Case Study:  134th Air Refueling Wing Battle Staff Room

"Multi-Media Solutions, Inc. was retained by the 134th Air Refueling Wing to upgrade the existing communications in the Commander's Battle Staff Room located in the Wing Command Post. This was done to the complete satisfac-tion of the commander, his staff, and the Command Post Super-intendent. Based on the dollars the wing had to spend, MMS recom-mended and installed the latest in commun-ications technology to meet the needs of the Wing. MMS's manage-ment and their staff were simply outstanding in the installation and the training they con-ducted for the Command Post and the senior staff on the new equipment. I have only the highest praise and regard for the manage-ment and staff of MMS." --Timothy J. Buckner CMS, TN ANG Supt. Command & Control,

The 134th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) is located at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tennessee. The 134th has received eight United States Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards. The unit flew 177 sorties and off-loaded 4.5 million pounds of fuel in Operation Desert Shield. The 134th ARW currently operates KC-135E "Stratotanker" aircraft in worldwide support of the U. S. Air Force. The unit provides air-to-air refueling to all types of U.S. Air Force bomber, fighter, airlift and support aircraft; plus many NATO aircraft. This is a critical mission operation, and MMS is proud to have been chosen to design and install this and several other systems on the Base.

The Challenge:
The 134th's Battle Staff Room needed updating to current standards of interactive audiovisual communication technology in this time of heightened national vigilance. Deceptively tranquil in these photos, this operations/command center and adjoining high security communications center is often a high-energy, fast-paced flurry of focused activity. All visual displays need to be bright, with clear definition of detailed images. Ease of use is key. They need any combination of CNN, Fox Network and multiple broadcast displays, plus multiple computer inputs & on-base security monitoring, with annotation capabilities projected on the screens. Complete control of the total system, for strategy & planning meetings and weekly staff briefings is essential. Clear audio throughout the room completes the installation.

Da-Lite Lectern	Component Rack	SMART Sympodium
Click on pictures for larger image

The Solution:
The display system combines rear-projection and plasma panel display. An interactive touch sensitive SMART Sympodium allows control of software and annotation over images being displayed. A component rack holds wireless remote switching to control all system components easily w/ RF and IR . Rear projection for lights-on bright displays, plus a state of the art visualizer by ELMO to present documents, such as the image shown on the left screen in the top picture. The plasma screen provides the clearest display of broadcast input possible.

The System Includes: