Sotas consists of a family of modular components that can be assembled and scaled to provide optimal system configurations for all types of project. Both for civil and military applications.
A simple vehicle intercom only requires one single Sotas unit. Larger and more complex systems are created by adding crew stations, network nodes, software packages, and hardware option modules. This unique building block approach provides great flexibility and logistics advantages for supporting the broad spectrum of applications. It enables Thales to deliver tailor-made solutions to every customer, without development, using proven off-the-shelf Sotas building blocks.
Installed Sotas systems can easily be upgraded when new requirements emerge with respect to system size and functionality. These upgrades are performed with minimal impact on the existing installation.
With a proven history and core competence in development and delivery of light-weight systems, Thales offers significant benefits:
Low Risk – Solutions based on a proven family of equipment with more than 21,000 systems deployed in more than 30 countries in approximately 50 types of vehicles
Flexibility – A high level of scalability and flexibility to meet the requirements for the full range of tracked and wheeled platforms as well as allow for future evolution
Short lead-times – Based on off-the-shelf standardized building blocks, Thales delivers tailor-made solutions with short lead-times.
Experience – An established partner with proven ISO9001 certified processes, professional production and support experience ensures low management risk.
System capabilities Sotas VEA Sotas Vehicle Systems are at the core of a Vehicle’s Electronic Architecture (VEA). Sotas interfaces with on-board systems using industry standard interfaces, such as Ethernet, Video, CAN, USB, Serial Data. The distribution of data between the on-board systems and the software applications hosted by Sotas is performed by the open standards real-time middleware (OMG DDS). This results in an efficient system for sharing data within the vehicle, processing data (data fusion) and communicating data with other vehicles/ nodes. The Sotas VEA is the infrastructure for a comprehensive set of applications and capabilities. This set includes Thales applications such as the Sotas tactical voice services, but also third party applications like Health and Usage Management Systems and Platform Management System applications thus allowing full control of the platform capabilities by the user.
Sotas Tactical Voice Services The Sotas Tactical Voice applications provide high quality voice services. These include platform intercom groups, intercom groups spanning networked platforms, radio services and alarm services. The telephony services include tactical facilities, such as priority, pre-emption and WAN gateways.
Sotas Tactical Networking Services The Sotas Tactical Networking applications support the exchange of multimedia data in highly mobile platforms and with other elements in the Network-Enabled Operations environment, including deployed networks. The Tactical Networking Services provide a comprehensive set of routing protocols (e.g. MANET), and supporting services (e.g. QoS and IPsec). Sotas provides seamless integration of wireless transmission systems with wildly different characteristics and offers mobility support and automated routing over these systems. Customer-specific capabilities are offered by integrating third party applications (e.g. Delay Tolerant Networking).
Sotas Security The Sotas design incorporates security measures that enable the system to work in a multi-level security environment.