CORMORANT

As of early 2005, this new system is entering service with 2 Signal Regiment. Cormorant will deliver new area communications capabilities to British Forces and the prime contractor for the Cormorant programme is the European EADS company. Cormorant will comprise two primary equipments: a local access component, based on an ATM switch, which will provide digital voice subscriber facilities and a high speed data LAN for over 20 Headquarters; and a wide area component will allow the interconnection of these Headquarters, on a 'backbone' communications network across a large geographical area as well as the means to interconnect with single service and multinational systems.

Designed to link all components of a Joint Force, the system will enable the force to deploy and operate its Wide Area Network (WAN) communications system in either peacekeeping roles or in a fully operational military deployment. The system is fully containerised and can be operated in either vehicle mounted or dismounted mode. Each small HQ is designed to scale up in line with the requirements of a particular operation.

A Cormorant network can consist of the following vehicle-mounted (or dismounted) installations:

• Local Area Support module

• Core Element

• Bearer Module

• Long-Range Bearer Module (Tropo)

• Management Information Systems

• Interoperable Gateways

• Tactical Fibre Optic cabling

• Short Range Radio