Army command posts get secure gigabit Wi-Fi

Setting up and tearing down the wired networks that support battle systems and communications can take hours when Army command stations relocate. Wireless capability speeds that configuration, improves troop mobility and provides greater flexibility for commanders.

So as part of the Army’s Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 1, the Army’s tactical communications network backbone, the Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve Tactical Units around the globe will be establishing establish 802.11ac wireless infrastructures to better adapt to changing conditions in battle or in disaster relief.

The Command Post Wi-Fi kits include indoor and outdoor gigabit Wi-Fi access points that deliver high performance in high-density environments, according to the firm Aruba, which is supplying the systems. Also included are 7000 Series Cloud Services Controllers, Policy Enforcement Firewall and Advanced Cryptography, and AirWave for network management.

“Operational flexibility is critical to modern military practices,” said Jon Green, Aruba’s senior director of security architecture. The Wi-Fi solution offers integrated WLAN, VPN, wireless intrusion detection and firewall capabilities, as well as scalability and flexibility across Windows and Android platforms, the company said.