Recently, Sotera Defense Solutions served as a key partner supporting the Aberdeen Test Center’s (ATC) Phase 2 testing of the U.S. Army’s WIN-T tactical communications network. Sotera helped the Army organize the largest instrumented test ever performed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG).
The Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) provides high-speed voice, data and video communications to units on the battlefield. The current Increment 1 WIN-T system provides function while military formations are stationary. The recent Phase 2 testing examined the 2 WIN-T system that provides network functions while in motion on the battlefield.
Conduct of the Phase 2 Production Qualification Test-Government (PQT-G) testing required ATC to analyze all data on the WIN-T network performance. Sotera produced the Vehicle Integration Kits (VIK) and the VIK hardware that were key elements in collecting the test data.
The VIK, mounted on each of the WIN-T system vehicles, provides an Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) and weather-protected, enclosed data acquisition and recording system consisting of twin Net Advanced Distributed Modular Acquisition System (NetADMAS) data acquisition. The NetADMAS processes all WIN-T system network traffic into storable, streaming data.
Director of the ATC C4ISR Directorate Harry Cunningham said, “Sotera’s support in preparing for and performing the WIN-T data analysis plus providing NetADMAS and VIK equipment was critical to the conduct of the Phase 2 PQT-G testing. Sotera worked diligently to ensure that our test schedule and quality requirements were met. They are key members of our ATC and WIN-T test support team.”
A nation-wide, Initial Operational Test (IOT) is scheduled for May, 2012 with all elements of the system in motion for nearly 100% of the duration of the test.
Sotera holds a support contract with ATC providing engineering, procurement, and manufacturing services with about thirty-five active tasks currently on the contract. To assist the broad variety of tasks Sotera supports, Sotera maintains an on-site engineering staff who provide software and engineering design and fabrication support.
