The British Armed Forces operates a wide range of communications and information systems (CIS).Royal Signals Equipment Some of these are specialised military systems, while others are procured off-the-shelf. They fall into three main categories: satellite ground terminals, terrestrial trunk communications systems, and combat net radio systems. Every part of the British Army uses combat net radio, but only the Royal Corps of Signals and the Royal Air Force operates trunk systems and multi-channel satellite communications.

Satellite communications Satellite ground terminals play an important part in modern military communications, in view of their high bandwidth and their independence of local communications infrastructure. Skynet 5 Operational Overview

In-service systems

TALON

Talon is a lightweight deployable terminal which uses off-the-shelf commercial technology packaged to provide a terminal suitable for military use.www.armedforces.co.uk Talon Satellite Ground Terminals The terminal is controlled from a ruggedised laptop and can be set up by a crew of two trained operators within 30 minutes. Talon has been employed by the ARRC (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps) in Germany and was used extensively in Operation TELIC in Iraq. Talon terminals were brought into service in July 2002 and were incorporated into the Skynet 5 contract in October 2003. Each terminal can be carried in a single vehicle, towing the generator mounted on a trailer.

REACHER

Reacher comprises the mobile satellite ground terminals that give military ground forces communications access through Skynet 5 satellites. There are two variants in service with the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines. Reacher Medium is a ruggedised land terminal with a 2.4m antenna designed for X-Band military satellite communications. It is designed to operate with a deployed advanced headquarters, and is carried on a MAN truck with a detachable cabin and towing a trailer.SATCOM Acquisition Team - Defence Projects

Reacher Large is mounted on the same vehicle as Reacher Medium, but has a 4.8 m antenna. Reacher All Terrain is in service with the Royal Marines and is mounted on two BV206 vehicles with associated trailers. All Reacher terminals are transportable using Chinook helicopters, by sea and by rail. The systems are supplied by EADS Astrium subsidiary company Paradigm Secure Communications.

Small SATCOM

Small SATCOM capability consists of a SWE-DISH CCT-120 satellite ground terminal owned by Paradigm Secure Communications. The ground terminal uses the Skynet 5 network. This provides a service to users on operations worldwide. The satellite ground terminal is lightweight, easily air transportable and can be set up by a single trained operator in less than 30 minutes.

No longer in service

VSC 501

The VSC 501 was a vehicle-mounted tactical military satellite terminal, initially operated by 249 Signal Squadron (AMF(L)) (disbanded) and then by 30th Signal Regiment, the Royal Air Force Tactical Communications Wing (now 90 SU), and the Royal Marines. It operated in the military SHF SATCOM frequency band of 7.25 to 8.4 GHz via a geosynchronous satellite, with a data rate of up to 512 kbit/s. The normal manning level for an VSC 501 station was a crew of two and the system could be set up to provide communications within 15 minutes.UK/VSC 501 vehicle-borne satellite communications station - Janes C4I Systems

The VSC 501 was the workhorse of the UK tactical military SATCOM system for some years. It was carried in both Land Rovers (Army) and BV 206 All Terrain Vehicles (Royal Marines). An update and enhancement package was completed in late 1999, which included a self-tracking antenna to replace the previous hand-adjusted variant, extended the life of the terminal for several years. Deployments include the Gulf during Operation GRANBY and Bosnia. The VSC 501 was made by Marconi, based on the Racal TSC 501 satellite equipment.

TSC 502

The Racal TSC 502 was a transportable satellite ground terminal. It was used by 30th Signal Regiment on Operation CORPORATE in the Falklands War. It was replaced by the TSC 503 in the mid 1990s.

DAGGER

Dagger is a Land Rover-mounted modular military and civil band satellite communications system designed for rapid deployment and installed in a hard top Land Rover 110 TD5.App_web.pdf Dagger data sheet - SELEX Communications It was supplied by SELEX Communications, and saw service in the Balkans, Afghanistan and on Operation TELIC.

PSC 504

PSC 504 was an X-band military satellite communications system designed to provide Special Forces with a highly secure, reliable, flexible and rapidly deployable manpack SATCOM system. Manpack patrol terminals fit in the top of a standard Bergen rucksack. The terminals could be assembled and connected to the satellite network within five minutes by one soldier, even in darkness, to provide long-range secure voice, data and messaging services, as well as a store and forward (e-mail-type) facility. Data services operated at up to 64 kbit/s.Talisman X-band military satellite communications system - Janes C4I Systems

PSC 506 PSC 506 terminals operated as an autonomous network that employed Demand Assigned Multiple Access technology and provided secure speech and secure data. Key elements were Fixed Communications Bases, portable Headquarters Terminals and Patrol Terminals. The system was used from the late 1980s to 2012. The system was developed by Thales from a trials model developed by the Signals Research and Development Establishment, later Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, in the late 1970s.

TSC 503 The TSC 503 is a transportable compact multi-role satellite bridging system manufactured by SELEX Communications.UK/TSC 503 Data Sheet It can be deployed in two forms: the first is a rapid deployable terminal with 2 MB/s capability that can be on-air in 30 minutes with a two-man crew. The larger full capability terminal, with a 4M antenna, has much increased capacity and a time-into-action of two hours with a four-man crew. Users can be located up to 4 km from the antenna and is one of the most prominent satellite. The terminals are composed of a number of man portable containers. TSC 503, which entered service in mid 1990s, is now no longer in service.

Computer systems and networks

Defence Information Infrastructure Defence Information Infrastructure (DII(F)) is one of the largest information infrastructure programmes in Europe. It will provide a computing infrastructure and services that will enable sharing of information and collaborative working to a variety of groups and individuals including those that currently have limited or no connectivity. Ultimately it will provide around 300,000 user accounts on approximately 150,000 terminals across about 2,000 MoD sites worldwide. DII will be central to transforming the capability of the Armed Forces by providing Network Enabled Capability through a single network of information. It will extend into the operational arena, interface with battlespace systems and improve shared information between headquarters, battlefield support and the front line, allowing greater interoperability between the MoD and its allies.

GEOINT A deployable geospatial intelligence unit, this allows for situational awareness on a wide scale. With GEOINT exploitation and map production capabilities from strategic to tactical levels, it can update frontline troops with digital map updates for cohesive intelligence across the entire battlefront. Mounted on MAN trucks, the British Army has taken delivery of 11 GEOINT Stations with 3 vehicle-mounted tactical distribution systems.

No longer in service

OVERTASK - On Operation HERRICK (Afghanistan), the OVERTASK network was used for strategic through to the tactical levels of command. This supports applications that deliver situational awareness, office tools and collaborative working. ARRC C2IS - As well as the core networks the HQ ARRC had its own ARRC Command and Control Information System (ARRC C2IS) to provide a Battle Management System and office automation. J1/J4 IOS - In addition to OVERTASK, the J1/J4 Interim Operational Support (J1/J4 IOS) system was in operation in Afghanistan but serving significantly more users than it was originally designed for. J1/J4 IOS supports Restricted information transfer and applications such as Joint Personal Administration. Joint Operational Command System - the JOCS provided digitised tools for controlling joint operations. With the formation of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force the requirement for a joint computer system was formed. This system provided a sophisticated operational picture, along with staff tools for controlling joint operations. Army Tactical Computer System - the Army Tactical Computer System (ATacCS) provided the Army with a LAN and WAN based command and control system across the battlespace.

Satellites

Skynet (Satellite network)

Skynet is a family of military satellites, which provide strategic communication services to the three branches of the British Armed Forces and to NATO forces engaged in coalition tasks.

In 2013, new types of Skynet terminals were delivered, utilising Skynet's new Internet Protocol (IP) based modular infrastructure. Vislink Mantis terminals and Snapper baseband equipment for land forces, SCOTPatrol terminals for small vessels, and transportable IP Domain nodes for large land forces or air bases. In 2020 further units were purchased along with Vislink NewSwift ground terminals.

Terrestrial trunk radio relay Terrestrial trunk radio relay systems are primarily used to connect the headquarters of brigades, divisions and higher military formations. They typically deliver voice and data services, and can be based on boxed or palletized equipment, or vehicle installations, which may be mounted under armour for use on the battlefield.

In-service systems

FALCON FALCON has replaced Ptarmigan with a new generation tactical trunk communications system, manufactured by BAE Systems Military Air and Information. It will deliver secure voice and data over an all Internet Protocol system across multiple security domains. The system is fielded by the Royal Signals and the Royal Air Force.

The key platforms will be the Wide Area Service Provision (WASP) nodes with up to six radio links and a series of Command Post Support (CPS) nodes which will be scaled for headquarters of differing sizes, further supported by transportable (palletised) and early entry nodes. All wheeled platforms will utilise the British Army's standard MAN HX 60 Cargo Vehicle (Light) platform.Falcon Secure Trunk Communication System

No longer in service

BRUIN

Introduced in 1967, BRUIN was the Army's first area trunk network mounted in both wheeled and tracked vehicles, which connected formation headquarters and units using multi-channel UHF radios. BRUIN provided a partially secure and automatic system for the transmission of both voice and teleprinter traffic. It was the primary trunk communications system of the British Army of the Rhine from 1967 to 1982. During the Cold War, Royal Signals units in the 1st British Corps trained with BRUIN. They deployed their equipment and vehicles among the woods and farms of northern West Germany, putting their skills to the test in an annual cycle of command and signal exercises.AFV 439 in BAOR 1979

Ptarmigan