QinetiQ led team successfully takes NEC capability to Sea

Culminating a £6.3m contract for both development and trials activity over a three year period, a QinetiQ led industry and MOD team has successfully fitted a tactical intranet system in ships deployed for a Royal Navy (RN) exercise. The team delivered a new Network Enabled Capability (NEC) for the first time empowering all ships to achieve integrated Command and Control and Situation Awareness whilst simultaneously reducing Task Group reliance on Satcom. Minor war vessels and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries (RFAs), previously disadvantaged through limited communications in RN exercises, will now be able to flexibly use whatever communications bearers are available to them to join the UK's new Global Information Infrastructure.

The NEC system developed for the RN had to be easily manageable by ship's crews, support current and future in service command and control and 'war-fighting' systems and be able to be fitted into ships during operational Fleet time. As its Maritime Tactical Network (MTN) applied research programme focuses on providing real capability to provide secure and interoperable solutions by technology insertion, QinetiQ was able to meet these criteria.

One of the fundamental requirements was to provide the MOD with a major new maritime communications capability without major investment in new equipment. This required a more effective use of existing equipment despite the problems of operating in a harsh tactical communications environment. Additionally, the solution had to fully meet a stringent set of quality of service, security and coalition interoperability requirements.

The ships chosen to trial the system were deliberately selected to provide a complete cross section of ship fitting challenges. HMS Ocean is the largest ship in RN Service whereas the Sandown class single role mine hunters (HM Ships Ramsey, Blyth, Grimsby) are some of the smallest. QinetiQ also fitted HM Ships Quorn and Brocklesby and RFAs Sir Galahad and Sir Bedevere. Highlighting the flexibility of the MTN capability, HMS Grimsby was fitted with an MTN solution in just four days. QinetiQ also provided an MTN node at PJHQ Northwood to provide a Network Operating Centre, operated by staff from the Defence Communications Service Agency. This allowed the ships to connect into other legacy command support systems that were hubbed from the UK and supported other UK deployed forces using legacy satcom solutions.

QinetiQ provided overall lead and technical integration to ensure all component parts worked seamlessly together to create the TacWAN(M) using innovative dynamic router technology and a closely coupled intelligent network management system. EDS provided the RN Command Support System (RNCSS), including an experimental Remote Client giving RNCSS capability on a laptop PC - ideal for mine hunters providing situational awareness and other collaboratory planning tools. ITT(UK) Ltd provided the UK's BOWMAN high capacity data radios re-roled to operate in a maritime wide band mode. Rhode & Schwarz provided state of the art M3SR UHF radios. Riverbed Technology provided its Steelhead WAN accelerator to optimise end-to-end internet working performance. Thales eSecurity internet protocol cryptos enabled multiple virtual private networks to be established over all bearers.

The sea trial followed on from a successful shore demonstration of MTN carried out in October 2005, when it was operated by RN and RFA communications staff working at a number of different locations in the Portsmouth area, but brought together through the TacWAN(M).

Feedback from MTN users during the sea trial was very positive: The Commanding Officer of HMS Ramsey: "The system was excellent." The Commanding Officer of HMS Blyth: "It proved the utility of a flexible communications network." From the Communications Office on HMS Quorn - Leading Operator Mechanic (Communications): "I found the system to be very versatile and experienced few problems. Everyone commented on what a great tool it was." An Able Rate said: "MTN has been an amazing asset to our operations, easy to use and will be missed when removed."

MTN allows the huge investment in international standards and commercial networking products to be judiciously leveraged for the benefits of UK Defence bringing benefits of the internet revolution firmly into the military environment.