Australian Army 'Project BCSS':
delivering reliable, durable, battlefield 'Command & Control' capabilities to Australian ground army forces

Since 1999, the Australian Army has used the Opentec Openfire RPC rugged portable notebook computers as an integral part of their front line of command systems. BCSS, or Battlefield Command Strategic Systems, is a key part of Australia's ground defences, so understandably requires product that is absolutely reliable in battlefield conditions.

Our products distinguished themselves as being the only products ever independently tested and confirmed in field operations as meeting the very stringent MIL-STD461E "Ground Army" electro-magnetic immunity and emissions requirements, specified by the Australian Army for electronic warfare applications. The 'EW' rating, that requires ultra-low emissions electronics, is an absolute must to ensure data integrity (ie by preventing electronic eavesdropping) and detection of electronics via their EM signature.

So no surprise that Opentec was drafted into service yet again in 2006, when the Openfire was again selected for the second generation BCSS system being implemented by the Australian Armed Forces as part of their recent ground command systems upgrade. Several hundred MIL-STD 461F copliant EMC-enhanced RPCIV 13" notebook computers in Army NATO-green livery were shipped after rigorous certification testing confirmed compliance with not just structural, but electronic requirements.

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

For more information on the original 1999 rollout, when the Opentec range first proved themselves in some of the worst conditions on the planet (50C temperatures and 95% humidity), read the following review:

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