RFDS Server Project

The purpose of this effort is to acquire the necessary engineering, logistics and technical services to develop a form, fit, function replacement of the RFDS Communications Controller (Server) and Switch Assembly installed on National Security Cutters (NSC) and at TRACEN PETALUMA. The RFDS was initially deployed in 2008 on board WMSL (NSC) platforms to provide the capability for remotely routing transmitted and received communications signals from the input/output of the eighteen (18) radios to sixteen (16) port/starboard antennas while mitigating RF interference cancellation. Therefore, allowing full communication range during Simultaneous Communication Operations (SIMOPS) for exterior VHF/UHF communications radio systems. The RFDS contains a Communications Controller (Server) and Switch Assembly (Ethernet Switch) that allows for remote control operations. The Communications Controller is a rack-mounted PC that receives set-up commands from the Remote Manager and sends the commands to the RFDS components to establish the corresponding radio-to-antenna RF communication paths via Ethernet through the Switch Assembly. The RFDS Communications Controller currently operates on a Windows XP O/S that is no longer supported by Microsoft, making it vulnerable to cybersecurity risk. Therefore, replacing the Communications Controller and Switch Assembly with a currently supported O/S will allow for the RFDS to be CYBER compliant and enhance maintainability and performance to the system network architecture.