"Incident Commanders’ Radio Interface" Provides Inter-agency Radio Interoperability
RESTON, Vir. – The U.S. Army is developing a new homeland defense vehicle to improve the ability of first responders to react to terrorist attacks, chemical spills, and other homeland security incidents. Managed by the Army’s National Automotive Center, the vehicle is being developed in a joint effort with International Truck Corporation and Integrated Concepts & Research Corporation (ICRC).
Intended for use by National Guard units and other first responders, the National Automotive Center Vehicle is built on International’s MXT medium-duty truck and incorporates ICRC’s NG-VISION™ (National Guard Vehicle Information System for Interoperability and Networking). The capabilities include:
The “Incident Commanders’ Radio Interface™” (ICRI), a radio communications interoperability switch, enabling responders from different agencies to talk to each other via dissimilar communications systems. The ICRI bridges:
Municipal public safety radios
State and federal radios
Military radios
Landline, cellular and satellite telephones
Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) agent detection software that provides warnings about air quality outside the vehicle
A HAZMAT database that provides information about specific hazardous materials
Night time surveillance provided by pan and tilt lighting systems, as well as a handheld infrared camera system
Cellular Internet connectivity for access to offboard information
A satellite phone for communications in the event of cell tower failure
GPS navigation software with maps of the continental United States
Vehicle diagnostics software compatible with the International MXT that allows users to troubleshoot vehicle problems and perform preventive maintenance
“The threat of terrorist attacks and other security incidents presents a very real need for this vehicle,” said Kevin Mulrenin, vice president of ICRC’s Advanced Vehicle Technologies division. “NG-VISION helps overcome a critical problem experienced on September 11 – the inability of first responders to talk with each other on dissimilar radio systems. That ability coupled with other important features like the detection of nuclear and chemical agents, will greatly improve our ability to protect this country’s first responders and the larger population.”
For more information on the Incident Commanders' Radio Interface, please call Communications-Applied Technology at 800-229-3925, or visit www.C-AT.com
