U.S. Air Force’s Headquarters OSSG, United States

Secure Wireless Integration

The Headquarters Operations and Sustainment Systems Group (OSSG) at Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Alabama, is the preferred Department of Defense (DOD) source for advanced software, hardware, and communications technologies. With the growing use of wireless devices, the OSSG needed a low maintenance wireless environment to support wireless technologies already in use and integrate with the Air Force Portal, an initiative that combines numerous Air Force systems and Web sites under a common interface.

OSSG partnered with Intergraph to investigate the current environment and facilitate a strategy for wirelessly enabling the Air Force Portal. As a long-term Air Force partner with considerable experience with systems integration and complex wireless applications, Intergraph was able to address both wireless and applications issues. Intergraph consultants first captured information to support well-founded recommendations, then gathered requirements at an on-site workshop, conducted analysis to develop architectural alternatives for a solution, and reconvened on site to present the alternatives to OSSG technical personnel.

As part of OSSG’s requirements, Intergraph established a working prototype at its secure lab facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, to verify the concept and determine appropriate software, hardware, and wireless products. Following this, Intergraph installed the solution at the Government’s facility where it was tested and demonstrated over the next six months. At the end of the process, Intergraph-trained SSG personnel on the use of the software tools.

OSSG’s iterative approach to implementing wireless devices is enabling them to take full advantage of evolving wireless and security standards. As wireless becomes more and more common, OSSG can increase its expertise, incorporate wireless requirements into all new applications, conduct detailed inventories and market studies of handheld devices, and develop standards, policies, and guidelines. In this way, it will keep the warfighter on the cutting edge of technology.

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