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Communications
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country could have the best security personnel in the world, but it could all go to waste without access to reliable and effective communications. Thankfully, reliability is one of the cornerstones of Codan Radio Communications products.
Trusted by governmental agencies and organisations all over the world, Codan Radio Communications brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, but what really sets this company apart is the fact that it is still all ears.
Having recently exhibited at both the West Africa Security Symposium in May and December’s Africa Security Symposium in Cote d’Ivoire, Codan’s high-frequency (HF) radio solutions are used by all major peacekeeping and humanitarian missions throughout Africa, as well as border security forces, police forces, wildlife protection and more. According to Senior Regional Sales Director John Neumann, events like these represent a major learning opportunity for the company. “It’s not a sales pitch,” he emphasises. “When we do these events, it’s really the reverse. We have the opportunity to sit down with dozens of end users, country or organisational representatives and really understand some very unique configurations, circumstances and mission needs.” The trust placed in Codan systems by the world’s most critical sectors is no accident, but the product of experience, common sense and a willingness to listen and more importantly hear its end user.
Evolving needs
Security is an industry constantly in flux, so the primary needs of a given country back in December may have since been superseded by more pressing concerns. The ability to respond to such rapidly changing requirements isn’t just about being a good listener, but having the creativity to come up with solutions that rise to the challenge. “There’s some military end users at the event in Cote d’Ivoire that came up with some very interesting, very complex scenarios for their command and control needs,” says Neumann. “That gets us charged up to find solutions to assist them.”
“Reliability is one of the cornerstones of Codan Radio Communications products Africa is also a unique continent for security operations. Whereas most countries rarely deploy outside their own borders, and infrastructure set up at known locations is enough to meet their communication, multinational task forces across the African continent are common.
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“The level of complexity once you leave your interior lines goes up in multiples,” explains Neumann. RIOS is a particularly innovative solution from Codan, acting as a communication gateway between different communication systems, including those not manufactured by the same company. “That’s a tremendous aid to them because it saves money that they don’t have to buy all kinds of new radios or switch to new encryption. They can use the existing kit and still have an improvement on their command and control.”
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Advanced technology, simple interface
As well as continually fluctuating security needs, Codan must contend with making the world’s most sophisticated technology instantly accessible to its end user in even the harshest environments. Many systems on the market require the operator to have knowledge of both the English language and computer management.
“The trust placed in Codan systems by the world’s most critical sectors is no accident, but the product of experience
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“We’ve minimised the knowledge prerequisite so that it’s easier to train non-English speaking end users,” says Neumann. “When we go to Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, or Mozambique, we have them work on radio functions that are in their native language.” As for the usability itself, the interface’s complexity is comparable to a really robust smartphone, rich in features that can be accessed the second a situation arises. “Our systems are supporting difficult missions in high temperatures and jungle environments and we’re exceeding the military standard for command and control apparatus,” shares Neumann.
Knowing the product
Codan’s ability to satisfy the command and control needs of their end users comes from a place of sheer expertise. Neumann, a retired US Marine Colonel, also has at his disposal a “professional cadre” of field service representatives consisting exclusively of former UK, US, French Foreign Legion soldiers and highly trained local nationals, who he describes as “critical” to the company’s success. “They have spent years and years, each of them, in Africa with the end users,” he says. “They have built tremendous professional and technical relationships with the end users,
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It’s not just a conflict with forces on the ground. It’s a challenge to command, control and communicate to all deployed units, get real-time updates and coordinate tactics. We hear you.
whether they need assistance with training, troubleshooting or a technical refresh.” Although prior military experience is not a prerequisite at Codan – particularly as its solutions also focus on commercial clients such as air traffic control, where it recently allowed Somalia to control their own airspace for the first time in years – the company is insistent on understanding how its products are working fo end users. “If you’ve just come out of the UK military after 22 years, you’ve experienced a lot of troubleshooting in different scenarios. These guys are technical experts, so it’s a perfect match.”
To discuss your solution contact Codan Radio Communications. UAE office: sales@codanradio.com +971 (0) 44 53 72 01
The heart of the action From developing solutions that respond to Africa’s connectivity needs to helping countries make groundbreaking changes to their radio capabilities, Codan is at the heart of Africa’s security landscape. Its continued participation at symposiums and summits like the Africa Security Symposium
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in May is merely evidence of its ongoing commitment to not simply hearing from those using its products and solutions, but applying this to its operations as a company.
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305-306 Tower BB1 Mazaya Business Avenue Jumeirah Lake Towers Dubai UAE Phone: Email:
+971 (0) 44 53 72 01 HFsales@codanradio.com
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