Wi-Fi goes top gun
You'd be suprised where Wi-Fi is going these days. Like inside a fighter. Wi-Fi it is being used extensively in the military. One vendor, Telos, has installed Wi-Fi in 85 of the 108 Air Force bases, Government Computer News reports.
“Primarily, it’s for maintenance and logistics operations, so we put wireless LAN coverage on flight lines, inside hangars, back shops, wherever maintenance and logistics operations are taking place,” said Tom Badders, director of wireless strategic development for Telos.Key to the growth in government Wi-Fi adoption is encryption.The wireless infrastructure extends the Air Force’s enterprise network to those whose job is to get aircraft back in the air, and increases the service’s supply chain efficiencies. Constant connection to the network lets personnel tie into maintenance databases, check tech orders on supply and logistics applications, fix equipment, update orders, read technical manuals, and order and track parts through the supply chain.
“I think right when we came out with the 802.11i capability, which includes EES [Escrowed Encryption Standard] level encryption, the highest level of encryption commercially available, I think that really was a turning point,” Frank Hanzlik, managing director of the WiFi Alliance, said. “Since that time, we’ve seen far more support for incorporating WiFi into the government’s overall wireless plans.”
An example of defense Wi-Fi: The Air Force has issued a $100 million contract for data link integration for the Air Mobility Command, which provides airlift and air refueling services. The command needs hardware and software for tactical data link capabilities, and a data link for situational awareness in the cockpit, GCN reports.