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16 Aug 23. British army’s £3.2bn battlefield radio ‘next procurement disaster’, MPs warn Defence ministry says it is reviewing progress on contract but remains committed to system having already spent £690mn The next-generation Morpheus communications system was meant to start replacing the current Bowman system in the middle of this decade. MPs warn on twitter (opens in a new window) British army’s £3.2bn battlefield radio ‘next procurement disaster’, MPs warn on facebook (opens in a new window) British army’s £3.2bn battlefield radio ‘next procurement disaster’, MPs warn on linkedin. The British army’s £3.2bn delayed battlefield communications system threatens to become the Ministry of Defence’s “next procurement disaster”, critics have warned. The next-generation tactical communications system, known as Morpheus, is due to replace technology first introduced almost 20 years ago. Sometimes described as the “brain” of the army’s future armoured vehicles, it is pitched as a network that will connect sensors, commanders and weapons. The project involves both software and hardware, including battlefield radios. Morpheus was due to enter service in the middle of this decade, but some MPs and defence analysts have warned it was unlikely to be ready for use before 2030. James Cartlidge, the defence procurement minister, said in a written statement last month that the system was delayed and would not enter service in 2025 as planned, adding that a “revised [date] was yet to be defined pending ongoing contractual discussions” with US-based General Dynamics, which is the lead contractor on the first phase of the project. Responding to parliamentary questions tabled by Mark Francois, a Conservative MP and former armed forces minister, Cartlidge also disclosed that about £690mn has been spent on the system so far. The Ministry of Defence had previously warned of setbacks with the contract, declaring in December that an initial phase of the Morpheus project had “fallen considerably short of what was anticipated”. Francois, a member of the House of Commons defence select committee, told the FT that Morpheus was “rapidly evolving into the army’s next procurement disaster” and likened it to the situation regarding Ajax, the British army’s long-delayed armoured vehicle programme, for which General Dynamics is the main contractor. An independent inquiry into the £5.5bn Ajax programme, published in June, issued a damning verdict into the procurement, which has been by beset by problems, although ministers insist it has “turned a corner”. Francois said the MoD had “little more to show” for its £690mn expenditure on Morpheus to date other “than a bunch of consultant reports and PowerPoint slides”. Morpheus was “unlikely to enter service until the next decade and the people who have been involved with it should hang their heads in shame”, he added.
Earlier this year Francois raised concerns about extending the life of the army’s current tactical communications system, known as Bowman, warning that “within a few years the crypto may no longer be secure”. Francis Tusa, editor of the Defence Analysis newsletter, said continuing to use Bowman would leave the British army the “weakest link” among allies, adding: “New weapons are increasingly reliant on communications data speed rates. Delays to Morpheus threaten to curb the effectiveness of weapons systems.” Chris Evans, Labour’s shadow defence procurement minister, echoed his worries, warning that delays to Morpheus would force the MoD to “extend outdated equipment”. He said a Labour government would ask the National Audit Office, the public spending watchdog, to conduct a comprehensive audit of MoD “waste” to improve the UK’s procurement system. Last month, the defence select committee published a 60-page report that pilloried the UK’s handling of military procurement, branding it a “well and truly broken” system that puts soldiers in “harm’s way”. General Dynamics’ UK subsidiary said it was “working collaboratively with the MoD on the continued support and modernisation of Bowman, the British armed forces’ main tactical communications system, which the MoD intends to replace or evolve into Morpheus in the future”. The MoD said it remained committed to Morpheus, but was “reviewing next steps on the progress” of the project and “how to best achieve our objectives”. The MoD said the armed forces continued “to meet all operational requirements”. (Source: FT.com)
17 Aug 23. Rethinking the cyber security recruitment debate and if qualifications matter. The world is progressively more reliant on interconnected technology and the increasing need for strengthened cyber security. Cyber-attacks are now among the world’s fastest-growing crimes, with private and state-sponsored cybercrime blooming into an impactful industry.
Illustrating this change, the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company has valued the potential cost of that crime to global organisations at around $265bn by 2031.
Who is best to take up the vital mantle of cyber security professional and what qualifications should they have?
Traditionally cyber security professionals have taken on the role as a mid-career move from a different role, taking on new prioritises to prevent cyber-attacks, lead security software adoption, provide security training and spear-head recovery processes if a breach occurs.
It’s understandable then that those already educated individuals are likely to already have industry experience and/or a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in IT or cyber security. But is this industry-veteran path the best way forward?
There were around 134,690 Australians employed in cyber security in 2021 according to the Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2021, however demand for cyber security analysts continues to outstrip supply.
The University of NSW outlines that technical skills for prospective cyber security analysts should include networking configuration knowledge, operating systems expertise, cyber security response skills, ability to manage defensive controls such as firewalls, endpoint protection, use of programming skills, data analytics, cloud computing knowledge and ethical hacking skills.
The university further outlines that in Australia at least a bachelor’s degree in programming, IT or a related field would be useful to gain employment in cyber security; while highly prized positions would likely require master’s qualification and industry experience.
Swinburne University of Technology recommends an initial qualification or Bachelor’s Degree in cyber security, computer science, information and communication technology or related field; before seeking industry experience in an information technology department. Relevant industry certification and Master’s Degree are also recommended for their favour with employers. (Source: Defence Connect)
16 Aug 23. US Army seeks industry input on AI bill of materials. U.S. Army officials are seeking industry input on a fledgling initiative that would require companies to disclose the provenance of their artificial intelligence algorithms. Under the AI bill of materials, or AI BOM, effort, prospective contractors would be asked to provide the service an inside look at their digital ingredients and supply chain. It would resemble software bill of materials, or SBOM, practices championed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
“The AI BOMs are critical for us,” Young Bang, the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said Aug. 15 at the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Georgia. “This is where we really want industry’s feedback, because, depending on what we say we want as part of the recipe for the AI BOM, y’all can come back and say, ‘That’s basically RIP.’”
The Pentagon is investing in AI, machine learning and autonomy as leaders demand quicker decision-making, longer and more-remote intelligence gathering and a reduction of human risk on increasingly high-tech battlefields. The Defense Department in 2021 established its Chief Digital and AI Office — whose executives have said high-quality data is foundational to all its pursuits — and earlier this year launched Task Force Lima to study generative AI.
An AI BOM measure is not meant to hurt companies or jeopardize sensitive intellectual property but rather improve cybersecurity and consistency, according to Bang.
“We want to reduce our attack surface, from an algorithmic standpoint,” he said. “It’s not because we want your IP, and we’re not going to reverse engineer it to put you out of business. Why would the government do that?”
Bang teased the AI BOM possibility earlier this year at an Army networks-and-communications conference in Philadelphia known as Technical Exchange Meeting X. He and others met with industry to gather initial feedback on potential requirements but did not share insights from the get-togethers.
“Just like we’re securing our supply chain — semiconductors, components, subcomponents — we’re also thinking about that from a digital perspective,” Bang said at the time. “So we’re looking at software, data and AI.”
More than 685 AI-related projects are underway at the Pentagon, according to the Government Accountability Office, a federal watchdog. At least 232 being handled by the Army. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
16 Aug 23. International interest growing for Army’s battle command system. International demand for the U.S. Army’s Integrated Battle Command System is growing, driven partly by the war in Ukraine, according to manufacturer Northrop Grumman.
The Army originally developed IBCS as the brains of a future air and missile defense system. The service intended to link it with a new 360-degree radar and potentially new launchers, replacing the aging Patriot air-and-missile defense system component by component.
But in 2018, the Army expanded the planned role for IBCS, deciding the system would also connect other sensors and shooters on the battlefield. However, the expanded mission has delayed the effort.
Even as the Army experienced schedule hold-ups related to both the expanded mission and technical difficulties in tests, Poland, which had agreed to purchase the RTX-made Patriot systems in 2018, opted to move forward even though the system wasn’t ready to be fielded to U.S. soldiers. Poland received a waiver to acquire IBCS ahead of the U.S.
With the threat of Russian aggression looming over the past decade, Poland has been clambering to buy high-end defense capabilities, including a robust air-and-missile defense system.
Poland received its first IBCS systems earlier this year and declared initial operational capability this week, according to Col. Chris Hill, the Army’s project manager for integrated fires within Program Executive Office Missiles & Space.
Michael Hahn, Northrop’s IBCS program director, told reporters touring the company’s new production facility for the system in Huntsville last week that with Poland bringing its systems online, the Army officially declaring full-rate production for the IBCS program in April, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine raging on, “the demand for [IBCS] is pretty significant, obviously, [based on] the sort of public employment of cruise and ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles in Ukraine.”
“Clearly if you’re a … NATO partner, that has some concerns, and we are seeing some demand signals,” he said.
Eight new countries have recently reached out to Northrop expressing interest in buying IBCS, Ian Reynolds, the company’s director of network solutions, added. They include Germany, Romania, Greece, Switzerland, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark and Sweden. Northrop demonstrated the system to these countries earlier this year.
Except for Denmark, these countries already own the Patriot system; Switzerland is the newest customer, contracting for the system at the end of 2022.
Additionally, Northrop submitted IBCS to an Australian competition for a joint air battle management system and is expecting a decision this summer. Both Japan and the U.K. are seeking international proposals for an air defense battle command capability.
Poland also plans to use IBCS for its Narew short-range air defense program, and the country is working on issuing a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. government before the end of the year. Poland is buying MBDA’s Common Anti-Air Modular Missile for the Narew program.
As interest in IBCS grows, the Army and Northrop are working through how best to configure systems that can tie into countries’ various sensors and shooters without ending up with a variety of “one-off” systems, Hill said.
“What we’re doing to help facilitate that on the Army side, we already have a requirement to what I call ‘componentiz[ing]’ IBCS,” Hill said. IBCS could be installed on a truck or a shelter and used at a fixed site.
“Our position moving forward really is, step one, if you come and you want IBCS, buy what you see and we get you to a capability,” Hill said. “Phase two would be now let’s start looking at integrating some of your indigenous sensors and effectors, so that’s how we’re trying to delineate that just to give some predictability because if everything is a one-off, at some point, it gets pretty difficult to manage.”
Meanwhile, the first unit to receive the IBCS system in the U.S. Army will get full-rate production versions in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. The Army will then field two battalions of IBCS per year to the remaining Patriot units, Hill said.
The service anticipates receiving the Lower-Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor along with IBCS in 2027 to begin building out the future Integrated Air and Missile Defense Systems that will ultimately replace the Patriot systems, according to Hill. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
16 Aug 23. Orders flooding in on Pentagon’s $9bn cloud contract. More than a dozen orders worth hundreds of millions of dollars have been awarded using the Pentagon’s landmark cloud-computing contract since its launch less than one year ago.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, on Aug. 16 said “13 different cloud task orders, over $200m worth of value over the lifecycle,” have already been dished out with the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability. An additional 13 are in the works, he said.
“I think that’s a success story,” Skinner said at the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Georgia. “A whole bunch of different organizations are leveraging JWCC to date.”
The Pentagon in December 2022 selected Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle to furnish cloud services for the potential $9bn JWCC, itself a successor to the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure arrangement. JEDI, valued at $10bn, was scuttled after allegations of political interference and litigation.
The four companies are competing for jobs spanning unclassified, secret and top-secret designations, and are guaranteed only $100,000 each. Skinner did not say which companies won what orders. DISA serves as the Pentagon’s de facto information technology authority and is intimately involved with the cloud deal.
Pentagon Chief Information Officer John Sherman in a memo made public earlier this month instructed defense agencies, military services and other offices to prioritize JWCC, including when dealing with the nation’s most sensitive data. The memo also said a number of existing cloud services will transition to JWCC upon expiration.
“We are working hand in hand with the Enterprise Cloud Management Agency and the other service cloud offerings to see how we can work together to make sure the department continues to get best value for their cloud capabilities and cloud hosting,” Skinner said.
The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity JWCC comprises a three-year base and one-year options, meaning work could be conducted through 2028.
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
16 Aug 23. AURA Message to Regulators: Advanced Air Mobility Depends on Advanced Air Communications.
- ‘There can be no AAM industry absent spectrum and communications infrastructure’
AURA Network Systems, a Virginia-based startup that holds licensed spectrum dedicated for use in building the nation’s digital aviation communications infrastructure, urged federal regulators and policymakers to create a comprehensive spectrum access plan and continue interagency coordination, while also calling for “a clear FAA approval process for third-party services supporting AAM, including command-and-control.”
AURA’s comments came in response to a Department of Transportation request for information (RFI) on development of a national strategy for Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM; AURA responded with a 32-page white paper detailing its views.
Bill Tolpegin, AURA Networks Systems founder and CEO, voiced his appreciation for the increased attention given to AAM by lawmakers and regulators, as well as for the call for industry input.
“By passing The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act last year, Congress got the ball rolling and one of the great things that’s come out of that legislation is this Transportation Department request for information on AAM,” said Tolpegin.
“We’re at a critical juncture for this nascent industry, and it’s a great opportunity for the agency and Congress to hear how we can develop a successful AAM system in the United States. From our view as long-time aviation comms experts, we strongly believe it is in the best interest of federal agencies and industry to internalize the foundational nature of dedicated aviation spectrum and a capable digital communications infrastructure to the success of any AAM system,” added Tolpegin.
The AURA white paper also details the umbrella concept of Enabling Communications — which encompasses command-and-control (C2); position, navigation, and timing (PNT); detect and avoid (DAA); vehicle to vehicle (V2V); and air traffic control (ATC) voice — as well as the relevant spectrum bands, the standards, and policy considerations for each. As it states, “ultimately, the aircraft, operational plans, and all the enabling technologies and services need to be considered holistically to maximize the likelihood of AAM’s success, and to enable the U.S. to capture all the benefits of AAM.”
Brian Regan, AURA Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer, emphasized the need to more comprehensively expand regulatory focus on aircraft and flight operations to the third-party services necessary to support AAM.
“As an industry, we are digging ourselves into a hole by not giving sufficient weight in various AAM CONOPs frameworks to the third-party services necessary to support AAM,” said Regan. “And as the saying goes, when you’re in a hole, stop digging. This white paper offers a path upwards that recognizes the critical importance of Enabling Communications to U.S. leadership in AAM.” (Source: ASD Network)
16 Aug 23. ViaLite’s Mil-Aero Link Meets Demanding Satcom Requirements in Japan. The Mil-Aero 6 GHz Link Pair supplied to a new ViaLite customer in Japan meets the telecommunications manufacturer’s requirement for market leading C-band RF over fiber operation, as well as covering other popular Satcom bands from 10 MHz through to 6 GHz. The Tokyo-based company was particularly impressed with its stability over C-band frequencies.
The link’s features are specifically tailored for demanding Air Force, Navy and Army applications, such as Telemetry Tracking and Control Systems (TT&C), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) deployments, Tethered Aerostat, UAV and Drone applications, and Multi-Service Electronic Warfare (EW) systems.
“Feedback from our users worldwide consistently shows our Mil-Aero Link Pair to be setting a new design standard of higher electrical performance and mechanical integrity, along with superior quality and reliability,” said John Meyers, ViaLite Sales Manager – Asia Pacific.
The link offers the best Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) performance in its class, making it ideal for high bandwidth applications or where the application has a wide range of RF signal powers. It can operate over distances as long as 50 km, and is further enhanced by a low noise figure (NF), optional gain and 1 dB compression points (CP).
Design options are available in standard gain, high gain/low noise figure and high output power configurations that are easily adjusted in-field for signal optimization. The link can be deployed in a rack card form factor (1U and 3U chassis), as well as in small stand-alone modules for indoor and outdoor applications.
16 Aug 23. Unknown hackers exploit vulnerability to gain backdoor access, sustaining risks for entities using NetScaler Gateway. According to a report by cyber security company NCC Group on 15 August, there is a large-scale campaign by unknown threat actors, targeting a critical vulnerability (CVE-2023-3519). The campaign is directed at Citrix NetScaler Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and Gateway appliances to establish backdoor access to their respective networks. The vulnerability was first discovered in July and is being actively exploited. It is a code injection vulnerability that could allow a threat actor to execute unauthorised remote code on a system. So far, this campaign has compromised nearly 2,000 NetScaler applications, while over 31,000 remain vulnerable to CVE-2023-3519. Most of the compromised applications are located in France, Germany and Switzerland, sustaining elevated security risks to organisations employing the technology in the region. NCC Group stated that while 69% of the vulnerable NetScaler applications were patched, they were compromised prior to patching and remain backdoored. This indicates that entities applied patches without first investigating whether their systems were infected. This campaign underscores the ongoing issue of cyber resiliency within global organisations, highlighting sustained risks where firms fail to implement comprehensive cyber security programmes. (Source: Sibylline)
15 Aug 23. US Army set to test combined cyber, jamming, signal intelligence tool. One of the U.S. Army’s electronic-warfare weapons will get a demonstration later this year. The service in September plans to study its Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team in a test of its combined cyber, jamming and signals intelligence capabilities, according to Brig. Gen. Ed Barker, the program executive officer for intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors.
“They’re on this Stryker and they’re going through as many functions, from EW and SIGINT, as they can, based on the limitations of the range and the threat emitters,” Barker said in an Aug. 15 interview on the sidelines of the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Georgia. “They’re basically characterizing the system, how it performs against those threat emitters, and an ability to conduct mission threads.”
Feedback from soldiers and the ability to quickly adapt is key to successful technology development, Barker added.
TLS-BCT is meant to provide smaller Army formations a means to understand their surroundings and disrupt networks and advanced electronics wielded by China, Russia and others. Control of the electromagnetic spectrum is critical in warfare, as it is used for weapons guidance, friendly communications, deception and enemy suppression.
The Army in April tapped Lockheed Martin to mount Stryker combat vehicles, made by General Dynamics, with TLS-BCT tech and begin planning for work aboard the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, a BAE Systems product. The AMPV supplants the Cold War-era M113 troop carrier, hundreds of which have been earmarked for Ukraine to help push back the Russian onslaught.
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Doug Bush on Aug. 7 told reporters at the Pentagon that TLS-BCT was “on track, and I feel good about them.” He also said the effectiveness of electronic warfare in the Russia-Ukraine war is motivating the service to get its jammers right — and online.
“We’ve got the programs underway,” Bush said at the time. “The Army is fundamentally reinvesting and rebuilding our tactical electronic warfare capability after that largely left the force, over the last 20 years.”
Barker was named the leader of PEO IEW&S in April. He previously served as the office’s deputy.
15 Aug 23. Thousands using personal cell phones, tablets for official Army work. Tens of thousands of people are using personal mobile devices, such as cell phones or tablet computers, to connect to guarded U.S. Army networks and conduct official business.
Some 20,000 users have been approved for the service’s bring-your-own-device initiative after more than a year of brainstorming, piloting and cybersecurity checks, according to Lt. Gen. John Morrison, a top information technology official. Users include active-duty soldiers and civilians and members of the Army Reserve and National Guard.
“It’s more efficient, more effective, and, quite frankly, if you want to reach me on the weekend, call me on my personal device,” Morrison said Aug. 15 at the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Georgia. “I don’t even worry about carrying two phones anymore, it’s so reliable.”
The embrace of BYOD comes as the Army pursues ubiquitous connectivity on and off the battlefield to ensure the right information gets to the right person at the right time. It also comes on the heels of a pandemic that forced millions into remote-working arrangements.
The Army’s venture relies on Halo, an application from small business Hypori. Through it, and after vetting, users can access the cArmy cloud and email, chat and other virtual workspace functions.
Personal possessions can pose information security risks; wearable tech like smart watches are often prohibited from sensitive government facilities. But with Hypori’s app, information isn’t stored on the device — it’s remotely beamed in — and doesn’t require root access.
“What we’re really seeing is the power of leveraging cloud-enabled capabilities to deliver services,” said Morrison, who at last year’s conference said the BYOD process is “very, very, very secure.” The Army considers widespread use of the cloud foundational to the broader modernization of its networks, computers and collaborative capabilities.
Kenneth McNeill, the National Guard’s chief information officer, previously told C4ISRNET using one’s own device provides increased flexibility and can improve critical response times.
“In a typical state, all of our guardsmen, unfortunately, they may not have government-furnished devices, mobile cell phones, iPads,” he said at the time. “I don’t think we’re going back to everyone in the office. I think this is the future of how we’re going to operate here in the government and in the Department of Defense.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
15 Aug 23. HII-Led Team Develops Prototype Cyber Threat Hunting Kit to Support Defensive Cyber Operations. HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Mission Technologies division, leading a team of industry experts, has developed a small form factor prototype kit for cyber threat hunting that is designed to detect and counter malicious activity on U.S. federal and mission partner nation networks.
The kit, called SABERHUNT (trademark pending), adapts to fit mission needs and can hunt on a traditional partner network or in a cloud or hybrid environment. It features a modular architecture that enables scalability in both computing and data storage to provide customers with mission-oriented, customized solutions.
“We are very excited to offer an innovative solution that cyber protection teams can rely on, regardless of how their mission needs evolve,” said Grant Hagen, president of HII’s Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space business group. “We have assembled a team with extensive expertise that is committed to delivering the right tool for cyber threat hunting operations.”
SABERHUNT can easily be transported in customized, airline-approved carry-on cases. Once deployed, kits maintain a global ecosystem with 24/7 support that includes experts who can troubleshoot issues remotely and cyber armories that maintain modular hardware components with world-wide on-demand delivery within 72 hours.
The HII-led team, including Dell Technologies, Secure Enterprise Engineering, Gigamon, VMware and World Wide Technology Inc., will develop and assist with the provisioning, staging and deploying of SABERHUNT kits. (Source: ASD Network)
15 Aug 23. High-Demand Electronic Support Measures Systems Market Valued at $7.2bn. An estimated $7.2bn will be spent over the next 10 years on the key programs covered in Forecast International’s Electronic Support Measures market analysis. During this period, a total of 6,826 ESM units will be produced. The top five manufacturers are BAE Systems, Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Leonardo, and Northrop Grumman. Technology featured in this market includes such vital and ubiquitous electronics as radar and missile warning systems, situational awareness systems, and EW management systems as part of larger suites.
With its high demand as a vital sensor for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the ASQ-239 suite easily puts BAE Systems in the top five ESM manufacturer ranking and accounts for the majority of its $3.6bn market value in this analysis. The next 10 years will see steady production of the system to match production rates of its primary platform.
Today, the combined requirement for U.S. and international JSF purchases is a tall order for the makers of the aircraft’s electronic systems, but BAE Systems is well placed to provide the ASQ-239 along with the substantial support that will be required.
Signaling another critical milestone, the program recently moved to a Block 4 upgrade phase. In April 2023, BAE Systems received $491m in contracts from JSF prime contractor Lockheed Martin to produce these new variants. According to the BAE, Block 4 offers greater situational awareness, enhanced survivability, and increased capabilities to counter modern and evolving threats.
ESM systems production and support for major European aircraft programs will also be a significant factor in the market. The analysis period will see steady production of the EuroDASS Praetorian self-protection system to match the production of its primary platform, the Eurofighter Typhoon.
In April 2021, Leonardo, on behalf of the EuroDASS consortium, signed a contract to supply Praetorian for 38 of the latest-standard Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft being supplied to the Luftwaffe under the German Quadriga program.
A developing international jet fighter program may yield even more opportunities for ESM providers. In April 2023, the U.K. and Italy signed a collaboration agreement, the next formal step toward a permanent industrial construct for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a partnership also involving Japan that seeks to bring a sixth-generation combat aircraft into service in the next decade.
As lead contractor for the all-important Next Generation Jammer (NGJ), Increment 1 (Mid-Band), which replaces ALQ-99 tactical jamming system pods on the EA-18G Growler aircraft, Raytheon maintains a unique edge as a manufacturer of EW technology. While the NGJ represents the cutting edge of newer technology, some the company’s major ESM systems, especially radar warning receivers, have been a notable part of the market for many years.
The next 10 years should also see steady production of Raytheon’s ALR-69 RWR, mostly for applications on U.S. military aircraft. In March 2018, the U.S. Air Force awarded a contract for the rapid procurement of 779 or more units for the USAF fleet of tactical air and widebody aircraft. These will likely include F-16, C-130, A-10, and MH-53 aircraft. Contract work should be completed in 2025.
The leading ESM systems covered in this analysis are produced by a variety of U.S. and European primes and subcontractors. As world militaries continue to purchase new tactical aircraft, naval vessels, and land vehicles while modernizing older platforms, they will continue to call on these companies to provide the latest technology to help protect these assets and the personnel who operate them. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Forecast International)
14 Aug 23. New ransomware campaign sustains risk of infection for Linux systems. According to reports on 14 August, ransomware group ‘Monti’ has resumed activities after a two-month hiatus and has launched a new Linux-based ransomware in campaigns targeting organisations operating on VMware ESXi servers, as well as government entities and legal organisations. The group’s latest malware differs significantly from its previous iteration, which was heavily based off leaked malware code from the ‘Conti’ ransomware group. The major development of the newest iteration of Monti’s ransomware underscores the group’s evolution and operational maturity. The new malware version has improved detection evasion capabilities, making it more difficult for organisations to identify and mitigate an attack. While Monti ransomware typically has a low attack volume compared to other ransomware groups, it remains possible that it will increase targeting efforts with the new ransomware variant. Members of Monti purportedly identify themselves as penetration testers rather than cyber criminals, stating that they use tools to uncover an organisation’s security gaps. However, the group’s tactics are typical of ransomware operations: breaching a network, stealing data and demanding payment while threatening to leak data. As the group continues to mature and actively develop their ransomware capabilities, there is a heightened risk of infection to legal and government organisations. (Source: Sibylline)
14 Aug 23. US Army testing communications gear for different fighting styles. To ensure soldiers are equipped with the right communication tools, U.S. Army network experts are testing gear in radically different environments and among troops employing specialty tactics.
Portions of the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and the 82nd Airborne Division in North Carolina were recently provided tailored packages of radios, variable height antennas and the like, or what’s known as the integrated tactical network.
The goal, according to Col. Shermoan Daiyaan, a radio expert with the Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, is to collect feedback from both, compare the results and, ultimately, better inform Army decisions down the road.
“We are in two different regions, two different fighting styles, two different types of demands and two different mission sets,” Daiyaan told C4ISRNET Aug. 11, ahead of this week’s AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Georgia. “That will show the tailor-ability of both units.”
The executive office, known as PEO 3CT, develops, deploys and supports networking gear across the service.
“The 25th, they do things like island hopping, they’re a lot more dispersed. So, how do they use these capabilities on watercraft, when they’re coming ashore, or commanding from offshore?” Daiyaan said. “The 82nd, they are joint forcible entry, and they take airfields, right? It’s a different mix; not one size fits all.”
As the Army readies for potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific, where it could clash with China, or across Europe, where fighting could break out with Russia, it is placing growing emphasis on the division, a formation of some 15,000 soldiers capable of long-term fighting and maintenance.
The preparations are motivating a pivot to the so-called division as a unit of action network design — a connectivity scaffold that will take months of deliberation, real-world experimentation and tweaking to construct.
PEO C3T and Network Cross-Functional Team leadership unveiled the initiative earlier this year at Fort Myer, Virginia.
“We have to have assured voice communications between commanders, we have to have a common operating picture, focusing on the ‘common,’ and then we have to have digital fires,” Maj. Gen. Jeth Rey, the cross-functional team director, said at the time. Modernization of the network is one of six service priorities. Others include improved air-and-missile defense and long-range precision fires.
“As we pivoted to the division as the unit of action, the questions kept coming,” he said. “We all came to the conclusion that we needed a better — a different — approach in order to iterate on getting the equipment into the hands of soldiers a little faster.” (Source: Defense News)
14 Aug 23. US Army hastens deployment of jammers in era of electronic warfare – media reports. The US Army is hastening its deployment of “in-development jammers as soon as possible” according to a report by C4ISRNET, posted on LinkedIn. The policy is a response to the “observable success of electronic warfare in the Russia-Ukraine war,” says the report.
“After decades of arsenal atrophy, the service is again prioritizing electronic warfare, including through its Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade combat team and -Echelons Above Brigade initiatives. Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Doug Bush on Aug. 7 told reporters at the Pentagon that both TLS-BCT and -EAB are “on track, and I feel good about them. What we’re seeing in Ukraine is adding to that urgency to get those going,” says C4ISRNET.
“The TLS is a combined cyber, electronic warfare and signals intelligence system. The BCT variant is meant for smaller formations; the EAB variant is its beefier sister destined for divisions and corps. Control of the electromagnetic spectrum is critical in modern warfare, as it is used for weapons guidance, allied communication and enemy identification and suppression.
“The Army in April tapped Lockheed Martin to fit Stryker combat vehicles, made by General Dynamics, with TLS-BCT technologies and begin planning for work aboard the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, a BAE Systems product. Lockheed in June also bested a rival to continue prototype work on TLS-EAB,” according to C4ISRNET. For more information visit: www.c4isrnet.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
14 Aug 23. Director of US National Intelligence Avril D. Haines Releases the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy for the Intelligence Community. Director of National Intelligence Avril D. Haines today released the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy (NIS), which provides strategic direction for the Intelligence Community (IC) over the next four years.
“The National Intelligence Strategy articulates what the Intelligence Community will need to cultivate to be effective in the future: an information and technological edge, a broad array of partnerships, and a talented and diverse workforce as we pursue our vision of an IC that embodies America’s values,” said Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. “It also highlights the expanding role of the IC in supporting the resilience of our national critical infrastructure and that of our allies and partners.”
The six goals outlined in this NIS reflect key elements of the current strategic environment: the centrality of strategic competition between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Russian Federation; the growing importance of emerging technologies, supply chains, and economic statecraft to national security; the increasing influence of sub-national and non-state actors; and the challenges stemming from the convergence of shared global challenges, such as climate change and health security.
The NIS is a foundational document for the IC and reflects the input of leaders from each of the 18 intelligence elements, as it directs the operations, investments, and priorities of the collective.
Additional IC leaders shared the following statements on the strategy’s announcement. –Director Bill Burns, Central Intelligence Agency:
“Today’s world is increasingly complicated and contested, and one in which humanity faces both peril and promise. We are in a transformative era marked by strategic competition, rapid technological change, and increasingly worrisome transnational threats. To meet this moment, we in the Intelligence Community must be agile and innovative.
“The National Intelligence Strategy lays out how we must approach the transforming world in order to provide needed and timely insights by emphasizing the importance of investing in partnerships, technological innovation, diverse talent, and expertise to address issues from competition with China to climate change and global food insecurity.”
–General Paul Nakasone, Director, National Security Agency:
“Our efforts to better understand the PRC’s intents and actions require the combined efforts of the IC, our allies, and partners. Together, we are developing capacity, capability, and resiliency to meet the pacing challenges of our nation and partners. The 2023 National Intelligence Strategy is geared toward making this process a robust reality.
“The NIS recognizes a growing competition between democracies and autocracies. Competition spurs innovation, fresh thinking, and, when necessary, action. The NIS identifies six priority goals that will protect not only our nation but also our partners in the years ahead.”
–Director Chris Wray, Federal Bureau of Investigation:
“The FBI and our Intelligence Community partners are constantly working to anticipate new threats to our national security and how to counter those challenges. The new National Intelligence Strategy is a vital guide for all members of the IC.
“We face an ever-growing list of challenges and threats to the Homeland, including China’s determined efforts to reshape the international order and threaten democratic ideals, cyberattacks and supply chain disruptions by hostile foreign nations and cyber criminals, and narcotics trafficking. As the strategy recognizes, partnerships, innovation, and building and retaining a talented and diverse workforce are the key to successfully answering the threats we face now and in the future.”
United as a Community, the 18 intelligence elements will work together to ensure the IC is sufficiently agile, integrated, innovative, and resilient to inform national security and foreign policy decisions, resulting in a Nation that is secure and prosperous.
(Click here for the US 2023 National Intelligence Strategy (20 PDF pages) on the ODNI website: https://www.odni.gov/index.php/newsroom/reports-publications/reports-publications-2023/item/2402-2023-national-intelligence-strategy) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Director of National Intelligence#)
14 Aug 23. Unsophisticated cyber TTPs underscore firms’ oversight when assessing vulnerabilities. On 11 August, the US Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) released a report detailing its research on the cyber criminal group ‘Lapsus$’. The report revealed that Lapsus$ employs basic techniques to evade cyber security tools used by many organisations, underscoring the latent threat posed by the group. Some of these techniques include sending phishing emails to firms’ employees and stealing cell phone numbers via SIM ‘swap attacks’ to obtain access to networks and sensitive data. Although these tactics are relatively unsophisticated, they underscore the oversight of organisations when assessing the vulnerabilities associated with text message-based multifactor authentication processes, as well as employees’ cyber awareness. Despite the use of unsophisticated tactics, Lapsus$ also exploits Microsoft Active Directory vulnerabilities in approximately 60% of its campaigns, indicating that the group possibly possesses technical skills which it will further develop for future, more sophisticated attacks. Lapsus$ (and similar outfits) will continue to pose a moderate cyber security threat to businesses. (Source: Sibylline)
11 Aug 23. Defence Sector Needs to Develop better Cyber Security and Compliance Solutions as Number of Attacks Increase by Nearly 50%. Leading GDPR Lawyer and CEO of global automated compliance platform, Naq Cyber, Nadia Kadhim warns the defence industry needs to do more to protect classified data as the number of attacks on this sector has increased by nearly 50% with an average of 1,661 according to a global report by Check Point Research.
This increased risk has already led to an increased demand for additional compliance measures from the Defence Industry to ensure their suppliers meet legal and regulatory compliance requirements such as Cyber Essentials, JOSCAR, DART, and MOD Risk Assessments.
Naq’s platform guides MOD suppliers through implementing, verifying, and maintaining the security requirements set by the MOD and Primes. This includes training in risk management and device security to ensure businesses meet the required security controls.
Nadia Kadhim commented, “The number of cyber-attacks within the defence sector is expected to keep rising. While it is crucial to ensure the MOD’s systems are secured, it is also just as crucial to ensure defence suppliers have a strong cybersecurity posture or risk putting the entire defence supply chain in jeopardy.
It’s a pattern we see in other highly regulated sectors, such as healthcare, where attackers use suppliers to access valuable and sensitive information. To keep the UK defence sector safe, we must focus on suppliers and ensure they are meeting continuous compliance with the cybersecurity requirements set by the MOD and their primes.”
Many MOD suppliers are utilising Naq Cyber’s automated compliance service as the platform specialises in highly regulated sectors and offers a ‘hyper-localised’ solution. This unique and bespoke solution automatically delivers the necessary compliance required based on location, language and legislation needed for the specific sector allowing companies in the defence space to not only fulfil requirements but also turn compliance into a competitive advantage and impulse to growth.
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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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