Purdue Research Park-based firm builds Mobile Communications Trailers for Department of Defense

August 22 2011

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – OpTech, a firm based in the Purdue Research Park of Southeast Indiana is developing and building trailers for the U.S. Department of Defense to provide timely information to front line war fighters.
Operational Technology Group LLC, founded in 2010 by owner Joel Embry, is building mobile communication units and delivering them to the U.S. Army based upon a Department of Defense need for a self-contained mobile enclosure that can meet a variety of communications needs.
"The U.S. Army needs trailers that can provide power, air conditioning and rack space for equipment that sends information to handheld devices used by war fighters on the front line," Embry said. "The information is comprised of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance."
The units are approximately 12feet long and 7.5 feet wide, offer aluminum unibody construction, and incorporate a self-contained 40 foot high antenna and sensor mast.
"They are lightweight, which saves fuel during deployment," Embry said. "They can be hauled by lighter, more fuel-efficient helicopters and tow vehicles.  Innovative compact design allows three of the units to fit into a C-130 Hercules cargo transport and delivery aircraft."
Embry said the U.S. Army is the end user of the current trailers, but he has received interest from other sources to meet similar requirements and applications.  "State and local police, fire fighters and other first responders who need communication backup, have expressed an interest in these trailers," he said. "In addition to providing backup communications, they can be equipped with cameras and sensors, allowing command centers to obtain real-time local data from unmanned mobile equipment located near disaster areas."