Australian Army 'Project BCSS':
Delivering reliable, durable, battlefield 'Command Support Systems' capabilities to Australian forces

Originally code named AUSTACS, Project BCSS (Battelfield Command Support System) is a critical element of Australia's defensive capabilities. Essentially a software based command and control system, the BCSS software (developed by SAAB Systems to meet Australian Armed Forces requirements) is used by deployed command groups to manage field operations.

In the mid-1990s, Opentec had already been engaged by the ADF to develop capability demonstrator units for the purposes of assessing the viability of using rugged portable PC technology in place of vehicle mounted UNIX servers to support the BCSS system in the field. Following a review of possible platforms from other vendors, the ADF finally selected the Opentec RPC Series 3 (Intel P3 powered) 'Combat Rugged portable notebook computers.

While notable in itself, what has continued to distinguish Opentec is that each time the BCSS platform has been updated, only Opentec has ever passed all durability and emissions testing requirements. To this day, Opentec remains the incumbent supplier for this mission-critical, national defence system, having consistently displayed our ability to deliver the engineering and technical support required to guarantee the on-going viability of this system.

• Letter of Support, Network Applications Development, ADF (2007) (125kb)
• Letter of Support, Electronic Warefare Division, ADF (2001) (58kb)

The following review relates to the original 1999 ADF evaluation of the Opentec range with relation to Project BCSS:

• DMO Case Study for the Openfire Products (60k)