06 Mar 25. Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) announced today the delivery of its first next-generation Integrated Voice Communication Systems (IVCS) in support of the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke DDG51-class destroyers. The state-of-the-art systems provide mission-critical ship-wide communications vital for ensuring effective operations across all surface navy missions. IVCS is the latest generation shipboard communications technology that provides reliable, tactical communications for Navy operators. The computer-controlled telephone system connects to a ship’s announcing system, shore telephone lines, radio communications and battle sound-powered telephone circuits. The advanced IVCS was designed, built, tested, and delivered as an upgrade to its long line of voice communication systems, including the company’s Shipboard Integrated Communications Systems and Secure Voice Switching systems. These systems are in use on destroyers and frigates of the US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, and South Korean navies underscoring the company’s leadership in delivering cutting-edge secure naval communications solutions.
“This delivery marks a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between Leonardo DRS and the U.S. Navy, reaffirming the company’s commitment to supporting global naval operations with advanced, reliable and secure communication technologies,” said Cari Ossenfort, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business unit. “We are proud to continue to answer the call by fielding modern network communications supporting our warfighters today and into the future.”
Leonardo DRS has been a key supplier for the U.S. Navy Cruiser and Destroyer Aegis Modernization program providing mission-critical, tactical communications systems supporting command and control operations on the ships. It is another example of the company’s deep experience as a leader in complex design and manufacturing supporting a wide range of missions and capabilities. Leonardo DRS’s abilities extend across all domains to support naval, ground, air, space, and cyber missions in areas of sensing, force protection, computer networking, as well as naval power and propulsion systems. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
06 Mar 25. Intracom Defense (IDE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ETIMAD Strategic Security Solutions (ESSS) in the sector of Tactical Communication Systems, with the aim to enhance operational availability and efficiency, and elevate service quality towards the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates. The agreement was signed by Mr. Khaled Al Ali, CEO of ETIMAD Holding Group and Mr. George Troullinos, CEO of Intracom Defense, during the International Defense Exhibition IDEX 2025 in Abu Dhabi, where IDE participated in the frame of the Hellenic Pavilion. This agreement focuses initially on providing end-user industrial support and security of supply, related to Tactical Communication and Information Systems of IDE, currently under deployment process at the UAE, as well as to jointly addressing future market opportunities, utilizing ETIMAD’s advanced industrial capabilities. ESSS is a UAE-based company, as part of ETIMAD Holding under the EDGE GROUP, specialized in advanced technology solutions and services, with a dedicated focus on security systems integration and project fulfillment. ESSS has established itself as a leading project manager for strategic projects, such as Safe City, Border, Coastal & Critical Infrastructures globally, delivering efficient and high-quality services across various sectors. (Source: ASD Network)
04 Mar 25. Common Sense. The stark reality is that Europe may soon face a new adversary. As matters stand at present, US President Donald Trump is acting in a way that is directly hostile to Europe’s interests. The Trump Administration began ‘peace talks’ with Russia to try to end the war in Ukraine on 15th February. None of Europe’s democracies, including Ukraine, have been invited to attend. Mr. Trump’s behaviour is akin to that of UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain on the eve of the Second World War. Mr. Chamberlain’s 1938 Munich Agreement with Nazi Germany ceded parts of Czechoslovakia to Adolf Hitler. The agreement was concluded without the participation or signature of the country most affected. Subsequent news reports indicated that the US is seemingly willing to cave into nearly all of Russia’s demands. Will the world see a Nazi-Soviet Pact, a la Messrs. Trump and Putin in the coming years? We all know how well that turned out. In time the Trump administration will realise, contrary to its delusions, that alliances go both ways. At some point in the future, that administration will need diplomatic and/or military support from Europe. Unlike requests to this end in the aftermath of the 11th September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC, this support may no longer be automatic. Witness the furore in parts of Europe regarding the Iraq War of 2003, and the post-9/11 diplomatic goodwill the Bush Administration squandered as a result. Europe has a long to do list to nullify the impact of Mr. Trump’s neo-isolationism: Defence spending must rise in an economically sustainable way. European nations must strike an increasingly hawkish and aggressive tone with Russia. It should be made clear that attempts to destabilise democracies through online, or other means, could merit a conventional military response against the organisations responsible. Defence industrial consolidation is another important area. Why does Europe have two competing sixth-generation combat aircraft programmes? One is surely enough, and the least expensive option. Some consolidation should be happening in the electromagnetic environment. France, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom all have existing requirements for land force Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities. These requirements typically focus on large vehicle-mounted systems to provide EW at circa brigade level. Each nation is pursuing its own efforts, no doubt at great expense. There is a case to be made for a common European land warfare EW system which focuses on a modular solution tailored to a range of vehicle types. Armies could order the modules and hardware they need and configure their platforms as they wish. Europe’s combined EW industries and expertise could create a common system that nations could then customise with proprietary threat libraries, jamming waveforms and supporting infrastructure. After all, this is already done in the combat aircraft sector. Moreover, Europe will be fighting together to repel any future Russian aggression against the continent. Commonality in the EW kit that will be unleashed on the battlefield makes sense. If Europe is to create a real and lasting continental defence, new solutions and approaches are needed. A common, European land EW system could be just what the continent’s armies, and taxpayers, need. (Source: Armada)
04 Mar 25. No Pasarán. Kvertus’ Atlas counter-uninhabited aerial vehicle system includes electronic support measures to detect the radio signals linking these aircraft to their controller, and allowing the aircraft to transmit video, plus a jammer to attack such links. Plans are afoot to roll counter-uninhabited aerial vehicle defences across the entirety of the frontline in Ukraine. The intensity of Russian Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) kamikaze attacks against targets in Ukraine was laid bare in a report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in February. CSIS is a defence and security thinktank based in Washington DC. Calculating the Cost Effectiveness of Russia’s Drone Strikes said Russia had launched over 19,000 missiles against targets in Ukraine between 28th September 2022 and 28th December 2024. The report continued that, of these 19,000 projectiles, over 14,700 were kamikaze UAVs. Most of these weapons were Shahed-136 kamikaze UAVs supplied by the Islamic Republic of Iran and designated the Geran-2 by the Russian military. Figures released by the United Nations in February stated that in January alone, 139 civilians were killed by such weapons, with 738 injured. In Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, kamikaze UAV attacks accounted for 70 percent of casualties that month. To be fair, Ukrainian air defenders enjoy success in detecting, intercepting and destroyed a good number of Russian UAVs. Figures produced by the Institute for Science and International Security, another Washington DC-based think tank, say that between 75 percent and almost 100 percent of the Shahed-136s were successfully intercepted by air Ukrainian defenders between April 2023 and June 2024. Nonetheless, efforts are continuing in Ukraine to devise mechanisms to detect and intercept drones. Such aircraft can be tricky targets. They tend to be physically small, meaning they have a small Radar Cross Section (RCS), making them difficult to detect by some ground-based air surveillance radars. Figures seen by Armada have stated that the Shahed-136 may have an RCS as small as 0.01 square metres. Ornithologically speaking, this RCS is smaller than a European blackbird and comparable to a warbler. The risk is that the radar may dismiss targets with small RCSs as birds, and hence clutter, and ignore them. That said, radars are now incorporating software to recognises the flight dynamics of UAVs compared to birds. For example, the radar characteristics of an aircraft’s propellers, compared to a bird’s flapping wings, helps target discrimination.
Holding the line
Ongoing efforts in Ukraine to improve UAV defences have resulted in Kvertus’ Atlas Counter-UAV (CUAV) system. The company has a reported goal of rolling out a CUAV architecture which could eventually furnish the entire the frontline between Ukraine and areas occupied by Russia in the south and southwest. This is a distance of circa 1,200 kilometres (746 miles) according to reports by Ukrainska Pravda. Atlas combines several technologies: Kvertus’ Azimuth UAV Electronic Support Measure (ESM) detection and tracking system, and the company’s Mirage jammer. These sensors and effectors can be distributed across the frontline to create an integrated network of CUAV systems. These apparatuses are controlled by a single operator, their console and server.
Kvertus told Armada that the Azimuth sensor can detect UAVs at a range of 16.2 nautical miles/nm (30 kilometres/km) when the sensor is on the ground and 27nm (50km) when mounted on an airborne platform. Azimuth will detect radio links carrying a UAV’s video feed and the control channel linking the pilot to the aircraft and vice versa. These links typically inhabit frequencies of between 900 megahertz/MHz up to 5.8 gigahertz/GHz. Once a threat is detected, the operator activates the Mirage jammer to attack these channels. Kvertus added that Atlas can allow the detection and jamming cycle to occur automatically sans human intervention.
Architecture
The Atlas architecture typically has one control station, one Azimuth ESM and four Mirage jammers, although this can be scaled up according to the user’s wishes. As well as deploying Atlas ensembles across the frontline, Kvertus said that federated systems could eventually protect the whole country. Although some Atlas components are sourced from the People’s Republic of China, the software is indigenously developed. The immediate intention is for Atlas systems to be deployed across the entirety of the Ukrainian frontline. This process could take several months. (Source: Armada)
03 Mar 25. March Spectrum SitRep.
C-GEM Live Firing
Rafael’s 130mm C-GEM radio frequency decoy rocket can be used with 130mm trainable naval countermeasures launchers including the Mk.36 SBROC system.
On 28th January, Rafael Advanced Defence Systems announced it had performed a successful live fire test of the company’s 130mm C-GEM offboard active radio frequency decoy rocket. These rockets are designed to work with the company’s Deseaver series trainable naval countermeasures launchers. According to the company, C-GEM uses an active electronically scanned array transmitter. Providing 360 degrees of coverage, the rocket employs a digital radio frequency memory to generate jamming waveforms. These waveforms can be employed against anti-ship missile active radar homing systems. C-GEM can work with Rafael’s Wizard corner reflector decoy to help protect warships. Other naval countermeasures in the company’s portfolio include the Smoke Trap infrared smoke decoy and the Beam Trap chaff decoy. Boris Katsman, Rafael’s business development director, told Armada that C-GEM is an affordable decoy not covered by US International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Beyond Deseaver, C-GEM can be employed in other trainable launchers like BAE Systems’ Mk.36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasure, known as SBROC. C-GEM is in service with the Israeli Navy and has been supplied to other undisclosed customers in recent years.
New Counter-GNSS Jamming Module
InfiniDome’s new GPSdome-Sunstone GNSS PNT jamming and spoofing resilience module is optimised to equip small UAVs or similar space and weight constrained platforms. InfiniDome has launched its new GPSdome-Sunstone next-generation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Position Navigation and Timing (PNT) jamming and spoofing resilience module. According to a press release announcing the news GPSdome-SunStone can equip small Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The module weighs between 50 grams/g (0.11lb) and 100g (0.22lb). In addition to UAVs, the company says the module can provide GNSS PNT jamming protection for other space and weight constrained platforms. InfiniDome told Armada that GPSdome-SunStone uses “null steering to mitigate the jamming attack.” Although null steering is not a new technique, InfiniDome claims their new product is “revolutionary in form factor, weight, price and flexibility (compared) to anything else in the market today making anti-jamming accessible for lower-end platforms as well.”
The company says the module can be retrofitted onto existing platforms: “Any of our customers could take their existing GNSS receiver, disconnect its antenna, connect (our module to the UAV’s GNSS antennas) thus making the platform about 100 times more resilient to an attack than without it.” InfiniDome says it has already won orders for its new product from customers in the European Union, Israel and the United States, “some of which have already began testing in some of the harshest environments with very promising results.”
Blue Jay Mobile Unveiled
Mellori Solution’s new Blue Jay Mobile electromagnetic testing system can replicate emissions across wavebands of between 500 megahertz/MHz and 40 gigahertz/GHz, and mimics multiple threats in the 500MHz to six gigahertz band. Blue Jay Mobile is a new mobile electromagnetic through-air testing system launched by Mellori Solutions in February. The company says Blue Jay Mobile can test and validate sensor performance in any environment. The product covers frequencies from 500 megahertz/MHz up to 40 gigahertz, offering up to 50MHz of bandwidth, according to the Blue Jay Mobile product brochure. The brochure continued that the system can be made ready for use in 15 minutes, and is operated from a laptop or tablet. Remote operation is possible using either a WiFi or ethernet connection. Blue Jay Mobile can mimic both real world signals and In-phase and Quadrature (IQ) data. Ranges of between one kilometre (0.6 miles) and three kilometres (1.9 miles) are achievable. David Devine, Mellori Solutions’ general manager, told Armada that “Blue Jay Mobile has a scenario mode for programming emitters and libraries to simulate real-world radar signals and replay IQ data. These are controlled via a laptop or tablet (by) remote control.” Multiple emitters can be simulated as Blue Jay Mobile “has a dual-channel output that allows transmission across two frequency bands at the same time with no antenna swaps required. This is limited to one channel per band, except for the 500MHz to six gigahertz band, which supports dual-channel capability by default.” Meanwhile, an optional add-on “allows simultaneous dual-channel capability in all bands (and the) system can be upgraded to support a third transmission channel.” (Source: Armada)
06 Mar 25. Shifting cyber tactics will elevate security risks from Chinese state-sponsored groups. On 5 March, the technology company Microsoft reported that the Chinese state-sponsored group ‘Silk Typhoon’ has been exploiting the software supply chain in order to infiltrate targeted systems since at least December 2024. Silk Typhoon typically conducts cyber espionage operations against global defence, government, healthcare, education and non-governmental sectors. The group searches GitHub repositories to find credentials and authentication keys stolen from software providers; it subsequently uses the stolen data to conduct password spray attacks, breaching providers’ systems to pivot into downstream customer environments. Furthermore, Silk Typhoon has also continued to exploit software vulnerabilities to infiltrate on-premises environments. Threat actors subsequently attempt to steal credentials, escalating privileges to access cloud environments. Silk Typhoon reportedly no longer uses web shells and malware to steal data and erase evidence, underscoring the continuous development of the group’s techniques. As such, we assess this highlights the elevated long-term security risks facing the aforementioned sectors. (Source: Sibylline)
05 Mar 05. US Army has selected Keysight’s CyPerf network design and verification solution to validate performance, resiliency, and zero trust security for their Unified Network Program during Cyber Quest ’25 (CQ25). Organized by the U.S. Army Futures Command, CQ25 is a crucial event for national security, bringing together the private sector, government, and academia to evaluate, develop, and benchmark cutting-edge technologies to address critical gaps in cybersecurity, electronic warfare, intelligence, and signal operations. As cyber threats, electronic warfare, and Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) evolve, the nature of warfare is forever changed. MDO, a military concept developed by the U.S. Army, focuses on integrating and synchronizing operations across multiple domains — land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace, to achieve strategic and operational advantages over adversaries. The U.S. Army’s Unified Network Program is a key driver for achieving MDO by 2028, enabling the creation of a seamless, resilient, and secure end-to-end network that supports operations across all domains from the office to complex, contested, or hostile environments. The program will equip U.S. forces with the technologies they need to operate effectively and securely in any environment, with access to necessary data anytime, anywhere, regardless of where it is stored.
Keysight CyPerf supports the goals of CQ25 with capabilities that include:
* Assessing zero trust architecture – Integrates zero trust verification principles for continuous authentication and authorization to access network resources, without granting implicit trust based solely on network location. This includes validating networks that require Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), a framework and component of zero trust that manages digital identities, credentials, and resource access. CyPerf verifies zero trust policies and ICAM in lab settings and live production networks. It can also assign user credentials and navigate ephemeral ICAM procedures to establish secure network connections.
* Simulating real-world scenarios – Creates realistic operational scenarios to evaluate network performance in distributed environments (physical, virtual, cloud, or container) under various conditions. CyPerf deploys lightweight agents that generate high-volume, real-world traffic, applications, and workloads. The solution replicates actual networks, elastically scaling up and down to enable resiliency and chaos simulation. With support for ms of concurrent users and ms of connections per second, CyPerf helps ensure the U.S. Army’s Unified Network can handle the rigorous demands of MDO, validating assets from the tactical edge to cloud-based resources.
* Enhancing network security – Detects potential security vulnerabilities and implements measures to address and mitigate weaknesses. CyPerf simultaneously generates legitimate traffic mixes as well as malicious activities and cyber threat traffic across a complex network of proxies, software-defined wide area networks, Transport Layer Security (TLS) inspection, elastic load balancers, and web application firewalls. CyPerf creates a comprehensive and efficient replication of actual U.S. Army network deployments by uniquely interleaving applications and attacks that model user behavior and actual security breaches.
* Validating network performance – Ensures the U.S. Army Unified Network can support high-speed data transfer and seamless, reliable communication across all domains. CyPerf quantifies and delivers deep insights into the efficacy of network performance, the end-user experience, and security posture. It identifies potential performance bottlenecks and assesses how well the network can handle different types of traffic while still maintaining performance and security objectives – even under extremely high traffic loads or cyber-attacks.
Major James Harryman, Action Officer, CQ25 said: “As we rapidly advance to an increasingly complex battlefield, understanding how we will implement zero trust principles at the tactical edge is imperative. Agility of deployed networks, increased security of assets, and greater interoperability are all potential results of this implementation, and CQ25 is excited to team up with Keysight and use its CyPerf capabilities to prove these underlying principles.”
Ram Periakaruppan, Vice President and General Manager, Network Test & Security Solutions, Keysight, said: “Keysight is honored to collaborate with the U.S. Army at Cyber Quest ’25, bringing our advanced design and verification capabilities to assess and monitor the Unified Network’s performance and security. CyPerf empowers the U.S. Army to confidently navigate the complexities of zero trust architectures and their Multi-Domain Operations, ensuring the network remains resilient, secure, and mission-ready in any environment.”
Resources
* Product page: Keysight CyPerf
* Data sheet: Keysight CyPerf
* Application Note: Performance and Security Testing for Zero Trust in Distributed Cloud
* Flyer: Zero-trust network architecture and CyPerf
About Keysight Technologies
At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product lifecycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
05 Mar 25. BAE Systems working on new version of AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS. BAE Systems is working on a new version of its AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), intended to equip US Air Force (USAF) Boeing F-15EXs, BAE’s director for Tactical Aircraft Electronic Warfare Lindsay Gallagher told Janes on 4 March at the 2025 Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) Warfare Symposium. The new version, called EPAWSSv2, which features an increase in the system’s processing power, has been under development for two years, Gallagher said. It is in the engineering, manufacturing, and development (EMD) phase, with critical design review – the last such review before prototype production – expected in April. The original EPAWSS, now being fielded on newbuild F-15EXs and retrofitted aboard F-15E Strike Eagles, can no longer be built due to diminishing manufacturing sources, Gallagher said. Several components of EPAWSS – which Gallagher declined to specify – are no longer being constructed, and BAE took the opportunity to upgrade the system’s design.
“We were at a point where we couldn’t build the current version, and so we had to upgrade. And in the process, by doing that, we were able to take some of the newer technologies and upgrade the capability of the system as well at the same time,” Gallagher said.
EPAWSSv2 is not under contract, and Gallagher deferred questions about integration with the F-15 to Boeing.
EPAWSS, which entered service in 2023, replaced the F-15’s Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite, which dates from the 1980s. The system is interoperable with the F-15’s AN/APG-82 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and both chaff and flares countermeasure systems. (Source: Janes)
06 Mar 2025. EOLO partners with Thales to bring ultrafast broadband to underserved Italian communities.
* Thales’ eSIM solution enables seamless 5G connectivity for EOLO’s new Internet offerings, based on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology.
* This initiative supports the EU’s goal of ‘universal 1Gbps broadband by 2030’ as well as EOLO’s and Thales Commitment to Digital Inclusion and to Innovation.
The European Union aims to ensure that all citizens have access to 1Gbps broadband by 2030 and EOLO selected Thales for its leading connectivity solutions. Achieving this vision requires innovative solutions like Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), which delivers high-speed internet to areas lacking traditional fiber or copper networks. FWA is crucial for connecting people in small towns and rural regions, supporting economic growth, and bridging the digital divide.
EOLO’s Vision for Faster Connectivity
As Italy’s leading FWA provider, EOLO has been pioneering radio technology to deliver affordable, high-speed internet. Currently, the company serves more than 700.000 households and FWA connectivity can reach speeds of up to 300 Mbps in download. To furtherly improve customer experience and reach Italian territories with a service able to bridge digital speed divide, EOLO is launching a 1Gbps FWA service in 2025, combining 5G and millimeter wave (mmWave) technology. This rollout will include a new 5G antenna network and thousands of eSIM-enabled devices installed at customer locations.
Thales’ Expertise in Secure Connectivity
Thales is playing a key role in this expansion by providing its eSIM Management platform, Thales On-Demand Subscription Manager (OSM). This technology allows EOLO’s 5G Routers to be pre-configured with mobile subscriptions, making installation faster and easier. Customers will benefit from instant activation as soon as they power on their devices, ensuring seamless connectivity.
“The infrastructure that we are building together will play a pivotal role by complementing fiber coverage in our country. With a connectivity able to reach 1 Gbps, we will meet the ambitious goals of both European and Italian agendas, helping citizens and enterprises to overcome digital divide and digital speed divide”, commented Guido Garrone, CEO at EOLO.
“Reliable, secure connectivity is essential for digital transformation,” said Eva Rudin, VP Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Thales. “By supporting EOLO with our advanced eSIM technology, we are enabling faster broadband deployment and helping to bridge the digital divide across Europe.”
04 Mar 25. Lockheed Martin has developed a software solution that is ready to start connecting America’s advanced warfighting systems, accelerating the realization of the Department of Defense’s vision of Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2). Lockheed Martin’s self-funded CJADC2 Interoperability Factory is producing an open-architecture, software stack designed to connect the machine languages of our nation’s existing advanced weapon systems, in a way that is message standard agnostic. This “connection” is key to increasing data exchanges, advancing interoperability and greatly improving situational awareness between systems and system operators. The CJADC2 Interoperability Factory has already passed company internal demonstrations. Over the next few months, the Lockheed Martin team will be demonstrating the system to customers. The company will be looking to test the system out in the field during future government exercises.
Why This Matters for Combat Readiness
Interoperability, a long-standing cornerstone of defense strategy, now more than ever enables the DoD and its allies to maintain overmatch and deter peer and near-peer adversary aggression in the 21st century. While future weapons systems are being developed with interoperability in mind, products like Lockheed Martin’s CJADC2 Interoperability Factory will connect new systems with existing DoD and allied systems.
“The challenge is to deter aggression, we need to maintain overmatch now and many of our nation’s existing advanced weapon systems were not originally designed to connect and ‘talk’ with each other this way,” said Ron Fehlen, Vice President, Mission Architecture, National Security Space. “Most of our defense systems communicate using about a dozen different software languages. This is where the CJADC2 Interoperability factory comes in.”
The CJADC2 Interoperability Factory leverages a “systems of systems” approach to rapidly share data across weapons systems — like AEGIS, F-35, HIMARS, and SDA Transport Layer satellites — decreasing kill chain timelines to machine speed.
How The CJADC2 Interoperability Factory Works
As a modular, open-architecture software stack, Lockheed Martin’s CJADC2 Interoperability Factory is designed to simplify and accelerate platform interoperability across all domains.
Lockheed Martin’s goal has been to leverage its mission knowledge and access to operational systems to introduce cross-domain interoperability for both historical platforms already in operation and newly developed and fielded platforms. This ensures that existing platforms can seamlessly connect and integrate with new technologies, enhancing overall system compatibility and effectiveness.
The CJADC2 Interoperability Factory:
* Provides an eco-system of approved, verified and validated translators – from programs across Lockheed Martin’s broad portfolio – as well as more mesh-oriented interoperability approaches, such as DARPA STITCHES (SoS Technology Integration Tool Chain for Heterogeneous Electronic Systems). Platforms have easy-access to this ecosystem, regardless of their operating environment, allowing for faster progression to deployment.
* Is designed with industry-standard interfaces, Application Programming Interfaces, and cloud capabilities, allowing other developers to easily integrate their own platforms.
* Can, when deployed to a DevSecOps environment, help weapon systems developers achieve seamless interoperability with a wide array of industry-standard data formats and interfaces.
* Has a modular, open-architecture design that ensures it is highly adaptable to specific platforms and missions.
* Is built on a software stack that is straightforward to adopt, update, and maintain, being similar to other commercial open-source software and mobile Operating System ecosystems.
* Includes Lockheed Martin’s Smart translator apps, which incorporate integrated cyber controls and multi-level security from the start.
* Ensures that platforms can effortlessly connect and share data with any other systems, whether developed by Lockheed Martin or other industry providers, thereby fostering a cohesive and integrated defense ecosystem.
“Lockheed Martin is committed to open standards and interoperability drives innovation and operational efficiency, empowering our customers to maintain strategic superiority,” Fehlen said.
Automation and AI-Assisted Development and Operations
Lockheed Martin’s investments in Artificial Intelligence are being leveraged to increase the speed of integration, reduce the time to develop new apps, and translate complex unstructured data for improved interoperability. The Lockheed Martin AI Center (LAIC) has developed a framework combined with a series of tools that serve as an integration layer for the Interoperability Factory enabling systems-of-systems interoperability and AI-infused services:
* Developer tools and Software Development Kits (SDKs) enable the creation of tailorable decentralized applications, data services, and hardware integrations that can deploy to the tactical edge with industry standard interfaces, and open frameworks and APIs enable interoperability for both new and legacy services.
* Model-based system engineering is used throughout the Interoperability Factory to automate and accelerate software code generation such as generating STITCHES transforms. This significantly reduces the time, labor and risk of this process, compared to current methods.
* The LAIC is incorporating Generative AI throughout the Interoperability Factory tech stack to scale AI-enabled C2 agents that can orchestrate thousands of entities in real time.
* In mission services, powered by Generative AI, can consume textual and unstructured information, assess the information considering relevant mission context, then translate that information into tactical messages, such as Open Mission Systems-Universal Command and Control Interface (OMS/UCI).
* An AI-enabled control plane is being developed to advance beyond static translation software towards a solution that interprets new standards at machine speed.
“AI plays a significant role in operations, but humans are always in the loop,” Fehlen points out. “Humans have the final say in refining, assessing and validating a solution – but they can do it in an extremely rapid timespan.”
Successful Early Internal Demos
In less than five months, a Lockheed Martin team from across the company’s four Business Areas came together and developed a DevSecOps pipeline, unifying diverse software capabilities and integrating multiple 21st Century Security investments like AI/ML, using Model-Based Systems Engineering.
To ensure operational alignment for the CJADC2 Interoperability Factory, an Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) mission was used to prioritize the most common translator nodes, as defined by the Joint Industry Standards Working Group (JISWG).
Initial demonstrations showed the integration of the Open Mission Systems-Universal Command and Control Interface (OMS-UCI) and the TADIL-J standard, a variant of Link 16.
“Our initial demonstration was very successful,” Fehlen said. “With the successful connection of OMS-UCI and TADIL-J, we’re confident that we’ll be able to build off this success to connect other translators.”
Future translators will support Integrated Broadcast System (IBS) messages and the Multifunction Advanced Datal Link (MADL).
Next Steps: Customer Demos & Exercises
In the months ahead, Lockheed Martin plans to host a series of operational Interoperability Factory prototype experiments leading to Initial Operational Capability later this Spring.
“We’re done talking about CJADC2 and connectivity. Our next step is to show some key customers what we’ve done to connect these advanced warfighting systems and our path forward to show how this open-architecture design could be used to greatly enhance our warfighters’ capabilities,” Fehlen said.
04 Mar 25. wolfSSL Unveils Post Quantum Cryptography and Security Solutions at Embedded World 2025. wolfSSL Inc., a global leader in cryptography and network security, is excited to announce its participation in Embedded World 2025, taking place March 11–13 in Nuremberg, Germany. Attendees can visit Booth #4-201A to explore wolfSSL’s latest advancements in embedded security.
“We are thrilled to showcase our latest innovations at Embedded World 2025,” said Larry Stefonic, CEO of wolfSSL Inc. “As a leader in cryptography and network security, we remain committed to equipping developers with the tools they need to build secure, resilient embedded systems. We look forward to engaging with attendees and demonstrating how our solutions address the ever-evolving cybersecurity challenges across industries worldwide.”
Key Highlights from wolfSSL at Embedded World 2025:
- wolfSSL support for Post Quantum
wolfSSL’s post-quantum cryptographic solutions are designed to work efficiently and seamlessly with embedded systems, offering robust security, CAVP certification, minimal resource consumption, and bare metal support. They enable embedded devices to remain secure as we transition into the quantum computing era, all while ensuring compatibility with current technologies. We enable our users to achieve CNSA 2.0 support quickly and efficiently.
Integration with wolfCrypt
* wolfSSL now includes support for post-quantum cryptographic algorithms in TLS, enabling embedded systems to use PQC schemes alongside traditional algorithms (like RSA and ECC). This means developers can add quantum-resistant algorithms to their applications without completely overhauling existing cryptographic systems.
* Supported algorithms, such as ML-KEM (for public-key encryption) and ML-DSA (for digital signatures), are implemented to offer practical security in resource-constrained environments, maximizing security and performance.
Lightweight and Optimized for Embedded Platforms
* WolfSSL focuses on optimizing its libraries for embedded environments. This includes ensuring that the PQC algorithms are lightweight enough to run on microcontrollers and other resource-limited devices. WolfSSL makes these solutions highly configurable to cater to different hardware capabilities, ensuring efficient use of memory and CPU power.
Hybrid Cryptography Support
* WolfSSL supports hybrid cryptography, meaning both traditional and post-quantum algorithms can be used together. This approach allows embedded devices to maintain backward compatibility with legacy systems while gradually transitioning to quantum-resistant algorithms. For instance, a system could use classical algorithms for today’s security and PQC algorithms for future-proofing.
Security Agility for Embedded Applications
* Post-quantum algorithms in wolfSSL allow developers to choose the right security protocols based on their embedded device’s needs. As quantum computing advances, these algorithms can be updated or replaced without disrupting the system, ensuring long-term protection. This adaptability is crucial for embedded devices with extended lifecycles, like automotive or industrial IoT systems.
Cryptographic Acceleration
* Many embedded systems use hardware acceleration for cryptographic operations to improve performance. WolfSSL’s post-quantum solutions can be integrated with hardware-based accelerators, ensuring the PQC algorithms can perform efficiently, even in constrained environments.
Compliance and Certification
* For embedded systems that need to meet specific compliance standards (e.g., ISO 26262 for automotive, DO-178 for Aviation or FIPS 140-3, FIPS 203/204 and CNSA 2.0 for government applications), wolfSSL’s post-quantum cryptography solutions can be used in conjunction with existing certified cryptographic modules, maintaining high security standards while enabling forward-looking protection against quantum attacks.
- Release of wolfHSM 1.1.0
wolfHSM provides a portable, open-source abstraction for hardware cryptography, enabling secure key management, non-volatile memory protection, and isolated secure processing. It is primarily used with Automotive HSM hardware
Features include:
* Seamless integration with Infineon Aurix Tricore TC3XX for enhanced automotive security.
* Support for China’s mandated cryptographic algorithms (SM2, SM3, SM4).
* Post-quantum cryptography (Kyber, LMS, XMSS) for future-proof security.
* Automatic utilization of available hardware cryptographic processing to optimize performance.
- Release of wolfBoot 2.4.0: Enhanced Secure Bootloader with wolfHSM Integration
The latest version of wolfBoot delivers expanded platform support, new features, and significant performance enhancements, reinforcing its role as the premier secure boot solution.
Key Enhancements:
* Integration with wolfHSM – Enables secure key management, seamless public key revocation, and post-quantum ML-DSA support.
* Enhanced Delta Updates – Improved base image detection for more reliable firmware updates.
* Expanded Hardware Support – Now compatible with NXP Layerscape LS1028A, with updates for ARMv7-M/ARMv8-M, x86-FSP, Xilinx UltraScale+, and Intel TigerLake.
* Performance Boost – New wolfCrypt assembly optimizations significantly reduce boot times across all ARM devices.
- Post-Quantum Cryptography with wolfHSM
wolfSSL’s wolfHSM now supports post-quantum cryptographic algorithms through wolfCrypt, ensuring long-term security against emerging quantum threats.
* ML-KEM – A key encapsulation mechanism for secure key establishment.
* ML-DSA – A post-quantum signature scheme, offering a secure alternative to ECDSA and RSA.
* LMS & XMSS – Stateful hash-based signature schemes ideal for firmware and software signing, with wolfHSM ensuring proper state management.
By integrating post-quantum algorithms, wolfSSL empowers developers with cutting-edge cryptography without requiring deep expertise in post-quantum security.
04 Mar 25. Highly sophisticated phishing operation underscores increased security risks facing users. On 3 March, the cyber security company Fortinet reported that a new cyber campaign is exploiting legitimate Microsoft tools to maintain persistence within targeted systems. The campaign starts with phishing emails to trick potential victims into clicking on a malicious attachment. The attachment then displays a fake error message to persuade users to execute malicious code on their devices. A malware loader is then deployed covertly before a modified version of an open-source red team tool is installed onto compromised systems to establish communication with threat actor-controlled infrastructure. Subsequently, threat actors can exploit the Microsoft Graph application programming interface (API) and SharePoint to conceal malicious traffic; they can then also deploy additional malicious payloads and exfiltrate sensitive data. This highlights the continued exploitation of legitimate Microsoft tools for malicious purposes. We assess this campaign underscores the continuous advancement of threat actors’ capabilities, and therefore the increased security risks facing global users in the long term. (Source: Sibylline)
04 Mar 25. Goldilock, the NATO-backed network isolation specialist, has today announced significant enhancements to its flagship FireBreak™ product. These upgrades, designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses and evolving network environments, make Firebreak™ the first complete network isolation solution to combine high-speed fibre connectivity, dual power and SIM redundancy, and comprehensive API access. This new and unique combination delivers enhanced speed, availability, control, and flexibility. As a result, businesses can quickly and effectively isolate critical assets in the event of a cyber-attack. Ransomware attacks cripple businesses daily, making the ability to instantly sever compromised systems from the network a necessity. FireBreak™ is a critical component in robust cybersecurity strategies, providing a first line of defence that empowers organisations to contain attacks, minimise damage, and protect customer data. Goldilock’s continuous investment in research and development ensures Firebreak™ remains a trusted solution at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation.
The hardware refresh enables businesses to:
Choose the connection type that best suits their network infrastructure and bandwidth requirements
Experience faster connectivity and improved network performance, especially those who rely on data intensive applications
Continue operating and protecting systems, even during power outages or network disruptions
Benefits of the software enhancements include:
Simplified and integrated security management
Faster and more effective cyber threat response, reducing the need for manual intervention
Greater control over network security, enabling customisation
Broadband Testing independently validated the performance, reliability and flexibility of FireBreak™’s security features, deployment and management capabilities. “Our testing proved FireBreak™’s line-speed performance and millisecond port disabling via Ethernet and SMS, both in manual and automated modes” commented Steve Broadhead, Founder and Head Analyst at Broadband Testing. “API integrations demonstrated full automation for all tasks, including port shutdowns upon threat detection with 3rd party tools. To our knowledge, there is no other product on the market that carries out true physical isolation.”
“Organisations are facing increasingly sophisticated and persistent cyber threats. Protecting against the potential consequences of a compromised network – from data breaches and financial losses to operational disruption and reputational damage – is therefore more critical than ever,” said Richard Bate, CTO, Goldilock. “By supercharging our FireBreak™ solution, we’re giving organisations more tools at their disposal to proactively protect critical assets, maintain business continuity, and put the power of control back into their hands.”
02 Mar 25. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) announced the successful integration of Nokia’s industry-leading, military-grade 5G solutions into Lockheed Martin’s 5G.MIL® Hybrid Base Station (HBS). The technology advances new capabilities to integrate commercial 5G connections with military communications systems to provide decisive information for national defense. 5G is playing an expanding role in supporting tactical military missions, seamlessly complementing existing battlefield solutions.
Expert Perspectives
“The United States and its allies increasingly depend on fast, secure and advanced communications to access critical information and ensure effective deterrence against threats,” said John Clark, senior vice president, Lockheed Martin Technology & Strategic Innovation. “5G.MIL® integrations like this strategic relationship with Nokia and Verizon will help ensure data is seamlessly routed throughout the battlespace in ways that make future mission success possible.”
“This successful integration highlights the flexibility of Nokia’s cutting-edge, 5G solutions to meet the unique demands of defense, ensuring robust security, optimized size, weight, and power efficiency, while supporting O-RAN and open, interoperable technologies,” said Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia. “Through our work with Lockheed Martin and Verizon, we are bringing the transformative power of 5G to mission-critical defense operations, enhancing situational awareness, speeding up decision-making, and reinforcing mission success.”
Dive Deeper
In a series of recent demonstrations, Lockheed Martin integrated Nokia’s military-grade 5G solutions into the 5G.MIL Unified Network Solutions ecosystem, including interoperability with Verizon’s network operations and management solutions. These tests successfully integrated traditional tactical communications solutions with 5G using open systems architecture and commercial standards. Leveraging open standards in this way allows for rapid integration of new, advanced capabilities into HBS configurations, ensuring new products and technology solutions are drop-in ready with no risk of vendor lock.
Initial integration was completed with equipment from Nokia’s leading 5G portfolio at Verizon’s Boston Innovation Center and HBS components at Lockheed Martin’s Valley Forge laboratory in Pennsylvania. Final systems integration, testing and demonstration were accomplished at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Ft. Worth, Texas.
The demonstration included HBS connectivity to hybrid user equipment (HUE) that allows users to switch access links between commercial 5G and tactical LPx waveforms while maintaining uninterrupted user application sessions on an Android user device. LPX designates low-probability-of-detection, interception, exploitation, jamming, geolocation and spoofing. By integrating the 5G.MIL HBS with Nokia’s 5G solutions, as well as demonstrating interoperability with Verizon’s public 5G network and leveraging their network operations management software, Lockheed Martin and its strategic collaborators are well positioned to bring new levels of performance, scalability, and reliability to military, national security wireless, and ally international defense networks.
What’s Next?
This strategic collaboration for Lockheed Martin, Nokia, and Verizon will enable continuing integration of new technology advancements, including incorporation of Nokia’s 5G technology at Lockheed Martin’s 5G.MIL Experimental Network site in Orlando, Florida, joining Verizon’s capabilities already available on-site. With 5G’s low latency, high bandwidth, and secure connectivity, warfighters can leverage real-time data and advanced situational awareness in dynamic operational environments. The team will continue to refine and enhance technical offerings, including expanding hybrid network testing to include additional user device types, broader tactical communication system interoperability, and secure public-private network configurations. This will create new ways for customers to apply enhanced capabilities to global military, national security, and homeland defense mission areas, giving operators greater connectivity, faster and more reliable wireless networks, and enhanced interoperability in support of Joint All Domain Operations.
28 Feb 25. Cyberlux Corporation Expands Datron Presence in Asia-Pacific Market with Phase One High-Power HF Communications Contract Now Shipping and Secures Phase Two Award of Over $1m, Bringing Total to $2.5m. Cyberlux Corporation (OTC: CYBL), a leader in advanced defense technology and tactical communications solutions, announced that Phase One of its Datron order for the Asia-Pacific market has been fully secured and is now in the shipping phase. This milestone underscores Datron’s continued expansion in the region and reflects the growing demand for Datron’s high-power HF communication systems. Building on this success, Cyberlux has secured a Phase Two award valued at just over $1m, bringing the total program value to $2.5m for the provision of additional High Power HF equipment for the same Asia-Pacific partner nation. This follow-on contract highlights the partner’s continued trust in Datron’s solutions and the growing strategic importance of the region. This series of contracts underscores Cyberlux’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art high-frequency (HF) communication solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of military and defense organizations worldwide. Known for their reliability, security, and long-range operational effectiveness, Datron’s HF systems continue to be a trusted choice for tactical communications.
“We are excited to announce that our latest Phase One is now shipping, marking another significant milestone in Cyberlux’s strategic expansion within the Asia-Pacific region,” said Christopher Barter, General Manager – Datron Military Communications. “The follow-on Phase Two award of just over $1m is a testament to the confidence our partners have in our solutions and highlights the increasing demand for high-power HF communications in military and security applications.”
The Asia-Pacific market presents significant opportunities for Cyberlux and Datron, driven by defense modernization initiatives and a growing need for resilient, secure communication networks. These contracts demonstrate Cyberlux’s ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions that align with the complex requirements of global defense customers. As Cyberlux continues its international expansion, the company remains committed to innovation, technological excellence, and providing best-in-class communication systems that strengthen national security and operational effectiveness. Cyberlux is actively pursuing additional opportunities within the region, leveraging its expertise in secure, high-frequency communications to address the needs of military and governmental agencies. The company’s ability to deliver reliable and field-proven solutions positions it as a key partner for strategic defense initiatives in Asia-Pacific. With a growing footprint in international defense markets, Cyberlux aims to continue expanding its product offerings and services to better support its clients worldwide. The company is dedicated to ensuring operational success for its partners by delivering next-generation communication systems designed for the most demanding environments. For more information about Cyberlux Corporation and its tactical communication solutions, visit www.cyberlux.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
28 Feb 25. Cyber Update Key points.
- A new spyware variant (‘SpyLend’) underscores elevated security and financial risks to Android users in India and our Technical analysis below).
- A series of botnet-operated password-spray attacks raises security risks for Microsoft 365 users.
- Unnamed threat actors have targeted GitHub users in an ongoing campaign (‘GitVenom’), sustaining elevated information-theft and financial risks to users of the platform.
- A cyber campaign by the Belarus-aligned threat group ‘Ghostwriter’ poses ongoing security risks for Belarusian activists and Ukrainian government organisations and our Technical analysis below).
- Ransomware operations against the construction and real estate sectors in Saudi Arabia highlight sustained security and financial risks to the country.
Technical analysis of weekly stories
A new spyware variant (SpyLend) is targeting global Android users in a financially motivated campaign. Threat actors distribute a malicious application (‘Finance Simplified’) which purports to offer low-interest loans via the Google Play Store to infiltrate victims’ systems. The application redirects users to an external WebView to complete the installation without being detected by Play Store security protections. It also uses an additional external web page to display a privacy policy, covertly allowing threat actors to arbitrarily modify the policy without needing any permissions. The application can dynamically change its user interface (UI) depending on the victim’s location, highlighting the targeted nature of this campaign. It specifically displays a different UI for India-based users to showcase a list of low-interest loan options, underscoring the sophisticated social engineering techniques. Finance Simplified subsequently requests extensive user permissions to gather sensitive information from victims’ devices (including call logs, contacts, messages and user location). The application also enables threat actors to exfiltrate data to command-and-control (C2) servers and inject additional malicious code into compromised devices. Threat actors then use stolen data to coerce victims into paying high interest rates after tricking them into applying for a loan.
The Belarus-aligned threat group Ghostwriter has been targeting Belarusian activists and Ukrainian government organisations in a cyber operation since at least the end of 2024. Ghostwriter uses phishing emails as initial attack vectors to trick potential victims into clicking on a Google Drive link claiming to contain a list of political prisoners. The link contains a malicious Excel file that displays a decoy list of political prisoners while covertly installing a modified version of the ‘PicassoLoader’ malware. The file checks the device’s location before downloading the main PicassoLoader payload via a modified .JPG file. Alternatively, if the victim is located outside of Belarus and/or Ukraine, the file downloads a legitimate .JPG file to enhance detection evasion. PicassoLoader is stored and modified in a system’s memory to establish persistence, remain obfuscated and avoid detection by security analysts. Ghostwriter also used an additional open-source obfuscator tool in cyber attacks against Ukrainian government organisations. The tool was initially developed for red team and penetration test exercises, highlighting the group’s exploitation of legitimate tools for malicious activity.
Some non-exhaustive recommendations to mitigate these threats include:
- 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; configure firewalls to block outbound communication to malicious IP addresses associated with known malware
- Adopt behaviour-based end-point detection and response (EDR) solutions, prioritising the detection of the initial stages of a compromise
- Conduct cyber hygiene awareness courses for users, enabling them to recognise and report phishing and other types of social engineering
(Source: Sibylline)