of AFCSO

The head of the AFCSO leads the organisation through missions and crises. He is in charge of the AFCSO’s management, represents the AFCSO externally, and is ultimately responsible for all services provided and operations carried out.

Development and Resources, Deputy Head of AFCSO

Preparing the AFCSO for the future

The head of Development and Resources ensures and coordinates the resources (procurement, personnel and financing) the AFCSO needs for its tasks and projects. He is also in charge of corporate development and enterprise architecture, and doctrine in the areas of Command Support and electronic operations. In addition, he is responsible for processes and guidelines in the DDPS’s strategic frequency management, regulations governing the AFCSO’s service and process management, and for international relations, licence management and controlling matters.

He also takes on the role of deputy head of the AFCSO.

Mission and Crisis Management, Chief of Staff of the AFCSO

Making the AFCSO’s military operations possible

The chief of staff heads the Mission and Crisis Management division. In the CS Command Section, military operations, missions and exercises involving AFCSO services are planned and managed, and crisis and business continuity management is ensured.

The Service Control Centre (SCC) monitors the business IT services on offer and the status of all IT systems. The Mission and Crisis Management division is responsible for the Command Service Defence and the AFCSO’s business management. The AFCSO’s conscript staff and the staff group of the head of the AFCSO report to the chief of staff.

Cyber Security

Protecting our ICT infrastructure and military systems against cyberattacks

The Cyber Security division reports to the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) and is responsible for the ICT security strategy and guidelines, and for their compliance (audits). This includes integral security, risk management and awareness, training and communication in ICT and information security measures. The CISO also oversees the Cyber Fusion Centre, which is responsible for the defence of its own ICT infrastructure and for the DDPS’s IT security incident process.

Customer Services

Working with the AFCSO’s customers

The head of Customer Services is responsible for operative business IT service management, all business IT services (end to end, including their life cycles), as well as all SLA-defined customer relations. He ensures customer relationships are maintained and managed closely so that the solutions and offers provided can best meet the customers’ needs. He manages several points of contact with customers, including the Service Desk. As the DDPS’s ICT management specialist, he steers, coordinates and supports the department’s ICT development, making sure it is in line with the defined strategy and focuses on core services. He is also in charge of operating SAP applications and business intelligence platforms, and the operation of all of the DDPS’s SAP systems from ‘managed OS’ level.

Renewal

Developing new technologies

The head of Renewal centrally defines the ICT architecture of the business IT services and other IT services, and is in charge of the AFSCO’s IT service innovation management and engineering. He is responsible for the AFCSO’s releases and its test management as well as for project management, the operative planning and steering of projects, and he contributes to the DDPS’s overall ICT planning.

Operations

Operating the armed forces’ ICT systems

The Head of Operations ensures the validation, integration, implementation and operation (including monitoring and steering) of all of the AFCSO’s IT services. He manages the operational organisation and implements security measures, operational processes, and change, configuration and lifecycle management decisions for IT services. He provides second-level support and contributes to first and third-level support. He ensures the on-site operation of the DDPS data centres. He provides on-site ICT support and ensures technical monitoring and maintenance of ICT systems at military airfields, the armed forces’ command, deployment and communication systems, the Swiss base network, and the Swiss base network, and military radar stations.

Centre for Electronic Operations

Listening and looking closely

The Centre for Electronic Operations is in charge of radio and cable communications intelligence. It provides the DDPS’s intelligence services with information and carries out electronic operations in cyberspace and electromagnetic space.

Command Support Brigade 41

Leading the AFCSO’s military units

The Commander of the 41^st Command Support Brigade is in charge of his brigade and its subordinate troop bodies and the CS SCS Command (including the command support battalions). The brigade operates the armed forces’ telecommunications networks, the control facilities of the federal government and the armed forces, as well as the mobile systems used for electronic warfare. In addition, it offers specialist services and systems (e.g. with specialists in IT, cryptology or languages). The Commander is responsible for the basic and operational readiness of his troops. The core staff of CS Brigade 41 defines basic doctrines and contributes to projects relevant to Command Support. Command Support Brigade 41 / SCS (Systems, Courses, Support) ensures the basic/operational readiness of the CS formations, provides representatives to various CS armament projects, manages field trials at troop level, and ensures new systems meet field requirements. It also operates training, test and integration facilities for stationary, semi-mobile and mobile telecommunications systems, trains professional soldiers and SC specialists from units throughout the armed forces in specialist systems, and ensures the prompt supply of data carriers.