The Devil Is in the Details for Commercial Battlefield Comms

Many i's need to be dotted and t's to be crossed for commercial communications to succeed on the battlefield. Jake MacLeod, executive vice president, Powerwave Technologies, offered a glimpse of some of them in a Monday panel at MILCOM 2010. He described the ideal communications system as one that will provide real-time, high-speed secure broadband to the warfighter. A fatter pipe will be needed for backhaul-the cell to the core network, he added. The pros of using commercial gear include significantly lower cost, the latest common research and development, continuous technology updates, easier development of specific form factors, simpler network maintenance, priority access assignment and interoperability, MacLeod offered. The cons include security challenges for sensitive communications, dependence on commercial entities to deliver service level agreements, uptime, coverage areas and reliance on the international supply chain. MacLeod advised government procurement officials against lowering the hammer during negotiations with industry. "Negotiate, but don't destroy" the company with harsh terms, he warned. Government should seek an acceptable and logical deal for both sides.