Tactical PCS deployment

Personal communication services (PCS) promise to be the telecommunications wave of the future. Ubiquity and mobility are key aspects of PCS which are particularly attractive to the military. Also, PCS systems using digital spread spectrum technology can provide the military with performance in the areas of security and low probability of intercept (LPI)/low probability of detection (LPD). Given that current policy is advocating the use of commercial equipment and systems wherever possible, it is appropriate that DOD contractors investigate the use of and incorporate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment as much as possible and where appropriate. The mobile subscriber equipment (MSE) provided by GTE represents the largest investment in tactical communication systems the Army has undertaken. Preservation of this investment through the use of judicious product improvement in times of stringent military budgets is of utmost importance. MSE consists of a number of node center switches, large and small extension nodes, line of sight equipment, and mobile subscriber terminals. Access to the small extension nodes (SENs) of the MSE switches is via field wire. Providing a "wireless" access to the SENs via commercial PCS equipment will greatly enhance the performance and warfighting capability of MSE. Thus, GTE has established a program whose objectives are the integration of commercial PCS with MSE.