INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Telephonics

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW



Stephen H. Esposito
Communication Systems Division
Vice President, Business Development
Telephonics
 

Q: What trends do you see as most important in the field of ground vehicle intercommunications?

A: We are seeing a transition in communications and intercommunications systems technology and capabilities. For a long time, ground vehicle intercommunication systems have been stovepipe solutions. They have had very limited capability and no flexibility to integrate with newer radios or other devices. In contrast, the military aviation community has been much farther advanced in their requirements for integrated system solutions. Aviation systems demand much more capability in smaller and lighter packages. This has driven companies like Telephonics to focus our IR&D to design solutions that meet these demanding requirements.

Q: You mention similar changes that have already taken place in aviation. How have they benefited operations in that arena?

A: Military aviation intercommunication systems have integrated advanced features like remote management of radios to eliminate unnecessary control boxes, redundant routing of communications assets and IP data over legacy radios to meet these expanding communications requirements.

Q: How do you see the development of integrated solutions changing how the Army and Marine Corps operate in the field?

A: Both the Army and Marine Corps leadership and their respective program offices are looking to provide this same type of integrated capability into their ground vehicles. The challenge has always been to do this cost effectively, as the military vehicle marketplace is significantly larger than the military aviation marketplace. They want the capability to unlock the features that the radios can provide without increasing the number of electronic boxes, which is already too high in the vehicle. They want to reduce the extremely high power requirements that vehicle electronic systems demand. Most importantly, they want to enhance the safety and situational awareness of the warfighter.

Recent briefings by Army and USMC leaders have indicated the priority need to reduce the level of noise in the vehicles. In the current ground vehicles, the noise from the vehicle and all the onboard equipment brings the overall acoustic environment to extremely high levels. The older fielded intercommunication system solutions have no means to reduce this steady state noise within the system. The result is that high levels of noise are broadcast into the ears of the soldier or Marine. Extended exposure to this noise has been documented in various medical journals to be a cause of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). There are proven technologies that can provide a new kind of noise reduction and significantly more intelligible audio. Telephonics has been working with these technologies as part of our ongoing IR&D for incorporation into the newer integrated intercommunication systems. This safety enhancement can reduce the effects of NIHL.

Q: What is Telephonics doing to bring these benefits to its military customers?

A: Telephonics is investing its IR&D to design an integrated intercommunication system solution that can affordably bring many of the proven technologies available today into the ground vehicle market. This includes an architecture that can reduce the number of boxes on a vehicle while still providing all the functionality necessary to support the warfighter in a ground vehicle. What is nice is that these capabilities can be incorporated into current vehicles along with the future vehicles like the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.

Q: Telephonics recently joined with Rockwell Collins to compete for the Vehicle Intercommunication System-Extended contract. Why does your team deserve to win this competition?

A: Rockwell Collins & Telephonics have joined together to form Team NetCom. We believe that our team can provide the right type of value-added approach for the Army. Telephonics and Rockwell Collins are leaders in our respective markets in military communication and intercommunication systems and bring a very strong presence in the ground vehicle market. The Army customer would deal directly with Team NetCom, whose core competencies are in the design and manufacture of communications and intercommunication systems, versus through a third party acting as a prime contractor. We intend to provide the Army with a fully integrated system, volume manufacturing and a support program with planned technology insertion that benefits the warfighter in the future.

Q: What new types of technology is Telephonics looking to the in the future to support the warfighter?

A: As we do with all of our products, we will continue to introduce new technologies for the soldier and Marine. These include encrypted wireless intercommunication systems that eliminate the constricting long cords. Vehicle mounted gunners and dismounted vehicle crew can directly benefit from this capability by maintaining direct communication with their crew as well as higher-level command through the secure radios on board. We are also starting an early integration of the Joint Tactical Radio System Ground Mobile Radio (GMR) in order to reduce the risk to the Army as the GMR is fielded. ♦