Portable Communications Built for Demanding Field Operations

A Canadian public sector organization needed a portable communications solution for personnel working in remote and demanding environments.

Compugen designed approximately 50 integrated kits that combine networking, connectivity, computing, and transport components in a package compact enough to fit inside an aircraft overhead compartment.

The solution was assessed in a proof-of-concept environment before procurement. It gives the organization a consistent communications kit prepared for field deployment, along with a practical model for future lifecycle refreshes.

A deployable communications kit brings the technology needed for remote communication and computing into one portable package. Its components must work together while meeting requirements for security, size, weight, transportation, and ease of use.

The Challenge

Field personnel may need to work in conditions ranging from extreme cold in Canada’s North to intense heat and dry environments overseas. The technology supporting them must travel efficiently and be ready for use across these varied conditions.

The organization had used a similar type of communications kit before but wanted something lighter and more compact. The new solution still needed to bring together all the required networking, connectivity, and computing components without becoming difficult to carry.

The core requirements included:

• • Supporting secure remote connectivity

  • Combining networking, connectivity, and computing components

  • Remaining lightweight and portable

  • Supporting work in extreme temperatures

  • Fitting the complete kit inside an aircraft overhead compartment

  • Confirming that products from several vendors could work together

The overhead-compartment requirement placed firm limits on the size of the complete solution. It also made integrated design essential. Every component affected the weight, dimensions, compatibility, and portability of the finished kit.

The organization needed more than individual products. It needed a Technology Ally that understood the operating environment and could bring several technologies together as one practical solution.

The Opportunity

The project gave the organization an opportunity to assess its networking, connectivity, computing, and transport requirements together.

This approach was important because portable communications equipment could not be designed effectively one component at a time. A product might meet its own technical requirements but still add too much weight, occupy too much space, or create compatibility issues within the finished kit.

Compugen brought direct defence experience to the engagement. Its Director of Operations for Defence and Security has more than 27 years of military experience, providing first-hand knowledge of the conditions and practical constraints field personnel may face.

That experience helped the team look beyond individual product specifications. Transportation, climate, compatibility, security, and ease of deployment were all considered from the beginning.

The Solution

Compugen worked with the organization to understand its operational requirements, evaluate potential products, coordinate demonstrations, and validate the proposed configuration.

The team sourced demonstration equipment and prepared different options for proof-of-concept testing. This allowed the organization to assess the components as a complete system before purchasing the kits.

The selected solution combined:

• • Juniper Networks networking technology

  • Ericsson Cradlepoint connectivity

  • HP EliteBook laptops

  • High Sierra backpacks

Each product served a specific purpose, but the value came from how the components worked together. Compugen coordinated across multiple vendors and confirmed compatibility within the proposed configuration.

The backpack was also part of the solution design. It was not simply packaging added at the end. Its dimensions helped determine which components could be included while keeping the complete kit within the organization’s aircraft storage requirement.

Compugen considered the full experience, from product selection and testing to transportation and preparation for deployment. The result was an experience by design, with each component chosen around how personnel would need to carry and use the complete solution.

How Did Compugen Validate the Communications Kit?

Compugen used a proof-of-concept process to compare different product options and confirm that the selected components could function together.

The process included:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Understanding the organization’s operational and transportation requirements

                                       2. Evaluating products from multiple vendors

                                       3. Sourcing equipment for demonstrations

                                       4. Preparing different configurations for testing

                                       5. Confirming compatibility across the selected components

                                       6. Designing the complete kit around portability and storage requirements

                                 2.  
                                    

                                    Proof-of-concept testing reduced uncertainty before the organization moved ahead with the purchase. It confirmed that the proposed configuration could work as intended, while field deployment will provide the opportunity to assess performance under real operating conditions.

The Outcome

Compugen designed and assembled approximately 50 portable communications kits based on the organization’s technical and operational requirements.

The project delivered several immediate outcomes:

• • One consistent configuration across the initial group of kits

  • Networking, connectivity, computing, and transport components brought together in one package

  • Compatibility assessed in a proof-of-concept environment

  • A kit designed to fit inside an aircraft overhead compartment

  • A repeatable model for future procurement and refresh planning

The kits have not yet been used in field operations. Measures such as setup time, connectivity performance, reliability, and personnel experience will need to be assessed after deployment.

For now, the organization has a compact, integrated solution prepared for the next stage of deployment and real-world evaluation.

The Future

The initial project gives the organization a repeatable foundation for managing similar communications equipment in the future.

Compugen and the organization are exploring a single-SKU model that would bring all kit components under one purchasing reference. This could simplify future refreshes by allowing the organization to purchase a complete kit instead of coordinating each component separately.

A standardized configuration could make it easier to:

• • Maintain consistency across kits

  • Plan equipment replacements

  • Assess compatible product updates

  • Coordinate procurement across multiple vendors

  • Adapt the design as operational requirements change

There may also be an opportunity to apply the same approach to medium-sized communications kits managed by another team. What Compugen learned through the initial project can help guide how those future solutions are assessed, designed, and supported.

The project reflects a broader move from one-time technology purchases toward lifecycle management. As products and operational needs change, Compugen can help the organization assess new options while maintaining the fit and compatibility of the complete solution.

Build Resilience Beyond Cybersecurity

Strengthen your organization’s approach to cyber resilience with a recovery-first strategy. Explore our data sheet to learn how prioritizing recovery can help minimize disruption, protect critical operations, and prepare your business for evolving cyber threats.