Armored Truck with Enhanced Capabilities for Global Strike Security Forces Unveiled in Live Demonstration
Published August 13, 2024
By Hannah Hill, Small Business Consulting Corporation
Barksdale AFB, August 13, 2024 — The Commercial Capabilities Integration & Transition Division (CCIT) of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) teamed up with Outerlink Global Solutions to reveal their latest collaboration in a live demonstration Tuesday, August 6th - an armored truck with enhanced communications to operate in austere and remote locations with the potential to save airmen’s lives. AFGSC called for immediate improvements to high-bandwidth voice and data connectivity between the A3S Weapons Convoy Security patrols and Command and Control (C2) nodes following an increase in government-owned Humvee roll-over accidents, resulting in nine Airmen fatalities since October 2018. CCIT scouted the solution just outside of Barksdale AFB in local Shreveport company Outerlink. This team-up aims to solve beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communication issues and address the safety of convoys by incorporating Outerlink’s Iridium Certus (IRIS) technology.
IRIS, by Outerlink Global Solutions, live demonstration - 6 August 2024
“As a former Security Forces Squadron and Group Commander at Malmstrom and Minot AFB, I wish I would have had these capabilities,” remarked CCIT Site Director Chad Gallagher. “In the 20th Air Force, our forces operate hundreds of miles away from the main support bases, often in some of the harshest terrain and weather seen in the US. My greatest worry was that one of my patrols would have a roll-over accident and be unable to notify anyone of their situation or location.”
The IRIS communications tool is mounted in a Level-1 Armored F350 pick-up truck, outfitted by Custom Armor LLC. The demonstration showcased the system's ability to communicate via voice and text, as well as pull real-time vehicle telemetry from the truck’s controller access network showing speed, location, g-force, and other critical diagnostic information. This data can identify if the vehicle is experiencing operational problems and pinpoint whether drivers are operating in an unsafe manner, signaling to unit leadership whether to schedule vehicle maintenance or order corrective training programs for operators. At the same time, IRIS is expected to eliminate communication dead-spots which defy radio and cell phone communication, encountered in some of our country’s harshest terrains via the system’s low-earth orbit satellites.
“With the complexities our defenders are facing today, innovative technologies must be fielded fast and affordably,” stated Outerlink President, Don Rucker. “Outerlink is extremely proud and grateful to have a role in providing the best technology for our defenders.”
After the final system adjustments following the demonstration, the armored truck will deploy to and be tested on location in the next few months within the missile field at Minot, Malmstrom, and F.E. Warren Air Force Bases. These tests will ensure the technology performs reliably in real-world conditions while navigating in rough terrain under severe weather systems. This rigorous testing is crucial to confirm the robustness of the IRIS system and the armored vehicle's ability to communicate effectively, enhancing operational safety for missileers.
The A3S Security Forces Division and the Air Force Installation Contracting Center’s 767th Enterprise Sourcing Flight (ESF) provided essential support in this endeavor by supplying the real-world operator perspective, identifying critical capability requirements, and arranging the complex contractual logistics to rapidly adopt and implement the cutting-edge technology. Their cooperative efforts delivered the fully equipped Armored Truck ahead of schedule and will lay the necessary groundwork to scale a successful prototype.
“These Level-1 Armored vehicles should reduce these horrific roll-over accidents, and IRIS can potentially ensure our vehicle operators may communicate from anywhere in the missile complex unobstructed by the communication dead-spots,” continued Gallagher. “This is a complete game changer for the safety and security of our weapon systems and personnel.”
IRIS, by Outerlink Global Solutions, live demonstration - 6 August 2024
From left to right: Dave Stookey (Outerlink), Ken Black (SBCC), Chad Gallagher (SBCC), Kathy Jordan (SBCC), Don Rucker (Outerlink), Mike Stanberry (Outerlink), Mark De La Rosa (767th Enterprise Sourcing Flight), Sheila Jones (SBCC), Gerald Goodfellow (SBCC)
Enhanced Details on the IRIS System
Outerlink Global Solutions recently secured a $26 million partnership with AFGSC to advance its IRIS technology, a sophisticated communication tool initially recruited for the B-52 Stratofortress. The IRIS system improves data and message transmission times by orders of magnitude, adds video file transmission capabilities, and enables global push-to-talk radio communications. After successfully integrating into military aircraft, the tech is now being customized to deliver high-bandwidth, real-time communications and telemetry for ground vehicles, with added Wi-Fi connectivity, enhancing situational awareness and operational efficiency in challenging environments.
To benefit from most Vehicle Data Monitoring (VDM) systems, operators traditionally wait until a vehicle returns to collect data from a storage device on the recorder. That data may improve future trips but does little to protect the vehicle and its occupants while they are mid-mission whereas Outerlink’s IRIS system delivers critical notifications in real-time. The added capability to define custom event sets gives operators and maintainers control over what data is prioritized and how it's displayed. IRIS turns an VDM system into an accident prevention tool by keeping operators connected.
About Outerlink Global Solutions
Outerlink Global Solutions is a first responder communications provider for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) applications including voice, text, satellite tracking, and efficiency diagnostics for fixed and rotor wing aircraft, ground, marine, and utility mobile fleet operators. Founded in 1992 as a satellite tracking provider for aviation service organizations, Outerlink has incorporated its long-standing public safety history and technological knowledge into a mobile communications platform of integrated next-generation devices.
About the Commercial Capabilities Integration and Transition Division (CCIT)
The Commercial Capabilities Integration and Transition Division (CCIT) is part of Air Force Global Strike Command's initiative to bridge the gap between innovative commercial technology and military applications. CCIT focuses on integrating and transitioning advanced commercial solutions to address specific needs within the Air Force, ensuring that airmen and other personnel are equipped with cutting-edge technology to maintain operational superiority. The division works closely with commercial partners, such as the Small Business Consulting Corporation (SBCC) and BRF and its Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP), to rapidly field new capabilities and improve existing systems, enhancing the overall effectiveness and safety of military operations.
About Small Business Consulting Corporation (SBCC)
The Small Business Consulting Corporation (SBCC) is an advising partner and resource for the Department of Defense in its efforts to integrate innovative commercial technology, advance deliberative capabilities in leaders, and deliver solutions for our nation’s defenders. Our Commercial Engagement & Integration team works as a partner within the CCIT to address technological gaps in the DoD, connecting our government partners with cutting-edge commercial capabilities. We build relationships between small businesses and the government to better equip our warfighters.
