FedTechServices wins $16.9 Million Military Contract

Online, May 10, 2010 (Newswire.com) - FedTechServices, LLC (FTS) a Tampa-based defense contractor, has been awarded a $16.9 million contract by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to implement a network management solution in Afghanistan, according to Allen Noble, FTS Solutions Architect and CEO of the firm.

FTS developed Theater Network Management Architecture 2.0 (TNMA 2.0) to provide fast, efficient communications among a variety of networks serving four branches of the military and multiple agencies in CENTCOM's theatre of operations, which spans more than 20 countries across half the globe, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

TNMA was first implemented successfully by CENTCOM more than a year ago and is available to all of the U.S. global commands. Joint Staff has recognized the value of TNMA, designating it "best of breed" architecture. It has reduced overall costs significantly through its capabilities to work with existing equipment, especially "off-the-shelf" components already in place.

The package for Afghanistan will serve two headquarters with master suites and eight junior suites servicing brigade commands, Noble said. The architecture is not dependent on specific hardware, but operates on a wide variety of off-the-shelf equipment. It provides redundancy as well as user visibility with greater defined control management, he said.

By improving operational awareness, TNMA optimizes command and control communications, allowing faster response times and more accurate targeting. TNMA 2.0 provides a suite of tools that enhance command and control over a new generation of unmanned military systems and improve internal security of operational networks when the inevitable intrusions occur.

"Information is critical on today's battlefield and a robust, agile and reliable network is as necessary as munitions to ensure warfighters have the weapons they need," Noble said. New unmanned systems require optimized conduits between human brains and the devices in the field. Communication paths can become clogged with extraneous information as mundane as email or streaming video. Networks are indifferent to the content of the packets they transport and need tools such as TNMA to clear up the clutter.

TNMA addresses the operational bottleneck of "extremely vertical stovepipe channels." These multiple, end-to-end channels are the legacy of networks developed independently by each of the various branches and agencies CENTCOM supports. TNMA allows secure cross-connections and interchange at the local level rather than routing all traffic halfway around the world and back. The result is greater speed, more channel capacity and improved security.

The network architecture is "war-tested," Noble said. It takes advantage of the unique requirements of the military and was produced and developed with the warfighter in mind. From e-mail to command and control to supporting biometrics, it allows data to be transmitted and dispersed at unprecedented speed.

By distributing network access at the local level, TNMA has cut end-to-end data traffic in half or more, Noble said. Top-level access is maintained because TNMA doesn't eliminate the "stovepipes," but reduces the clutter within them. "It gives control back to the local level, while providing better information at the highest levels. It is forward thinking; planning for the future."