Department of Defence - Australia

The Customer

The Australian Department of Defence is using advanced Tait radio communications technology in 24 training areas across the country, as part of its Standard Training Area Range Safety Network (STARSN) to be rolled out over 18 months.

The Challenge

The DoD had identified shortcomings in its range safety communications. It needed a standardised solution for its training ranges throughout Australia, and required a communications system that was compatible with its existing combat radio equipment - without diverting these resources from combat training activities.

Enter Tait and its revolutionary solution - involving sophisticated commercial equipment customised to interoperate with the DoD's existing equipment, and its Quasi-Sync system where multiple repeater stations enable military personnel to communicate from anywhere on the training area using a single radio frequency.

Tait won the DoD contract after a successful Quasi-Sync demonstration that proved the interoperability between commercial equipment and the combat net military equipment. Tait was involved in the project even before restricted tenders were called, by assisting STARSN project managers PS Management Consultants in creating the complex tender specifi cations.

The Solution

The interoperability of Tait's radio communications system with the existing DoD combat radio system means troops training on the ranges do not have to carry additional radios to be on the safety net.

Tait undertook extensive product development to make its system compatible with the VHF combat radio system used by the DoD. Commercial radio communications equipment operates on a narrower bandwidth to military equipment, and so Tait's custom integration team had to modify its equipment to suit the DoD's ultra-wide bandwidth requirements. In doing this, Tait overcame a diffi cult technical challenge for the DoD.

Its Quasi-Sync system gives superior radio coverage over a wide area, by broadcasting simultaneously from several transmitters on the same frequency. This open channel provides instant contact between all military personnel using the system, increasing their safety during training exercises.