Published by Blakes for more
than a quarter of a century
than a quarter of a century
EADS Defence & Security Systems Limited (formerly Cogent)
Exceeding Expectations - Cogent's Project Synergy Team in Iraq
Reliable and secure communications during times of conflict are imperative. But once a war is over, coalition peacekeeping forces need to maintain robust and secure communications systems that will not compromise troops, as work begins to rebuild the country's communities and infrastructure.
As the war in Iraq came to an end, the Ministry of Defence set out its requirements for a post-conflict military communications system. This would allow for the extraction of significant numbers of military communications support personnel from Iraq and replacement of military communications equipment used during the war-fighting phase, such as the British Army Ptarmigan System.
The MoD identified the requirements for the rapid deployment of a wide-area communications system that could be utilised by UK and coalition forces, and issued an Urgent Operational Requirement known as Project Synergy. Following a competitive tender, the prime contract was awarded to Paradigm Services, along with Cogent (now known as EADS Defence and Security Systems Ltd). Cogent is the leading provider of secure communications infrastructure to the MoD, and they were responsible for the Synergy communications network baseband infrastructure solution design, equipment supply and technical expertise for planning, installation, integration and deployment of the system.
The cross-functional team from Cogent has delivered to UK forces and their coalition partners operating in the UK zone a highly flexible system, encompassing not only the UK area of operations in Iraq but also providing two other Middle East nations hosting support activities. The original specifications were quickly exceeded, and the communications network provided is compatible not only with existing military systems but also new technology being deployed into future military networks.
Timescales were extremely challenging; the contract was signed in June 2003 with full service for the southern Iraq area being required by the end of that year. Cogent's dedicated Rapid Response Team from Newport had an initial operating capability up and running in less than half the specified time. Since delivery of the Initial Operating Capability, Cogent has successfully delivered the remaining trances of equipment to provide full operating capability. In addition to this, and in conjunction with the changing political and military situation, the company has worked closely with the MoD's Defence Communication Services Agency's Synergy Team and In-Theatre J6 staff to accomplish a series of redeployments of much of the equipment inas the security situation changed. Priorities for the remainder of this year are to complete a major re-basing activity, commissioning a new site and achieving Technical Transfer in line with the Customer's programme.
The technical requirement of Project Synergy was daunting. Synergy demanded a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) based network for amilitary voice, data and video communications network with all the specialised requirements that entails: such as multiple levels of security, availability and reliability all configured in air transportable containers (or cabins), for deployment in both static military headquarters and mobile group scenarios. The system is designed to inter-operate with local PTT networks, military or civilian PMR systems and GSM communications systems and provides the critical communications capability for interoperability with our US allies.
Subsequent to the initial Synergy contract, Cogent has now installed a Professional Mobile Radio network in Iraq for a number of the coalition forces based on the Tetrapol standard provided by EADS. For the Synergy PMR Initial Operating Capability (IOC), the network reused equipment previously installed in the Balkan theatre of operations by Cogent. The Synergy PMR network has grown exponentially, and throughout 2004 the EADS Defence and Security Systems Deployable Systems team continued to deliver new equipment to build a comprehensive coverage area in southern Iraq, supported by the main Synergy Baseband infrastructure.
Cogent has used its extensive experience in militarisation, environmental protection and ruggedisation of 'enterprise communications' equipment to ensure Project Synergy is suitable for the exacting and demanding standards of the military. By creating the Synergy network design from 'commercial off-the-shelf' equipment, significant cost-savings have been achieved and will continue in the future as system upgrades and enhancements are highly cost-effective. Further economies have been realised by ensuring that the management of much of the network is handled from the UK, thereby requiring the minimum of maintenance on-site in Iraq.
Susie Thomson, Director of Communications at EADS Defence and Security Systems, comments: "Project Synergy has put our core skills to the test and we have responded by exceeding expectations. Our team created and built a high specification communications network in extremely challenging conditions - and completed the project ahead of schedule. We are hugely proud to have supported UK and coalition forces in Iraq in this way".
As the war in Iraq came to an end, the Ministry of Defence set out its requirements for a post-conflict military communications system. This would allow for the extraction of significant numbers of military communications support personnel from Iraq and replacement of military communications equipment used during the war-fighting phase, such as the British Army Ptarmigan System.
The MoD identified the requirements for the rapid deployment of a wide-area communications system that could be utilised by UK and coalition forces, and issued an Urgent Operational Requirement known as Project Synergy. Following a competitive tender, the prime contract was awarded to Paradigm Services, along with Cogent (now known as EADS Defence and Security Systems Ltd). Cogent is the leading provider of secure communications infrastructure to the MoD, and they were responsible for the Synergy communications network baseband infrastructure solution design, equipment supply and technical expertise for planning, installation, integration and deployment of the system.
The cross-functional team from Cogent has delivered to UK forces and their coalition partners operating in the UK zone a highly flexible system, encompassing not only the UK area of operations in Iraq but also providing two other Middle East nations hosting support activities. The original specifications were quickly exceeded, and the communications network provided is compatible not only with existing military systems but also new technology being deployed into future military networks.
Timescales were extremely challenging; the contract was signed in June 2003 with full service for the southern Iraq area being required by the end of that year. Cogent's dedicated Rapid Response Team from Newport had an initial operating capability up and running in less than half the specified time. Since delivery of the Initial Operating Capability, Cogent has successfully delivered the remaining trances of equipment to provide full operating capability. In addition to this, and in conjunction with the changing political and military situation, the company has worked closely with the MoD's Defence Communication Services Agency's Synergy Team and In-Theatre J6 staff to accomplish a series of redeployments of much of the equipment inas the security situation changed. Priorities for the remainder of this year are to complete a major re-basing activity, commissioning a new site and achieving Technical Transfer in line with the Customer's programme.
The technical requirement of Project Synergy was daunting. Synergy demanded a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) based network for amilitary voice, data and video communications network with all the specialised requirements that entails: such as multiple levels of security, availability and reliability all configured in air transportable containers (or cabins), for deployment in both static military headquarters and mobile group scenarios. The system is designed to inter-operate with local PTT networks, military or civilian PMR systems and GSM communications systems and provides the critical communications capability for interoperability with our US allies.
Subsequent to the initial Synergy contract, Cogent has now installed a Professional Mobile Radio network in Iraq for a number of the coalition forces based on the Tetrapol standard provided by EADS. For the Synergy PMR Initial Operating Capability (IOC), the network reused equipment previously installed in the Balkan theatre of operations by Cogent. The Synergy PMR network has grown exponentially, and throughout 2004 the EADS Defence and Security Systems Deployable Systems team continued to deliver new equipment to build a comprehensive coverage area in southern Iraq, supported by the main Synergy Baseband infrastructure.
Cogent has used its extensive experience in militarisation, environmental protection and ruggedisation of 'enterprise communications' equipment to ensure Project Synergy is suitable for the exacting and demanding standards of the military. By creating the Synergy network design from 'commercial off-the-shelf' equipment, significant cost-savings have been achieved and will continue in the future as system upgrades and enhancements are highly cost-effective. Further economies have been realised by ensuring that the management of much of the network is handled from the UK, thereby requiring the minimum of maintenance on-site in Iraq.
Susie Thomson, Director of Communications at EADS Defence and Security Systems, comments: "Project Synergy has put our core skills to the test and we have responded by exceeding expectations. Our team created and built a high specification communications network in extremely challenging conditions - and completed the project ahead of schedule. We are hugely proud to have supported UK and coalition forces in Iraq in this way".
For further information please contact:
Susie Thomson, Director of Communications and Public Relations
EADS Defence and Security Systems Ltd.
Tel: +0044+ (0)1633 292084
E-mail: susie.thomson@eads.com
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