Rohde & Schwarz to Upgrade Australia’s Strategic Military Communications Network

SYDNEY: Rohde & Schwarz will supply the latest technology high-power, liquid-cooled high frequency (HF) transmitters and software defined radios for the JP9101 Enhanced Defence High Frequency Communications System (EDHFCS) programme, which will provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and allied armed forces with the ability to securely communicate using voice and data from almost any location across the globe.

The EDHFCS is scheduled to replace the ADF’s existing HF communication system that entered service in 2004 and will reach its effective end of life in 2025.

The R&S SK4110 HF high-power transmitters feature longer service life and lower failure rates by minimising thermal load on all components, courtesy of the self-sufficient liquid-cooling system, which has been proven by Rohde & Schwarz over 25 years in its hugely successful range of TV broadcast transmitters.

“Rohde & Schwarz welcomes this new contract and opportunity to work with Babcock, which follows our recent partnership to deliver a similar upgrade for the New Zealand Defence Force,” said Managing Director Rohde & Schwarz Australia, Gareth Evans. “It is no secret that Rohde & Schwarz have a longstanding history in HF communications and our self-sufficient liquid-cooled technology is backed by decades of experience in the transmitter business.”

“The revolutionary, state-of-the-art technology developed by Rohde & Schwarz is the market benchmark and more than matches the Commonwealth requirement for advanced long-range BLOS communications with very high data rates and maximum reliability,” Evans added. “We will fully support Babcock in implementing and operating this modern communications solution and stand ready to offer our decades-long local HF communications systems expertise and substantial through-life support capabilities.”

Babcock’s Managing Director Mission and Support Systems, Brad Yelland said Rohde & Schwarz will play a vital role in the delivery of the EDHFCS programme to the Australian Defence Force.

“The new system will provide the Australian Defence Force and its allies with an enhanced communications capability with levels of reliability and operational resilience not seen before within this technology domain,” he explained. “We look forward to working with Rohde & Schwarz on delivering a truly national capability for Australia’s strategic military communications network.”

Providing a sustainable carbon footprint while delivering up to 50% energy cost savings, the new transmitters feature critical module redundancy, such as uninterruptable transmission and operation in case of power supply failure or HF output stage failure.–shp/r&s/aaa