Delivering reliable tactical information at sea where others have failed 

In 2006 Opentec was asked to develop a situational awareness/tactical terminal for use aboard Royal Australian Navy RHIBs (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats) deployed by RAN frigates and patrol boats during coastal and offshore operations, both in Australian Territorial waters, the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.

The issue was that other vendors had provided tablet computers, allegedly highly water resistant and shock resistant, but the best the instegrator had ever been able to deliver was 5 days at sea, before the computers suffering catastrophic failures. After a short develoment cycle, in early 2007 Opentec delivered the first of more than 60 units, now in active service for more than 3 years, that provide a unique, easy to use and very reliable system for navigating and sharing tactical data securely at sea.

As part of the overall solution, deployed by ATI of Canberra (developers of the MAC situational awareness software and UHF/VHF communications system), the RPT 8-M series Super Rugged tablets required a marine grade stainless steel mount that could be loaded one-handed, had a sun visor durable enough not to break of fallen against but not able to injure the person falling against it, and robust enough to be fallen on our used to lean on without compromising the operation of the tactical display.

Further, the system had to feature a combination power/data connection that was IP67 sealed, made of marine grade stainless steel and feature Navy approved sheathing that would neither tear nor deteriorate in salty air and strong sun over extended periods of use; and that could be removed quickly using one hand.

The result is a better-than IP66 rated tablet computer, in an adjustable stainless mounting bracket that has proven itself able to operate in Northern Australian coastal waters, as well as the Gulf in extremes of heat (50C plus), extremes of moisture (salt water breaking over the boats during operations) and extremes of vibration and impacts as a result of the boats wave jumping and bottoming out in heavy swells.

Just another genuinely Rugged Solution to a genuinely Rugged application requiring a genuinely Rugged portable computer!