Sotera supports WIN-T communications network testing

Sotera Defense Solutions has announced their recent involvement in the Aberdeen Test Center's (ATC) Phase 2 testing of the US Army's WIN-T tactical communications network backbone. According to the company, Sotera helped the Army orchestrate the largest instrumented test ever performed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). 

The Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) provides high-speed, high capacity voice, data and video communications to units on the battlefield.  The current Increment 1 WIN-T system provides function while military formations are stationary. The recent Phase 2 testing examined WIN-T improvements via the Increment 2 WIN-T system that provides network function to military formations while in motion on the battlefield.  

A company statement outlined the testing, saying Conduct the Phase 2 Production Qualification Test-Government (PQT-G) testing required ATC to collect and analyze thousands of gigabytes of data on the WIN-T network performance.  As a key contractor supporting ATC, Sotera produced the Vehicle Integration Kits (VIK) and the VIK hardware that were key elements in collecting the test data. 

The VIK, mounted on each of the WIN-T system vehicles, provides an Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) and weather-protected, enclosed data acquisition and recording system consisting of twin Net Advanced Distributed Modular Acquisition System (NetADMAS) data acquisition and solid-state hard drive units, with a GPS interface.  The NetADMAS processes all WIN-T system network traffic into storable, streaming data adding position and time stamping at the microsecond time level. In addition, Sotera also provided the analytical expertise required to prepare and conduct analysis of the WIN-T traffic data collected during the testing.  

A larger, nation-wide, Initial Operational Test (IOT) is scheduled for May, 2012 with all elements of the system in motion for nearly 100% of the duration of the test.