• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

BAE SYSTEMS enhances British forces' communications in Siera Leone

02 Apr 2001

Ref: 050/2001

BAE Systems has completed delivery to the UK Ministry of Defence of advanced communications facilities for use by British Forces in Sierra Leone.

Featuring a wide range of commercially-sourced communications equipment hosted in standard ISO containers, the installations are based on those used in the MOD's recent "Commercialisation of Balkans Communications" project.

This was successfully completed by BAE Systems Avionics Communications & Defence Infrastructure division based in Christchurch, UK, under an Urgent Operational Requirement in 2000. The programme was achieved within seven weeks of contract award, reflecting the division's expertise in meeting demanding project timescales.

Once installed and commissioned in Sierra Leone, the systems will provide high capacity, reliable voice and data in-country communications, and links to the UK, with minimal requirement for manning, maintenance and repair.

The systems will replace currently deployed military equipment and communications personnel. These will then be returned to the UK ready for future operations with the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force.

Notes to Editors:

BAE Systems introduced commercially-sourced, in-theatre communications to support British and Allied forces in the Balkans on behalf of the UK MoD in 2000. A key driver was the ability to make significant reductions in the number of skilled Royal Signals personnel needed to support communications operations in theatre. The 28-week programme was awarded as a set of UORs and reflected an investment of over 20 million. It involved supply of a number of integrated communications containers providing voice and data facilities.

The commercial-off-the-shelf technology supplied included PABX telephone equipment, communications multiplexers, line-of-sight microwave equipment, aerials and towers, and ISO containers. In addition, the ISO-style containers were fitted with climate control, uninterruptible power supplies and shock-mounted equipment racks to accommodate the communications systems.

BAE Systems also supplied an integrated Management Information System (MIS) which, together with associated commercial-off-the-shelf systems, dramatically cut the number of trained personnel required to operate and maintain the equipment by allowing users to control and monitor equipment and services automatically at both local and remote sites. The company also had prime contracting responsibility to provide mobile communications facilities, again based on existing civil technologies, to operate alongside the fixed network.