Joint Forces Command backs CHAIN tech

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Raytheon said Monday its CHAIN technology had been boosted by the U.S. Joint Forces Command.

Raytheon said in a statement that its Compartmented High Assurance Information Network, or CHAIN, and Multi-Level Secure Voice Conference technology "has been recognized by the U.S. Joint Forces Command as one of the most promising technologies at the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstrations -- CWID."

"Our success at CWID positions Raytheon's solution as an ideal candidate to solve the coalition collaboration issues that impact global operations," said Jack Harrington, vice president, Command and Control Systems, Raytheon Network Centric Systems.

"During CWID 2007, Raytheon successfully demonstrated sharing information across multiple networks of potentially different security classifications and access control requirements. Raytheon's solution enhances a commander's capability to command, control and coordinate across joint and coalition forces, government and non-government agencies and first responders," the company said.

"CHAIN allows users to share documents, instant message, teleconference and video conference and initiate collaborative discussions while protecting information from unauthorized scrutiny. War fighters assessing the system agreed that CHAIN was intuitive and user friendly and supported fielding the system for its ease of use, reliability and effectiveness as a communications tool," Lockheed Martin said.

"CHAIN is a commercial off-the-shelf-based secure architecture that provides a compartmented environment for data and information sharing across multiple coalition communities of interest. Depending on an individual user's security clearance level, special access caveats, and need to know, CHAIN will facilitate policy-based collaboration between users, providing tools and safeguards to prevent the unauthorized access and disclosure of information," the company said.

"This integrated capability is linked to Raytheon's Defense Red Switch Network technology to provide an integrated voice, video and data network capable of handling communications at any security level," Raytheon said.

"CWID is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's annual event enabling commanders and the international community to investigate command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions," the company said.

"Successful program/capability demonstrations result in rapid procurement initiatives and are integrated into the operational environment within 12-18 months following demonstration execution each June," it said.