Our Credentials

SyntheSys has over twenty years experience in the UK and overseas marketplaces, and provides training services to government organisations as well as commercial and industrial clients.

SyntheSys training courses are created from direct involvement in the specification, development, procurement and maintenance of TDL systems. Training is delivered by professional tutors who are experts in their field at both an operational and technical level and who are fully trained as instructors. All have operated TDLs in major NATO exercises such as Red Flag, Flying Fish and Clean Hunter, and have also been involved in TDL operations in Bosnia / Kosovo and the Gulf.

We have many personnel available to deliver training. The following biographies of 3 of our personnel provide an impression of our capability. Further biographies are available on request.

Training Business Group Manager



Our Training Manager, Tony Castle, has 30 years of experience in the RAF as an Aerospace Systems Manager and brings 20 years of direct operational knowledge of TDL to all training course development. As former E-3D aircrew Tony has operated TDLs (Links 11, 14, IJMS & Link 16) in many exercise and operational theatres throughout the world. Since joining SyntheSys in 2005, Tony has gained a worldwide reputation for providing highly informative and pertinent training in many subject areas. His 4 years experience of operating with NATO (CC-AIR HQ Ramstein 2001-2005) also provide him with a high level of understanding of the potential issues of providing training to personnel for whom English is not the first language.

Tony Robinson



Tony Robinson has extensive RN operational experience with 8 years service as a Fighter Controller and 7 years as a PWO (A)/AAWO at sea, operating 5 different Command Systems or variants with multi link operations. As a carrier AAWO he worked as part of Flag Officer staffs to plan and execute all aspects of Maritime and Joint Air Defence operations at both national and NATO levels. His experience led to further employment in the RNJTIDS programme as User Applicator before he left the RN to work for nearly five years in the T45 Combat System Design Team until late 2004. For more than eleven years until early 2009, Tony also represented RN surface platforms at the UK TDL Configuration Control Board for Link 11, 16 & 22 matters.

Sam Southwell

Sam Southwell brings over 22 years experience in the Royal Air Force, including 9 years at a front line Tornado Squadron gaining experience on the full compliment of Avionics systems as fitted to the aircraft. Following this he completed 5 years of service as an instructor being responsible for Avionics training and course design. Finally moving to Tactical Data Links, primarily as a Link 16 engineer, he has extensive experience in Data collection, analysis and front line engineering support to the RAF, Royal Navy platforms and Army TDL systems. Since leaving the Service he continued in TDLs working within the company training team and on Problem Evaluation Services and UK support to the JICRB and MIRB Link16 international conferences.