Thales signs military vehicle communications contract
08 April 2009
The company has signed a contract with the Defence Materiel Organisation to provide the SOTAS IP vehicle communications system to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The SOTAS IP communications harness provides vehicle intercom, Ethernet Local Area Network and IP routing services, and allows further integration of VoIP services, Battle Management System, vetronics services, inter-platform communications, wireless LAN services, video on demand and mounted soldier systems into one rugged, reliable system.
A highly flexible and scalable system, SOTAS IP offers greater capability than competing technologies, with fewer components, and can be configured for all types of vehicles and requirements from small voice intercom to complete multimedia command post network.
The new contract highlights the benefits of Thales's access to world-leading technology. SOTAS is a third generation system developed by Thales in the Netherlands. The SOTAS system has been installed in over 50 vehicle types in more than 30 countries, including Thales Bushmaster vehicles supplied to the Netherlands.
In Australia, Thales will supply over 700 complete systems, plus spares, to be installed in the ADF's Bushmasters. Installation is scheduled to begin in July, with in-service vehicles retrofitted at Thales's Vehicle Support Centre in Brisbane, and potentially at ADF bases around the country. In the future, the system will be installed during Bushmaster production at the Thales Bendigo facility.
Ian Irving, Vice President of Thales Australia's Land & Joint Systems, said the contract marked an important step in the evolution of network centric warfare.
"This contract demonstrates the adaptability of the Bushmaster and its ongoing value as a platform for multiple new and evolving capabilities."
"SOTAS IP is an example of how advanced digital technologies can be installed into existing vehicles. Our systems integration expertise and global network combine here to deliver an advanced capability to the ADF, helping lay the groundwork for network enabled capabilities and paving the way for future concepts of full cooperative mission capabilities."
SOTAS IP
SOTAS IP offers all required vehicle communications services on a single system and full connectivity for soldiers, extending the command and control chain to dismounted troops. It is a hermetically sealed, robust Mil-Spec system that requires no special protection measures when installed and is designed to be used in harsh environments.
Thanks to unique Dynamic Noise Reduction (DNR) and human voice recognition algorithms SOTAS IP offers clear voice communications in all types of vehicles, including those with high noise levels. The DNR improves the communication over the intercom and radios, and enables hearing protection for the vehicle crew.
The easily upgradeable SOTAS IP services are not limited to individual vehicles. SOTAS IP offers multimedia inter-vehicle networking, as well as voice, data, video communications, the sharing of radios, sensors and computer resources, etc. Vehicles can be connected in any order and in any topology. On connection, SOTAS IP automatically adapts to the new topology; no management action is required.
In addition to wired (fibre and electrical) networks, SOTAS IP provides ad-hoc WLAN networking with multi-hop routing, enabling random network topologies. SOTAS IP integrates the BMS, the radios, telephone services and IP services, and provides interoperability between radio networks (UHF, VHF, HF) and with Wide Area Networks.
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing Aerospace and Space, Defence and Security markets worldwide. The Group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,500 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. The Group builds its growth on its unique multidomestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2008 revenues of €12.7 billion (equivalent of AUD22.1 billion).
Thales Australia is a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force and is also present in commercial sectors ranging from air traffic management to security systems and services. Employing around 3,500 people in over 35 sites across the country, Thales Australia recorded revenues of more than AUD1 billion in 2008.
Press contacts
Julian Elliott
Thales Australia
+61 (0)2 9562 3716
+61 (0)401 134 415
julian.elliott@thalesgroup.com.au
Aude Colas des Francs
Thales, Land and Joint Systems
+33 (0)1 46 13 20 86
aude.colasdesfrancs@fr.thalesgroup.com
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