Overview
Network hosting that is scalable, flexible and efficient
Shared Infrastructure (SI) is the Royal Navy’s shipborne hosting environment for combat and mission critical systems. Developed and integrated by BAE Systems, it brings cloud style computing to the maritime domain, giving operators a consistent, reliable way to access more than 30 systems from a single console.
Reducing time, cost and space
- Unified operator experience. A common console provides standard access to the Combat Management System, navigation, electro optics, gun fire control and third party applications. This reduces complexity in the ops room and supports quicker, more confident decision making.
- Secure, open and built for the ship. SI uses proven COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) technologies adapted for naval use. It is resilient to shock and vibration, supported by robust power management and distributed installations, and protected by secure networks to guard against cyber threats.
- Smaller footprint, greater efficiency. By hosting applications in one virtualised environment, SI significantly reduces onboard hardware. This eases the demand on power, space and HVAC systems, and lowers heat and noise in key compartments.
What SI comprises
- Shared Computing Environment (SCE)
- Shared Network Infrastructure (SNI)
- Shared Data Storage
- Common Console with shared application and display functionality
Flexible across the fleet
SI is fully scalable and already deployed on Royal Navy platforms ranging from Offshore Patrol Vessels to the Queen Elizabeth Class. It is being installed on the Type 26 platforms HMS Glasgow and HMS Cardiff and is widely used across Type 23, Type 45, QEC class and other Royal Navy programmes, with origins dating back to its first deployments in 2015.
Future ready capability insertion
Many variants include a secure sandbox environment, enabling new software to be trialled at sea without affecting primary systems. This allows new capabilities to be introduced and tested quickly and safely.
Lifecycle efficiencies
Shared networks, common consoles and virtualised hosting reduce acquisition and through life support costs as the architecture simplifies future upgrades and technology refresh cycles.