GE Intelligent Platforms today announced that it had received the first in a series of orders that are expected to total approximately $2.5 million from General Dynamics C4 Systems for a quantity of GE’s rugged NETernity 3U CompactPCI CP923RC-M Ethernet Switches. The switches will be used as the communications hub for command and control systems deployed as part of the US Army’s Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) program, providing fast, reliable data interchange between computing subsystems on a range of vehicles including unmanned air and ground vehicles.
“The US Army’s BCTM program places a very high priority on equipping troops with advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,” said Rob McKeel, Vice President, Military & Aerospace Embedded Computing at GE Intelligent Platforms. ”The ability to get accurate information to its destination as fast as possible is a fundamental requirement. These switches fulfil the Army’s requirement for expertise in ruggedization and can make a significant contribution not only to our soldiers’ effectiveness, but also their safety.”
The NETernity CP923RC-M 10-port fully managed layer 2/3 Gigabit Ethernet switch is designed to be deployed on platforms that are subject to extremes of
temperature, moisture, dust/sand and vibration making it ideal for demanding applications in
harsh environments.
The CP923RC-M features support for IPv6, the Internet Protocol that will be at the heart of networks of the future with its much larger addressing capability – making it ‘future proof’ - together with capabilities that greatly simplify network administration. In common with all of GE’s NETernity switches, the CP923RC-M features OpenWare switch management software enabling a switch to be easily configured for any network requirement – from the trivially simple through to the very complex. The flexible OpenWare environment provides integrated switch management services, including configuration, monitoring, switching control, addressing, and routing.
BCTM is the US Army’s principal modernization program. Its purpose is to build a versatile mix of mobile, networked BCTs that will leverage mobility, protection, and information to conduct effective operations across the spectrum of conflict. The BCT Modernization Plan is informed by the comprehensive lessons learned from more than eight years of war, focusing on the evolving needs of warfighters in a rapidly changing security environment.
More information can be found at:
www.ge-ip.com/industries/mil-aero
