Boeing and BMT demonstrate mature maritime network prototype

Boeing and its maritime engineering partner, BMT have successfully tested an Australian-developed maritime communications system under Project SEA1442 Ph.5 that will enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) major fleet unit connectivity and advance joint force capabilities.

The Maritime Warfighter Network is an evolution of Boeing’s proven Integrated Battlespace Telecommunications Network (I-BTN), which has been adapted to meet the operational and seaworthiness requirements of the RAN.

“Together, we demonstrated the system’s high-level technical and operational capabilities, designed to provide scalable, distributed data services to the Australian Defence Force (ADF),” said Murray Brabrook, director Joint Systems, Boeing Defence Australia. “The maturity of our technology will ensure the shortest path to a minimal viable product and provide sovereign control to evolve the network in line with Navy’s emerging needs.”

During the test, the team validated its networking and management software, incorporating meshed broadband line-of-sight radios and wired and wireless shore connectivity, known as NINShore.

It also demonstrated task group, joint, and strategic connectivity and resilience using multiple platform bearers, a key requirement of the ADF’s Joint Black Core Network.

“Boeing’s I-BTN has been in service with the ADF for the past five years, offering Navy a low-risk path to joint, allied and coalition interoperability,” said Brabrook. “Rapid test and integration activities are key to our proven execution strategy, lowering technical risk and accelerating deployed combat-ready capability.”

As part of system evolution, BMT is leveraging its naval expertise to provide valuable operator feedback and assess hardware suitability for the maritime environment.

Further test and integration events are planned for 2023 to mature and de-risk the system, as well as assure simultaneous interoperability with legacy, coalition, allied, joint and at-sea experimentation networks.