A data connectivity pilot is underway at the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Defence Munitions Gosport site, aiming to enhance efficiency using Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) technology.
The trial seeks to offer an alternative to traditional Wi-Fi, which is not permitted due to safety concerns around radio transmissions near stored complex weapons.
The pilot, facilitated by the DE&S Weapons Operating Centre and run by DE&S Digital and UK Strategic Command Defence Digital, in collaboration with Consolite Technology Ltd and Centiant International Ltd, aims to evaluate the usability, performance, and signal stability of Li-Fi technology at Defence Munitions Gosport.
Nick Rice, CEO at Consolite Technology, explained the benefits of Li-Fi: “There are many reasons why Wi-Fi poses a problem for military users. Li-Fi provides radio frequency-free wireless data for explosive atmospheres, as we see in Gosport. Li-Fi also provides data where increased cyber security protection is desirable, and typically much faster data, more than 10 times the sort of speeds we see in our homes.”
Currently, staff at Defence Munitions sites face challenges due to the prohibition of mobile internet and standard Wi-Fi in processing facilities. This restriction limits access to online technical documentation, operation notes, and real-time collaboration. The introduction of Li-Fi could address these issues by offering a safe and efficient connectivity solution.
Pete Forder, Defence Munitions Digital lead at DE&S, noted the success of the trial: “The Li-Fi proof of concept trial has been a great success and is potentially game-changing in terms of digital optimisation within our hazardous explosives processing and storage facilities.”
The pilot, expected to conclude in late 2024, aims to support the broader deployment of Li-Fi across Defence Munitions sites. The results will inform future investments and contribute to the innovative technologies being employed by DE&S to improve productivity and working practices.
Tom Brickell, a Defence Digital Innovation Architect within UK Strategic Command, remarked: “The lack of connectivity in specialist areas at Defence Munitions sites can significantly disrupt core activity, so being able to bring new optical wireless communications technologies like Li-Fi to complex environments has been a real game changer.”
Steven Hodson, DE&S Digital team leader, added: “This is a great example of DE&S Digital and UK Strategic Command joining forces to deliver a tactical pilot that offers huge potential benefits within the Defence Munitions space.”
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What actually is LiFi. How in layman’s terms does it work?
data transmitted in light bursts rather than radio frequency.
It’s a Scottish tech start up that spun out of Edinburgh university. Basically it uses light waves to perform a similar function to radio wifi, data transmission rates are massively increased with reduced energy consumption.
The light waves they use can’t be seen by human eyes, ultra violet infrared.
Unlike radio wifi there is no signal interference as well.
Will it work if it’s sunny??? AA
Presumably the receiver is tied to a specific frequency, a bit like with SAL guidance.
It makes sense for the weapons sites, a good idea.
Was being a BIT flippant there.!.
. however ..I can’t get my head around it not being line of sight only. Unless the reflections off any and all surfaces provides sufficient scatter?
Any system immune to jamming is of course useful.
AA
The one I heard about uses the main lights, flickering them too fast to see. In that case you need them on (presumably not an issue in storage bunkers).
The other way would be just to have enough transmitters in a room to almost guarantee line of sight.
All the kit that transmits and receives the signal still needs to comply with magazine and explosives regulations though.
You cannot just plug a receiver dongle into the side of any old laptop
HSE gone mad, next you’ll be saying we can’t smoke next to the things either…
I jest, you make a fair point- I’ve worked in plenty of ‘explosive atmospheres areas in oil and gas, I presume the requirements are similar. Is this meant as an interface with the intranet/web then, this isn’t for interfacing with the weapon itself I presume?
BANG
I thought that was why we invented insensitive munitions- to reduce lost time to cigarette breaks?!
Given Russian claims UKR sytrikes were due to personnel smoking hear ammo/fuel dumps, maybe we should be dropping them cigarettes.😀
Hope my Argos universal TV remote control does not cause any issues and set off WWIII.😉
We had IRDA communication using infra red on laptops, printers and phones a decade ago, I guess this is just a faster version.
“Don’t pick up the phone” will become “Don’t turn off that light out.” Civil Warden Hodges wouldn’t be happy with this.
I evaluated this tech years ago when I worked at Boeing Defence, there were loads of security issues I could see and we rejected even looking into it.