Tactical Communications

Photo Credit: Spc. Danielle Ferrer

LGS Innovations Tactical Communications Solutions

The missions of the U.S. Federal Government require agile and mobile communication networks. At home and abroad, Civilian and Defense agencies provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism response; and stability operations and peacekeeping. These missions frequently require the relay of mission-critical communications and the rapid deployment of forces to remote or compromised locations, often where existing telecommunications or infrastructure or services are non-existent or no longer functional. 

The ability to quickly establish and reposition mission-critical communications networks can contribute to mission success through reduced casualties, improved order, and the prevention of hardship and the spread of disease during natural or man-made disasters. Therefore, Federal agencies look for solutions that not only provide the required network connectivity, but also the ability to rapidly relocate to a more critical area – without compromising operational efficiency due to degraded levels of communications or logistics support. 

Mobile, Mission-Critical Communications Through Rapidly Deployable Networks

Tactical mobile solutions provide connectivity through small, rapidly deployable networks. Designed to quickly and easily provide voice and broadband data in emergency or time-critical situations, mission critical communications are needed everywhere, from the battlefield to disaster relief areas. These wireless solutions must overcome the technical obstacles to mobility such as the physical size and weight of portable telecommunications equipment, low battery life, heavy power consumption, limited bandwidth available for rich media applications, signal strength and quality, encryption, security, and standards compliance.

The data and multimedia applications delivered through tactical communications solutions allow instant access to mission-critical data, providing government personnel with the ability to exchange information such as surveillance and tactical video, digital imaging, 3-D mapping/GIS, and remote database access across multinational or elemental boundaries. This accurate, up-to-date information enhances mission-critical communications and expedites decision-making, which can help save lives and minimize additional risks by achieving greater speed of command, while increasing responsiveness.

LGS Innovations provides the U.S. Federal Government with end-to-end tactical communications solutions that ensure government agencies have the products and services they need to quickly provide high-speed communications capabilities in often inhospitable or crisis environments. 

LGS Innovations Tactical Communications Expertise

LGS Innovations provides the expertise, leadership, and breadth of capabilities needed to design, integrate, deploy, and maintain tactical communications solutions. With a deep understanding of U.S. Federal Government network needs and challenges, both at home and abroad, we can customize mission-critical communications systems specifically designed to contribute to mission success.

Offering small form factor wireless products and services in addition to selecting best-of-breed products from leading manufacturers, LGS Innovations designs end-to-end tactical communications solutions that best meet the needs of our customers. We offer the full range of services needed to design, integrate and deploy, including installation, operations, maintenance, remote technical support, product upgrades, and on-site technical support for the full lifecycle of the solution.

Our parent company, Alcatel-Lucent, is not only a worldwide leader in fixed, mobile, and converged broadband networking but also a local player that is active in 130 countries around the world. LGS Innovations leverages this detailed understanding of local and national public safety conditions, including prevailing technologies, regulatory constraints, and radio spectrum considerations, to deliver solutions tailored to meet each customer’s needs.

Tactical communications solutions from LGS Innovations provide the following benefits:

• Enhanced responsiveness during emergencies: reduces the reaction time for first responders, while coordinating the intervention of emergency personnel
• Improved communications among U.S. Federal Government agencies: although individual agencies may require their own communications network, integrated communications are provided across multiple agencies, enabling coordinated intervention by an array of responders
• Enabled broadband data communications: activates crucial services that require a large bandwidth to operate effectively, such as real-time video surveillance, mobile interactive video, and remote database access 

Tactical Communications Products from LGS Innovations

LGS Innovations tactical communications solutions are mobile, tactical and wireless; come in a small form factor that is simple to set up and quickly deployable; require lower amounts of power (can run on batteries); and are easy to use, with only minimal training required when compared to commercial systems that demand in-depth, continuous training.

• 9907 Rapidly Deployable Network (RDN)
• Deployable Cellular Network (DCN) – Tactical Base Station Router (TacBSR)

LGS Innovations: Tactical Communications Past Performance

RDN

The RDN is currently under evaluation by various systems integrators and DoD entities. It has gone through demonstrations, trials and interoperability testing in DoD exercises, including the JUICE exercise; Joint Tactical Wireless Communications Capability (JTWCC); and Tactical Network Topology/Capabilities Based Experimentation (TNT/CBE) exercise jointly sponsored by Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

DCN: TacBSR

The TacBSR DCN has been deployed in disaster relief and tactical scenarios by various DoD entities. For example, the U.S. Coast Guard used it for Search and Rescue (SAR) during the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts. 

In addition, LGS Innovations and REDCOM Laboratories Inc. successfully tested and demonstrated Command and Control (C2) communications across a multitude of networks and standards. The tests were conducted at the Joint Users Interoperability Communications Exercise (JUICE) 2009 held in Fort Monmouth, N.J. JUICE is an annual Department of Defense exercise that optimizes and field tests existing communications technologies with emerging and new technologies in a number of in-theater scenarios.

The LGS Innovations and REDCOM DCN tactical communications solution provides seamless, secure interoperability between fixed and mobile, tactical military users over a converged network. It consists of the TacBSR multi-band GSM cellular system, the REDCOM SLICE 2100 and the High Density Exchange (HDX) voice switching systems, powered by REDCOM’s TRANSip technology suite, which enables seamless, integrated VoIP and TDM interoperability in a single platform. The converged solution includes IP Satcom, Wi-Fi and terrestrial circuits.

A number of TacBSR implementations are not able to be referenced due to customer requests; please see your Account Manager for details. 

U.S. Army Reserve Command

U.S. Army Reserve Command purchased a number of TacBSR Macro and Pico units to support its disaster response mission fulfillment in 2007.  USAR employed TacBSRs during Exercise Brightstar in 2008 in Egypt, where they fulfilled a critical role in providing Type-1 encrypted wireless communications during the exercise. The TacBSR systems were combined with PBX-1 certified gateways provided by PacStar Inc. and this system passed JITC evaluation for both interoperability and information assurance (IA).  

Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE)

JCSE purchased 15 Pico TacBSRs for incorporation into its Modular Internet Protocol Package (MIPP) in 2008.  The units have been integrated with a Cisco call manager and have been JITC certified for operation on the DSN.  Each MIPP is intended for deployment in support of each of the Combatant Commanders (COCOMs) worldwide.  Systems connect to the DSN via satellite connections back to CONUS.  Systems are integrated with Cisco, NET, REDCOM, and PacStar gateways.  

USMC Range Systems

Three systems were developed for the USMC to provide a range control and exercise system for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Radio Battalions between 2007 and 2010.  These systems significantly reduced the cost of USMC training and provide a realistic GSM environment for radio battalion training. Implemented as manpacks – permitting single man carry of TacBSR systems into the field – systems operate off of standard, commercial, low-power generators and/or could be battery enabled.  LGS Innovations also provided masts as well as unique antenna systems to support the mission.  Each system comprises between five and eight TacBSR picos and is inter-networked using Motorola Canopy 802.11 systems – thus permitting an ad hoc implementation.