Intra Team Wired/Wireless Communications for CBRNe Applications
Beginning in 1980, Communications-Applied Technology (C-AT) has designed, manufactured, and supported the U.S. Army’s efforts to safely destroy the chemical weapons stockpiles located between Johnston Island in the Pacific to Aberdeen MD. C-AT developed the wireless communications systems used at these sites by personnel in “DPE”, and the wired intercom for “CON” personnel. These systems have more than 1,500,000 hours of successful operation in the harshest of operating environments for a two-way radio___inside a Demilitarized Protective Ensemble.
Currently, the demil facilities in Oregon, and Utah, and several Dugway Proving Ground activities are operating C-AT systems.
As the specter of a CBRNE incident raised the need to enhance operations in Level “A” PPE, this radio equipment has been successfully fielded by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Hazardous Material Response (Haz-Mat), and Medical Response (VIPER/NMRT) teams.
Radio Interoperability Equipment for CERF-P, CST
Since 2003, all CSTs have had a C-AT radio gateway/bridge, known as the ICRI, as part of their ADVON communications equipment cache. Small, rugged, and rapidly deployable, the ICRI serves the first response component of a CST with reliable interoperability with federal, state, and local agencies.The addition of gross decon-able versions of the ICRI, and cable-reels to extend CST Survey team radio coverage thousands of feet into tunnels, and buildings, enhances the safety and operational effectiveness of the team.
Mission-specific versions of the ICRI are part of the DoD’s Guardian II base force protection equipment program, state USAR teams, National Guard, regular US Army, US Marine, US Navy units in support of CONUS HLD/HLS and OCONUS operation with coalition forces from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada. ICRIs are also a component of every “3 letter” federal law enforcement agency. The National Guard Bureau selected the ICRI in 2010 for the 17 CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages (CERFP) and awarded C-AT a BPA in 2011.
Level “A”/”B” Headset, Wireless Intercom, and CAT5 Extension for CSTs
Seth Leyman, C-AT’s president and founder of the company, identified several development efforts that CSTs have identified as deficiencies in their current equipment cache. The projects are self-funded. Mr. Leyman described them as “(a) working closely with CST Commo Chiefs, and Survey Team Leaders, C-AT continues to evaluate and tweak a Level “A”/”B” headset (based on the design in service with RDECOM sites) that will address the myriad of deficiencies reported with currently deployed devices; (b) a new version of its wireless intercom (already assigned an MCEB J/F number) to Recon/Survey, Decon has shown promise during field evaluations at the Center for NationalResponse in West Virginia;
(c) C-AT is also field test a method of rapidly deploying and retrieving CAT5 cable for CBRN sensors.”
Mr. Leyman also said: “C-AT’s highly unusual, all encompassing, standard, 5-year warranty, the 24/7/365 technical support provided, low training and sustainment costs, and his company’s commitment to rapidly address mission-specific needs, are often identified as factors that have led to C-AT’s reputation, well beyond its size.”