PacStar(r) said it was been awarded a three-year, $6.2 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to support the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 1 (WIN-T).
“The U.S. Army, and the military as a whole, requires technology that solves complex battlefield communications challenges and enables soldiers to focus on fighting the battle, not the network,” said Bob Dunn, PacStar CEO in a Dec. 10 statement. “It is for this reason PacStar continues to see broader demand for IQ-Core Software across the DoD, and we welcome the opportunity to further support and enhance mobile battlefield communications for the U.S. Army.”
This contract significantly expands the use of PacStar’s IQ-Core(r) software by mobile network communications units across the Army.
WIN-T, the Army’s tactical communications network backbone, is the largest tactical communications program in the world. By delivering a full range of data, voice and video communications to the warfighter, WIN-T enables assured, mobile battlefield communications, as well as network management tools for soldiers to establish and manage communications at the quick-halt.
PACStar’s IQ-Core software is designed to solve Defense Department warfighter communications challenges, such as increasingly complex tactical communications, virtualization, unified communications, being pushed to the edge, staffing and training budget cuts resulting in fewer communications specialists in the field to manage this complexity and easing the integration of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products to accelerate adoption of innovative technologies.
IQ-Core Software uses configuration wizards that automate both complex and routine tasks, replacing manual set up and management processes.
As proven COTS technology, IQ-Core Software, offers several unique capabilities: The IQ-Core Software’s network monitoring and diagnostics provides a real-time snapshot of the health of the deployed network, and the ability to provide backup and restorations of that network.
The software also adapts to the user’s level, providing an intuitive user interface that does not require advanced IT personnel to configure and manage, resulting in up to six times fewer misconfiguration errors. IQ-Core Software is designed for non-specialists but it also offers the flexibility and capabilities to meet the needs of advanced power users.
IQ-Core Software drives down costs of COTS deployment, reducing the number of specialists required to stand up and manage communications equipment, and reduces the training required to operate equipment.
The software also provides vendor-agnostic interoperability, thus Defense Department organizations are not locked into one product or vendor path, as IQ-Core Software integrates with a broad range of tactical communications hardware and systems, enabling the Army to easily upgrade, replace, or reconfigure deployable systems.
PacStar’s ability to rapidly place IQ-Core Software capabilities in the hands of warfighters is a testament to participating in the Army Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) program, the company statement said. The mission of NIE soldier-led evaluations is to shorten the cycle time of acquisition, drive cost savings, and more rapidly place innovative capabilities into the hands of warfighters, while further integrating and rapidly advancing the Army’s tactical networks– exactly what the Army set out to accomplish.