Use Case | Military

Modernize Tactical Voice + PTT Comms with REDCOM C2 Console

Push-to-talk solutions currently employed within the DoD are complex, expensive, and challenging to maintain. The warfighter at the tip of the spear requires a powerful but easy-to-use solution that enhances current capabilities while minimizing cognitive overload. REDCOM technology increases the warfighter’s effectiveness and security posture while reducing lifecycle, training, and maintenance costs.

Current industry gaps

In voice communications, multiple hardware and software solutions are often cobbled together to provide critical capabilities. The result is a complex, increasingly hard-to-manage solution set as each of these individual products need to be procured, configured, tested and documented. Subsequent upgrades require additional testing which compounds the effort required to maintain a multi-vendor solution. Advancements in technology often increase complexity and add to the cognitive burden of the warfighter. Furthermore, these multi-vendor solutions require extensive training and re-training of personnel and contractors in theatre, impacting operational readiness. This is notably expensive and time-consuming, especially with the personnel changes that occur regularly.

From a lifecycle management standpoint, some applications in use today only offer a subscription-based model. This model, while beneficial to the manufacturer, leaves military customers in a vulnerable position and increases sustainment costs with the number of software solutions required. From a security perspective, some applications in use today must utilize Microsoft Windows STIGs. A large effort is necessary to adhere to these STIGs and can delay delivery to the government and/or require the government to assume risk.

Modernize C2 comms with the REDCOM C2 Console

The REDCOM Sigma® C2 Console app offers a complete command and control (C2) management solution where a console operator can quickly establish connections and create persistent patches to facilitate immediate communication between various parties, even those with differing communication platforms. The C2 Console works with any reachable endpoint, including a SIP device, an analog phone over a SIP trunk, a radio voice net, or a talk group on a TSM mobile ad-hoc network (MANET).

Using this app, console operators can create ad-hoc connections and patches, talk to a single connection or patch or a group of connections or patches using push-to-talk (PTT) functionality, and establish a listen-only path to any number of existing connections and patches. Console operators can also add connections and patches as members of monitor groups and select an output address or port to establish a listen-only path that continuously receives the combined audio from those members.

 

There are two options available to customers that wish to replace their existing voice+PTT management solutions using the REDCOM C2 Console:

Option 1: REDCOM Sigma® C2 software

Software-only solution on your hardware platform of choice

Sigma® is an intuitive software-based command and control (C2) platform that is designed to increase operational flexibility while minimizing size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements. REDCOM Sigma includes built in security pre-requisites to simplify management and delivery while decreasing security risks. With a rapid boot time, quick setup, and resilience to hard shutdown, REDCOM Sigma delivers a fully-scalable feature set including voice, video, chat, conferencing, transcoding, and an integrated C2 console.

Sigma Key Benefits:

  • Entirely software-based solution; hardware- and hypervisor-agnostic
  • Flexible deployment options: Virtualized, CMOSS, Bare metal, and Cloud
  • Works with already fielded RoIP gateways and SIP devices
  • Removes expensive voice management solutions
  • Scalable up to thousands of users
  • Transport Agnostic

Option 2: REDCOM Sigma® XRI

Purpose-built SFF C2 platform built around REDCOM Sigma

The REDCOM Sigma Extended Radio Interoperability (XRI) platform is a small form factor command and control (C2) platform that contains all of the capabilities of REDCOM Sigma software. The XRI delivers voice, video, chat, and radio interoperability in a single low-SWaP ruggedized box, making it the perfect solution for all tactical echelons. Sigma XRI works with virtually any public safety or tactical radio, including portable radios, mobile radios, base stations, and repeater units, and it does not emit radio frequency radiation that might interfere with radios or other nearby electronic equipment. Sigma XRI is available as a stand-alone device or as a module for the Klas Voyager platform.

Sigma XRI Key Benefits:

  • Maximizes cost savings by using one integrated, low SWaP box
  • Removes expensive voice management solutions
  • Works with existing gateways, and in many scenarios can outright replace existing gateways
  • Increases resiliency by enabling C2 comms even when disconnected from higher headquarters
  • Increases operational flexibility by enabling the radios to be placed away from the TOC due to terrain
  • Transport agnostic: works with any form of encryption, waveform, and transmission path

Why choose REDCOM

  • Intuitive and simple GUI interface — minimizes ‘button presses’
  • Perpetual licensing model — REDCOM software can still be used without annual maintenance agreements
  • Integrated RoIP — reduces the complexity and cost to bring RoIP onto the command and control network by simplifying network architecture and eliminating additional hardware and software from the network
  • Interoperability — mitigate obsolescence with hardware and software that are fully interoperable with existing deployed equipment
  • Enhanced mobility — REDCOM solutions are incredibly easy to use, setup, configure, deploy, and are resilient to hard shutdowns
  • Supports DOTMLPF-P Analysis — REDCOM technology is already included in the U.S. Army baseline and included in existing ATOs
  • TSM Integration — REDCOM Sigma includes native interoperability with TSM mesh networks, extending voice talk groups beyond the TSM network by linking them with other analog radios and the rest of the C2 network.

Operational Benefits when using REDCOM solutions

The Operational Benefits provided by these solutions fall under three categories:

1. REDUCTION OF LIFECYCLE COSTS

REDCOM technology reduces lifecycle costs by providing a single platform solution that reduces licensing costs and minimizing support and training requirements. The DoD will reap significant cost savings through the change from the current batch annual licensing to a truly scalable perpetual licensing model. Due to the reduction of hardware and software, the government will reap additional savings by reducing the amount of required training and supporting documentation.

2. SPARING OF RESOURCES

Resource sparing will be realized through the reduction of required contract support as well as Signal resources. The simplified REDCOM solution enables the system to be managed and maintained with organic resources within the unit. In addition to reducing the number of required Signal resources, REDCOM technology minimizes the need to bring contractor support into hazardous areas. REDCOM Sigma effectively spares resources and increases efficiency without impacting effectiveness or resiliency.

3. INCREASED RESILIENCY

Resiliency is a key attribute for any system required for Operations and is realized through distributed management and redundancy. REDCOM Sigma software operating at higher levels is the same software that is used within the Sigma XRI-400 hardware. Due to this distributed architecture and redundant paths, control will be maintained regardless of the loss of communication paths.

If you would like more information or a demonstration of any of the REDCOM products, please reach out to sales@redcom.com