Range squadron and 95th CS upgrade networks

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jason Hernandez
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 412th Range Squadron recently upgraded their range telemetry network using asynchronous transfer mode switches retired by the 95th Communications Squadron.

When the 95th CS upgraded to an Internet protocol network, it freed up the ATM switches for the range's use.

"The move makes sense for the communications squadron because 95 to 100 percent of their traffic is IP," said Mike Baker, Air Force Range data acquisition and transport engineer. "About five percent of data the range receives is Internet protocol. The other 95 percent is either telemetry, voice or video."

The range telemetry system uses ATM to transfer data using one single infrastructure.

"We knew all we needed were those (ATM) chassis and funding to provide support, training and upgraded switch fabrics," Mr. Baker said. "The brains of the box were upgraded to the top of the line."

The conversion of the system took several months, Mr. Baker said.

"That includes receiving the chassis from the communications squadron, upgrading switch fabrics, getting support contracts, training and cut over to the new system," he said. "To the customer, it's transparent that the transition happened. That was our goal."

The range network upgrade saved the Air Force about $800,000, Mr. Baker said.

Before the industry trends shifted, the Air Force networking standard was ATM.

"The majority of the Air Force did not need the capabilities of ATM so there has been a steady transition to the less expensive gigabit ethernet and Internet protocol," said Chris Howell, 95th CS process integrated product team lead. "The range still requires ATM because gigabit ethernet and IP still cannot meet the real-time needs of the range."

When ATM was designed, the emphasis was on quality of service for higher priority types of traffic such as telemetry data from test aircraft, said Abran Rivera, 412th RANS field engineer.

The traffic is captured by antennas and transferred to the network, he said. The traffic is transmitted in real time at less than 100 milliseconds. That information needs to get to engineers in a control room flawlessly.

The 412th RANS is tied in to other ranges such as China Lake, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Point Mugu Naval Air Station, Calif. all the way out to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Mr. Rivera said.

"We're like a hub," Mr. Baker said. "We can receive telemetry data from all over the range and wherever we have network connectivity."

The ATM switches in the new system are fully supported by the manufacturer, which removes the need to maintain a large spare parts inventory, Mr. Rivera said.

The new network is capable of working with newer technology and expanding if required, he said. The network also has reserve capacity to handle the forecasted increase in traffic flow over the next three to four years.

"If test results mean that an aircraft will be able to perform and function better, we are the foundation of that data getting to the control room," Mr. Rivera said. "That ultimately benefits the warfighter."