Redflex Switchplus® GENIII offers Defence a low risk and low cost transition path for IP based technology
22 July 2004 09:43
In the past Redflex Communications Systems provided traditional circuit based switching communications solutions to Defence customers in Australasia, Europe, Middle East, United States of America and Mexico, in fixed communications centres offering Red/Black Communications, mobile cabin deployable applications, simulators and Naval platform systems.
Today the Defence sector is moving closer to a network centric battle space communications environment, which no longer differentiates between voice and data. However due to their inherently large investment in established communications infrastructure, Defence customers will need to migrate to new technology in a staged process to enable the continued use of existing equipment and to foster interoperability between itself and the rest of its partners.
Redflex has been actively working on addressing the transition issues faced by Defence customers around the world, as IP based technology acceptance continues to grow. By monitoring technology developments within the Aerospace, Defence and Telecommunications sectors, Redflex has been able to develop a low risk and low cost transition path for emerging communications technologies. Redflex’s on going Research and Development program has been enhanced as a result of its recent award of an R&D Start grant from the Australian government. The grant is being used to accelerate the development of Redflex’s third generation Switchplus® system (GENIII).
Switchplus®, a digital voice and data switch, will be transitioned from a system based on traditional circuit based switching (Switchplus® GENII) to one using packet based switching and offering an extensive range of packet based and traditional interfaces. GENIII will provide the new core technology for the Redflex Switchplus® product range.
Through the use of open standards such as Session Initiation Protocol, (SIP), Switchplus® GENIII distributed communications products will communicate in a fault tolerant environment using third party communications infrastructure (IP, E1, E3, T1, ATM, etc) and will be vendor infrastructure, radio and telephony independent thereby providing maximum flexibility for both small and large geographically distributed systems. GENIII products will meet the Defence sector’s harsh environmental and operating conditions and will suit both maritime and land based applications in a network centric environment.
Voice Over IP (VoIP) remote radio interfaces with laptop computers used as the remote voice interface to standard analogue radios have already been trialled by Redflex and have since been commercialised for opportunities with the United States Department of Defense. Redflex is currently contracted to provide GENIII radio interface units, qualified to Mil-Std-810 environmentals, providing access through an IP/E1/ or T1 interface to support 4-wire analogue, legacy Selective Calling protocols, discretes, and serial control of equipment in a redundant topology. These interfaces will enable dual IP/E1/T1 interfaces supporting a truly redundant remote node. Where remote sites include modern IP based equipment, GENIII will de-multiplex any compressed audio and data for the destination source.
Switchplus® products have provided the US defence forces with mobile and tactical command centres, secure conference bridges for Type 1 and Type 3 cryptographic equipment and emergency response centres. The GENIII suite of products will continue to support these applications whilst including VoIP enabled technology allowing access from third party Soft Phones and Redflex’s user friendly Graphical User Interfaces conforming to SIP.
Redflex prides itself in offering Switchplus® hardware and software to a variety of applications. The software is configured to provide the personality required for the individual applications making the product truly commercial off the shelf. This engineering solution enables Redflex to maintain one hardware and software product thereby reducing the costly testing exercise of unique customer products. Customers receive a proven product that is continuing to mature with additional features and capabilities that can be easily upgraded without the need for hardware changes.
Defence customers tend to maximise the life of there equipment and therefore Switchplus® GENIII products can provide a transition path which supports both current and emerging IP technologies. GENIII will give new communications projects this unique opportunity as it will integrate new IP technology within existing circuit based systems. GENIII will provide Defence customers with the ability to trial the use of IP based capabilities, determine operational scenarios, interoperability compatibility whilst retaining current analogue and circuit based communications systems and thereby maximise communication interoperability.
The new generation Switchplus® promises to offer Defence customers a low risk and low cost technology transition path and avoids the leap of faith approach of a full turnkey replacement program by supporting both traditional interfaces and IP based communications.
For more information on this company:
C4i - Switchplus Based Command, Control and Communication Systems
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