[SatNews] PacStar® has been awarded a three-year, $6.2 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to support the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 1 (WIN-T).

The WIN-T contract significantly expands the use of PacStar’s IQ-Core® Software by mobile network communications units across the U.S. Army. WIN-T is the U.S. Army’s current and future tactical communications network backbone and the largest tactical communications program in the world. By delivering a full range of data, voice and video communications to the warfighter, WIN-T enables assured, mobile battlefield communications, as well as network management tools for soldiers to establish and manage communications at the quick-halt.
 
IQ-Core Software is designed to solve key DoD warfighter communications challenges, including increasingly complex tactical communications (virtualization, unified communications, etc.) being pushed to the edge; staffing and training budget cuts resulting in fewer communications specialists in the field to manage this complexity; and easing the integration of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products to accelerate adoption of innovative technologies.
 
IQ-Core Software delivers intuitive communications management by replacing time-intensive, complex and error-prone manual set-up and management processes for battlefield tactical communications systems with configuration wizards that automate both complex and routine tasks. As proven COTS technology, IQ-Core Software is “DoD ready” for mobile battlefield communications at the edge through several unique capabilities:

• Provides unified view – IQ-Core Software’s network monitoring and diagnostics provides users with a real-time snapshot of the health of the deployed network, and ability to provide backup and restorations of that network
• Adapts to user level – IQ-Core Software provides an intuitive user interface that does not require advanced IT personnel to configure and manage, resulting in up to 6 times fewer misconfiguration errors. While IQ-Core Software is designed for non-specialists, it also offers the flexibility and capabilities to meet the needs of advanced power users
• Drives down costs of COTS deployment – IQ-Core Software reduces the number of specialists required to stand up and manage communications equipment, and reduces the training required to operate equipment
• Provides vendor-agnostic interoperability – DoD organizations are not locked into one product or vendor path, as IQ-Core Software integrates with a broad range of tactical communications hardware and systems, enabling the U.S. Army to easily upgrade, replace, or reconfigure deployable systems

“The U.S. Army – and the military as a whole – requires technology that solves complex battlefield communications challenges and enables soldiers to focus on fighting the battle, not the network,” said Bob Dunn, chief executive officer, PacStar. “It is for this reason PacStar continues to see broader demand for IQ-Core Software across the DoD, and we welcome the opportunity to further support and enhance mobile battlefield communications for the U.S. Army.”

PacStar’s ability to rapidly place IQ-Core Software capabilities in the hands of warfighters is a testament to participating in the U.S. Army Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) program. The mission of NIE soldier-led evaluations is to shorten the cycle time of acquisition, drive cost savings, and more rapidly place innovative capabilities into the hands of warfighters, while further integrating and rapidly advancing the Army’s tactical networks.