Press Release
Plextek and picoChip partner on wireless communications solutions
for military forces
Delivering network enabled capability through innovate use of commercial
technologies
Issued 02/06/2008
Plextek, the Cambridge-based electronics and communications design
consultancy, is partnering with Bath-based picoChip to work on innovative
wireless solutions for military communications. These smaller, cheaper
and more flexible standards-based communications solutions will offer
clear benefits to field deployed military personnel tasked with setting
up a secure communications infrastructure. Plextek's proven expertise
is in developing cost effective defence solutions based on commercial
off the shelf (COTS) technologies. picoChip's flexible picoArray architecture
can support all major air-interfaces, and was explicitly designed for
Software Defined Radio (SDR) applications. As such, it is well suited
to military requirements such as Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS).
Together Plextek and picoChip are able to achieve significant benefits
supporting the delivery of Network Enabled Capability (NEC).
Communication is an essential function for military personnel. However,
existing military infrastructure systems are often very large and power
hungry making them slow to deploy and necessitating the transportation
of large power sources. Plextek and picoChip's expertise will enable
a much smaller, lightweight, flexible and more efficient infrastructure
which is quicker and easier to deploy, possibly even ahead of the arrival
of mobile forces. The solutions will be just as effective in both urban
and rural environments.
Tim Phipps, Sales & Marketing Director, Plextek comments: "The
defence industry is currently striving to achieve NEC as it enables
effective decision making and action through the timely provision and
exploitation of information and intelligence. The wireless communications
technologies we're developing with picoChip have so many diverse and
widespread usage scenarios in support of NEC. These could allow mobile
phone communications in remote mountain areas, or the transfer of data,
images and video or even the control of unmanned aerial vehicles."
Plextek will be promoting these innovative solutions at two prestigious
defence exhibitions this summer:
