Boeing’s Currawong Battlespace Communications System has achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC) on schedule and just four months after its Initial Material Release.
“The system improves the set-up time, capacity, flexibility, and responsiveness of the ADF information exchange while reducing equipment size, weight and power during operations,” Boeing Defence Australia vice president and managing director Darren Edwards said. “The rapid implementation of the Australian-designed and manufactured communications network is testament to the high customer engagement during product development and the expertise of Boeing’s Australian team in delivering complex development systems.”
More than 700 communications specialists have now been trained to use the system, with ongoing support provided by Boeing Field Service Representatives as part of the support contract.
Lieutenant Colonel Les Juckel Commanding Officer 7th Combat Signal Regiment said IOC was achieved during the recent Exercise Carbon Diamond with ‘overwhelming success’.
“The Integrated - Battlefield Telecommunications Network (I-BTN) was unquestionably superior to previous Defence networks in terms of ease of configuration, situational awareness for the operators, and network performance,” LTCOL Juckel said. “Overall the operation of the network was beyond the expectations of the operators and left them awaiting future material and software releases for further capabilities.”
The program has moved swiftly from demonstration (pictured) to IOC. Credit: Nigel Pittaway
Multiple defence units used the Currawong I-BTN during Army’s largest annual exercise, Exercise Hamel 2018, in Shoalwater Bay, which just wound up this week.
Under release 1, Land 2072 Phase 2B delivered the core communication network software and hardware, and 39 deployable communication nodes to the ADF to date.