British Aerospace Supports the Digitized Battlespace at TechNet '99
British Aerospace Defence Systems is taking advantage of the international Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association's (AFCEA's) TechNet 99 symposium and exposition at Heathrow to demonstrate its world-leading role in key aspects of battlespace digitization. Capitalising upon the success of its innovative contribution to this year's Joint Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (JWID) '99, the company will be exhibiting its unrivalled capabilities in the fields of communications management, advanced communications technologies, and battle-winning command and control and support systems.
Demonstrations will be given of proven systems, designed in response to customer demands for technologies which increase the tempo of operations, reduce manpower needs and enhance situational awareness within a digitized C4ISTAR environment. Featured are:
*GCMS (Generic Communications and information services Management System) *Sentinel switch * Cell Hardening Unit * Army Command Support Application (ACSAS) * Joint Command System (JCS) - Logistics * Multi-level security
Commenting on British Aerospace's presence at the show, Tony Styles, Head of Communications Systems and Services Projects, says "Our contribution to the professional military communications community is reflected in our continuing commitment to expanding the boundaries of C4I systems within the digitized battlespace. AFCEA's TechNet is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate innovation to - and receive feedback from - senior professionals in our specialist field, in a spirit of true partnership".
Background Notes: GCMS The effective management of communication systems plays a vital role in battlefield operations. GCMS offers a world-leading capability entirely suited to military operations at all levels. It is in service with British Forces in the Balkans, forms the basis of the Bowman Communications Management Information System (CMIS), and is being employed for the Royal Navy's new-build amphibious assault ships, Bulwark and Albion. GCMS also provides the management functions for the UK's Defence Message Handling System.
Sentinel Sentinel is a new generation ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)-based circuit switch, which provides a comprehensive solution to network switching needs. It supplies highly reliable and scalable military facilities for efficient networked communications and is supported by Windows-based management functions within a highly intuitive graphical user interface. Sentinel is ideal for rapid deployment operations because of its unique flexibility and performance - a single switch can meet the communications needs of a 2-Star headquarters in the field.
Cell Hardening Unit British Aerospace Defence Systems has developed the Cell Hardening Unit - a world-leading system to radically enhance the effectiveness of networked communications using civil-derived asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technologies in highly demanding military environments. It has been designed as a stand-alone plug-and-play interface between ATM-based circuit switches and the networks they service to provide users with complete flexibility in their choice of switches. The Unit protects information cells within the data stream and enables transmission error rates to be reduced by a factor of ten thousand, from the typical level of 1:103 found in military communications to the extremely low rate of 1:107 required for effective ATM functionality within the digitized battlespace.
ACSAS ACSAS - the Army Command Support Application - provides a suite of flexible tools to assist headquarters staff to plan and execute operations. It has been developed in full partnership with the end-user, whose representatives have been part of British Aerospace's development team in line with Smart procurement principles. The application, to be deployed operationally at headquarters in 2000, is at the heart of the first stage of the British Army's digitization of the battlespace. It combines - and fully integrates - three separate command support applications being developed by British Aerospace Defence Systems, which is leading a team that includes Logica (UK) Ltd, SCS Ltd and CSC.
Joint Command System (JCS) - Logistics British Aerospace is the world leader in supplying command and control systems for both joint and single-service applications, covering the full range from the strategic to the tactical. The Joint Command System (JCS) - Logistics provides the developing overall framework for the command and control of all branches of the British armed forces.
Multi-level security A key requirement for Coalition Expeditionary operations is the availability of reliable multi-level security systems. British Aerospace has unrivalled experience in providing such functionality, ensuring the effective and timely dissemination of information within operational commands which is sensitive to the need of users whilst ensuring that availability reflects allocated levels of clearance. Typical applications include management of access to geographic information systems, desktop facilities, messaging systems and intranet web sites.
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British Aerospace Supports the Digitized Battlespace at TechNet '99
