Broadband  |  2025-11-27

Unified Broadband Communication Platform STORM Reaches Major Milestone

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The release of STORM 4.0 marks the platform’s most substantial evolution to date and follows nine months of intensive development led by ANFSI’s Tactical Communications Department.

The unified broadband communication platform STORM, developed in 2023 by ANFSI (Agence du numérique des forces de sécurité intérieure), has reached a significant milestone with the deployment of its new 4.0 platform. Connecting more than 134,000 personnel across the French Homeland Security Forces, STORM continues to strengthen operational communications in demanding and high-risk environments.

The release of STORM 4.0 marks the platform’s most substantial evolution to date and follows nine months of intensive development led by ANFSI’s Tactical Communications Department. The upgrade introduces 19 major new capabilities designed to enhance coordination, security, and efficiency for both command structures and field personnel.

Enhanced Capabilities for Command and Control

The update delivers several advancements for command rooms, supporting improved operational oversight and mission effectiveness.

New functionalities include:

  • General calling and simultaneous participation in multiple conferences to support real-time coordination.
  • Live monitoring of frontline officers, strengthening safety measures, particularly in cases involving isolation or distress.
  • Rapid group creation through integrated webchat tools to streamline operational planning.
  • Enhanced interoperability with partner networks, including ACMOSS (Agence des communications mobiles opérationnelles de sécurité et de secours) and the forthcoming Radio Network of the Future, enabling secure and seamless cross-network communications.
    Simplified administrative management through easier access to usage statistics and optimized group creation options.
  • Operational Improvements for Field Personnel

 

Gendarmes and police officers equipped with NEO terminals also benefit from a range of new features aimed at increasing situational awareness and operational comfort. These include:

  • Bookmarking of PTT (Push-to-Talk) channels for quick access.
  • A dedicated “off-service” mode to temporarily mute notifications.
  • Extended anti-talkative control set to 60 seconds.
  • Replay access to the last 30 communications.

 

A Collaborative Achievement

The successful rollout of STORM 4.0 reflects the depth of collaboration between ANFSI and its long-standing ecosystem of partners. The SGAMIs and DILT played a pivotal role in testing phases, while the DTNUM ensured expertise on the RIE network. STIG contributed to the infrastructure implementation, and the CNAU supported onboarding for new users. Capgemini provided essential technical assistance during the migration process.

Industry partners also contributed significantly: Airbus reinforced CIC firewall security, STREAMWIDE developed the STORM 4.0 solution, and testing was performed by the Police Nationale, Gendarmerie Nationale, and Préfecture de Police de Paris to verify performance and reliability.

Through this collective effort, ANFSI now operates a secure, resilient, and scalable infrastructure tailored to the operational needs of France’s security forces.

About ANFSI
The Agence du numérique des forces de sécurité intérieure drives digital transformation across the French Homeland Security Forces, ensuring access to modern, robust, and mission-critical communication technologies.

Picture: Courtesy of ANFSI