Airbus Upgrades Communication Network at Fort Irwin in the USA

Airbus is upgrading and expanding the US Army’s secure mobile communication system at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in the USA, California. As a result of this migration, the US Army will be able to communicate more efficiently and flexibly on one of the most important training site of the US military. A resilient and highly reliable on-site communication infrastructure supports the work of observers and controllers. Airbus expects the conclusion of the network modernisation by the end of 2018.

“We are proud to serve the US Army who required communication technology of the highest standards,” says Thierry Becker, Head of Sales of Western Europe, North America and Africa for Secure Land Communications at Airbus. “Since 2001, the army has been using our Tetrapol system, and now they want to bring it to the next level with upgraded Tetrapol Internet Protocol (IP) technology to challenge their future tasks.”

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 the 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.

Trainings at Fort Irwin encompass many aspects that require precise mobile communication instruments: multinational army units and members of various governmental agencies simulate and train complex situations on ground. The army works with drones, 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.

Tetrapol technology is ideal for use on large sites, such as the 2,580 square kilometre (996 square miles) 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. Despite the extreme weather conditions of the Mojave Desert, the system has demonstrated the expected availability and reliability.