Nuclear response teams get a lighter load
The federal agency that responds to radiological incidents around the country doesn't have as much communications gear to lug around these days.
The National Nuclear Security Administration's emergency response teams no longer have to lug 500 pounds of satellite communications gear when they respond to potential radiological incidents.
Last year, NNSA's Office of Emergency Operations revamped the communications support for the agency's response teams and replaced the 500-pound satellite-only systems with 60-pound systems that provide real-time voice, data and video via satellite, Internet and cellular capabilities, according to a Jan. 22 post on the agency's blog.
The new systems are not only 88 percent lighter, they're also easier on NNSA's budget -- $145,000 compared to the previous systems' cost of about $400,000.
The mobile systems work with NNSA's Emergency Communications Network, which transmits classified and unclassified voice, video and data communications between NNSA headquarters and approximately 55 remote sites and mobile units, according to the agency.
The mobile systems also provide satellite backup capability for the main ECN and terrestrial circuits.