Theatre-wide communications network for the UK Joint Rapid Reaction Force
Cormorant provides the UK’s Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) with comprehensive modern communications capability. The flexibility of the system will enable the JRRF to deploy and operate its Wide Area Network communications system in either peacekeeping roles or in a fully operational military deployment. The system is fully containerised and can be operated in either vehicle mounted, dismounted into a “building of opportunity” or as a transit case mode.
Features
Secure, Fixed and Mobile, Voice and Data Services
CORMORANT users enjoy all the communication facilities of a modern office whilst on operational duty. The system’s extensive commercially featured solution has been augmented by a full range of military features which will ensure that the user has all of the facilities required by these forces. Services include fully networked secure and insecure Voice and Data facilities that can interoperate seamlessly with other CORMORANT users and also with interoperable peer systems.
Local and Wide Area Switching
A modern ruggedised Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) based switching architecture provides CORMORANT with a resilient, selfhealing communications networking capability. Based on open standards technology such as ATM and TCP/IP, CORMORANT is able to evolve to take advantage of developments in commercial technology.
Peer System Interoperability
A set of programmable gateways allows CORMORANT to communicate effectively with a wide range of peer communications systems. This key capability marks a major step towards the era of truly interoperable systems whilst at the same time addressing the issues associated with legacy systems.
Resilient Transmission Systems
In order to provide the required quality of service within a harsh tactical environment, EADS has selected the latest state-of-the art radio to provide CORMORANT’s primary terrestrial radio bearer. Other short range radio bearers and tactical fibre optic capabilities give
CORMORANT the ability to use the full range of technology in order to deal flexibly with varying operational scenarios. In addition to these a Troposcatter system provides ‘Over the Horizon’ communications for extended links.
Strategic Communications
CORMORANT’s resilient trunk architecture copes readily with Satellite communications’ requirements. CORMORANT is provided with a fully functional UK switching system that provides the UK operations support staff with the features and services enjoyed in theatre and enables them to coordinate operations across multitheatres. In this way CORMORANT uniquely provides seamless end-to end communications between the UK and any operation world-wide.
CORMORANT Management Information System (CMIS)
The Management Information System provided for CORMORANT represents a comprehensive suite of leading COTS products integrated within a single enclosure. These applications are all web-enabled thereby ensuring a common user interface throughout. The CMIS is designed to support the full operational life cycle from planning and network configuration to operation, maintenance and repair activities, and ultimately system recovery to the UK.
Vehicle and Cabin Integration
The key to CORMORANT is its flexibility and its deployable nature in maximising airlift payload. EADS selected the Mowag Duro vehicle as the optimum solution for UK airlift.
Each vehicle has an integrated cabin installation, provided by Marshall Specialist Vehicles, which allow operation of the system both invehicle and dismounted. Autonomous system operation is facilitated by a fully redundant generator set, supported by an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The generator set provides reliable uninterruptible power while also facilitating the use of ‘scavenged’ power from a variety of different power source standards.
Integrated Logistic Support (ILS)
Supportability of the CORMORANT system is assured by the provision of a comprehensive support and training package. This facilitates all aspects of the training and support of CORMORANT users so that all documentation, training and maintenance needs of the end user are satisfied.
Technical Specification
CORMORANT provides communications support for direct subscribers at Joint Forces HQs for example, JOCS, and for other combined services deployments such as Logistics. It also provides a backbone network that allows indirect subscribers on attached UK single-service networks such as Ptarmigan, BOWMAN, RTTS, DLAN and RN CSS to communicate with each other and with CORMORANT direct subscribers. CORMORANT provides gateways that allow it to interconnect with a wide range of other military and public networks.
CORMORANT provides subscribers with telephony, circuit switched data and high speed IP Intranet services, interconnected over a secure wide area backbone network. All these services can be extended over the intheatre backbone and integrated with UK strategic network services. A number of ISDN and ATM access ports are provided at each CORMORANT Local Area. In addition, the architecture also accommodates the use of public
ISDN and satellite services where these are available from the civil infrastructure in the theatre of operations.
For more information, please view the Cormorant Datasheet