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28 Jul 21. L3Harris Technologies to Provide Tactical Communications System Logistics Support to UK Ministry of Defence.
Highlights:
- Includes support and maintenance of 50,000 in-service Bowman and Multi-Mode radios
- Work performed at L3Harris’ new Farnborough facility
- Further extends long-term partnership with the UK MOD
L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has been awarded a five-year, logistics support/sustainment contract, with options to extend through Babcock International Group, as prime, to provide support and maintenance for the tri-service fleet of 50,000 in-service Bowman and Multi-Mode radios for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). All support and maintenance will be performed in the UK at the new L3Harris Communication Systems facility in Farnborough.
“This award further cements our long term partnership with the UK MoD on tactical communications and we look forward to delivering new capability and benefits to one of the key enablers in the Land Environment Tactical Communication Information System programme with Bowman and then Morpheus as we move into the future,” said Bryant Henson, President, Tactical Communications, L3Harris.
About L3Harris Technologies
L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 48,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. L3Harris.com.
30 Aug 21. Codan Communications, a global tactical communications specialist, is launching its SWaP optimised next generation manpack, the Sentry-H 6110-MP generation two. Building on the success of the first-generation product, the 6110-MP has benefited from substantial upgrades to both its hardware platform and its Software-defined Radio (SDR) firmware, unlocking a host of new features.
The new firmware release unlocks further improved ECCM capabilities, like simultaneous usage of Digital Voice / Data and Frequency Hopping; open-standard Digital Voice, and a host of end-user focused enhancements providing optimal flexibility in theatre. Physical changes include the availability of a smaller, lighter rechargeable lithium ion battery that effectively makes it the smallest and lightest HF manpack radio available today with a combined weight of less than 4kg, while still boasting a 23-hour battery life. The product also now has a next generation optional Mk3 handset, which provides improved sunlight readability and Night Vision Goggle (NVG) compatibility.
“The new features of the Codan Sentry-H 6110-MP Software Defined Manpack provides the optimal SWaP ensuring our customers have the reliability and flexibility required in today’s challenging environments”, stated Paul Sangster, Codan’s President for Tactical Communications.
Codan has worked extensively with its customers worldwide to identify their needs and ensure that its solutions meet those needs without costly and over-engineered utilities and features which are under or never utilised. Codan’s focus is on providing customers only the feature set they need, avoiding an expensive ‘one size fits all’ architecture, offering solutions that while principally focused at the tactical edge, allow seamless communications and data transfer up to the national level if necessary.
Codan will be showcasing the new features of its Sentry-H 6110-MP manpack along with its range of tactical solutions, including its MANET SDR radios at the forthcoming DSEI tradeshow in London, stand H2-806.
View Codan’s
10 Sep 21. Horizon Technologies Exhibits New BlackFish™ Tri-Band SIGINT System and Amber™ Space-driven Maritime Intelligence Data Service at DSEI. Horizon Technologies will be exhibiting at The Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) show in London from 14-17 September 2021. This is the world-leading event that connects governments, national armed forces, industry thought leaders and the global defence & security supply chain on an unrivaled scale across the Aerospace, Land, Naval, Security & Joint zones.
According to Horizon Technologies CEO, John Beckner, “DSEI is especially important to us this year as it will be the first year we will be operating under our new dual segment structure: Horizon Aerospace Technologies, and Horizon Space Technologies.”
Horizon Aerospace Technologies will be exhibiting and demonstrating our new BlackFish™ Sat Phone SIGINT system which entered the market in July, and is already in production and under contract to a number of government end-users. BlackFish™ is a small, airborne qualified, Sat Phone SIGINT system which simultaneously monitors the Iridium, Thuraya, and Inmarsat Sat Phone networks. Due to its small size and weight (8kg), it is ideal for fixed, and rotary-wing manned and unmanned aircraft. BlackFish™ is non-ITAR. Horizon Technologies’ CEO John Beckner said, “Horizon Technologies has been responding to our customers who want smaller, lighter systems and the ability to simultaneously monitor multiple Sat Phone networks. DSEI will be the first show where BlackFish™ will be on display.”
Beckner noted, “We will have an actual production version at our stand at DSEI 14-17 September 2021 (UK Pavilion Stand: H2-958) and will be demonstrating the system’s capabilities including those not in the public domain. While we are still supporting our legacy FlyingFish™ products, BlackFish™ is now our flagship product, and we are excited to be selling it to our worldwide government end-users in support of their expanding ISR requirements.” Beckner added, “We have demo units available for evaluation anywhere worldwide and we look forward to engaging with our current and future customers to introduce BlackFish™ as the “go to” Airborne Sat Phone SIGINT Monitoring System.”
Horizon Space Technologies will be showcasing our Amber™ Maritime Intelligence Data Service in anticipation of our 4Q 2021 Amber-1 launch in partnership with the UK Government. With the first three (3) Amber™ CubeSats already under contract, Horizon Space Technologies will be meeting with customers, and partners in anticipation of providing space-based MDA data to our commercial and government end-users later this year. Due to strong UK Government backing, we are receiving a very positive response in the user community and will be pre-selling Amber™ data at DSEI in advance of our upcoming launch.
Please contact us to schedule a meeting, and feel free to visit our (UK Pavilion Stand: H2-958) any time.
30 Aug 21. Domo Tactical Communications (DTC), the wireless communications specialist, is launching its Software Defined Radio 2x1W Plain (SOL8SDR2x1W-P) at DSEI 2021. The SOL8SDR2x1W-P is designed to meet the requirements of unmanned platforms, enabling high-speed, long-range, encrypted links for the reliable transfer of video, audio, data, and general IP network traffic in real-time environments all within a low size, weight and power compact enclosure. Fundamental to DTC’s advantage is the industry leading MeshUltra™ family of Tactical MANET Mesh waveforms interoperable across all DTC platforms. The SOL8SDR2x1W-P utilises MeshUltra™ to provide High Bandwidth communication in challenging, dynamic, Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) environments where our users operate. MeshUltra™ Waveform is spectrally efficient and can operate at various RF channel bandwidths from 1.25 MHz, 1.5 MHz, 1.75 MHz, 2.5 MH to 20 MHz. With adaptive modulation up to 64QAM, DTC’s MeshUltra™ supports data rates of up to 87Mbps. Following the success of the DTC MeshUltra™ MANET waveform, DTC’s new MeshUltra™-X waveform offers optimized performance for large networks of up to 144 radios, operating in channels as narrow as 1.25MHz and on a single frequency. Perfectly meeting the needs of large drone swarms and applications where a large number of radios need to operate efficiently in a limited spectrum. The SOL8SDR2x1W-P joins DTC’s versatile family of IP Mesh and point-to-point (P2P) COFDM radios. DTC’s RF products include radios to suit every class of unmanned system and mission profile. Based on DTC’s game-changing SOL8 Software Defined Radio (SDR), the SOL8SDR2x1W-P is equally at home operating as a Mobile Adhoc Network (MANET) IP Mesh node, a P2P COFDM Transmitter or a P2P receiver to a tablet PC. With very low power consumption, the SOL8SDR2x1W-P includes a rich set of interface options including native Ethernet, dual USB and serial as well as an audio headset interface. The SOL8SDR2x1W-P is not the only DTC launch at DSEI. A new revolutionary Web User Interface (WUI) will be revealed for the NETNode Phase 5 and SDR IP Mesh families with future integration into the SOL7 COFDM Receiver and Transmitter range. The new WUI, with its contemporary look and enhanced ease-of-use, will mean a more intuitive user experience for DTC customers, whether on PC, tablet or phone. Features include a customisable dashboard and simpler performance information, brand apps such as tactical display and telemetry controller and an easier way of creating new configurations. The SOL8SDR2x1W-P and new Web User Interface will be on stand H2-806 during DSEI 2021, alongside our comprehensive portfolio of Video and IP products. For more information, please visit domotactical.com or email .
About DTC, Domo Tactical Communications
A subsidiary of Codan Communications, DTC is the leading MIMO MESH provider in the world. DTC radio solutions provide short range high bandwidth communications suitable for the wireless transmission of video and other data applications. DTC is an established provider to customers including Military and Special Forces, Intelligence Agencies, and Border Control. DTC’s high-performance systems enable our customers to securely monitor, communicate and share information with confidence in complex environments and in the most demanding situations.
10 Sep 21. Military Communications Advance for PPM Systems with New Trival Antennas and Masts. Military applications requiring antennas that operate in the lower frequency bands now have wider options for equipment following PPM Systems’ new agreement to distribute Trival Antene antennas and masts in the UK. The deal means that PPM Systems’ extensive range of antennas now extends all the way from 2 MHz to 40 GHz.
With applications in military communications, electronic warfare (EW) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) the products include a new tactical range of temporary mast systems as well as offering increased antenna choice in the HF/VHF and UHF bands.
There are also lightweight vehicle antenna system options and a wider range of antenna systems suitable for use on portable equipment.
Masts in the new range include vehicle mountable and winch driven versions up to 18m in height, and can be assembled by two people or in some cases even by one person. They offer a range of compatible mountable antennas together with a rotation capability on some models for use with directional antennas.
“Trival’s comprehensive antenna range is a perfect complement to our existing products in this area with its strong offering in the lower frequency bands,” said Paul Cotterill, Business Development Manager at PPM Systems. A selection of the antennas will be displayed on PPM Systems’ stand (H2-562) at DSEI.
The full antenna range from PPM Systems can be found at: https://ppmsystems.com/antennas/.
08 Sep 21. The British Army’s 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) globally recognised for ground-breaking data platform and analytical support for UK’s Emergency COVID-19 Response. Delivers first UK national data platform to be created by the military that provides a common operational picture to over 1000 users across government, health and multiple agencies, enabling rapid decision making and collaboration. 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) has been internationally recognised for creating a ground-breaking national data platform that informed decision makers and planners with a dynamic common operational picture of all aspects of the COVID-19 crisis in the UK, and delivering geospatial data analysis services throughout the crisis. The British Army’s geospatial intelligence experts are the UK winner of the 2021 Esri Special Achievement in Geographic Information Systems (SAG) Awards, recognising organisations that have set new precedents and improved the world using geographic information systems (GIS), by Esri President and Founder, Jack Dangermond. The data platform is the first to be created by the UK military for a national civilian crisis and broke new ground in being capable of overlaying COVID-19 incidence data with NHS infrastructure, hospital bed capacities, population demographics, partner facility locations and available personnel numbers. The extent of its reach is also unique to the UK pandemic response, in joining up multiple organisations and gaining over 1000 users, spanning the Cabinet Office and Government Departments to the NHS, SAGE, Local Authorities, First Responders and Military personnel. In March 2020 the crisis triggered an urgent need for collaboration and daily decision making and 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) (42ER) were tasked with providing a common operational picture of the fast-evolving national emergency. 42ER drew on its experience using GIS to co-ordinate humanitarian operations and within days created a secure, web-based COVID-19 Viewer using Esri’s ArcGIS Online solution. This gave instant access to the same trusted, real-time data to all parties to make faster and more informed decisions, and to effectively deploy limited resources, to save lives, protect the NHS and combat the pandemic. 42ER’s geo intelligence specialists were embedded as advisors within Government and the NHS. Their analysis combined multiple streams of location and time-based data to identify the optimum locations for COVID-19 Testing Centres and the selection and revision of proposed Nightingale hospitals and other care sites. In tandem 42ER used Esri’s ArcGIS mobile survey application, Survey 123, to enable the Military Assessment Teams visiting potential Nightingale sites to collect and immediately upload field data, enabling planners to rapidly decide the site’s suitability. The Geo-cells also supported the Joint Biosecurity Centre using Esri technology to map and visualise the regional distribution of COVID-19 case and death rates, which have been used in the UK Government’s COVID-19 Briefings to the nation.
Captain Luke Parker, 42ER support lead, says: “42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) is proud to have played a key role in enabling the Government to make faster, well-informed decisions in the battle to protect the NHS and save lives. The online GIS platform helped lots of different organisations to work together to make the big decisions about how the UK responded to the pandemic”.
Adrian Friend, Head of Defence, National Security & Public Safety, Esri UK, says: “The ability to deliver time-sensitive information advantage into the hands of decision-makers during such a period of uncertainty and crisis is a fantastic achievement. 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) should be immensely proud of all they have achieved, and I am pleased they have received the international recognition they deserve for their amazing efforts.“
08 Sep 21. Airbus and Alstom sign cyber security cooperation agreement. Airbus CyberSecurity and Alstom, global leader in sustainable mobility, have signed a worldwide cooperation agreement focussing on rail transport cybersecurity.
The partnership will allow the partners to provide rail operators with solutions and services combining Alstom’s solutions and expertise in rail transport with Airbus CyberSecurity’s services and expertise in ensuring the security of industrial information systems.
“In the context of increasing worldwide cyber threats across all sectors, Alstom aims to protect its assets and those of its customers as effectively and as early as possible. The collaboration between Alstom and proven specialist Airbus CyberSecurity will ensure the future usage and success of green mobility worldwide,” Says Eddy Thesee, Vice President Cybersecurity at Alstom.
“As specialist in the cybersecurity of industrial systems, particularly in the transport sector, we are keen to contribute to securing the information systems of the rail sector along with Alstom”, says Nicolas Razy, Director of Airbus CyberSecurity France.
Airbus CyberSecurity will contribute to joint offers with services and solutions in security monitoring of railway systems through its various Security Operations Centres (SOCs) and in responding to incidents. It will also contribute to security auditing services and penetration and intrusion testing, notably through its simulation and testing platform for industrial systems, CyberRange.
Alstom is bringing its knowledge of railway systems design, manufacture, operations and maintenance into the partnership. The global leader in digital rail will also leverage its unique railway cybersecurity expertise developed in recent years. Worldwide, Alstom counts over 13,000 employees working on digitalisation in the rail sector, particularly in the areas of signalling technology, smart mobility and cybersecurity.
In recent years, railway companies have developed ambitious digital strategies, particularly to cope with the growing number of passengers. They have deployed and interconnected information systems combining IT, operational technology (OT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the management and control systems of trains, metros and trams, track signalling systems and rail operations control centres. To protect their asset and ensure safe and secure mobility to their customers, railway companies will be able to rely on solutions tailored by Alstom and Airbus CyberSecurity for their industry.
08 Sep 21. Rapid Deployment by ViaLite Brings GPS/GNSS Signals to DSEI Exhibitors. Exhibitors at DSEI can thank ViaLite Communications and FalTech GPS for routing GPS/GNSS signals into the heart of ExCeL London’s exhibition halls. The signals were a Ministry of Defence (MOD) requirement for connecting aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems to live GPS signals to enable exhibitors to demonstrate the full capabilities of their equipment. Working in close collaboration with the ExCeL team, ViaLite quickly installed GPS/GNSS fiber modules and a 100 m fiber optic cable. The cable connected the rooftop location to a GPS repeater inside, which was supplied by FalTech GPS, in order to provide coverage indoors. The fiber had to be run alongside mains cables through the building’s infrastructure to reach the rooftop location where the GPS/GNSS antenna was situated. Through using the ViaLite GPS fiber transmitter and receiver units, the system allows the GPS/GNSS signals to be re-transmitted inside of the building without any loss or interference.
“We had our RF over fiber solution installed and working within just three days of receiving the request,” said ViaLite Business Development Manager, Amair Khan.
Coincidentally, one of ViaLite’s sister businesses, PPM Systems, is an exhibitor at DSEI on stand H2-562.
06 Sep 21. Joint Elbit-DoD review rebukes Defence’s handling of BMS. A jointly funded report by Elbit and the Department of Defence has rebuked Defence’s management of the Army’s Battle Management System after Defence issued a “cease use” order for the BMS in April this year.
Defence issued the cease use order in April following allegations that the Australian Army’s Battle Management System was being used as a backdoor for Israeli spy activities, an allegation strongly denied by Elbit Systems.
“ELSA (Elbit Systems of Australia) has, together with the Commonwealth of Australia, undertaken an independent review of the technical elements of the LAND 200 Tranche 2 software development and acquisition process,” an Elbit spokesperson confirmed.
ELSA’s firm denials were supported by a senior Defence official in June, who confirmed to the Senate estimates foreign affairs, defence and trade legislation committee that there were no specific security issues with ELSA’s BMS software.
“The battle management system is one of the systems that we have for command and control. There is also a fire support network. There is an electronic warfare network. They’re all enabled for command and control. This one is a key part of that from brigade headquarters down to company level and below and into vehicles. It is critical and is why this project is an important part of our future capability,” the senior Defence official said.
An ELSA spokesperson confirmed that the company looks forward to continuing its longstanding relationship with the Australian Army, having already collaborated together for more than seven years.
“Elbit Systems of Australia will continue to work with the Department of Defence on the future of the LAND 200 Tranche 2 program, in addition to preparing our bid for the Army’s Land 125 Phase 4 Integrated Soldier System tender,” the spokesperson said. (Source: Defence Connect)
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Spectra Group Plc
Spectra Group (UK) Ltd, internationally renowned award-winning information security and communications specialist with a proven record of accomplishment.
Spectra is a dynamic, agile and security-accredited organisation that offers secure Hosted and Managed Solutions and Cyber Advisory Services with a track record of delivering on time, to spec and on budget.
With over 15 years of experience in delivering solutions for governments around the globe, elite militaries and private enterprises of all sizes, Spectra’s platinum and gold-level partnerships with third-party vendors ensure the supply of best value leading-edge technology.
Spectra was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise (Innovation) in 2019 for SlingShot.
In November 2017, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd announced its listing as a Top 100 Government SME Supplier by the UK Crown Commercial Services.
Spectra’s CEO, Simon Davies, was awarded 2017 Businessman of the Year by Battlespace magazine.
Founded in 2002, the Company is based in Hereford, UK and holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
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