An Cosantóir

| 11 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE Transitional Multicam Pattern (ITMP) that's coming onstream. The robustness of the actual design of the pouch itself and the way it's actually mounted to the system is a standardised mounting system (MOLLE/PALS). The radio has been tested with a number of body armour systems available on the market and we've reviewed other nations configurations who have purchased a similar radio to confirm that it is designed to fit on our current and future body armour systems. The radio drops down in the front pouch of the body armour and then it's just a clip to tie it back in thus the radio will not be flopping around in the soldier's kit. We are working with Ordnance and DOD colleagues in specifying the requirements for the hearing protection element for a new General Service helmet. We are procuring an integrated communications headset system to roll out with the new SQUADNET radio for the current EU Battle Group. In terms of the pack systems, the radio is quite small, so it can be positioned anywhere on the body. It's down to the soldier to identify where it best suits them to wear the equipment, bearing in mind that the antenna always needs to be pointing somewhere in a northerly fashion. Has the system been trialled to integrate with our current and future CBRN IPE? Is high temperature steam and high temperature water in a DECON line going to affect the radio if it needs to be decontaminated? All of the radios comply with MIL-STD 810G which includes tests for high temperature environments, water ingress etc thus wont be affected. We have two sets of ear protection being assessed for CBRN IPE. One is a headband with boom mic, the other is an in-ear system that uses a bone conduction type system. In addition there is also a Bluetooth option for the radio itself which may provide an option. Can the system communicate with all DF armour and softskin vehicles and is the system backwards compatible in order to communicate with admin radios such as the Motorola? Yes, the SDR will work with our legacy radios. We have also purchased a solution, connected over IP gateways that allow us to physically connect the new radio, SINCGARS, Motorola and HF existing systems and to crossband them all. This solution is currently being rolled out. Is there significant work to retrofit and install these radios into existing vehicles and integrate them with the existing systems? No, because the new radio has a smaller footprint than the current full size or half size SINCGARS footprint. Each of the vehicle fits purchased are dual fit with two channels built into one radio with two 50 Watt amplifiers in addition. So for the same profile of one full size SINCGARS base station, we will have two radios, both amplified, that can work for VHF and UHF ranges, and can provide voice and data simultaneously across the net and also with a MESH capability. MESH means if you don't have direct communications with another callsign, the system will hop through the nearest radio that can provide you with the necessary access. How does the SDR integrate with systems such as SITAWARE and will such a system be rolled out to combat and combat support units in the future? We are looking at the digitisation of the force in terms of providing end user devices down to the different command levels. We are looking at providing the Section Commander and Section 2 i/c with an end user device along the lines of an Android tactical device. This would give greater enhanced situational awareness down to the Section Commander as well as up through the chain of command. The plan is to digitise 1 ACS and 1 MIC initially, and then to roll it out to the other Army units, Air Corps and Naval Service. From a combat effectiveness point of view we will have a shared situational awareness across the three services completely interoperable working seamlessly together. We're working also to integrate all the current sensor platforms in service such as the B2FO into Frontline. If I'm a private soldier carrying ECM in a patrol, can I transmit to my section commander if there is active ECM? We always work on the PACE model (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency means of communications). At least two of these means will always work in an ECM Environment. How secure is the system? How easy is it for an adversary to direction find (DF), if I start transmitting with this radio? This goes back to first principles of always working on the lowest power possible. So instead of transmitting on high power from the vehicle, the operator decides on the maximum power required to transmit information from A to B. Being a MESH network, the user without using high power could hop through different radios to get to the callsign required. Who can I talk to using the SDR? Is it interoperable with other nations? Interoperability with both our NATO partners and our EU partners was a key component of the SDR selection process. The European Secure Software Defined Radio (ESSOR) program seeks to enhance the interoperability of mission-critical radio connectivity assets across domains through the development of Software Defined Radios (SDR) terminals and Waveforms (WFs), both built on a common architecture and methodology. We'll be one of the first nations that will actually deploy the ESSOR waveform as a working operating radio. This will give us interoperability with any ESSOR consortium country, which is mostly European nations that are funding the program. If the various leadership positions in the platoon all have a radio system that can communicate with company level and higher, will that result in the traditional platoon signaller being done away with? The platoon signaller is responsible for recording all the information in and out of the network making sure that it's accurate and that it's passed in a timely fashion. They are trained to construct, transcribe, and take down information in an accurate format. The commander at each level has responsibilities other than transmitting radio data thus the platoon signaller role will remain. Comdt Shorte explains the use of the new CIS equipment to Sgt Sheehan Comdt Shorte explains how the equipment will be put to use by the individual soldier

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