30 Sep 2002
The Pilot Direct Broadcast System (Pilot DBS), designed and produced by BAE Systems C4ISR under a pilot programme for the UK Ministry of Defence, gained a Joint Warfare Interoperability Demonstration (JWID) Gold Award following military assessment feedback after the recent NATO JWID 2002. This recognised that the JWID demonstration achieved a score for Pilot DBS of over 90%.
The Pilot DBS enables large volumes of data to be transmitted from headquarters to operational commanders in theatre, ensuring that fighting forces are supplied with the most up-to-date information to support their ability to successfully prosecute their mission. The UK's successful experience of its use took place during Exercise Saif Sareea, and in recent and ongoing overseas deployments.
Within JWID 2002, the capability of the Pilot DBS was further reflected in the transmission of aircraft-derived geographical photographic imagery by satellite communications from the wide area network (reflecting an allied coalition headquarters) direct to receive sites in the simulated theatre of operations as a seamless end-to-end activity.
This further demonstrated that the Pilot DBS can support the creation of completely shared databases containing hundreds of megabytes of information between headquarters and theatre commanders, with enhanced timeliness of updates and improved configuration control.
The BAE Systems C4ISR Portsmouth-designed Pilot DBS is now to be employed within the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps exercise ARRCade Fusion 2002, where it will provide information, inter alia, for the BAE Systems GP3 command support system.
The Pilot DBS was designed and supplied by BAE Systems C4ISR as a capability demonstrator to assist evaluation of means to support the information needs of British forces during expeditionary deployments. It recently completed its Initial Operating Capability (IOC) phase, following technical transfer to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. The project has now moved on to the next phase, Mid Operating Capability (MOC), which is to be achieved by the end of 2002. Final Operating Capability will be achieved by the end of 2003.
About BAE SYSTEMS:
BAE Systems is a systems company, innovating for a safer world. BAE Systems employs nearly 100,000 people including Joint Ventures, and has annual sales of around 13 billion. The company offers a global capability in air, sea, land and space with a world-class prime contracting ability supported by a range of key skills. BAE Systems designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, space systems, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, guided weapon systems and a range of other defence products. BAE Systems is dedicated to making the intelligent connections needed to deliver innovative solutions.
BAE Systems C4ISR is a global centre of excellence supplying innovative, network enhanced solutions focused on military capability. The Group integrates advanced civil and military technologies into robust, single-service and joint information management environments. It optimises the operational effectiveness of command & control and platforms within the digitized battlespace, providing flexible architectures to support fast decision-making.
