New network upgrades completed

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Veronica McMahon
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 325th Communications Squadron has recently completed the next generation upgrade through the Air Force Combat Information Transport System.

The project, completed in less than four years, has doubled the network speed and cut the power consumption in half.

"These efforts have been made to modernize our network," said Mathew Needham, 325th CS Project Manager. "The upgrade couldn't have come at a better time."

The 325th CS has worked to ensure there are fiber optic connections and network equipment in more than 200 facilities in order to meet the needs of the base's growing information system. Power and cooling systems were also upgraded in rooms where communications equipment is stored to support larger network systems.

"This is a major project that I have been working on for more than four years," said Mr. Needham. "I am extremely happy to provide Tyndall with the infrastructure capable of integrating voice, video, imagery and sensor systems over our networks."

The 325th CS has worked closely with personnel from the Air Force Network Integration Center at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., the Electronics Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, Mass., and the 38th Cyber Engineering Installation Group at Tinker AFB, Okla. Personnel from these organizations assisted with program management and engineering support for the planning and implementation of the network upgrade project here.

"The network upgrade is like repaving every road on Tyndall," said Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Moran, 325th CS superintendent. "Now we have a much smoother and secure network. Our communication infrastructure technicians can remotely manage it."

This effort has also increased bandwidth requirements allowing advancements in weather and intelligence imagery, desktop video teleconferencing and voice transmissions over the network.

"Our network is being attacked and probed daily," said Chief Moran, "and these upgrades will reduce security vulnerability across the global information grid."

This project was also made successful by the teamwork of civilian contractors and various government agencies.