Lightweight wire free communications on board and away for ships with minimal or no infrastructure
SquadNet is a UK designed small lightweight software defined radio with technical characteristics that make it work well above deck, below deck, and away from the ship. It is a reliable voice radio with built-in GPS tracking and advanced functionality that integrates with ship communications and management of priority transmissions even in the most challenging ship compartments.
Originally designed for land use, SquadNet is now available in an intrinsically safe version suitable for ship use. The new version conforms to IECEx and ATEX standards (International Electro-technical Commission System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres, and ATmospheres EXplosible – European Directive).
SquadNet meets the toughest standards of robustness to MIL-STD 810G environmental including 2m submersible for 30 minutes with class leading size, a light weight (<250g) and a long battery life (up to 24 hours). SquadNet’s automatic network relay (MANET) capability and the frequency at which it operates means its performance on ships is good, even below deck.
SquadNet can be used safely on and off ships in a number of applications:
SquadNet has already been specified for the very latest generation of warships in order to provide a general ship wide wire-free communications capability above and below deck that will be used for a number of applications. These applications take advantage of the radio’s good performance between compartments, intrinsically safe specification and integration with hearing protection. They include:
- Coordinating operations on the flight deck and in the hangar space
- Coordination of fire-fighting and damage control crew
- General seamanship operations including in magazine spaces
SquadNet has also been used for sea training, enabling the training team to run the training scenario independently from the ship’s communications system and in scenarios where the ship’s communication system has been degraded or disabled.
SquadNet has been integrated into ships’ broadcast and alarms and internal communications systems to significantly enhance machine room communications. Compared to older magnetic loop systems used on some warships’ machine rooms today, voice quality and coverage are significantly enhanced. Communication is available throughout the space with no dead spots. In addition, 2-way communication is introduced, enabling machine crew to talk to each other and to the ship control centre if also equipped with SquadNet, enhancing the safety and efficiency of operations. High passive attenuation headsets are available to provide the level of hearing protection needed in this noisy environment.
Boarding parties engaged in enforcement or anti-piracy operations equipped with SquadNet radios can communicate securely with each other and maintain communication with the ship’s command via integration with the ship’s communications system, ensuring effective and safe coordination. In the event that there is a man over board, the person can be located using SquadNet’s inbuilt GPS location tracking, enhancing safety.
Disembarked land parties who may for example be engaged in humanitarian or disaster relief operations near to the ship, can also use SquadNet to communicate between each other and with ship command when in range. SquadNet’s built in GPS tracking means the land party can be tracked by team leaders or from the ship.