Headquarters, U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida

Introduction

General Projection Systems, working for the project's prime contractor ManTech, built the visual information (VI or sometimes AV) systems for the new U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Miami, Florida.

The U.S. Southern Command moved from its historical base in Panama to Florida at the direction of the President and Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The VI system consisted numerous facilities including a "nerve center" control room for signal processing and routing (containing the largest single AutoPatch routing system in the country), a large conference room (setup "United Nations" style), the command center briefing room (a "war room"), four medium-size conference rooms and a dozen or so smaller conference and briefing rooms.

Design

The Large Conference Room contains two large (7x10 foot) rear screens with Hughes 320 projectors, two lecterns on a raised podium, a "UN" style curved table for high ranking officers and tiered seating for more than 100 people. Five interpreter booths transmit interpreted languages via infrared, wireless headsets to allow foreign audiences or presenters to be understood.

A computer controlled audio system provides voice reinforcement from microphones location around the table and at the lecterns. The entire room (including lights) is under the control of AMX color touch panels located in the lecterns. The room is linked via fiber optics to a main control room.

The Command Center Briefing Room (CCBR) is the focal point for the CINC's operations. The commanding officer is briefed and can hold secure video conferences with the Pentagon and other commands from a V-shaped table which seats more than a dozen flag officers. Three high intensity rear screens served by Hughes 200 projectors create brilliant images for presentations, mapping, video conferencing, etc. A PictureTel video conferencing system serves this room.

The room and all of its capabilities are run by an AMX control system and color touch panels. A "smart" lectern is packed with technology including three computer systems for data presentation.

Four medium conference rooms are used for video conferencing and important presentations and events. Two Sony VPH-1292Q projectors serve each room on four by six-foot rear screens. All sources are available to each room and are controlled via smart lecterns that contain twin computer systems and AMX touch screen systems. All functions and lighting in each room are controlled automatically by this system.

Many other conference rooms provide video conferencing and presentation capability. Most are served by AMX systems as well. High-resolution LCD projectors provide video and computer display in these rooms. The presentation system is contained in the lectern in each of these rooms.

Success

The entire building, and every room within it, is linked via fiber optics to data and transmission systems. This makes the command center "virtually" connected to the Pentagon and far flung commands. The most high tech command center now in the military's inventory, the U.S. Southern Command moved its flag from Panama to Miami in October of 1997.

For more information on Command Center projects contact us by filling out our Information Request form or email at Solutions@genproj.com