Airbus upgrades army training centre comms network

Airbus is upgrading the US Army’s secure mobile communication system at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California.

Based on the company’s Tetrapol Internet Protocol technology, the upgraded communication system will allow the army to communicate more efficiently and flexibly at the training site.

Airbus is upgrading the base’s simulcast voice network, consisting of 48 channels, as well as its extensions to China Lake NAWS Airport and Barstow Daggett Airport. The new IP technology facilitates the integration of IT-based network elements and interoperability with 4G/5G broadband technology. It sets the ground for multimedia communication and real-time data transmission. The renewed Tetrapol network also offers a high capacity and carries out calls and data transmission very swiftly.

Tetrapol technology is capable of operating across large sites, such as the 2,580sq km large Training Center in the Mojave Desert in the state of California. Each day, 150,000 group calls are handled by the Tetrapol communication system at Fort Irwin.

Trainings at Fort Irwin include many aspects that require precise mobile communication instruments –multinational army units and members of various governmental agencies simulate and train complex situations on the ground. The army works with UAS, multimedia communication and real-time data transmission. On the site, complete villages were built with video recording tools to analyse combat situations than can engage an entire brigade combat team in a fight.

The network modernisation work is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.