Sponsored by Spectra Group
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20 Jun 24. China Crisis. Formally, it was called the Washington-Moscow Direct Communications Link. Informally, everyone called it the ‘hotline’. Established in 1963, this direct connection between the politico-military leaderships of the United States and Soviet Union took the form of a teletype link. By 1986 it had been upgraded to use fax machines (remember them?) and, since 2008, the hotline has been a computer link. Just one year after its establishment, the hotline was lampooned in the 1964 black comedy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The fictional US President Merkin Muffley is seen on the phone to his Soviet counterpart Dimitri Kissov asking him to “turn the music down”. Mr. Muffley delivers the news that a US Air Force general has gone mad and unilaterally launched a nuclear strike against numerous Soviet targets. A drunk, partying Mr. Kissov presumably sobers up rather quickly.
The hotline was established in the wake of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis to provide both the American and Soviet leaderships a mechanism by which they can urgently and directly discuss growing tensions in a bid to avoid Armageddon. Today, the US finds herself in a similarly tense relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). A miscalculation or misunderstanding risks plunging both nations, and much of east and southeast Asia, into war; possibly even a nuclear one.
Therefore, the news should be welcomed, as articulated in an article published on 27th May in Foreign Policy, that both the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), are to double-down on efforts to establish a direct communications link between these two entities. The past three decades have been littered with examples of situations where US-PLA tensions could have boiled over; near misses between US and Chinese military aircraft are but one example. Ensuring direct, secure communications between rivals cannot unilaterally prevent a war, but they can help to cool tensions when tempers flare, enabling two nuclear-armed heavyweights to discuss how to step back from the abyss. (Source: Armada)
20 Jun 24. Enhancing CESMO. The CESMO tactical datalink protocol helps aircraft geolocate the position of hostile ground-based air surveillance and fire control/ground-controlled interception radars to help improve survivability. The uptake of NATO’s CESMO tactical datalink protocol is proceeding apace with ongoing enhancements to deepen its abilities to share electronic intelligence to support air operations.
This year’s Association of Old Crows’ Electronic Warfare Europe exhibition and conference was held on 14th and 15th May in the town of Lillestrøm, southeast Norway. Delegates were updated on the progress of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO’s) Cooperative Electronic Support Measure Operations (CESMO) Tactical Datalink (TDL) protocol.
CESMO helps aircraft share hostile emitter location information so the latter can be avoided or engaged. The SEWWG (NATO SIGINT and Electronic Warfare Working Group) is CESMO’s custodian. Military aircraft are routinely equipped with Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) and Electronic Support Measures (ESMs). ESMs and RWRs protect aircraft by detecting, identifying and locating hostile ground-based air surveillance and fire control/ground-controlled interception radars. An RWR tends to give aircrew a relatively simple warning with details of a radar’s bearing relative to the aircraft. An ESM supplies more detailed information on the radar’s identity and location. The electronic support measure will also furnish specifics on the waveforms the radar is using although, to an extent, RWR and ESM functions overlap.
How CESMO works
RWRs and ESMs can use two mechanisms to detect and locate red force radars, chiefly Angle-Of-Arrival (AOA) and Time of Arrival (TOA). AOA determines the Line-of-Bearing (LOB) from one point to another, in this case between an aircraft and a hostile radar. Consider three aircraft flying in the vicinity of a ground-based air surveillance radar. One aircraft is flying towards the radar on a north-south bearing, the second is flying on an east-west radial away from it and the third is flying on a south-north bearing towards it. Each plane is equipped with an RWR which determines the radar’s line-of-bearing relative to the aircraft. All three planes detect the same radar transmission. The RWR on the first aircraft determines a southern LOB to the radar. The RWR on the second determines a westerly LOB while the third aircraft’s RWR determines a northerly line-of-bearing. By using this information, the radar’s position is determined as the point where all three bearings cross.
TOA works slightly differently. We will stick with our three aircraft, all of which are continuing to fly the same courses in the vicinity of the hostile radar. One aircraft is 100 nautical miles/nm (185.2 kilometres/km) from the radar flying on north-south bearing. The second is 150nm (277.8km) from the radar flying away on an east-west radial. The third is 50nm (92.6km) away flying on a south-north bearing. Triangulation relies on the fact that radar transmissions move at light speed (161,595 nautical miles-per-second/299,274 kilometres-per-second).
Radar transmissions will take different times to reach each aircraft’s RWR. For the first plane it will take the transmissions 0.6 milliseconds to get there. For the second it will take 0.9 milliseconds and for the third 0.1 milliseconds. Calculating the time difference taken by the radar transmissions to reach each aircraft relative to their position computes the radar’s location. This data is fused with the aircraft’s position as derived from its navigation equipment and sent from each aircraft via their standard communications links. The data reaches a central computer housing the CESMO software. Once the data arrives, the software computes the point where the lines-of-bearing from each RWR meet.
Once the CESMO software ascertains the radar’s location it retransmits this to other friendly aircraft at risk of detection. The radar can then be avoided or engaged with kinetic, electronic and/or cyberattack. CESMO information is sent back out across the same communications links. Data is carried on standard very/ultra-high frequency (30 megahertz to three gigahertz) links and tactical datalinks like NATO’s Link-16. Traffic is carried in IP (Internet Protocol) format messages absorbing under 16 kilobits-per-second of bandwidth. Furthermore, CESMO is a node-less network as there is no single, central point of network control. Should one platform sharing its information be lost this will not cause the collapse of the CESMO network.
Updating CESMO
As Armada reported in June 2023, new messaging standards are being introduced into the CESMO architecture. The new standards widen the remit of the data shared across a CESMO network and cover electronic attack and Emission Control (EMCON) information. Tactical messaging can now be moved across CESMO links with information on how an emitter is to be engaged. EMCON messages enable the distribution of frequencies off limits for electronic attack.
Delegates were told by representatives from the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) that recent exercises involving CESMO and the German armed forces had seen traffic carried across Link-16 and Satellite Communications (SATCOM) links. Other conduits employed include tactical radio TDLs, local area networks and SINA (Secure Inter Network Architecture) wide area networks. The representatives added that CESMO is “designed to work with limited bandwidth radios with long latencies when the reception of messages cannot always be ensured.”
CESMO will experience further capability enhancements, according to the Bundeswehr representatives. These enhancements include the handling of CESMO across NATO’s Link-22 TDL (2MHz to 29.9MHz, 225MHz to 399.975MHz). Link-22 is mainly used to support naval operations. Other protocols that will handle CESMO traffic including NATO’s JREAP (Joint Range Extension Application Protocol) and Systematic’s SitaWare Command and Control (C2) software. SitaWare is used extensively to support C2 in all domains across NATO and allied nations. JREAP allows TDL traffic to be moved across beyond line-of-sight links like SATCOM.
The Bundeswehr representatives said that two CESMO enhancements covering track classification and messaging have already been performed. The SEWWG is planning to make at least two updates per year. These updates will cover airborne electronic attack coordination, emitter association and disassociation messaging, time difference of arrival coordination and platform activity messaging. Nonetheless, the representatives emphasised that the more nations join the CESMO initiative, the more updates and enhancements can be made. (Source: Armada)
20 Jun 24. Avancez Mes Radios! France’s Contact programme sees a host of new radios entering service across the French Army, and the rest of the country’s military, including the NCT-T vehicular transceiver shown here. Thales is moving ahead with the development of a backpack radio as part of the programme which will have commonality with the NCT-T.
New versions of the Contact tactical radio are in the offing for the French military, while the country’s Ministry of Defence is expected to soon launch a procurement programme for a new HF transceiver.
Thales is the prime contractor for the French armed forces’ Contact tactical communications system which rolls out a raft of new transceivers and capabilities, most of which are for the Armée de Terre (French Army). The army is to retire its legacy Thales PR4G Very/Ultra High Frequency (V/UHF: 30 megahertz/MHz to three gigahertz/GHz) radios which entered service from 1990. These transceivers will be replaced with new dual band 30MHz to 108MHz, and 225MHz to 512MHz handheld and vehicular radios.
The five watt/W handheld Contact radio is known officially as the ESR-P (Equipement Radio Standard-Portatif/Handheld Radio Terminal). The Contact vehicular radio is officially designated the NCT-T (Node de Communications Tactique–Terrestre/Land Tactical Communications Node). An airborne radio (ERS-A) is in the offing and will be rolled out across France’s fleet of military aircraft. Thales officials recently shared with Armada that the company is developing a backpack Contact radio. This new transceiver is expected to enter service in 2027, the officials continued. The 20W system will have a similar configuration to the NCT-T and will carry similar waveforms.
France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA/General Armaments Directorate) procurement agency awarded a contract to Thales to fulfil the Contact requirement in 2012 with production commencing in 2019. Open sources state that circa 25,000 radios across all types could eventually be manufactured and delivered. Thales says that it will produce an average of 100 radios per month at its site in Cholet, western France.
Waveforms
Contact radios will carry several waveforms. Importantly, from an interoperability perspective, they will have the pan-European ESSOR (European Secure Software Defined Radio) wideband networking waveform. French army sources have told Armada that the ESR-P and NCT-T will carry the French version of the waveform. This latter version of ESSOR is known as ESSOR-VF. While ESSOR-VF will support multinational and coalition operations, the radio’s new CONVERT waveform is for exclusive French use. Like ESSOR-VF, CONVERT carries voice and data traffic. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation waveforms like SATURN (Second Generation Anti-Jam Tactical UHF Radio For NATO) will be included in the Contact radios. SATURN primarily carries air-to-surface/surface-to-air traffic. Furthermore, the Contact transceivers are outfitted with a Blue Force Tracking waveform.
Export variants of the Contact transceivers sans French national encryption and government waveforms, known as Synaps, are in production. Synaps is equipping the Belgian armed forces. Spain will also receive Synaps with Indra and Thales collaborating on the acquisition. Having these armed forces use a similar radio system to Contact will help further enhance pan-European interoperability.
New HF Radio
Field testing of the Contact radios has been successfully completed. The first examples were delivered to the army in September 2020. Deliveries have been continuing since then with Contact undergoing, and passing, operational evaluation in December 2023. The PR4G is being phased out while Contact deliveries continue with the former expected to leave service by the end of 2025, according to army officials.
Contact forms part of a wider overhaul of French military radio communications. Beyond this programme, French troops are receiving new Personal Role Radios (PRRs). These will replace Safran’s RIF-NG PRRs equipping the force’s Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons Intégrés (Integrated Infantryman Equipment and Communications) ensemble. Meanwhile, plans are afoot to equip the French Army with a new High Frequency (HF: three megahertz to 30MHz) radio based on Thales’ HF XL. HF XL is already in service with the Marine Nationale (French Navy). Two variants are under development for the army, namely 400W and one kilowatt transceivers. Thales sources shared with Armada that a contract to procure a new French Army HF radio is expected from the DGA in 2025. (Source: Armada)
20 Jun 24. June Radio Roundup. Spectra Group is finalising the development and testing of its GENSS tactical communications system which the company expects to be available for procurement by the end of this year.
GENSS makes sense
Spectra Group showcased its GENSS tactical communications system at this year’s SOF Week special forces exhibition held in Tampa, Florida between 6th and 10th May. GENSS is a development of the company’s Slingshot tactical communications apparatus.
A company press release said that GENSS uses high frequency (three megahertz/MHz to 30MHz) and Very/Ultra High Frequency (30MHz to three gigahertz/GHz) wavebands. GENSS can also use Satellite Communications (SATCOM) frequencies including Inmarsat’s LTAC L-band (1.2GHz – 1.8GHz/1.67GHz – 1.71GHz) SATCOM service. GENSS supports data rates of up to 90 kilobits-per-second across LTAC’s 25 kilohertz channels.
The company press release continued that GENSS uses “adaptive modulation waveforms.” These waveforms “automatically adjust through network sensing techniques, to meet the tactical situation.” Tactical situations could include the user being mobile, in combat or stationary. In addition, “novel engineering techniques, voice and low data rate solutions can be applied in the contested communications space to minimise detection.”
Spectra Group told Armada, via a written statement, that GENSS is in fact “a suite of solutions based around a core radio module.” This module comprises of a Software Defined Radio (SDR) circuit board designed and manufactured in-house by the company using a “state-of-the-art chipset”. The SDR board provides GENSS with frequency agility from 29MHz to six gigahertz, with a 40MHz operating window. The statement continued that “the first product delivery will include a Radio Frequency (RF) front end module” optimised for LTAC. GENSS operates seamlessly with Slingshot, the statement added.
Work on GENSS is wrapping up “with final development and testing” ongoing. These efforts are focusing on finalising the L-band capability. However, Spectra Group says that GENSS can be continually modified and enhanced during its lifetime. Production is scheduled for the final quarter of 2024. (Source: Armada)
21 Jun 24. Cyber Update Key points.
- The cyber criminal group ‘Scattered Spider’ is evolving its tactics; this will exacerbate security and financial risks facing firms in the long term (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 17 June 2024).
- A newly discovered long-term espionage campaign by the Chinese nexus group ‘Velvet Ant’ will sustain security and espionage risks via outdated software (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 18 June 2024).
- A new phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) kit underscores the heightened security risks facing financial institutions (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 19 June 2024 and our Technical analysis below).
- A new highly sophisticated malware will elevate the security risks facing Chinese-speaking firms (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 20 June 2024 and our Technical analysis below).
- Chinese nexus threat actors are reportedly targeting an unnamed Asian country’s telecommunications sector as part of a long-term espionage operation, prolonging security risks (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 21 June 2024).
Technical analysis of weekly stories
A new Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) kit, ‘ONNX’, is targeting employees of global financial institutions. ONNX operations impersonate an organisation’s HR department to trick potential victims into scanning a malicious QR code. The user is then redirected to a fraudulent Microsoft 365 login page where they are prompted to enter their credentials and pass a two-factor authentication (2FA) process. The threat actors capture this information in real time via WebSocket, which enables them to hijack the victim’s account. Notably, QR codes are almost always scanned on mobile phones, which often lack the same organisational security protections as other devices, enabling threat actors to bypass initial detection mechanisms. ONNX simultaneously downloads an encrypted JavaScript, which adds a layer of protection against anti-phishing mechanisms. Additionally, it obfuscates actor-controlled infrastructure by abusing the security company Cloudflare’s legitimate anti-bot CAPTCHA features. The kit is a new and more sophisticated version of the ‘Caffeine’ phishing kit created in 2022 by the threat actor ‘MRxC0DER’ to target Russian and Chinese platforms. We assess this highlights the kit’s ongoing development and the growing sophistication of the threat actors’ tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) as they refine anti-detection and obfuscation techniques. ONNX can be purchased and managed via the messaging platform Telegram, thus highlighting the accessibility of the kit and the possibility of its use in future attacks.
Since late April, unknown threat actors have targeted Chinese-speaking organisations with a new sophisticated loader malware, ‘SquidLoader’. The loader is distributed via phishing emails containing malicious payloads masked as legitimate Microsoft Word documents. The malicious file executes and duplicates SquidLoader in a secondary location, thus bypassing initial detection mechanisms. The loader also contains arbitrary code and references to popular software products such as ‘WeChat’ to evade detection. Additionally, SquidLoader automatically deletes itself from victims’ systems if it is detected; it also obfuscates the location of the actor-controlled infrastructure. Notably, the malware’s highly advanced anti-detection and anti-analysis techniques highlight the ongoing development and maturity of the threat actors’ TTPs. SquidLoader has primarily been used to deploy Cobalt Strike (an open-source post-exploitation tool) to gather information from targeted systems. Cobalt Strike can create services and modify registry keys, thus enabling prolonged persistence. The combination of highly advanced persistence and obfuscation techniques suggests that the threat actors behind this campaign possibly belong to an advanced persistent threat (APT) group.
Some non-exhaustive recommendations to mitigate against these threats include:
- Conduct cyber hygiene awareness courses for users to enable them to recognise and report phishing and other types of social engineering attempts.
- Monitor devices and networks for suspicious activity.
- Add available Indicators-of-Compromise (IoCs) to your organisation’s security detection systems to detect potentially malicious samples on the network.
- Enforce strict security policies including regular software and password updates to mitigate and prevent infections via leaked or stolen password credentials.
- Ensure adequate security detection measures are in place, particularly behaviour-based end-point detection and response (EDR) solutions, prioritising the detection of the initial stages of a compromise. (Source: Sibylline)
21 Jun 24. Safran Electronics & Defense is developing a new solution for transmitting and receiving optical communications by laser. This innovation will enable armed forces to share information at very high speed with no risk of jamming or interception. It is the result of the company’s expertise in inertial navigation, optronics and communications.
Laser optical communication technology will be based on terminals that can transmit and receive optical communications: one terminal to send data encoded in a laser beam, the other to receive it and convert it into digital information. Users will be able to share messages, pictures and video at ranges of tens of kilometers, or even further with the aid of relay satellites.
Laser optical links offer several advantages over traditional radio communication, including discretion and resistance to interference. But also throughput, with speeds of 5 Gb/s to 50 Gb/s, which is a major benefit as data volumes continue to increase and data-hungry AI becomes more widely deployed.
One of the main challenges with an optical communication system is to establish a direct line of sight between two terminals, and then ensure its stability during data transfer, whatever the conditions (for example, heavy swell for naval applications). Safran Electronics & Defense has addressed this challenge, drawing on its technological expertise in the development of mobile platform-mounted optronic sights and satellite communication solutions.
“We’re one of the only companies in the world today capable of developing this technology at scale for use by the armed forces,” says Alexandre Ziegler, Executive VP, Defense Gobal Business Unit of Safran Electronics & Defense. “We already have sovereign control over all the necessary technological components. And our teams have a deep understanding of military requirements and related technical issues on land, at sea, in the air and in space.”
20 Jun 24. Bittium Tough Mobile™ 2 C Approved as an Information Security Solution for NATO Restricted Level Use. Bittium Tough Mobile™ 2 C Approved as an Information Security Solution for NATO Restricted Level Use
Bittium Corporation press release on June 20, 2024, at 6.00 p.m. (CEST +1)
NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has approved Bittium Tough Mobile 2 C solution as NATO Information Assurance Product for NATO Restricted level use. The solution has been listed on the NATO Information Assurance Product Catalogue (NIAPC).
Bittium’s secure mobile communication solution meets the very high security requirements of governmental organizations. The solution consists of Bittium Tough Mobile™ 2 C smartphone, Bittium Secure Suite™ encryption and device management software, and Bittium Secure Call™ application for end-to-end encrypted communication. Tough Mobile 2 C has a unique dual-boot functionality that makes it a device with two separate operating modes, Personal and Confidential. Hardened Android™ operating system in the Personal mode is for personal use where for example social media applications are available. Operating system in the Confidential mode is completely separated and hardened for secure use. Secure Suite device management and encryption software product enables efficient utilization of the information security features of the Tough Mobile smartphones, reliable mobile device management, remote attestation, and secure data transmission of the device.
“We are very excited that our products are now approved for NATO Restricted communications. Governmental organizations in NATO countries can now benefit from an excellent and proven solution that offers end-to-end encrypted mobile communications for their requirements”, says Mr. Tommi Kangas, Senior Vice President, Defense & Security at Bittium.
Bittium Tough Mobile™ 2 C smartphone with Bittium Secure Suite device management system is targeted for ultra secure government-level mobile communications. The smartphone is a combination of unparalleled hardware- and software -based information security features and usability, and two separate and hardened operating systems. Tamper-proof information security platform, privacy switch, and the supervised and secure supply chain ensure reliable and secure communication and handling of data especially in use by professionals and authorities. More information: Bittium Tough Mobile 2 C smartphone.
Bittium Secure Suite™ device management and encryption software product complements Bittium Tough Mobile smartphones with a scalable set of software services for remote management, remote attestation and securing the network connections of the device. Bittium Tough Mobile 2 C smartphone and Bittium Secure Suite together form a unique and reliable system for processing and transferring encrypted and classified material and securing critical communications. More information: Bittium Secure Suite device management and encryption software.
Bittium Secure Call™ is a secure voice, video and messaging application with end-to-end encryption. The communication application is designed for enterprise, government, and other professional users with stringent information security needs. The application supports deployment in commercial and private networks with no dependency on public Internet or cloud services. It can be deployed and fully managed by the user organization. More information: Bittium Secure Call application.
20 Jun 24. Software-Defined Radio with Widest Tuning Range Released.
Calamine from Per Vices Corporation offers an impressive tuning range from near DC to 40 GHz with four independent receive radio chains each offering 300 MSPS sampling bandwidth
Per Vices Corporation, a provider of software defined radios (SDRs), has released Calamine, the company’s latest and widest tuning range SDR.
Calamine builds on the Per Vices existing IP to offer an impressive tuning range from near DC to 40 GHz with four independent receive radio chains each offering 300 MSPS sampling bandwidth.
The latest release will offer capabilities extending other SDR systems for use by government, defense/intelligence communities and civil customers with direct applications for radar systems, signals intelligence, spectrum monitoring, and satellite communications systems.
Per Vices products aim to provide hardware and software solutions to address the growing need for high channel count, wide tuning range, and high bandwidth SDRs. According to Per Vices, Calamine sets a new standard for tuning range demanded by the market.
Victor Wollesen, CEO of Per Vices, said; “There has been a growing need in RF for operating at higher frequency ranges within sacrificing the ability to tune to lower frequencies as well. Our latest release of Calamine offers a perfect solution to address this need with multiple channels and high sampling bandwidths all within a compact 19” 2U form factor.
“We’re very excited to be offering this product to our customers as we know it is critical for many different applications.”
Per Vices Corporation is a Canadian company based in Toronto, Ontario designing and producing high-performance commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), modified-off-the-shelf (MOTS) and fully customized SDRs that can be tailored to fit the most challenging and mission critical customer applications. (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)
20 Jun 24. Safran and Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne join forces to support Polish Defense. During the Eurosatory exhibition, Safran Electronics & Defense and the Polish company Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne (WZE S.A.) signed for the first time a contract for the supply of Safran’s Geonyx inertial navigation and pointing systems to the Polish Armed Forces. The total cumulative quantity is in the range of 200 pieces of equipment. The Geonyx were selected for both the PILICA+ and NAREW air-defense programs for Poland. They will provide precise and reliable positions to anti-aircraft platforms, even if satellite navigation signals are unavailable or inaccessible, and heading references to the various radars.
The signing of this contract will also include the transfer of production of these inertial units to WZE S.A.: Safran will produce the main elements; WZE S.A. will carry out their assembly and the necessary checks before delivering the Geonyx to Poland. The main goal is to reduce delivery times and, ultimately, ensure the local maintenance of the Geonyx of the Polish army in order to optimize the availability rate of their systems. In a similar context, the company Young Poong Electronics (YPE), which adapted Geonyx technology to the Korean K2 assault tanks of the Polish Army, will also transfer the production of its inertial units to WZE S.A.
“We are proud to participate in the Defense of a European country such as Poland alongside WZE S.A. in these two strategic segments: anti-aircraft defense and armored vehicles,” Alexandre Ziegler, Executive VP, Defense Gobal Business Unit of Safran Electronics & Defense, said. “Thanks to our partners, we will be able to provide this inertial navigation technology resilient to jamming and spoofing of satellite navigation signals to Polish Armed Forces. Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services are at the heart of the battlefield changes we are witnessing.”
“I am honoured to be able to participate in the conclusion of this agreement with Safran Electronics & Defense on behalf of Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne S.A. The establishment of extensive cooperation between WZE S.A. and Safran is not only the delivery of modern INS systems for the needs of the Polish Armed Forces, but also the planned transfer of knowledge and technology,” said Damian Gorzelany, acting President of WZE S.A. He added: “I am proud to be able to enter into cooperation with YPE, which has developed the OUROS navigation system, which WZE S.A. wants to offer for products from Polish-Korean cooperation. The Koreans impressed us with their commitment and openness and they demonstrated the excellent quality of work and products.”
Geonyx’s hemispherical resonator gyroscope navigation technology, HRG Crystal, offers the best reliability on the market, with an average time between failures of more than a m hours, as well as robustness in the most demanding environments. The HRG Crystal is also independent of any external signal and very compact. This allows the Geonyx to maintain positioning and pointing accuracy, even when satellite navigation signals are jammed or spoofed, while providing the best balance of size, mass and power. (Source: Defense Arabia)
20 Jun 24. EDGE and Thales Announce a Strategic Partnership for Radio Communications Development and Manufacturing in the UAE. KATIM, an EDGE Group entity and leader in the development of ultra-secure communication solutions, and Thales, will start discussing the co-development of Software Defined Radio technologies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A declaration of intent was signed at the international defence and security show, Eurosatory, by Didier Pagnoux, CEO of KATIM, Abdelhafid Mordi, CEO of Thales in the UAE and Christophe Groshenry, Vice President, Radio of Thales, and in the presence of Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO of EDGE Group, Waleid Al Mesmari, President, Space & Cyber Technologies of EDGE Group, Pascale Sourisse, President & CEO of Thales International, and Christophe Dumas, CEO of Thales Secure Communications & Information Systems in France.
To meet the demands of the UAE’s large-scale high-tech programmes and its exportation needs, KATIM and Thales will work jointly on the full cycle development, production and maintenance of airborne and long range HF (high frequency) radio communication solutions. Both companies will bring their expertise to the partnership and will promote and export the co-developed solutions-based portfolio to the international market.
Didier Pagnoux, CEO of KATIM, said: “Partnering with Thales represents a significant milestone for EDGE, underscoring the global confidence in our leadership in advanced communications technology. By combining our expertise, we will develop sophisticated Software Defined Radio solutions that meet the rigorous demands of both domestic and international markets. This collaboration aligns with our goal of driving innovative secure communication solutions and fully supports the UAE’s ambitious global exports roadmap. We eagerly anticipate the transformative outcomes of our joint efforts.”
Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice-President, Thales Secure Communications & Information Systems, said “As a worldwide leader for tactical radios and on-board communication solutions for land, air and naval forces, Thales is proud to partner with EDGE in radio communications solutions. The partnership is fully aligned with the Group’s development strategy in the UAE.” (Source: Defense Arabia)
19 Jun 24. Revolutionizing team connectivity – Savox launches new, game-changing wireless team communication system, Savox Pack-COM.
Designed for the demanding needs of tactical environments, the Savox Pack-COM provides seamless, secure, and reliable communication, enabling teams to perform optimally
- The Savox Pack-COM enhances team coordination and situational awareness in tactical environments with secure, reliable communication.
- It features a portable base station with AES-256 encryption, ensuring secure communications within a 400-meter range.
- The system includes the Savox TRICS series for advanced team communication, integrating with existing radios for versatility and interoperability.
- Providing crystal-clear sound quality, the Pack-COM reduces misunderstandings and boosts operational efficiency in challenging conditions.
The full press release article is included below. If you are interested in covering the story, you can also find high resolution images on our newsroom from the link below. All content is freely available to you to publish as you wish:
https://ins-news.com.
Thank you for your time in considering this article. If you have any questions about the product, comments or feedback on the content, or decide to cover the news, I would be delighted to hear from you.
19 Jun 24. Bittium Wireless Ltd, a subsidiary of Bittium Corporation and BAE Systems Signed a Framework Agreement on Bittium’s Tactical Communications Offering.
Bittium Wireless Ltd, a subsidiary of Bittium Corporation has signed a Framework Agreement with BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd (acting through BAE Systems Digital Intelligence) for BAE Systems to offer Bittium’s tactical communications products, services, and systems for the use by its customers both in the UK and abroad. The agreement does not contain a minimum purchase commitment, nor an exclusive right to sell. BAE Systems is one of the world’s largest defense operators providing some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defense, aerospace, and security solutions.
The framework runs from 2024 to 2027. As part of this framework, BAE Systems and Bittium intend to participate in selected future tenders for tactical communications requirements. Together, BAE Systems and Bittium can offer the ESSOR High Data Rate Waveform that is a NATO standard and the preferred waveform for radio interoperability across NATO partners. ESSOR waveform is supported by Bittium Tough SDR™ radios. Under this Framework Agreement the first call for tenders applicable to tactical communications products is estimated to start during the latter half of 2024.
“The cooperation with BAE Systems is a significant step in Bittium’s internationalization strategy. We are proud that Europe’s leading defense company has chosen our products as part of their offering. This is an indication of reliability, quality, and technological pioneering of our products. Our opportunity to grow in international markets improves significantly alongside a major operator and we look forward to possible future joint customers projects”, says Johan Westermarck, CEO of Bittium Corporation.
“This framework agreement demonstrates our commitment to ensure we are always able to deliver the most impactful technology solutions for our customers – no matter what operational challenge they face. Partnering with organisations like Bittium help our customers navigate today’s complex and dynamic defence landscape and ultimately achieve their missions. Finland is known across the world for its innovative technology companies and BAE Systems has a strong partnership with Finnish industry that we are pleased to continue to build on with Bittium,” says Mark Todd, Head of Products – C5ISR, BAE Systems Digital Intelligence.
19 Jun 24. At Eurosatory 2024, Safran Electronics & Defense is launching its Advanced Cognitive Engine (ACE) artificial intelligence system. Its purpose is to integrate AI capabilities into all Safran Electronics & Defense products to deliver enhanced situational awareness, decision support and reduced cognitive load for forces in the field.
ACE will improve target detection, classification and identification capabilities by correcting for environmental effects such as atmospheric turbulence and low light conditions. Other functions such as advanced tracking and automatic target detection will help users perform missions by reducing their cognitive burden. Each capability can be adapted to specific environments — flat open landscape, desert, jungle, etc. — for optimum performance.
These combined capabilities, called “ACE on board”, will be integrated into all equipment, including land vehicle, aircraft and naval sights, as well as portable optronics products. ACE will also integrate on Safran Electronics & Defense drones and robotic systems, enabling operators to manage and operate their fleets more efficiently.
ACE responds to the ethical challenges posed by the use of AI: all of its capabilities keep the user at the heart of the decision and action loop.
“It’s important but also quite natural for us to be talking about AI at this year’s event,” said Alexandre Ziegler, EVP Defense Division, Safran Electronics & Defense. “By capitalizing on our expertise in this field, coupled with our high-tech imaging systems, we’re offering significant advances in performance for our customers.”
Initially available on an external processor, these new capabilities will be built into equipment via dedicated electronics. The ACE solution will benefit from twice yearly updates to keep pace with evolving operational realities. Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets.
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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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