A major military Prime contractor in Australia has taken delivery of the first set of High Data Rate Line of Sight (HDRLOS) systems for the Royal Australian Navy's fleet of Anzac Frigates. The units were delivered by Amber Technology, Sydney based distributor for Silvus Technologies in Australia and New Zealand.
Originally developed as part of the SEA1442 Phase 4 communications upgrade program for the Frigates, the units will now be fitted to all new qualifying Naval Vessels, as well as being deployed as an upgrade to existing vessels where appropriate.
The HDRLOS system introduces the Silvus Technologies MN-MIMO waveform to fleet communications, as a means of simply and efficiently establishing ship-to-ship data links. Silvus radios deliver a self-forming, self-healing mesh network that allows vessels to establish data links with each other automatically, seamlessly and without operator intervention.
The HDRLOS system consists of a custom-built unit that is ruggedized and certified to MilSpec requirements for active battleship use. Each unit combines Silvus Waveforms with a dedicated control system and 100 W of amplification for each of the two bands that the radio supports. Available in Bulkhead Mount, Rack Mount, and fully deployable versions, the HDR LOS system is 100% compatible with the full range of standard Silvus radios.
The technology underwent a rigorous waterborn test program to verify functionality and capability, delivering multiple simultaneous video conferences, voice communications and data transfer between multiple vessels over a 10 nm radius.
The development and testing program for the system took 3 years, with Amber Technology and the Prime engineers working closely with the RAN (Royal Australian Navy) to ensure that the system was fully compliant with the Navy's requirements.
The presence of Silvus waveform as a core communications bearer on RAN vessels opens the door to a wide range of deployment scenarios, potentially allowing Boarding Parties, Landing parties, Troops in transit, UAVs and other assets to seamlessly network with the main ship and each other, and to act as range extenders. External assets can "Piggy Back" on the high power HDRLOS Radio system of a mothership to take advantage of its elevation and power as a relay, without requiring access to the secure on-board networks of the mothership. Land-based transceivers can be established to deliver seamless communications from naval vessels to shore assets.
The acceptance of the Silvus MN-MIMO waveform as a standard bearer in the RAN firmly establishes it as a durable, high performance platform for deployment in all types of military scenarios. The ability to form dynamic and encrypted mesh networks without operator intervention dramatically simplifies establishment of critical data links amongst forces on land, sea and in the air.
