Executive Summary

The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) needed an upgrade for their legacy PBX equipment. They required this upgrade to their network while ensuring its operators and network administrators are suitably trained on the new PBX equipment so that they can deliver a flawless service to Deployed Operations across the world.

REDCOM Laboratories teamed up with Base Camp Connect, one of Canada’s leading suppliers of communications systems, to provide the Canadian DND with this system upgrade.

The Customer

The Department of National Defence supports the Canadian Armed Forces who serve on the sea, on land, and in the air with the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Special Forces to defend Canadians’ interests at home and abroad. The upgrade to the Canadian Department of National Defence network provides services for both data and voice to operational theaters within Canada and overseas, including the High Arctic Data Communications Systems (HADCS), providing data and voice services to CFS Alert and Fort Eureka.

The Challenge

The system in place at the DND was an aging and bulky fleet of equipment, consisting of over thirty (30) Avaya CS1000E PBXs. The network included two core sites, i.e., a main and an alternate, both having 100% redundant capabilities. There were multiple deployable sites connected via satellite at any given time, varying in user capacity requirements. Additionally, the number of deployable sites varied depending upon the number of ongoing missions in Canada and overseas.

In order to meet future CAF requirements to be mission-ready, the system needed a complete upgrade. The Canadian Armed Forces must be ready to respond to an increasing spectrum of operations, such as domestic humanitarian assistance, disaster response, counter-terrorism, peace support operations, and high-intensity combat operations. They needed to acquire technically compliant PBX equipment with the smallest footprint available and install and commission it expediently.

The REDCOM Solution

REDCOM was selected for this upgrade due to the company’s proven history of delivering highly interoperable and reliable communications systems with very low SWaP (size, weight, and power). The REDCOM solution includes several different configurations of REDCOM equipment, including stationary systems, plus small, medium, and large form factor deployable systems. The Base Camp Connect system connects to said REDCOM equipment via SIP to provide the necessary radio connectivity for the DND.

In addition to delivering REDCOM HDX and SLICE 2100 systems, REDCOM and Base Camp Connect worked with the DND to conduct all site surveys, installations, and training on this equipment.

“REDCOM equipment, coupled with Base Camp Connect’s in-country expertise, enables CAF to efficiently respond to an increasing spectrum of operations in Canada and internationally,” said Roy Szelewski, Director of Government Operations at REDCOM. “We look forward to a continued partnership with Base Camp Connect to bring REDCOM’s reliable and scalable technology to its customers.”

Jean-Philippe Grondin, Base Camp Connect President, and CEO commented, “After our evaluation, REDCOM was the best partner we found to complement our offer. Their long-standing reputation and extensive experience as a leader in secured communications for the U.S Army, amongst other customers, will facilitate our custom work for DND.’’

The Future

Moving forward, REDCOM and Base Camp Connect will be supporting the Canadian DND and CAF with this equipment, along with supplementary equipment, and support and maintenance services through 2024. REDCOM’s partnership with Base Camp Connect allows the company to reach new, unique customers within the Canadian market and beyond. REDCOM is committed to continuing this partnership for years to come.

A Partner for Success

At REDCOM, we do business differently than most other vendors. REDCOM is willing to go above and beyond to find a way to best serve our customers, which often means thinking outside the box. Interested in learning more? Reach out to the REDCOM team at 585-924-6500 or email sales@redcom.com.