BAE SYSTEMS COMPLETES PTARMIGAN UPGRADE FOR OUT-OF-AREA COMMUNICATIONS

BAE SYSTEMS C4ISR has completed the delivery of thirty Installations under the Mobile Access to the Ptarmigan Packet Switching (MAPPS) programme awarded by the UK MoD in February 1998.

The company designed and installed new hardware and software to enhance the data handling capacity of the existing Single Channel Radio Access (Central), SCRA(C) Installation. The provision of a local combined circuit and packet switch, based on the company,s MRS 2000 product, gives improved data access to mobile Ptarmigan subscribers and enables the Installations to be deployed independently of main Ptarmigan trunk networks in an out-of-area deployment.

Fifteen MAPPS Installations have retained the original Bedford vehicle container and pallet of the donor SCRA (Central), and are now designated as the SCRA (Switching Central)(Standard), SCRA(SC)(Std).

The other fifteen sets are installed in Pinzgauer vehicles. These were selected for their air transportability and supplied as Government Furnished Equipment, and are known as the SCRA(Switching Central)(Air Portable), SCRA(SC)(AP). Each Pinzgauer-hosted MAPPS capability requires two vehicles. The first is the primary communications container vehicle whilst the second supplies power generation and support.

The MAPPS programme was extended in October 1998 to include the design and installation of General Purpose Trunk Access Port (GP-TAP) software enhancements.
These provide software to support interoperability with friendly nations, communications systems in coalition operations, and with other UK systems such as CORMORANT and FALCON. GP-TAP was successfully embodied in Germany and the UK in mid-2002.