System Interoperability Between Barrett and Thales

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) have recently been supplied ten reconditioned Bushmaster armoured troop carrying vehicles fitted with Barrett PRC-2090 HF mobile systems and PRC-2080+ VHF mobile systems.

Barrett Communications personnel worked with Thales in Australia to install the radios and integrate them with the Thales SOTAS Intercom System. Training for RFMF personnel was then conducted in Fiji by representatives of both Barrett and Thales.

Seven of the vehicles have already been deployed in the Middle East as part of the RFMF yearly rotation in support of the UN peacekeeping mission currently underway in the region. The other three vehicles are used in Fiji for pre-deployment training for these missions.

The Barrett HF and VHF system and the Thales SOTAS Intercom system allow the command vehicle to have both long-distance HF and line of sight VHF communications via the intercom headset worn by the operator. It also allows intra-vehicle communications for individuals within each vehicle and inter-vehicle VHF communications between vehicles travelling in convoy.

Barrett Communications managing director Mr Greg O’Neill commented: "We were pleased to work alongside Thales on this project and provide this interoperability between systems and manufacturers. The way the tactical communications market is evolving means our products need to be interoperable with other systems. This project clearly demonstrates the ability of our systems and technical staff to meet the needs of the end users."