Primetech and Kinetic Special Vehicles join forces with the British Transport Police

Primetech (UK) Ltd, the integrated mobile communications specialist, has joined forces with Kinetic Special Vehicles to develop a state of the art mobile Command and Control Unit (CCU) for the British Transport Police (BTP).

With the onset of the Olympic Games in 2012, BTP had identified the need for a new, bespoke 21st Century vehicle that could meet their exacting requirements.

The CCU was the first to be designed for the BTP in 10 years, and was developed in partnership with a team comprising of personnel from the Central Operations Unit, Vehicle Fleet Management Department, and IT and Communications Department within BTP.

The brief was to provide two tactical Silver Command units which would be able to handle all civil contingencies and could be easily deployed at large scale public events, beginning with the New Year's Eve celebrations in London.

"To enhance ground-level communications and ensure that Silver Command can direct from the scene, we needed communications that could be relied upon wherever the vehicle was stationed," commented Graham Tillett, BTP Fleet Manager. "We wanted a mobile office in the truest sense of the word."

Kinetic Special Vehicles has over 30 years experience of handling conversions for the emergency services. Mark Catley, Sales & Marketing Director of Kinetic Special Vehicles, explained: "our work has given us an understanding of the unique emergency environments in which our clients operate. We develop our techniques and services to take account of new technologies and the evolving demands of our clients. In this case, mobility, reliability and the maximisation of internal space were key requirements. "

An Iveco provided the basis of the conversion. Kinetic then developed a robust vehicle structure which would house Primetech's latest technology. "Integrated communications technology is crucial for delivering interoperability," said Henry Walker, Director of Primetech. "There needs to be a reliable flow of critical information to and from different tiers of command, multiple agencies, and at regional, national and international levels."

Much of this centres around the delivery of a Common Operational Picture (COP) i.e the capability to collect and share multi dimensional information. In turn, this is very much reliant on satellite technology, ensuring communication even when there is no conventional service. Primetech's roof mounted transportable satellite system was installed on the CCU which enables real-time voice, data and video information to be shared with Gold Command.

A practical and spacious working environment was created inside the CCU along with the capability to configure a seated internal meeting room and two bespoke workstations. Primetech's new secure, rugged mobile computer systems were installed, chosen both for their performance and their compact size. The Rhino MPCS (Multi-Purpose Computer System) has on board 3g, GPS tracking, VGA, Multiple USB/Serial Ports, Wi-Fi and four camera Digital Video Recording Unit with instant playback - invaluable for providing multiple sources of information. It's complemented by Rhino Atom, a solid state replacement for conventional desktop style PCs. "Both of these ingenious systems come in a small box weighing just 4 lbs." Henry continued.

Wall mounted external and internal touch flat screen monitors with whiteboard functionality allow for simultaneous briefing sessions. They enable Silver Command staff to view TV news and live video images transmitted into the vehicle from the external, mast mounted Infra-Red CCTV camera. All images can then be streamed via the satellite links to a secure server where they can be accessed by Gold Command and other authorised agents.

Both Primetech and Kinetic Special Vehicles pride themselves on providing a very personal service. "A real bonus was the partnership approach that made it a surprisingly pleasurable and straightforward experience. There was excellent communication between all parties, ensuring that we were advised and involved every step of the way during the production process," concluded Graham. "We worked hand in hand with both companies to develop a bespoke solution that has met all our tactical, strategic and technological requirements within available budgets. We are extremely proud of the resulting CCUs and look forward to seeing them in action."

For further information on Primetech, visit:

www.primetech.co.uk

or telephone Henry Walker on 08453 455 734.

For further information on Kinetic Special Vehicles visit:

www.kinetic.uk.com

or telephone: 01964 543 398