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16 Mar 23. Eurasia: Increased risk of cyberespionage for government, energy sectors in CIS countries. On 14 March, the cybersecurity firm Cisco Talos released a report about the new cyberespionage group, ‘YoroTrooper’. The report outlines a campaign targeting Europe’s energy and government sectors and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries since June 2022. It is likely that the threat group is composed of Russian speakers since Cyrillic was found in their codebase and their victimology primarily consists of CIS countries. YoroTrooper utilises information stealers and RATs in their campaigns to steal credentials from multiple applications, browser histories and cookies, system information and screenshots. To obtain initial access to target networks, the group uses phishing emails with attached archive files to infect users. Therefore, using spam filters and employee training on phishing detection and avoidance of attached files from unknown sources will significantly lower immediate cyber risks. There is a realistic possibility that the threat group is conducting attacks to help better understand the region’s complex and dynamic geopolitical landscape or will use the stolen information for future targeted attacks. (Source: Sibylline)
15 Mar 23. APAC: Supply chain compromises via technology used by government, military sectors to increase risk of cyberespionage campaigns. On 14 March, ESET released a report about the Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group Tick (aka BRONZE BUTLER or REDBALDKNIGHT), which compromised an East Asian data loss prevention software company with government and military entities within its customer portfolio. The malware was reportedly in place between 2021 and 2022. The group compromised the company’s internal update servers to deliver malware inside their network, and trojanised installers of legitimate tools used by the company to assist customers, which caused at least two customers to suffer an infection in a supply chain compromise. There is a moderate likelihood that another campaign in May 2022 targeting South Korean entities was also conducted by Tick. Tick mainly targets the APAC region, focusing on stealing classified information and intellectual property as part of cyberespionage operations. Cyberespionage campaigns frequently occur in the APAC region, as tensions between China, Taiwan and the US escalate and North Korean APTs expand their operations related to its interests in the Korean peninsula. The risk to government and military entities and individuals, as well as technology companies that provide solutions to those sectors, will be sustained for the foreseeable future. (Source: Sibylline)
15 Mar 23. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is leveraging its weapons system integration and battle management leadership to compete for the U.S. Navy’s E-XX TACAMO fleet of aircraft systems. The Navy’s E-XX TACAMO aircraft will be based on the C-130J platform, and provides connectivity between the National Command Authority and ballistic submarines capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The Navy currently operates a fleet of E-6B Mercury aircraft to provide survivable, reliable and endurable airborne command, control and communications between the National Command Authority and U.S. strategic and non-strategic forces. The Navy intends to replace the E-6B fleet with the E-XX to modernize this critical strategic deterrent mission.
“Our extensive experience integrating aircraft and mission systems, combined with our expertise in creating operationally-ready solutions in support of the nuclear enterprise, makes Northrop Grumman the optimal partner to deliver the Navy’s E-XX TACAMO weapon system” said Janice Zilch, vice president, multi-domain command and control programs, Northrop Grumman. “As we’ve demonstrated with the Navy’s E-2 programs, we have been a longtime partner in helping the Navy meet its operational requirements. We will bring this expertise in helping the Navy deliver the E-XX TACAMO on time and optimized for this strategically important mission.”
For more than six decades, Northrop Grumman has delivered on the development, production and modification of the Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye system as the prime contractor, and continues to provide total mission assurance with proven solutions that are secure, survivable, multi-layered systems designed for total weapon system security.
“Our team has vast knowledge and expertise in delivering critical command and control, and nuclear enterprise capabilities,” said Henry Cyr, director, multi-domain command and control capture programs, Northrop Grumman. “We perform challenging work that has a real-world impact. You can see that on our legacy platforms, the platforms currently in operation, and the platforms we will deliver tomorrow.”
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 95,000 employees define possible every day.
15 Mar 23. Pentagon close to making first awards on $9bn cloud contract. The Pentagon will soon make its first awards under the $9bn Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract as interest in commercial cloud services booms, according to a Defense Information Systems Agency official.
The Defense Department in December selected Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle for the closely watched JWCC contract, a follow-up to the failed $10bn Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure arrangement.
The rival tech giants are expected to compete for work tied to JWCC, which spans unclassified, secret and top-secret designations. Secret-level bidding opportunities, “where the warfighter operates,” will be made available in the coming weeks, said Sharon Woods, director of DISA’s Hosting and Compute Center. Top-secret opportunities will come sometime early this summer.
“We have the first batch of task orders, if you will, that are in the pipeline and getting closer and closer to award,” Woods said March 14 at an online event hosted by Defense One. “And then we have other task order packages that are fast followers.”
“As the demand to learn more about the contract just keeps growing larger, more and more task order possibilities come out from that,” she said. “One of the things we did was stand up a hybrid cloud broker office. It is the single point of entry, the front door, into HACC to understand the full breadth of all of our capabilities and to learn about JWCC. And, I will say, those folks are really busy right now.”
The four companies are each guaranteed only $100,000, though potential orders could total billions, according to terms of JWCC. The contract comprises a three-year base and one-year options, meaning work could be done through 2028.
The cloud capability is meant to serve as a backbone for the Pentagon’s connect-everything-everywhere campaign, known as Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or JADC2. It is also designed to complement cloud initiatives already underway among the military services. The Air Force, for example, has Cloud One and its prospective successor, Cloud One Next.
“By having that unification, I think it starts opening up doors on ‘what does JADC2 to look like’ globally. How do we move applications and data around? How do we achieve the interoperability?” Woods said. “How do we leverage things like APIs and data portability, and all of the things that we talk about, to achieve that interconnected web of all of our applications and data?”
“I think using JWCC as a foundational contract starts moving toward that unification,” she added.
Woods previously said task order competition should take weeks or “maybe a few months,” depending on the details and what officials learn along the way. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
14 Mar 23. ThinKom Delivers Multi-Orbit, Resilient Satcom Systems for SNC’s RAPCON-X Program. Designed to meet the emerging ISR needs of the DoD and International partners, ThinKom’s proven multi-orbit-capable, phased-array satcom technology meets the demands of SNCs RAPCON-X programs. ThinKom Solutions, Inc. (ThinKom) has delivered its ThinAir® Ka2517 phased-array satcom antenna systems to Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) for installation on its new RAPCON-X aircraft. This rapidly configurable aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (AISR) platform also includes next-generation mission system and signal intelligence products for multi-domain operations.
ThinKom’s Ka2517 antenna solution delivers high performance and reliability to the RAPCON-X ISR program for Sierra Nevada Corporation
Adding the Ka2517 as part of the solution brings highly efficient satellite communications to RAPCON-X. The phased-array antenna has the agility to interoperate seamlessly with satellites in geostationary (GEO) and non-geostationary (NGSO) orbits, ensuring highly efficient worldwide connectivity in a multi-orbit environment. This configuration is supported on the RAPCON-X by a U.S. military-compliant modem, enabling real-time, reliable, and resilient broadband transmission to and from the aircraft in flight.
“ThinKom’s Ka2517 antenna is a key component of the RAPCON-X airborne system-of-systems that arrives ready to complete the mission, whenever and wherever the need evolves,” said Bill Milroy, Chairman and CTO of ThinKom. “The open architecture platform provides robust, reliable and resilient command, control and communications capabilities, operating across multiple satellites and constellations and using multiple waveforms, including those enabling specialized cryptographic capabilities.”
Based on the Bombardier Global 6500, the RAPCON-X platform delivers superior range and endurance to facilitate immediate worldwide deployments within an operational envelope that enhances survivability. The low-profile radome for the Ka2517 minimizes in-flight drag, resulting in lower fuel consumption and longer time on station, further enhancing RAPCON-X’s capabilities.
The RAPCON-X program aims to reduce the time required to integrate new systems or add functions in the AISR domain. Rather than requiring a complete redesign, a modular approach allows for a unique approach to the market as a contractor-owned, contractor-operated solution. The Global 6500 base provides the space and excess electrical power to easily accommodate current mission equipment while allowing for substantial future growth in functionality.
The Ka2517 is based on ThinKom’s field-proven, patented Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) phased-array technology. VICTS antennas have an unparalleled record of reliability with over 33 m hours of accrued flight time and a mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) exceeding 100,000 hours. Ka2517 antennas have been providing continuous service on a range of U.S. government aircraft since 2018. (Source: ASD Network)
14 Mar 23. Swedish FMV tests new battle management system in Skövde. Development of the new BMS version is the result of a separate training effort that aimed to test LSS Mark 2.0. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk-FMV) has tested a new battle management system (BMS) for the country’s armed forces. The field verification test of the new system, also called BMS 3.1.2, was executed last week by the Swedish Armed Forces’ soldiers at P4 in Skövde, Västergötland, Sweden. Currently, the BMS is undergoing a series of verification and field tests.
Development of the new BMS version is the result of a separate basic training initiative. The effort required FMV to install a new command support system, called LSS Mark 2.0, aboard the combat vehicles of the Swedish Army’s two training companies at P4 in Skövde, in 2021.
After its fielding, the operators reported issues in the functionality of the support system such as problems with its radio’s range and speech quality when put under different conditions.
In 2022, the FMV then assigned a team of specialists, referred to as Tiger team BMS, to address these problems.
The team investigated and resolved the specified issues by conducting extensive assessments in a lab environment, as well as on site at P4.
FMV systems engineer Zakarias Priebe said: “The verifications have generally gone well and the improvements we saw during the autumn remain. Users once again agree that system has been improved.
“The most obvious shortcomings for the soldiers were experienced in the speech connection.”
The work of the Tiger team is now expected to culminate later this summer with the final delivery of the new BMS 3.1.2 to the Swedish Armed Forces.
Priebe added: “Perhaps the most important experience of Tiger Team that both the armed forces and FMV have drawn is that FMV must be able to make final verifications in a real environment to increase the quality of our deliveries.” (Source: army-technology.com)
13 Mar 23. USN wants $192m for secretive Overmatch networking effort. The U.S. Navy requested $192m to continue with Project Overmatch, its clandestine effort to seamlessly connect people, vessels and sensors, fiscal 2024 budget documents show.
The research and development request, unveiled March 13, is slightly less than the $195m the service sought for FY23. It is also less than the $226m eventually enacted for that fiscal year.
Budget documents did not explain the reason for the dip. The Navy did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the figures.
Project Overmatch is the Navy’s contribution to Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or JADC2, the Pentagon’s multibillion-dollar push to interlink disparate forces across land, air, sea, space and cyberspace. Forging such links, defense officials say, will allow the U.S. to better address foreign aggression, namely from China and Russia.
“Our request demonstrates … commitment to providing a ready, modernized and capable naval force, a force that continues to be the nation’s primary instrument of sea control, both now and into the future,” Erik Raven, undersecretary of the Navy, said at a briefing Monday.
Detailed information about Project Overmatch is rarely shared with the public. Both military leaders and outside analysts cite Beijing’s eager ears and eyes as reason to keep development cloaked in secrecy.
The service plans to deploy a carrier strike group with products of Project Overmatch — namely advanced networking capabilities — this year. Rear Adm. Doug Small, who leads both Naval Information Warfare Systems Command and is spearheading Project Overmatch, in a November interview described the milestone as the “starting gun.”
Additional deployments on additional strike groups are expected to follow. Small previously said Project Overmatch is “absolutely on track,” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
14 Mar 23. Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technology, today announces the launch of its latest chemical agent identifier, Lightweight Chemical Detector (LCD) 4 alongside the LCD XID extension. This will expand the detection capabilities of the LCD to include street narcotics, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and other super toxic chemical threats.
The capability of LCD can be transformed by placing the detector into the XID cradle, where it immediately turns the vapour detection device into a ruggedised mobile trace detector that can be used in any CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive) scenario.
The XID has been developed as a direct response to the request from existing LCD customers to adapt the capabilities of the detector to the constantly evolving global threat environment which is driving the requirement to detect and identify minute quantities of super toxic threats such as fentanyl and novichok.
The LCD series is the most widely deployed personal chemical detector globally, over 100,000 detectors are in service with operators in 58 different countries. The largest operator is the US DOD through its Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) Program. The LCD and LCD XID have been evaluated in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons laboratories and provide the benchmark for personal protection against toxic chemical threats.
Smiths Detection’s Defence Market Director, Michael Lea, said: “The LCD 4 and the XID have been developed to respond to the changing threat environment. The XID gives CBRNe and HAZMAT operators the ability to detect and identify a far broader range of threats that they may encounter on everyday operations. The XID is a great illustration of Smiths Detection’s capability to develop products in response to customer needs and helping us to achieve our mission to make the world safer place.”
The LCD 4 & XID will be on display at the Security & Policing event in Farnborough, UK, 14-16 March (booth C87).
10 Mar 23. Control system: Grene Robotics delivers C2 capability to armed forces. Hyderabad-based Grene Robotics has developed a command-and-control (C2) system that it says leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to co-ordinate with military systems, supporting faster decision-making on the battlefield.
Several versions of the C2 system have been delivered to the Indian military, and have been used to support the development of a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) named Indrajaal.
Wing Commander (retd) MVN Sai, director of emerging technologies at Grene Robotics, told Janes that Indrajaal manages a network of subsystems to detect and counter low radar cross-section (RCS) aerial threats including medium-altitude and high-altitude long-endurance (MALE and HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions, UAV swarms, as well as guided munitions with a range of 40–60 km.
Sai said the company envisages the operation of one Indrajaal C-UAS system defending an area of around 4,000 km² “instead of deploying nearly 20 separate C-UASs to do the same”. Such an area could include military bases or critical infrastructure. (Source: Janes)
14 Mar 23. Digitalisation to steer defence innovation plans for Hungary’s future. At the SAE Media Group’s Future Soldier Technology Conference 2023, Brigadier General Imre Porkoláb, Ministerial Commissioner for Defence Innovation for the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, spoke about digital technology for quicker situational awareness on the battlefield and teaming with next-generation armoured platforms.
The Hungarian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is attempting to move the Hungarian Armed Forces away from the previously Soviet Union-acquired artillery of years gone by. The plan is for considerable changes in the country’s inventory, with General Imre Porkolab, Ministerial Commissioner for Defence Innovation for the Hungarian MoD, claiming Hungary’s defence will be one of the strongest by 2030, meeting the 2% of spending NATO has set out.
Hungary seeks change from the outdated Russian equipment as they look to jump a generation in development, with technology leading these developments.
William Davies, defence analyst at GlobalData, claimed: “The invasion of Ukraine will likely speed up spending and acquisition programs. However, the country has a 10-year modernisation plan to develop its armed forces. The armed forces are prepared for numerous potential threats. However, a salient point here is that Hungary maintains closer relations with Russia than other EU/NATO members and has thus far refused to send weapons systems to Ukraine.”
Like many European nations, the Ukraine conflict is an example of a force reshaping the Hungarian security environment. The Hungarian military strategy prioritises and prepares the country’s armed forces for crises that could affect the country.
GlobalData’s “Hungary Defense Market 2022-2027” reports that Hungary’s defence documents explicitly refer to strengthening the domestic defence industry, increasing export opportunities, and increasing production capabilities and technological expertise for domestic production. The Hungarian Government supports the industrial base by partnering with relevant companies.
GlobalData’s “Hungary Defense Market Data 2022-2032” reports that Hungary’s defence budget is forecast to grow from $3.3bn in 2022 to $6.5bn in 2027. This forecast follows a period of fluctuating budgetary growth, with defence spending dropping from $2.8bn in 2020 to $2.6bn in 2021. The decrease during 2021 is due to constrained spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disruptive technologies
The talk focused on leveraging digital technology for quicker situational awareness on the battlefield to identify and neutralize threats. However, the general claimed that bringing in new technology is the biggest challenge they face right now.
Hungary has engaged with various arms manufacturers this past year to bolster their defence through procurement and indigenous manufacturing. The country has built an arms factory for Czech arms manufacturer Česká Zbrojovka (CZ) to produce weapons for both the Hungarian and Czech militaries, while Rheinmetall has launched production of infantry fighting vehicles, explosives, and ammunition factories in the country.
Deals such as these will contribute to maintaining and expanding Hungary’s ability to develop and produce.
Rheinmetall’s Hungarian colleagues have already armed the Hungarian defence forces with its first Lynx IFV. On 15 October 2022, Rheinmetall handed the first 209 Lynx Vehicles to the Hungarian armed forces.
Davies concluded: “At present, the country operates, for example, rotorcraft including Mi-24, which were produced in the Soviet Union, and the armed forces have seen little modernisation in the last 20 years.
However, whilst the need to modernize is ‘drastic’, the important thing to note is that it was already underway before the invasion of Ukraine, with the ‘Zrínyi 2026 modernisation programme’ being announced in 2017 committing the country to more funding and the subsequent announcement of purchases including Leopard 2A4 and 2A7+ tanks, KC-139 aircraft, H145M and H225M helicopters.
In August 2022, Hungary continued upgrading their armed forces as they continued their procurements by purchasing two 155mm 52 calibres PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers. The German defence technology company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) delivered the first two of the 24 German PzH2000 self-propelled howitzers to the Hungarian Armed Forces. (Source: army-technology.com)
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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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TRAINING AND SIMULATION UPDATE
13 Mar 23. Military forces of Oman and US participate in Exercise Invincible Sentry. The crisis response exercise is sponsored by the US Central Command (CENTCOM). Military forces of the US and Oman have successfully taken part in a bilateral crisis-response exercise named Invincible Sentry 2023. The recurring exercise, held annually, aims to train the participating personnel on responses to crises.
It is sponsored by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and conducted with a different partner country within CENTCOM’s area of responsibility.
The Omani and US military personnel carried out their training events at locations and military training areas that were selected by the Omani Government.
The forces also conducted an exercise event at CENTCOM headquarters on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, US.
It helped the members to evaluate their crisis-response planning and ability to implement and prove performance in critical mission areas while improving staff expertise.
During the exercise, the participants made use of scenarios consisting of a simulated transnational security threat. (Source: army-technology.com)
15 Mar 23. US-ROK forces commence bilateral exercise Freedom Shield 23. The 11-day long exercise aims to strengthen combined defensive posture of the two nations. The US and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Marine Corps have officially commenced the bilateral exercise Freedom Shield 2023.
The annual exercise is conducted to solidify the combined defensive capabilities of the US-ROK forces to operate effectively in the ever-changing security environment.
Deployed units from the US Marine Corps (USMC) include III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) in Okinawa, Japan, and the 1st Marine Division, I MEF.
The participating US marines leveraged different transportation modes, including the KC-130J tanker aircraft and high-speed transport vessel USNS Guam (T-HST-1), to reach home stations in South Korea.
As part of this exercise, the participating USMC units will create a combined marine component command (CMCC) with their South Korean counterparts.
This CMCC is formed to provide a flexible option to the commanders for the projection of forces from the sea for safeguarding the Korean peninsula, whenever required.
Under this CMCC, the forces will rehearse force-wide command and control activities in a series of realistic computer-based scenarios to learn how to minimise response time during times of crisis.
USMC lead planner major Patrick Majeski said: “This exercise showcases III MEF’s posture by projecting power from multiple locations to enhance the integrated defence of our allies and partners as a stand-in force for the Indo-Pacific.”
Just a day before the commencement of US-ROK bilateral drills on 12 March, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) test-launched two ‘strategic cruise missiles’ from the Gyeongpo Mansu area of the Korean East Sea.
This was reported on 13 March by the Korean Central News Agency, whose report claimed that the exercise aimed to showcase the readiness and capabilities of DPRK’s armed forces to respond to the ‘anti-republic military manoeuvres’ of the US and South Korea. (Source: naval-technology.com)
15 Mar 23. US and Philippine armies hold ‘Salaknib’ training exercise.
This year’s exercise will see over 3,000 troops train in a variety of military operations. The US Army Pacific (USARPAC) and the Philippine Army (PA) are conducting the annual bilateral training exercise, Salaknib 2023 (SN23).
An opening ceremony was held in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.
The army-to-army exercise will see participation of approximately 3,000 troops from the USARPAC’s 25th Infantry Division (25ID) and the PA’s 5th Infantry Division, 7th Infantry Division, and 1st Brigade Combat Team.
Philippine Army chief lieutenant general Romeo Brawner Jr. was quoted by the Philippine News Agency (pna) as saying: “Indeed, there is much more we can learn from each other, and much more that we can do together, in the interest of Indo-Pacific security and wider security regional connectivity.”
He added: “In learning together, we enhance the capabilities and capacities to work together within the ever changing dynamics of global developments and Indo-Pacific concerns.”
The exercise, which will take place until 4 April, is intended to improve the readiness of the armed forces, boost relationships, and enhance interoperability between the 25ID and PA allies.
The participating personnel will train in a variety of military operations, such as various small-arms and manoeuvre live fire exercises (LFX), jungle training events, artillery, and mortar LFX events.
The troops will also take part in engineering and construction projects.
Philippine Army spokesperson colonel Xerxes Trinidad told pna: “The training audience will conduct bilateral exercises in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, and other venues in Central Luzon and Northern Luzon. ‘Salaknib”s first phase will precede Exercise ‘Balikatan’, slated for April 2023, while its second phase is scheduled for the third quarter of 2023.”
Last year, as many as 2,200 Filipino and US Army troops took part in the exercise. The first iteration of the exercise was held in 2016. (Source: army-technology.com)
14 Mar 23. US, Israeli forces commence exercise Red Flag-Nellis 23-2.
Established in 1975, Red Flag is a combat warfare exercise that allows the USAF to strengthen interoperability with its allies. Personnel and aircraft from the US Air Force (USAF), Air National Guard (ANG) and Marine Corps (USMC) have begun combat training exercise Red Flag-Nellis 23-2.
The exercise is being conducted from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada between 12 and 24 March.
The training activity aims to enhance the interoperability between the US and other nations’ participating forces, including the USAF’s 414th Combat Training Squadron and the Israeli Air Force.
The latest iteration of Red Flag-Nellis primarily aims to hone the capabilities of the participating warfighters as well as to strengthen alliances of US European and Central Command.
This effort saw participation of Israel’s F-35I Adir fighter aircraft, with special focus on improving the readiness for high-end warfighting and strategic operations.
USAF 414th Combat Training Squadron commander colonel Jared Hutchinson said: “The Israeli F-35 participation in Red Flag 23-2 is another step forward for America and its allies in the transition to the next level of air warfare.
“It’s a rare opportunity for warfighters from both countries to integrate our most advanced capabilities. As the Fifth-Generation Center of Excellence, Nellis AFB is uniquely capable of hosting allied F-35 units on the ground and challenging them in the air.”
During this edition of Red Flag-Nellis, the drills will involve representation of realistic threat systems, around 2,200 targets and an enemy force to replicate different combat scenarios at the Nellis AFB and the Nevada Test and Training Range. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
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