For more than 30 years now, Rohde & Schwarz has been equipping naval platforms around the world with integrated communications systems (ICS).
Today’s military vessels are equipped with state-of-the-art command centres featuring complex facilities for communicating on board and externally. These communications systems must ensure reliable, jam-resistant and encrypted information exchange, especially in case of a military emergency.
Interoperability continues to play a key role, and not just between the individual branches of a country’s armed forces. It is also a prerequisite for joint operations and for Partnership for Peace (PfP) missions. As network centric operations become increasingly important, there is a growing demand for standardised voice and data communications protocols and for advanced software defined radios (SDR). Military messaging in particular is increasingly vital for mission success.
Interference-free, simultaneous radio channels
One of the technical challenges for a ship’s communications infrastructure is the need for interference-free, simultaneous, robust use of all radio channels onboard.
Rohde & Schwarz has decades of experience in naval communications. As a system integrator, the company offers impressive single-source communications solutions for modern naval applications. These solutions meet complex requirements and provide outstanding reliability to ensure information superiority in any type of scenario.
Rohde & Schwarz offers the following:
- System solutions for all naval platforms
- Solutions for combined and joint missions
- Secure communications through TRANSEC/COMSEC
- IP on board, on land and in the air
- Complete, single-source systems
Integrated communications systems (ICS)
Rohde & Schwarz provides highly scalable ICS solutions, covering systems for all classes of naval vessels – from light aircraft carriers (CVL) and amphibious support ships (LPD, LPH, etc.) to large (command) frigates, and from corvettes, fast attack craft (FAC), offshore patrol vessels (OPV) and inshore patrol vessels (IPV) to small, fast interceptors (RHIB).
RHIBs are typically equipped with just one radio line, which is used for both voice and data communications. Information exchange capabilities make it possible for units to report their own position and situation and receive target data – describing the target’s position, track and speed – from the mother ship. However, larger vessels with multiple communications lines need a digital communications network (DCN) to serve as a backbone for both internal and external communications and to manage dynamically switched communications circuits in line with mission requirements i.e. ‘functional chains’ from sink / source to antenna.
Modern naval communications scenarios are based on wide area networks at sea as well as on shore. To meet these requirements, Rohde & Schwarz provides solutions for shore stations and land-based communications networks that are fully integrated with naval radio communications.
Custom voice and data communications solutions
To ensure network centric operations, a modern navy needs applications for secure information exchange. The customised solutions offered by Rohde & Schwarz meet the specific requirements of today’s naval forces. Such requirements range from simple chat applications sufficient for small boats to a distributed nationwide military message handling system that integrates the entire fleet into a single, homogeneous communications infrastructure.
R&S Postman III, a third-generation radio communications system for state-of-the-art IP-based data transfer, offers key applications such as e-mail, chat, file transfer and blue force tracking.
R&S MMHS is a military message handling system in line with the STANAG 4406 NATO standard. It is an all-in-one solution for communications using wireline LAN/WAN infrastructure as well as radio networks.
R&S STANAG 5066 is a communications solution for the robust, highly secure exchange of data using HF radio networks, enabling interoperable communications within joint and allied forces. It supports data exchange via e-mail, chat, fax and IP-based applications.
R&S SIMCOS II manages ship communications equipment for internal and external information exchange. It supports various applications by establishing local functional chains comprising mainly radios, modems, crypto devices and antennas for voice and data communications. A continuous monitoring process provides an overall system status to the radio operator.
Software defined radios for voice and data
All R&S M3SR Series4400 VHF/UHF radios for line-of-sight communications and the R&S M3SR Series4100 HF radios for beyond-line-of-sight operation fully fit into integrated communications solutions. In this way, Rohde & Schwarz offers solutions for naval communications scenarios such as shore to ship, ship to shore and ship to ship.
Rohde & Schwarz radios can transmit data using different COMSEC and TRANSEC processes. Standardised waveforms, such as those defined in line with the NATO HF House concept, have been integrated. In the VHF/UHF range, besides HAVE QUICK I/II and SATURN, there are also R&S SECOS and R&S SECOM-V. These waveforms, which were developed by Rohde & Schwarz, allow encrypted, secure data transmission.
About Rohde & Schwarz
For nearly 80 years, Rohde & Schwarz has offered innovation, precision and quality across the wireless communications sector. In the fiscal year from July 2012 to June 2013, Rohde & Schwarz produced net revenue of €1.9bn. The company has a fine-meshed sales and service network offering local services in more than 70 countries around the world.
