High Integrity Telecommunications System (HITS)
In this section:
The High Integrity Telecommunications System (HITS) provides a resilient communications backbone between crisis management centres across the UK. It is designed to remain available in the event of short- or no-notice loss of all or part of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This resilience is obtained through using a combination of military satellite communications network and diverse terrestrial bearers.
The HITS Core Network provides a capability in each Police Force Area in England and Wales; to the Devolved Administrations in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast; and at Central Government Crisis Management Facilities.
This network is augmented by three deployable satellite terminals (called HITS Transportables) which can be set up at short notice in almost any location – only end user facilities (shelter, power etc) and a clear line of sight towards the south is required. The Transportables will enable Government command and control capability to be extended to UK locations where routine communications services have been compromised or to locations where no communications capability exists.
Please click on the following link for more information on the HITS Transportable Terminals.
About HITS
The Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies Secretariat is delivering HITS in partnership with Paradigm Secure Communications and the UK Ministry of Defence. For more detailed information about HITS please consult the HITS media page
HITS and the NRE
HITS has been designed from the start to interoperate fully with the National Resilience Extranet or NRE. HITS users will need NRE accounts to be able to share classified information up to RESTRICTED over HITS using the NRE. All Police Forces have been offered NRE licences for use over HITS, giving the NRE national coverage.
For more information on the NRE please visit www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/national-resilience-extranet.
To access the NRE via an internet connection: www.resilience-extranet.gov.uk.
To access the NRE via GSI connection: www.resilience-extranet.gse.gov.uk.
HITS Delivery Phases
The pilot phase (Phase 1) of the rollout included five sites across England and Wales, and one transportable terminal. Phase 1 has been successfully delivered.
Phase 2 is now complete, adding a further ten sites to the network (and two further transportable terminals). All three Transportable Terminals are now in service.
Phase 3 is currently being rolled-out, and will add 24 more sites to the network - delivering the majority of the sites in the Core HITS network. Site surveys of Phase 3 locations have now been completed, and over half of the sites are now live. Phase 3 will be completed by mid-2011.
Phase 4 will complete the delivery of the HITS Core Network, installing HITS in all Police Force Areas in England and Wales; Cabinet Office Crisis Management Facilities; and the Devolved Administrations. The Cabinet Office HITS Team has successfully renegotiated delivery of Phase 4 and the Core Network to complete HITS at a reduced cost, following the recent spending review. Phase 4 will conclude by the end 2011, completing the HITS Core Network.
The Cabinet Office HITS Team is also working with Other Government Departments and their agencies to include them in the HITS network at a later date.
Contacts
For more information please see the HITS media page. Please contact the HITS team at HITS@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk if you need further information.
