Thales to Provide Communications Design Expertise to the U.S. Air Force
30 July 2008
CLARKSBURG, Md. Thales Communications, Inc., announces it will provide communications design expertise for the upgrade of the Tactical Automated Security System (TASS).
Thales Communications, Inc., announces it will provide communications design expertise for the upgrade of the Tactical Automated Security System (TASS). This contract has been awarded by the 642d Electronic Systems Squadron of the U.S. Air Force. As the subcontractor to L-3 Global Security and Engineering Solutions, Thales will design advanced communications modules (CMs) and advanced handheld monitors (HHMs), updating and extending the capabilities of the existing CMs and HHMs, which are also produced by Thales. This will enable Thales' battle-proven AN/PRC-148 Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) - or JEM - to be utilized as the advanced HHM with a simple software upgrade.
TASS enhances the warfighter's capability for early detection and identification of threats, preventing damage to, or destruction of, mission-critical assets. It is an integrated electronic security system that can be tailored for a wide variety of semi-permanent, portable, and covert applications. It is rapidly deployable, easily transportable, and quickly relocatable. An integral part of the Integrated Base Defense Security System, TASS detects intrusions into protected areas and directs responding forces to the intruders. Further, it assesses the strength and composition of the intruding force and facilitates the collection of critical intelligence information. TASS is currently in use by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Marine Corps and secures bases and installations worldwide.
"The new design has common architecture with--and advanced capabilities of--the AN/PRC-148 JEM radio and eliminates the need for a separate HHM," said Ray Bruhn, U.S. Air Force Business Development Manager for Thales Communications. "As in Thales' previous concept of sharing commonality between an operator's radio and sensor system, the new design continues to support increased capability while eliminating equipment."
The upgrade facilitates use of a self-forming, self-healing ad-hoc tactical sensor network. This feature eliminates the time and effort needed for manual configuration, enabling warfighters to respond more quickly to emerging, critical operational security requirements. A JTRS-based software communications architecture compliant communications module will provide greater range of radio frequency bands than the previous system components in a standard architecture. Additionally, the waveform in the new design will provide a higher data rate to forward more data from the sensors and will facilitate the next generation of sensors.
The design work under this contract will take place at Thales' Clarksburg, Maryland, facilities.
About Thales
Thales Communications, Inc. (www.thalescomminc.com), is a leader in the development of battle-proven, software-defined, radio equipment and solutions. The company provides critical communication capabilities for use in size-, weight-, and power-constrained environments in the Tactical, Homeland Security, and Naval/Maritime domains throughout the globe. A U.S. proxy company (100% American), Thales Communications is part of the Thales Group of companies (www.thalesgroup.com), a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defense, aerospace, and security markets worldwide. The Group's civil and military businesses develop a base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property, and nations. The Group employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues in excess of $18 billion.
Press Contact
Sheila Gindes
Marketing Communications Manager
240-864-7912
sheila.gindes@thalescomminc.com
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