Sponsored by Spectra Group
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05 Sep 23. Spectra Group break into Asia with SlingShot sales to the Indonesian Army. Spectra Group, the specialist provider of secure voice, data and satellite communications systems is very pleased to announce that it has broken into the Asian Defence market by securing a significant order of their award-winning SlingShot satellite communications system for the Indonesian Army via its partner PT Mora Armamen Perkasa. Spectra Group will be at DSEi23 to discuss all their communication solutions on Stand H6-150.
Spectra Group and Mora Armamen have been in detailed discussions with specialist and regular forces of the Indonesian Army for some time, and this first purchase will equip KOSTRAD with Manpacks, vehicle fits and SlingShot Tactical Operations Centre systems (STOCS) plus a 2-year contract for the Inmarsat L-TAC service. With minimal training, this simple communication enhancement will revolutionise their tactical and strategic communication reach, enabling rapid reaction to a myriad of security scenarios on a global footprint.
Conceived and designed to meet the most demanding Special Forces requirements, and now in operation with regular forces globally too, Spectra’s SlingShot is a unique, low size, weight and power (SWaP) satellite communications system. It enables existing UHF and VHF tactical radios to extend their reach into the realm of strategic communications providing true Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) and Communications on the Move (COTM), without purchasing new radios.
By utilising Inmarsat’s commercial L-band Tactical Satellite (L-TAC), SlingShot allows a tactical net to be created over 1000s of kilometers and deliver a comprehensive range of tactical and operational network capabilities. SlingShot provides voice and data capability for Command and Control (C2), encrypted if required, and supports wide-ranging mission-critical applications, such as artillery fire missions, GPS tracking and biometric analysis, to mention a few. With greater utility compared to traditional TACSAT, increased and guaranteed channel availability and being plug and play with virtually no training burden, SlingShot has redefined tactical communications.
Cynthia Simarmora CEO Mora Armamen said: “The extensive global usage of successful trials conducted in Indonesia have paved the way for the realization of this project, The collaborative effort to introduce SlingShot products to the Indonesian Army fills us with great excitement. We look ahead with optimism to the possibility of this being the first of many purchases by the Indonesian Government.”
Simon Davies, CEO of Spectra Group said: “SlingShot has been operationally proven with a wide range of security forces across the world. However, this is the first time we have entered the Asian market and we are extremely excited to be working with Mora Armamen and with KOSTRAD, from the Indonesian Army, and we can see huge potential for the benefits of SlingShot with other key elements of their security forces.”
07 Sep 23. MilDef launches cutting-edge MilDef Tactical Android Device (T.A.D.). MilDef, a systems integrator and full-spectrum provider specializing in rugged IT, introduces the handheld MilDef Tactical Android Device (T.A.D.), redefining the Dismounted Soldier System (DSS). This innovative solution addresses challenges faced by military personnel, offering advanced technical features and durability for modern warfare.
The MilDef T.A.D. is a rugged Android-based mobile device designed for military operations. With its open architecture and integration capabilities the MilDef T.A.D. opens for several deployment scenarios. The MilDef T.A.D. has unique selling points that set it apart from conventional devices. The exchangeable battery ensures uninterrupted operation in extended missions, the night vision mode enhances soldier capabilities during low-light operations, and in line with MilDef’s customer commitment, the MilDef T.A.D. follows the company’s product life cycle of five years.
Fredrik Persson, MilDef CTO, emphasizes its significance:
“The MilDef T.A.D. is an advancement for the MilDef offering within dismounted soldier technology. Our focus on user-centric design has led us to develop a device that not only meets but exceeds the demands of modern security and defense capabilities. The rugged design and technical setup exemplify our dedication to providing military personnel with a reliable, adaptable, and future-proof solution.”
The MilDef T.A.D. empowers users to select functionalities that suit their needs, elevating communication and decision-making. MilDef collaborates with clients to tailor the device to specific requirements. The company is also developing an ecosystem with complementary components, ensuring adaptability to evolving operational needs.
Witness the MilDef T.A.D. prototype at the upcoming DSEI Exhibition in London. For more information and meetings, visit our DSEI Exhibition booth, H2-655.
05 Sep 23. NDA hosts competition to find cyber experts of the future. The NDA is hosting Cumbria’s first ever cyber security “Capture the Flag” competition for secondary schools across the county.
Cumbria Crak23 cyber security competition
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is hosting Cumbria’s first ever cyber security “Capture the Flag” competition for secondary schools across the county, during Cyber Awareness Month.
The innovative two-day event hosted at Energus across the 12-13 October, in partnership with Hack the Box, will see teams of pupils compete against each other using cyber techniques and tactics to be the fastest to solve puzzles.
The competition aims to educate young learners about how to be more cyber aware and encourage them to consider pursuing a career in cyber security as part of the NDA’s commitment to develop a pipeline of future experts to deliver its decommissioning mission.
Neil Kendall, NDA Cyber Threat Intelligence and Adversary Simulation Manager, said: “Protecting our businesses and keeping our information secure is vital to ensure we can decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear sites safely and securely, so we’re invested in developing the cyber pioneers of the future. We’re excited to host this event, the first of its kind in Cumbria, and teach our young people about how to keep themselves cyber safe while also showing them the wealth of opportunities there are for a career in cyber – and where better to pursue them than the NDA.”
Pupils will also have the opportunity to hear from cyber experts at the NDA and the Group Industrial Cyberspace Centre and engage with former apprentices and graduates who started their careers in cyber in the NDA group.
Each school across Cumbria can submit a team of six players, who must be between 13-18 years old. Pupils of all backgrounds and capabilities are encouraged to enter and will be taught everything they need to know to take part.
Teachers and/or accompanying adults will be required to attend and teams will need to make their own way to and from Energus.
Allocation will be on a first come first served basis, schools interested in participating should liaise with their school career officer and can register interest at: Hack the Box or email .
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
05 Sep 23. This year at DSEI, L3Harris is focused on enabling integrated multi-domain operations – supporting the UK and its allies through next-generation technology, innovative capabilities and cost-effective solutions.
CS technology will be a critical part of this approach. The main part of L3Harris’ stand will be based on the recent EVEREST Experiment, but they will also be showcasing domain-specific capabilities (all of which Graeme and Dave can discuss in more detail):
- Land: Advancing digitisation and seamlessly delivering integrated, networked technologies in the here and now
- Maritime: Enabling integrated autonomy and automation to deliver battle-winning advantage, with a capabilities focus in particular on AUKUS P1 & P2
- Space: Developing the space domain as the global integrator for allied forces, with a capabilities focus in particular on SDA / C2 / Comms / ISR
- Air: Integrating sixth generation capabilities today, with a capabilities focus in particular on GCAP/FCAS/RJT
Technologies on show at DSEI Product launches: Mission Ops PC-based Network Planning for complex tactical radio networks. Intuitive User Interface, deployable on or offline. MC-3000I Next Generation Type 3 Intercom. Significantly advanced in-vehicle comms for NATO and friendly nations Stand product highlights: BNVD Fused Night Vision Goggles UK MoD has recently purchased BNVD-Fused for use by commandos. Features include advanced low-light image intensification fused with thermal imaging and integration with digital communications. AN/PRC – 163 and AN/PRC – 167 Market-leading tactical radios as purchased for the UK’s Multi-Mode Radio programme. Unique two channel radios (163 is handheld, 167 manpack or vehicle mount) permit simultaneous SATCOM, VHF or UHF radio traffic, even at different security classifications. A 163 can reduce a JTAC’s equipment load from 54kg to 11kg. AN/PRC-160 HF for the 21st century. Bouncing signals off the ionosphere, a great backup or replacement for SATCOM. Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) removes the need for need for complex maths or atmospheric calculations to provide uniquely reliable HF. In use by Special Forces all over the world
05 Sep 23. Trial to Establish the Benefits of Airborne Rebroadcasting with a Tethered Drone System 1. Objective While MANET radios can provide an effective and secure communications network for operations, blackspots can still occur, particularly in a challenging urban environment. The purpose of this trial was to understand if the raising of a radio to a greater height using a tethered drone (to operate as a MANET rebroadcasting node) would overcome this problem, effectively wiping out blackspots entirely. 2. Elements and Assets The trial took place on 30th May 2023 and utilised Drone Evolution’s SENTINEL tethered drone system with the Persistent Systems MPU5 MANET radio, as supplied by Steatite, deployed in an urban location in Redditch. SENTINEL was tethered to Drone Evolution’s Freedom patented power supply, using the Drone Evolution hand reel. This robust and durable tethered drone system is capable of handling data at 10mb per second and operates with a breaking strain of over 65 Kg. The straight-line distance from SENTINEL to a known blackspot was measured as 1.8 Km. From zero communication to full coverage took approximately five minutes. 3. Operation With both SENTINEL and a secondary radio operating at ground level, a baseline range was established to determine the range and throughput of a Wave Relay point-to-point network in an urban environment. Figure 1 shows the relative positions of each testsite and the approximate communications range from SENTINEL when communicating to units on the ground, prior to lifting the Sentinel unit into the air. Figure 1 – Communications range with the radio on the ground 2 The secondary radio node was taken a distance of approximately 340 metres from SENTINEL, at which point the datalink was lost, due to the large steel building surrounding the drone. Figure 2 below shows the communications range once the drone was raised to 25 metres. 4. Summary With SENTINEL operating at an altitude of 25 metres and equipped with a Wave Relay MPU5 radio, comms range was extended to a significantly greater range. The SENTINEL system, designed and built entirely in the UK, is flexible and can carry payloads of different kinds including radios, cameras and thermal imaging systems. Its durability and high wind resistance allows for long endurance in challenging environments. SENTINEL can reach heights of over 50 metres for extended periods of time. SENTINEL is the only system capable of running directly from a 12v or 24v power supply, such as a vehicle or batteries (with no inverter or generator required) as well as mains power. Operating from ground power means the drone can stay in the air for extended periods of time, unlike a battery-powered drone which can typically only remain airborne for around 20- 40 minutes. Tethering also limits some risks associated with drones, such as flyaway or interception. 5. Conclusion This exercise demonstrated conclusively the significant benefits of elevating the height of antennas to overcome obstacles in an urban environment. SENTINEL proved to be a valuable asset on the network, providing a unique tethered drone solution designed to support a range of applications requiring a persistent capability for situational awareness, making it ideal for increased Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW) and Communications Rebroadcast for extended periods of flight. https://www.dronevolution.co.uk/ https://steatite.co.uk
05 Sep 23. £880k available for proposals to help reduce cyber risk across defence. DASA has launched a new Themed Competition to help quantify and reduce cyber risk across defence and enhance digital resilience.
- DASA has launched a new Themed Competition: Reducing Cyber Risk Across Defence
- Funding provided by the Cyber Resilience Programme (CRP) in Defence Digital, a part of Strategic Command
- Up to £880k is available (excluding VAT)
- This competition is looking to fund up to 5 proposals
- Additional funding for further phases to increase TRL may be available
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition Reducing Cyber Risk Across Defence. Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated, with potentially more impact on military operations. This Themed Competition seeks proposals that will help to quantify and reduce the cyber risk across Defence, enhance digital resilience and enable Defence to be secure by default.
The risk of cyber attack is amongst the highest that is managed by the Defence Board and it requires a collective response to address it. Becoming cyber resilient is the first challenging milestone. Remaining resilient will require constant appraisal of our adversaries and ourselves. We are not alone in developing and exploiting technologies and will need to work together across industry, Government, Allies and Partners to maximise our collective capabilities.
The Cyber Resilience Programme seeks to address the need to build a cyber resilient Defence, in accordance with the Cyber Resilience Strategy for Defence, and comprises four themes:
- Awareness, Behaviour and Culture
- Resilient by Design
- Secure Digital Foundations
- Cyber Vulnerability Fixes
This competition is part of a broader suite of activity undertaken by the Cyber Resilience Programme that engages industry, academia, partners and allies, to build military capabilities with inherent resilience.
This competition seeks:
- novel tools that strengthen digital resilience across defence
- novel approaches that enable security by default
- novel ways to quantify Operational Technology risk
This competition is interested in support innovation projects that will deliver outputs at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 – technology model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment.
The challenges:
Challenge 1: Digital Resilience
This competition is seeking innovative ways to strengthen digital resilience across Defence.
Challenge 2: Secure by Default
This competition is seeking to develop capability to enable Secure by Default approaches to be implemented in the future, for Defence and its industry partners. We are looking for research activities that will investigate tools and approaches which support the implementation of a Secure by Default approach.
Challenge 3: Quantifying Operational Technology Risk
This competition is seeking innovative ways to quantify OT cyber risk across Defence. Proposals need to be able to work in an operational environment or in some way take operational scenarios into account.
Key Dates and Funding
- Up to £880k is available for this competition, and DASA expects to fund up to 5 proposals.
- Submission deadline: midday on Tuesday 31 October 2023
Do you have a novel approach that could help reduce cyber risk across Defence? Read the full competition document and submit a proposal: Reducing Cyber Risk Across Defence – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Supporting events
Webinar
19 September 11:00 -12:00pm
This dial-in session will provide further detail on the problem space and a chance to ask questions in an open forum. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reducing-cyber-risk-across-defence-launch-webinar-tickets-3817281
1 – 2 – 1 Sessions
A series of 20 minute 1-2-1 teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the links below. Booking is on a first come first served basis.
20 September 1-2-1 Sessions | 21 September 1-2-1 Sessions
Submit a proposal
Do you have an innovation that may help reduce cyber risk and increase cyber resilience across Defence? Read the full competition document to learn more and submit a proposal. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
05 Sep 23. Thales and Kyndryl Announce Partnership for Comprehensive Response to Cybersecurity Incidents.
- This strategic partnership will combibine cybersecurity capabilities of Thales and Kyndryl to offer French customers a complete security incident management solution.
- This alliance will enable Kyndryl customers to benefit from Thales’ Rapid Response Force and Kyndryl’s expertise in consulting and remediation.
- In an increasingly interconnected digital world, cyberattacks are among the main threats to the survival and health of businesses. Ensuring continuity of service, from threat detection to remediation, guarantees an organization’s long-term resilience.
As part of this strategic alliance, Thales’ Rapid Intervention Force, will now be made available to Kyndryl customers, reinforcing their security capabilities. The Rapid Intervention Force is recognized for its expertise and response capacity with organizations of vital importance.
At the same time, Thales will be able to draw on Kyndryl’s recognized experience in cyber resilience and incident recovery, helping organizations recover effectively after cyber incidents or attacks. Kyndryl’s cyber resilience solutions such as incident recovery, managed backup services, hybrid platform recovery and data center services mitigate the impact of an outage and ensure fast, reliable and scalable recovery in hybrid multi-cloud environments.
Unrivalled benefits for Thales and Kyndryl customers
This unique alliance ensures continuity between cyber threat prevention and remediation, providing companies with an agile response tailored to each situation.
In the event of an incident, the Thales Rapid Response Force enables an immediate, coordinated response with Kyndryl’s post-incident management teams, minimizing business downtime and disruption, with an accelerated return to normal operations.
Based in France and benefiting from the highest levels of certification, the Thales Rapid Intervention Force meets the needs of companies that expect their information systems to operate smoothly and securely.
Thanks to the expertise of Kyndryl, a specialist in IT solutions and cloud managementband its sector-specific knowledge of the economy, companies can recover more quickly from an incident allowing business continuity.
“At a time when cybersecurity has become a central element of corporate strategy, this partnership reflects our commitment to offer the best solutions to our customers. We are convinced that this collaboration will bring unrivalled added value, helping businesses to navigate today’s digital landscape with confidence,” said Philippe Roncati, President of Kyndryl France.
“This partnership is the fruit of a strategic convergence between Kyndryl and Thales in the field of cybersecurity, combining the remediation expertise of the leading IT infrastructure provider ? with the cyber threat detection and rapid response capabilities of the leader in data protection and cybersecurity. Our customers, both enterprises and public bodies, will benefit from state-of-the-art incident response for enhanced cyber resilience,” said Pierre-Yves Jolivet, VP Cyber Solutions, Thales.
The threat of the threat of cyberattacks also remains high. According to the latest Thales Cloud Security Report, since 2022, 39% of companies have suffered a data breach in their cloud environment, up 4 points from the previous year. Finally, based on a Thales survey of nearly 3,000 information systems and security professionals in 18 countries, 48% of these professionals reported an increase in ransomware attacks, with 22% of organizations having suffered a ransomware attack in the last 12 months. (Source: ASD Network)
05 Sep 23. NI, one of the world’s leading test & validation companies, is at DSEI to showcase its next generation of Aerospace & Defense products and solutions. Demonstrations will include NI’s lineup of Software Defined Radio products, which through industry collaboration, has options aligned to OpenCPI and OpenVPX standards, as well as its newest T&E Scenario Generator demonstrator. In addition, NI‘s team of experts will be onsite to demonstrate how industry standards such as DIS and HLA, traditionally used within training environments and Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) systems, can be utilized by test systems, providing more accurate and complex test stimulus to real systems, as well as higher fidelity models to training environments. DSEI, Hall 2, Booth 863.
04 Sep 23. Allen-Vanguard deepens its ECM support to Somalia with an 18-month contract extension for its Field Service Representative (FSR) Team. Allen-Vanguard, a global leader in providing customized solutions for defeating Radio Frequency (RF) based terrorist and extremist threats, has a long-established relationship of providing vital ECM and counter explosive threat support to Security Forces across Somalia. This support has recently been increased with the provision of additional ECM hardware to the region and the formal 18-month extension of the in-country Field Service Representative (FSR) team based in Mogadishu. Allen-Vanguard will be at DSEi 23 on stand H2-820 to discuss all their RF dominance solutions.
Since 1991, the civil war and related power struggles between warring factions and various extremist groups has created one of the highest risk areas of operation for government security forces and international peacekeeping troops in the world. For those required to operate in the region, either military or diplomatic, the risk of injury or death from explosive related devices either intentionally detonated or accidentally triggered remains significant and therefore it is essential, in order to protect those trying to bring peace to the region, to have access to the necessary ECM hardware, training and in-country support.
Allen-Vanguard has been working in Somalia supporting national Security Forces and working with other peace keeping nations since 2018, helping to defeat the RF threat by supplying high quality but cost-effective ECM protection, such as our SCORPION and 3XXX suite of protection. The 3XXX offers an internally modular and easily upgradeable architecture with a raft of protection measures. The 3XXX series is robust, simple to operate and maintain, and can be vehicle mounted or used at a static location so is perfect for use in the region. The SCORPION has similar technology and capability but in a highly flexible manpack form, maximising its utility. These features combined with their outstanding performance make both ideal for security forces but also major Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Other Government Departments (OGDs).
Allen-Vanguard is committed to providing the best possible service and outcomes for their customers and they aspire to create indigenous force protection capability through comprehensive training (recently they provided additional Explosive Threat Reduction Training in Somalia) and through their dedicated in-country FSR team. This team has the necessary Allen-Vanguard specialists to provide a tailored mission support service for all their ECM systems updating and testing. They offer a range of support options to optimize algorithms specific for every user’s needs and to combat threats specific to the region of operations. The Somali team have been in Mogadishu since August 2021, and has just been extended for a further 18-months.
Bobby Strawbridge, Director Business Development for Allen-Vanguard said “We at Allen-Vanguard are very conscious that ECM equipment alone does not defeat the threat. Our vision is to create local capability, share knowledge, provide training and help to develop regional expertise so that those facing the greatest risk in peace keeping operations get the maximum possible protection. As one of the highest risk operational theatres in the world and building on a decade’s worth of supporting peacekeeping operations in Somalia, Allen-Vanguard’s footprint has recently grown considerably, reinforced with a permanent presence on the ground delivering OEM support at the ‘sharp end’ of operations.”
01 Sep 23. Allied Command Transformation Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Latvian Ministry of Defence, Prepares to Hold Operational 5G Technology Event at Latvia’s 5G Test Site. Supreme Headquarters Allied Commander Transformation and the Latvian Ministry of Defence signed a memorandum of understanding to allow NATO to use the Latvian National Armed Forces’ state-of-the art 5G test site. During the signing of the Memorandum, Vice Admiral Guy Robinson remarked, “In signing this agreement, NATO will have the opportunity to validate new concepts and develop requirements in an operational environment that will support NATO’s Digital Transformation and Multi-Domain Operations ambitions”
ACT is planning to conduct an operational technology exploration event at the test site in Ādaži, Latvia, in later part of October 2023 that will explore the potential of the Alliance’s Research and Development initiatives as well Ādaži’s tactical 5G capabilities. In doing so, this event will see the use of virtual and augmented reality, unmanned vehicles, sensors, and applications within a tactical 5G bubble. It will also see the Alliance test the ability of 5G technologies to enhance the delivery of telehealth services to NATO and national military personnel.
By testing the novel capabilities of the next-generation of telecommunications networks, Allied Command Transformation will demonstrate how 5G’s ability to provide ultra-reliable and low latency connections can provide additive capabilities to NATO Communication and Information Systems. It will also demonstrate the use and benefit of 5G technologies in enhancing the awareness, agility, and lethality of NATO’s forces in future conflicts, driving the Alliance’s Digital Transformation and transition to Multi-Domain Operations.
Latvia is uniquely situated to enable the testing of operational 5G technology, having hosted Allied Command Transformation’s first operational 5G experiment in November 2022. This experiment saw augmented and virtual reality software be integrated with 5G mobile telecommunications technologies, and concluded with a test at Ādaži. As noted by the Latvian Minister of Defence Ms Ināra Mūrniece, “Latvia has developed great innovation capabilities. We accommodate globally recognized expert teams with a wide spectrum of competencies, as well as highly developed infrastructure for testing future command and control solutions. By combining our expertise with NATO’s vision, I am convinced that we can demonstrate the transformative power of 5G technology in enhancing both military and civilian operations.”
In preparation for the event this fall, the NATO Next Generation Communications Technologies Event Planning Session was held in Riga, Latvia, from June 27-29, 2023. Organized by the Latvian Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with Latvia’s National Armed Forces and Latvian Mobile Telephone, the planning session gathered an extensive team of experts to refine the upcoming technology event’s scenario and technical execution.
They also met with Allied Command Transformation’s event lead and technical team, visited the Ādaži 5G military testbed to inspect the physical infrastructure available for the experiment, and conducted system interconnectivity tests.
The planning event took place at the headquarters of LMT – a Latvian mobile operator and 5G innovator. Ministry of Defence has partnered with LMT for the development of a 5G test environment for military applications. It has already been reported that in 2022 a cooperation agreement on the development of “5G technology for military applications” was signed between the Ministry of Defence and LMT. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Latvia Ministry of Defence)
22 Aug 23. SPX CommTech launches latest Transportable Tactical COMINT 953 RF Receiver.
- New Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Radio Frequency Receiver delivers superior threat analysis at a time of heightened electronic warfare activity.
- 953 COMINT Radio Frequency Receiver will be exhibited for the first time at DSEI 2023.
SPX CommTech, formed by TCI and ECS, today launches its next generation 953 Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Radio Frequency (RF) Receiver for superior identification, direction-finding, and tracking of hostile RF signals to support COMINT and Counter-UAS tactical operations. It will be exhibited for the first time at DSEI, Excel London, on stand H2-874, between 12-15 September 2023.
The new 953 COMINT RF Receiver builds on the success of its predecessor and now boasts reduced size and weight, but with greater power. This makes the device portable for dismounted operations and easily mounted on a vehicle to support mobility operations. For example, it can be carried to an elevated position in a dismounted role, such as a tactical position only accessible on foot or on top of a high-rise building, to ensure the antenna is situated at height for optimum signal detection and increased range.
The 953 COMINT RF Receiver performs continuous, unmanned, remote, and real-time signal collection up to 80MHz bandwidth across a frequency of up to 40GHz for signal monitoring, collection, and direction-finding. This bandwidth delivers a sweet spot between monitoring sufficient signal breadth and amplitude to ensure quality and accuracy in identifying threats.
The 953 COMINT RF Receiver is powered with removable hot-swappable batteries for round-the-clock use. The new compact chassis is IP-67 rated to withstand temperatures up to 50°C to deliver full operational capability in extreme hostile climatic environments. It also boasts increased removable storage of up to 2 TB for enhanced data capture.
“All around the world, heightened political, military and societal tension, and the growing use of electronic warfare, demonstrates the unparalleled importance of managing and understanding the RF spectrum today. Threat analysis and response are critical to global security, so we are excited to welcome the next generation product of our successful RF range, currently used across 20 countries,” says Graeme Forsyth, Counter-UAS Product Manager at SPX CommTech.
The 953 COMINT RF Receiver is powered by SPX CommTech’s well-renowned Blackbird software application, which detects, identifies, direction-finds and tracks signals of interest to support, find, fix and strike operations, and mitigate electronic warfare threats. It also tracks the RF emission of UAVs and their controllers or Data Links to support counter-responses. Blackbird can record the signal environment for look-back analysis without interrupting the current mission. It simplifies the collection task and can trigger automated actions and support unattended operations.
Utilising part of the 953 COMINT RF Receiver, Blackbird also uses geolocation to enable defence teams to visualise the location of the frequencies for improved intelligence-gathering and threat management. Blackbird’s intuitive point-and-click user experience suits all skill levels and is an evolution of the proven intuitive interface in previous models. This ensures minimal training requirements for existing customers while enabling new users to master the system quickly.
The new 953 COMINT RF Receiver is backwards compatible with previous COMINT versions and other technologies from SPX CommTech, for cost avoidance, uninterrupted service and seamless scalability for our users. It can also be integrated with open-source or customer-supplied mapping and other integrations.
The 953 COMINT RF Receiver is available today, and current COMINT models in service with customers will continue to be supported by SPX CommTech.
For more information, visit www.tcibr.com. Book a time to discuss your COMINT needs with us at DSEI (Excel London, 12-15 September 2023) by emailing .
About SPX CommTech – TCI
TCI, as part of the SPX Technologies’ CommTech Platform, innovates specialised technologies within the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to ensure a smarter, more secure future for all.
SPX CommTech’s Battlespace portfolio enables defence and security teams to detect, defeat and exploit RF signals to enhance Communications Intelligence (COMINT) and Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (Counter-UAS).
Combining decades of technology innovation and expertise with agile and collaborative teams, SPX CommTech delivers sustainable and exceptional results to customers across the globe.
For more information on SPX CommTech solutions visit www.tcibr.com
14 Sep 22. The Cybersecurity First Approach at Comtech. Cybersecurity must be built into the core culture of an organization if it’s going to successfully protect against increasingly sophisticated threats and support the ongoing convergence of global communications infrastructures.
The secret to success, according to Comtech’s Chief Strategy Officer – Defense, Daniel Gizinski, is approaching cyber protection a lot like your daily morning hygiene routine. “Cybersecurity really must become as routine as brushing your teeth or washing your hands,” explains Gizinski. “We need to live and breathe cyber hygiene as part of daily operations and not write the challenge off as a few lines of official policy. Skipping cybersecurity for even a day can open the door enough to allow an adversary to walk through.”
Today, Comtech is building cybersecurity into every aspect of its business. Comtech’s people, processes, and technologies support end users’ ability to stay one step ahead to defend against today’s most sophisticated cyber threats across commercial, government, and international markets.
In light of recent cyberattacks, government agencies and businesses have become much savvier with their cyber practices and overall security posture. They appreciate more than ever the risk of lost revenue and lost customer trust in the wake of cyber breaches, according to Gizinski. He says government and commercial markets are demanding more cybersecurity discipline and knowledge from their solution and service providers, as they define, design, and deploy security architectures.
“Today’s most effective cybersecurity solutions aren’t just about hardware, systems and software, they provide an end-to-end view into the security layers required to keep an operation safe today and well into the future,” says Gizinski, pointing to Comtech’s cybersecurity technology leadership across the company.
Demand Growing for Smart Flexible Cyber Solutions
The U.S. Government recently ramped up adjustments to its cybersecurity policies with an aim to get out in front of changing risks. Today, cyber threats will only grow as people’s daily lives depend more and more on increasingly complex communications networks and services, ranging from cloud technologies, national security operations, Internet of Things (IoT) applications, and access to always-on connectivity, whether you’re on an airline or connecting to the internet in a remote region of the world.
At Comtech, cybersecurity and other security features are considered and integrated from the very beginning of the design and development process. The company’s security solutions are also designed to readily evolve to stay ahead of the changing threat landscape. “Government, defense and commercial operations are absolutely relying and running on Comtech communications systems and platforms, so they must have adaptable security capabilities built in to meet changing threats,” Gizinski explains. Comtech builds software-defined, future-proof cybersecurity into its platforms, enabling customers to easily make security updates to their systems quickly as new threats surface.
“Government and commercial customers can’t ship their systems back to us to apply current cyber updates. That’s just not feasible,” says Gizinski. “Our products have a built-in software-defined architecture that allows the devices to be updated as necessary – easily, remotely and transparently.”
We are on the cusp of an unprecedented paradigm shift in cybersecurity as advances in Artificial (AI) Intelligence and Machine Learning (ML) provide opportunities for both bad actors and defensive cyber professionals to automate processes the require a human in the loop today. AI/ML techniques are being used today to adaptively predict threat vectors in advance, enabling proactive, tailored defensive planning. In many cases we’ve seen advanced defensive techniques that have been able to lead bad actors into walled gardens, turning the tables and enabling cyber researchers to study the threats in a controlled environment.
Comtech contributes to and monitors new military and commercial security standards, including zero trust to network frameworks released by the Department of Defense. The company is consistently ensuring its people, who are developing next-generation solutions and services, are well ahead of the technology curves and well informed on future threats and how to innovate to keep them at bay.
A Leader in Cyber Training
Comtech not only integrates cybersecurity across its technologies, solutions, and services, but also runs a leading cyber training program to keep the US Government and a wide range of commercial companies ahead of the ever-changing threat landscape.
Through Comtech’s CyberStronger program, the company delivers differentiated cybersecurity services and trainings to commercial and government customers around the world.
“We provide cybersecurity services sought out by intelligence, military, and government security organizations around the world,” said Gizinski. “Our technologies ensure our military and government customers have some of the most robust cyber skills and capabilities available to safeguard information and deter adversaries.”
Building the cyber resilient workforce of tomorrow is a critical challenge for all organizations, and there’s a cyber security skills shortage across the board – 500,000 workers in the US alone and 3.4 m worldwide are needed to develop solutions and combat threats.
Drawing on nearly two decades of experience, Comtech is filling today’s cyber workforce development gap by delivering the knowledge, skills, and technologies needed to prepare the cyber leaders of today as well as the next generation of cybersecurity experts.
“Comtech has been delivering training for the Department of Defense and other government agencies for decades,” explained Gizinski. “We’re also providing key training tools and solutions to universities and corporations.” Comtech is focused on delivering the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary for government and corporate employees and teams to perform security roles aligned with the National Institute for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework.
As communications infrastructures evolve, this knowledge and Comtech’s trainings will be even more important for nearly every commercial and government organization imaginable.
A Zero Trust Future
The growth of hybrid and converged networks is driving the demand for layered zero trust security architectures that can quickly put-up additional protections around critical data.
Hybrid networks and converged communications infrastructures are designed to offer far more resiliency overall, but they can also introduce more complexity, according to Gizinski. “Fundamentally, you can sometimes wind up with a network that’s only as strong as its weakest link, especially if you’re employing a legacy or traditional perimeter-based security model that requires manual processes,” he notes. “Once the threat permeates through the weak spot, it has access to broad swaths of the network.” Moving from a perimeter-based security architecture to a Zero Trust approach that provides defense in depth is key, but it must be done in a way that doesn’t unduly burden the end user.
For example, you may not even recognize that your phone is actually validating that it’s you when you pick up the device through a fingerprint or facial recognition. “That’s the real trick to zero trust. You’re adding in these layers of verification and authentication in a way that’s seamless to the user, and doesn’t interrupt the network connection,” Gizinski explains.
Zero trust is increasingly important as organizations rely more and more on hybrid and converged networks. As communications infrastructures continue to mesh together, cybersecurity and secure data transmission must also evolve to meet the incredible amount of information these networks will handle and transfer on daily basis. According to Gizinski, “Comtech is always ensuring users are not just reliant on perimeter security by providing systems that are constantly revalidating and moderating traffic across the network.”
With the future of hybrid networks in mind, Comtech is uniquely positioned to provide the end-to-end cybersecurity services, trainings, and technologies needed to support the blending of space, satellite, terrestrial, and wireless infrastructures.
At the end of the day, for Gizinski, “it comes down to an organization’s commitment to building a culture of cybersecurity. That level of routine dedication and constant advancements in future-proof technologies will ensure you’ve always got the very best security systems in place to keep operations safe and secure.”
Today, Comtech is operating with a security first mindset when it comes to every aspect of its business across the enterprise. As the company moves forward with connecting the unconnected and democratizing access to communications technologies around the world, Comtech’s cyber first mentality will continue to sit at the core to ensure customers have some of the most robust cyber capabilities available to safeguard information and deter threats as the connectivity landscape continues to evolve.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information in this blog contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
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Spectra Group (UK) Ltd
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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