13 Mar 25. Break for the Border. News emerged in early February that several United States Air Force (USAF) intelligence-gathering planes were flying missions close to the US-Mexican border, and above the Gulf of Mexico. Data from aircraft tracking website flightdata24.com revealed the aircraft were flying in either US or international airspace. Assets flown by the USAF include Boeing RC-135V/W Rivet Joint Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) gathering aircraft. Reports by several American media outlets noted that the flights had commenced in late January and continued into February over a ten-day period. Targets of the surveillance were thought to be Mexican drug cartels. The illegal trade in fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is understandably a major concern for both the US and Mexican governments. Figures published by the US Customs and Border Patrol for 2024 said that 98 percent of the Fentanyl entering the US moves across the US-Mexican border. The US Drug Enforcement Agency says that Fentanyl overdoses are the biggest killer of adults aged between 18 and 45. Platforms like the RC-135V/W are probably collecting Communications Intelligence (COMINT) on the gangs that underpin the fentanyl industry. This intelligence could inform US and Mexican law enforcement efforts to interdict and shutdown these operations. Hopefully, where possible, the COMINT these aircraft are collecting is being shared with the Mexican government. After all, Mexico has as much an interest in stopping the fentanyl gangs as the US. As always, law enforcement can only be part of the approach to combating the fentanyl epidemic. Public health authorities need resources to tackle addiction in their areas. Over the longer term the underlying social causes of addition must be addressed. Furthermore, assets like the RC-135V/W should be used judiciously. A Rivet Joint flying over the Gulf of Mexico is not flying over areas of tension in the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East or Northern Europe. Is it not possible to use other less high-demand assets to gather COMINT? For example, is there a role for private sector airborne COMINT collection to play in helping the fight against a drug exacting a terrible toll on America’s streets? (Source: Armada)
13 Mar 25. Gee-Whiz. The US Marine Corps is moving ahead with efforts to expand the use of fifth generation (5G) cellular communications on the battlefield. The Corps is interested in using 5G technology to improve tactical communications, and ground-based air defence networking, among other applications. The interest of the United States Department of Defence, and America’s armed forces, in fifth-generation cellular communications is deepening. As Armada has reported in the past, the US Air Force is moving ahead with the acquisition and fielding of SEMPRE and Instant Connect’s T Node. T Node is a deployable network that provides a footprint of 5G coverage across a specific area. 5G technology is also integral to the US Army’s Integrated Tactical Network. For those unfamiliar with 5G, it is a catch-all term for a set of cellular telecommunications protocols being introduced globally governed by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The 3GPP is the international body that defines the mobile wireless network specifications. Those specifications are then codified as standards by the seven regional Standards Development Organizations (SDO). The SDOs include the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (Europe) and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (US). Low- and mid-band, and Millimetre Wave (MMW) segments of the radio spectrum have been earmarked for 5G. Low-band frequencies are akin to those used by 4G, typically 400 megahertz/MHz to 3.4 gigahertz/GHz. Mid-band encompasses frequencies of 2.4GHz to 4.2GHz while MMW inhabits 24GHz up to 72GHz. 5G promises increases in data rates, compared to current 4G protocols, which could reach 20 gigabits-per-second. Latency could fall from circa 20 to 30 milliseconds for 4G, to under ten milliseconds for 5G. More subscribers can be hosted on a single 5G node than on its existing 4G equivalent: Current 4G cellular protocols support circa 4,000 devices per square kilometre (0.38 square miles). This increases to circa one m when using 5G MMW frequencies.
FutureG
Alongside the US Air Force and US Army, the US Marine Corps (USMC) is eagerly embracing the potential of 5G to enhance Corps communications at the tactical level and beyond. In 2024, the USMC reported that it had used a 5G network to share track data from a Northrop Grumman AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) S-band (2.3GHz to 2.5GHz/2.7GHz to 3.7GHz) ground-based air surveillance radar. The 5G network allowed track data to be distributed with ease to air controllers. A key attribute in this regard is that 5G protocols, and the bandwidths they offer, help share such data-heavy information. The US DOD has an overarching 5G joint research and development effort known as the Future Generation Wireless Technologies Office, or FutureG. One of FutureG’s work strands is to explore the potential of 5G to support Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). In the USMC’s own words EABO is a form of expeditionary warfare involving “the employment of mobile, low-signature, operationally relevant, and relatively easy to maintain and sustain naval expeditionary forces from a series of austere, temporary locations ashore or inshore within a contested or potentially contested maritime area.”
Tactical 5G
There is significant interest in within the USMC regarding how fifth-generation cellular protocols could supplement traditional tactical transceivers and networks. Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin A. Pimentel, FutureG’s director for expeditionary and tactical, told Armada about a prototype, deployable private standalone network developed by Lockheed Martin. The deployable 5G network includes a mobile base station, known as a nomadic tower, and a mobile relay node. When the Corps is performing EABO, or other types of expeditionary operations, this ensemble can be deployed to provide a tactical 5G network. Lt. Col. Pimentel said that the concept of operations calls for the nomadic tower to be deployed in a static location. The tower provides 5G coverage across a range of between three and five kilometres (1.9 to 3.1 miles) and takes around one hour to activate. The mobile node relay can be moved around the battlefield providing a bubble of 5G coverage and is activated in around 30 minutes. Both the mobile relay and nomadic tower can backhaul 5G traffic to and from their users to other destinations within and outside the theatre of operations.
Lt. Col. Pimentel says that prototypes of both systems are “pretty well developed and established.” The next stage is to get this architecture into the hands of Marines so that they can experiment with it. He is confident this could happen by the end of the year and sees several applications for the technology: A deployed 5G network could support Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) performing base security. The prototype 5G network demonstrated that the bandwidths offered by 5G enable high resolution video to be sent from the UAV to edge computing running machine learning algorithms that recognise and track objects of interest. He says that experiments with the architecture have also shown that tactical radios, and other non-5G waveforms can be employed with a 5G core network. This will let network managers “chose the right waveform for the right phase of mission and connect non-compatible radios with one another, removing the need for interoperable waveforms.” The work that the USMC will undertake this year to ascertain the potential of the nomadic tower and mobile node relay could inform whether this architecture eventually becomes a programme of record. Should this be the case, it will mark another important step forward in the embrace of 5G by the US military. (Source: Armada)
12 Mar 25. Russian Radio Revelations. Russian Navy personnel are seen here getting to grips with some of the communications systems routinely used by ships, submarines and bases for command and control. New analysis says that the Russian Navy has reactivated some legacy radio communications links dating back to the Cold War in support of the Baltic Fleet.
Why?
Regular readers of both our Armada Military Communications and Electronic Warfare webpages will be familiar with the work of EW Analytics LLC. That company has generously shared its expertise and analysis regarding Russia’s strategic integrated air defence system. You can imagine the delight in the Armada editorial office when we came across the work of Droxford Maritime. This consultancy has emerged as an excellent provider of open-source intelligence on the Russian Navy. One recent article in particular has made an important contribution to understanding how the Russian Navy communicates.
Armada has written extensively in the past on Russian land manoeuvre force and air force communications. Until recently, there was a relative paucity of information in the public domain regarding Russian Navy communications links. For example, it is known that the navy uses Very Low Frequency (VLF) wavebands of three kiloehertz/KHz to 30KHz chiefly for submarine communications. Meanwhile, in September 2024, Russia’s Tass news agency announced that a new naval communications centre in St. Petersburg, western Russia, had been activated. Extremely Low Frequency (three hertz/Hz to 30Hz) radio is also believed to be used for communications with Russian Navy submarines at depth. As in common with Russia’s other armed forces, her navy uses High Frequency radio (HF: three megahertz/MHz to 30MHz) for line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight links. It is likely that HF is used to either supplement, or replace, standard satellite communications. Additional information on the HF networks used by the Russian military can be found here.
Back to the future
The Droxford Maritime article noted that the Russian Navy appears to have reactivated some legacy trunk communications links that have remained dormant since the days of the Cold War. The use of legacy encrypted voice and data links by the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet headquarters in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad was first noted in November 2024. These links were connecting the Kaliningrad facility with the Russian Navy headquarters in St. Petersburg, and Baltiysk, also in the exclave. Baltiysk is home to a Baltic Fleet port, a garrison and an airbase. Droxford Maritime assesses that the activation has been for radio operator training and to evaluate link performance. The analysis continues that legacy links are being activated to provide command and control redundancy. The logic is to provide additional communications should other conduits be jammed, or degraded, through kinetic or electronic attack in the event of war. The analysis adds that current levels of activity on these links are the highest they have been since the Cold War.
War in the Baltic
Droxford Martine also notes that the activation has been commensurate with Baltic Fleet exercises which have included enhanced levels of radio training compared to the 2020 to 2024 timeframe. Interestingly, similar levels of radio activity have not been observed in the Russian Navy’s Northern and Pacific Fleets. This is also the case for the Caspian Sea Flotilla. While much attention remains understandably on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the surge in communications activity within the Baltic fleet is interesting. Droxford Maritime’s analysis argues that the re-employment of these Cold War-era links suggests the navy is increasing its readiness in this part of Europe. Should war with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation erupt it is most likely that the Baltic and Nordic regions will be the most likely theatre of operations. (Source: Armada)
11 Mar 25. The Shared Approach. The logo of the Federal Communications Commission. The organisation will face formidable challenges in the coming years to ensure that access to the spectrum in the United States is shared fairly across the civilian, military, federal and commercial domains. The new administration of President Donald Trump will face significant challenges regarding spectrum sharing and allocation in the United States. On 20th January, Brendan Carr took up his new role as chair of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Mr. Carr will have a full workload: A February report by telelcoms.com noted that the forthcoming AWS-6 frequency auction should occur by mid-2026. The auction is required by law to raise funds for the Secure and Trusted Communications Network Reimbursement Programme. According to the FCC, this initiative partially reimburses some communications providers. These providers are replacing network infrastructure from the People’s Republic of China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation. The report continued that the auction would focus on additional C-band (two to four gigahertz) spectrum. An FCC auction in 2021 released 280 megahertz of C-band spectrum for fifth generation (5G) cellular services. Funds raised by the AWS-6 auction will be used for this reimbursement.
Beginnings
The auction, and freeing up spectrum for 5G, is just one challenge on Mr. Carr’s desk; others are waiting in the wings, according to the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC). For those not familiar with this organisation’s work, it was established in 2015. The consortium is a non-profit organisation “focused on advanced wireless technology development in the US”, according to Mari Silbey, the NSC’s chief programme officer. Ms. Silbey states the consortium supports research and development, and prototyping efforts, to solve spectrum challenges “that cut across multiple industry sectors, fields of research and government agency responsibilities.”
In 2015, the NSC was awarded an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) by the US government; more details on the workings of OTAs can be found here. The $1.5 bn contracting vehicle was sponsored by the Office of the Undersecretary of Defence for Research and Engineering (OUSDRE) “to accelerate research into spectrum-related technologies and help improve and advance Department of Defence (DOD) systems that use wireless spectrum,” Ms. Silbey continues. The consortium now has over 300 member organisations drawn from across industry and academe working with the OUSDRE. The NSC responds to “competitive solicitations and awards prototype contracts to consortium members pre-qualified to do business with the government,” she adds.
Beyond the work of the NSC in facilitating these prototype contract awards the organisation acts as a channel between federal and non-federal stakeholders on spectrum use and sharing issues. To this end, the consortium hosts technical working groups involving civilian, military and federal stakeholders. These working groups are tasked with “studying spectrum management challenges and raising potential solutions that can be prototyped.” For example, in December 2024, the NSC published a DOD solicitation to develop dynamic spectrum sharing technology for the 3.1GHz to 3.45GHz waveband.
Sharing the Spectrum
As shown by the global onward march of 5G, spectrum demand shows little sign of abating. At the same time, the spectrum is a finite resource, making it vital that allocation is performed fairly: “Wireless carriers need access to more spectrum to improve wireless communications services, create new economic opportunities, and compete on the global stage,” Ms. Silbey emphasises. Meanwhile, “(f)ederal stakeholders need spectrum to meet mission objectives including the defence of the nation, public safety, space exploration, weather forecasting and more.”
Auctioning spectrum brings its own challenges: “Some stakeholders would like to use future auction funds to offset other government spending,” Ms. Silbey says, “(o)thers argue that the relocation of federal spectrum incumbents from certain bands to enable an auction would not only endanger mission objectives but would be expensive.” Spectrum sharing is a promising solution but has its own challenges: “When each side brings competing facts to the table about the viability of different spectrum sharing approaches, it is difficult to assess which potential pathways are realistic and should be pursued.” The work of the NSC in facilitating prototyping, and research and development, “allows federal partners to fund demonstration projects that can help establish the viability of different spectrum sharing solutions.”
Ms. Silbey believes these challenges can be surmounted with “continued frank and technical information exchange between federal and non-federal stakeholders … (to enable) … discussion of classified information in secure, controlled settings when necessary.” In addition, “applied research and prototyping of new solutions are key because a number of technical solutions for spectrum sharing currently exist but require testing at scale to build confidence in their applicability and reliability.” Ultimately, Ms. Silbey argues that “(i)nstead of provoking extended political and legal fights that may damage national defence and/or lead to missed economic opportunities, we need federal funding and leadership to enable practical spectrum sharing research and development.” (Source: Armada)
09 Mar 25. March Radio Roundup.
Sentrycs launched its Horizon counter-uninhabited aerial vehicle system on 30th January. The company stated in its press release that Horizon uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in its software. The software detects UAVs (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles) that “were previously undetectable” according to Sentrycs. The company stated in a press release that Horizon analyses the prevailing, local electromagnetic environment. It will identify radio burst transmissions that “match the characteristics of datalinks emitted by drones, remote controls, or other communications devices.” AI is employed to analyse and extract patterns from previously unknown communications, something the company claims has not previously been achieved. As a result, Sentrycs claims the system can detect hitherto unencountered UAVs without recourse to a threat library.
Audelia Boker, Sentrycs’ vice president of marketing, told Armada that Horizon “is agnostic to frequencies and will detect DIY (Do-It-Yourself) drones on any frequency.” In an urban environment, Horizon can detect UAV threats at a range of two kilometres (1.2 miles). This range increases to four kilometres (2.4 miles) in rural areas. Ms. Boker continued that Horizon will be made available to customers by the end of March.
New Troposcatter Transceiver
Comtech’s new MPR troposcatter radio has already been acquired by an unnamed NATO customer. The radio can achieve beyond-line-of-sight ranges of up to 240 kilometres (150 miles) and data rates of up to 210 megabits-per-second. On 13th February, Comtech announced the launch of its new Multipath Radio (MPR). Comtech claims the radio is the first ever terrestrial, integrated, high data rate over-the-horizon transceiver of its kind. Alongside military users, the company is aiming the MPR at the first responder and commercial sectors. The radio uses troposcatter techniques to achieve Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) ranges of up to 240 kilometres (150 miles). Alongside BLOS, the MPR provides line-of-sight and obstructed line-of-sight links. Comtech says the radio is ready for use in under ten minutes. During a recent demonstration in Florida, the MPR provided data rates of 14 megabits-per-second/mbps across a range of 163km (101 miles). This was achieved using half a watt of transmission power, the company added. The radio also participated in the US Navy’s Silent Storm exercise in 2024. The MPR provided a ship-to-shore connection for an uninhabited surface vehicle.
Daniel Gizinski, president of Comtech’s satellite and space business segment, told Armada that the radio uses frequencies of 4.4 gigahertz to five gigahertz. Data throughputs of between 0.95mbps and 210mbps are achievable. Mr. Gizinski added that MPR development is now complete and “field testing with prospective customers is ongoing.”
Moreover, an undisclosed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has placed an order for the transceiver. (Source: Armada)
11 Mar 11. Pacific Defense Launches MCS2090VP Multi-Waveform Command and Control Mission System. Pacific Defense, a leader in Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) solutions, announces the MCS2090VP, a 3U OpenVPX™ multi-waveform command and control (C2) multi-mission, multi-domain system aligned with the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA™) Technical Standard. The MCS2090VP is a part of Pacific Defense’s Networked and Encrypted Resilient Versatile Engine (NERVE) family of systems that provides scalable communication and computation to support multi-echelon, radio cross-banding, and simultaneous voice and data communications. Such support, as well as critical interoperability and redundancy, is achieved using communication waveforms hosted on C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) based tactical radios and single board computers. It manages and shares voice and C2 data across applications to provide a common operating picture for commanders at the tactical edge in disrupted, disconnected, intermittent and low-bandwidth (DDIL) environments. The MCS2090VP extends Pacific Defense’s product portfolio offering a rugged, high-performance multi-function mission system that unlocks rapid innovation across the defense industry. The MCS2090VP is a MOSA solution that maximizes access to multi-vendor technology and provides more flexibility in upgrading and fielding new commercial technologies. A Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) C2 mission system aligned with the CMOSS standard represents a significant step forward in the United States Army’s efforts to modernize its C2, communication and electronic warfare capabilities using commercial solution offerings and Other Transaction Authority (OTA). It enables an acquisition model that provides a flexible, efficient, and cost-effective solution ready for integration of advanced technologies into military platforms. It also enables the rapid deployment of secure communications across a wide range of military programs, including those aligned with the U.S. Army’s CMOSS Mounted Form Factor (CMFF) initiative. The mechanical dimensions of the MCS2090VP support an easy installation in light tactical wheeled vehicles or track platforms within the envelope of the legacy SINCGARS AN/VRC-92 Dual Long Range VHF radio system, or various other high-performance platforms for ground, airborne, and naval applications.
Advanced Tactical Communication
The MCS2090VP supports Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) capabilities through Silvus’ MN-MIMO and TrellisWare TSM™ field-tested waveform technologies and can facilitate future NSA Type-1 certified radios. It enables advanced, resilient communication with an SBU-E (Sensitive but Unclassified – Encrypted) network at the tactical edge to ensure commanders have a common operating picture at the tactical edge even in disrupted environments. The MCS2090VP also has a wide range of communications and compute capabilities, all controlled with a single user interface (UI). It can accommodate a wide range of COTS amplifiers and antennas dependent upon the waveform requirements.
“The MCS2090VP takes our existing technology and product offerings developed over a decade to the next level,” said Pedja Mitrovic, V.P. Product Management at Pacific Defense. “This product is the first of its kind CMOSS-compliant, SOSA-aligned mission-critical system for a scalable network node that further underscores our commitment to provide warfighting functions aligned to open industry standards that enhance mission effectiveness, simplify operations and reduce training complexity for our warfighters.”
Unified User Interface
The MCS2090VP incorporates a unified UI across multiple functions and radios. Applications such as CodeMettle for NetOps compatible with the Unified Network Operations (UNO), Mounted Mission Command – Software (MMC-S) for Joint Battle Command (requires U.S. Army approval) – Platform (JBC-P) support or Local TAK server, VIASAT NetAgility software for robust, resilient, and automated PACE communications paths, and REDCOM tactical secure voice conferencing and Instant Connect Enterprise™ (ICE) for radio crossbanding, all come pre-installed on the MCS2090VP and support Department of Defense’s Software Acquisition Pathway, or SWP procurement model. These are paired with a broad ecosystem of SOSA-aligned solutions, developed using microservices architecture that dynamically adapt to mission requirements. Optionally, with additional plug-in card and software, Pacific Defense can integrate Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) Awareness and Force Protection Electronic Attack (FPEA) capabilities to eliminate the extra systems needed to effectively manage and monitor tactical communications and mitigate the threat of electromagnetic interference. These mission applications are supported by Pacific Defense’s CharybdisOS™ operating environment, an open, modular, plug-in architecture aligned with the SOSA Technical Standard. The modular, open-architecture design provides adoption of the latest hardware and software solutions to maintain a competitive advantage.
Key Features of the MCS2090VP:
- 3U OpenVPX™ SOSA-aligned, fully CMOSS-compliant mission system
- Supports Silvus MN-MIMO and TrellisWare TSM™ waveforms
- Future waveform support on NSA-certified technology
- Configured with a suite of NETOPS applications
For more information, please visit the product page: MCS2090VP.
Availability
The MCS2090VP is available to order now.
About Pacific Defense
Pacific Defense is a leading provider of innovative solutions for C5ISR and Electronic Warfare (EW) in demanding military and aerospace applications. Leveraging Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) standards, Pacific Defense delivers advanced technology that enables faster adaptation to emerging threats and evolving mission requirements. See more information at https://pacific-defense.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
11 Mar 11. Momentus and Solstar Space Announce Strategic Partnership for On-Demand Communication for Space Systems. Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) (“Momentus”), a U.S. commercial space company offering satellite buses, technologies, transportation, and other in-space infrastructure services, and Solstar Space Company (“Solstar”), a U.S. space communications company making on-orbit WiFi communications available, are pleased to announce the signing of a strategic partnership agreement. Momentus and Solstar Space will collaborate to make new ways of operating in space possible by enabling our customers to have on-demand connectivity with their systems in space.
“By blending our technological core competencies and the talents of our teams, we can bring a new capability to our customers for on-demand communication to operate space systems on-orbit like we have come to use daily on Earth.”
This connectivity will allow customers to use commercial satellite constellations to communicate on-demand with systems aboard spacecraft in orbit, instead of relying on costly ground communications services provided by specialized vendors that only provide periodic burst communications when their spacecraft passes over a ground station. The type of connectivity that Momentus and Solstar plan to provide will allow space system operators to communicate with their systems on-orbit the same way they use Wi-Fi on Earth to communicate continuously and on-demand.
Momentus and Solstar will conduct the first on-orbit demonstration of Solstar’s Deke Space Communicator in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) on a mission that will be launched on an upcoming SpaceX Transporter rideshare as soon as early 2026. The Deke Space Communicator will provide on-demand Wi-Fi and narrowband Internet connectivity for Momentus and its customers.
Through our partnership, our companies plan to accelerate development and demonstration of our technologies and substantially improve our ability to bring new capabilities to market for commercial and government customers.
This strategic partnership leverages the strengths and expertise of both companies and aims to make it possible for our customers to utilize on-demand, persistent, and cost-effective communication with space systems across a variety of mission types and operational orbits. Under the terms of the agreement, Momentus and Solstar will work closely and pursue joint opportunities in hosted payload services and space data relay communications systems.
“Our strategic partnership builds on the flight-proven capabilities that Momentus has for hosted payloads and satellite buses and leverages the innovative on-orbit WiFi and Internet connectivity that Solstar is developing,” said John Rood, CEO of Momentus Space. “By blending our technological core competencies and the talents of our teams, we can bring a new capability to our customers for on-demand communication to operate space systems on-orbit like we have come to use daily on Earth. This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for both companies,” said Brian Barnett, Founder and CEO of Solstar. “By collaborating with Momentus, we are poised to accelerate our growth and bring new, transformative solutions to the market. Our Deke Space Communicator, along with its onboard WiFi capabilities, is uniquely positioned to support missions like the planned Momentus launch where reliable connectivity to onboard spacecraft communications systems is important to successful mission completion. We look forward to a successful partnership that will create value for our respective customers and stakeholders.”
About Momentus Inc.
Momentus is a U.S. commercial space company that offers commercial satellite buses and in-space infrastructure services including in-space transportation, hosted payloads, and other in-orbit services.
About Solstar Space Company
Solstar Space is the leading commercial space-based connectivity company pioneering the use of Space WiFi for all types of on-orbit assets including satellites, space stations, launch vehicles, and more. We provide a secure internet connection between spacecraft and Earth-based payload managers and satellite operators, and enable communications for crewed missions in sub-orbit, LEO, cis-lunar, and lunar surface operations.
Our fast, reliable services, space-tested routers, WiFi access points and hotspots, and space-based satellite data relays are being developed to deliver on-orbit connectivity and are supported by 24/7 customer care. These devices are installed on satellites and spacecraft prior to launch to keep crew, spacecraft, and Earth-based satellite operations teams connected. Visit https://www.solstarspace.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
10 Mar 25. Ultra Intelligence & Communications (Ultra I&C) has launched a transformative leap in military command and control – a unified ADSI® platform. This next-generation platform addresses the urgent need for faster decision-making in increasingly complex operational environments by unifying all advanced C2 capabilities into a single, instantly deployable solution. At its core, ADSI solves a critical battlefield challenge by delivering unmatched tactical data translation, integrating vital information from sources like Link-16 platforms, net-enabled weapons, and hypersonic systems when commanders need it most.
“The modern battlefield demands tools that can keep pace with emerging threats and compressed decision cycles,” said Randy Fields, CTO of Ultra I&C. ” This latest capability enhancement represents our commitment to putting actionable intelligence directly into operators’ hands, combining AI capabilities with decades of operational expertise to fundamentally change how missions are executed.”
The platform’s AI assistant operates even in contested, disconnected environments—ensuring forces maintain technical advantage even when network access is compromised. Its scalable architecture, powered by Ultra I&C’s Unity Adapter, seamlessly transitions between cloud and traditional networks to adapt to evolving mission requirements without infrastructure overhauls. ADSI maintains Joint Interoperability Test Command certification while introducing a continuous Authority to Operate (cATO) accreditation that enables rapid security updates and capability integration. This approach eliminates traditional approval bottlenecks, allowing commanders to quickly adapt to emerging threats while maintaining system security and resilience. By revolutionizing how warfighters connect, coordinate, and execute across domains, Ultra I&C is establishing a new paradigm for coalition forces operating in increasingly contested environments worldwide. (Source: PR Newswire)
11 Mar 25. Stealthy cyber operations elevate security, cyber espionage risks. On 10 March, the cyber security company Kaspersky reported that the suspected Indian advanced persistent threat (APT) group ‘SideWinder’ has targeted the maritime, logistics and nuclear sectors in Africa, Asia and Europe in cyber espionage operations since H2 2024. The group uses spear phishing emails to trick potential victims into clicking on a malicious attachment. The attachment then executes a first-stage payload to collect information on an infected device’s installed security protections, highlighting SideWinder’s detection evasion capabilities. If no security mechanisms are detected, SideWinder deploys an information-stealing malware (‘StealerBot’) to exfiltrate sensitive information from compromised systems. If SideWinder’s tools are discovered on an infected system, the group will deploy modified versions of the malware within hours; this highlights the persistence and sophistication of SideWinder’s operations. The group’s latest operations signaled an expansion of its target pool, thus elevating security and cyber espionage risks to the aforementioned sectors. (Source: Sibylline)
10 Mar 25. MASS, part of the Cohort plc Group, has been awarded a two-year extension on the Joint Command and Staff Training (JCAST) contract for UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Strategic Command. Valued at more than £17.5m, the contract extension will begin in July 2025 and coincide with MASS celebrating over 25 years delivering JCAST training support. Through JCAST, MASS provides comprehensive training support for the Integrated Warfare Centre, part of Strategic Command, as well as other parts of the MOD. The training support package delivered by MASS provides a complete operational-level exercise design, preparation, delivery and analysis support capability. The contract also includes design and delivery of essential Pre-Employment Training for UK and international staff officers joining operational HQs, and a pan-Defence data management service. The training ensures personnel are prepared for the full spectrum of potential deployments, ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief responses to non-combatant evacuations and combat operations.
Keith Norton, Managing Director at MASS said, “Modern military operations no longer take place in isolation but within a dynamic human terrain where information—and disinformation—move rapidly across the internet and social media. Training must reflect this reality. By integrating the latest technology into our exercises, the JCAST contract will ensure personnel benefit from a ‘train as you will operate’ experience.
“We are proud of our longstanding relationship with UK Strategic Command and our ongoing efforts to evolve training in line with its requirements. The introduction of an advanced simulation system—offering a fully immersive, closed environment that mirrors the complexities of both civilian and military landscapes— will see personnel train in conditions that accurately reflect today’s evolving operational challenges.”
MASS has continually developed its training support offering by integrating improved methods using the latest synthetic environment technology underpinned by its unrivalled military, diplomatic and professional experience. This enables the company’s training audiences to prepare effectively for the rapidly evolving demands of the real-world operational environment.
Air Vice-Marshal Simon Strasdin CBE MA, Director Integrated Warfare Centre, Strategic Command, said, “MASS’ training solutions are constantly improving to meet the ever-changing needs of the UK MOD. The Integrated Warfare Centre is looking forward to continuing our partnership to deliver a fully immersive training experience and equip our team with the best preparation possible.”
10 Mar 25. CounterShadow announces its arrival as a new force within the cybersecurity industry, focused on autonomous threat investigation and response through advanced artificial intelligence. Founded by Jonathan Zulberg and Tony Massé, CounterShadow will transform how organisations investigate and respond to cyber threats in an era where security analysts are scarce and overwhelmed by alert volume and complexity. The company’s founding vision delivers intelligent automation that enhances security team capabilities whilst dramatically reducing operational burden.
“Today’s cybersecurity landscape demands a fundamentally new approach,” explains Jonathan Zulberg, Chief Executive Officer of CounterShadow. “Security teams are drowning in alerts and facing increasingly sophisticated attacks. We founded CounterShadow to transform how organisations identify and neutralise threats before they impact critical assets.”
In today’s threat landscape, speed and precision are essential for effective cybersecurity. However, security operations teams face mounting challenges that traditional approaches cannot adequately address. CounterShadow’s innovative platform bridges this gap by applying advanced artificial intelligence to streamline and enhance threat investigation workflows.
CounterShadow addresses critical market challenges including:
- Overwhelming alert volumes requiring constant triage
- Growing sophistication of AI-powered attacks
- Expanding attack surfaces demanding continuous vigilance
- Security analyst burnout from repetitive investigation tasks
The company has secured initial funding to accelerate its development roadmap and go-to-market strategy. In Q2 of 2025, CounterShadow will introduce its inaugural product, empowering security analysts with autonomous capabilities powered by AI. Early access programmes are currently available for select organisations looking to strengthen their security operations.
“Our technology represents a significant advancement in how security teams can operate in today’s high-pressure environments,” adds Tony Massé, Chief Technology Officer. “We’re focused on delivering solutions that enable analysts to focus on strategic priorities rather than drowning in tactical responses.”
Organisations interested in learning more about CounterShadow are invited to visit www.countershadow.com.
About CounterShadow
CounterShadow is dedicated to revolutionising threat investigation and response through intelligent automation. Founded by industry veterans Jonathan Zulberg and Tony Massé, with over 20 years of combined experience in security operations, CounterShadow enables organisations to maintain resilient security postures in an ever-evolving threat landscape. The company is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
07 Mar 25. Cyber Update Key points.
- An attack by the ransomware group ‘Qilin’ highlights the increased financial, security and operational risks facing data-rich sectors (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 3 March 2025).
- A phishing campaign abusing legitimate Microsoft tools underscores the increased security risks facing global users.
- A cyber espionage operation targeting critical transport and satellite communications sectors in the UAE will present long-term security and cyber espionage risks.
- The Chinese state-sponsored group ‘Silk Typhoon’ has been exploiting the software supply chain in order to infiltrate targeted systems, pointing to elevated cyber espionage and security risks for global firms (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 6 March 2025).
- A new large-scale botnet conducting distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks has increased operational and security risks for internet-connected devices.
Technical analysis of weekly stories
A new campaign is leveraging a combination of social engineering, multi-stage malware and the manipulation of trusted cloud services to take over targeted systems. The campaign is initiated via phishing emails containing an HTML attachment that presents a fake error message. This error message requests the user to copy and paste a seemingly harmless command into their system’s terminal. However, the command initiates the download and execution of malicious code (this is dubbed a ‘ClickFix’ attack). The downloaded code then performs checks to evade sandbox environments and subsequently executes the ‘Havoc’ red team post-exploitation framework. This establishes concealed communication with command-and-control (C2) infrastructure. The threat actors also abuse the legitimate Microsoft Graph application programming interface (API) to help conceal Havoc’s activity, highlighting the operation’s use of legitimate Microsoft tools/programmes to facilitate malicious activity and evade detection. In late 2024, a new cyber threat actor, ‘UNK_CraftyCamel’, compromised an Indian electronics company to target five organisations based in the UAE in a phishing operation. The campaign began with phishing emails using a compromised email account belonging to the Indian electronics company INDIC Electronics to disperse emails containing a malicious .ZIP file. The .ZIP file contained three polyglot files that were specially crafted to distribute the ‘Sosano’ backdoor and establish persistence on infected machines. Sosano is capable of deleting directories, executing shell commands and downloading additional payloads, pointing to its moderate level of sophistication and limited capabilities. Notably, Sosano is written with only a small amount of malicious code despite being a large file. As a result, it is likely that the malware developers intentionally inflated Sosano’s codebase with additional and unnecessary code to hinder detection and analysis.
Non-exhaustive recommendations to mitigate against 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 communications to malicious IP addresses associated with any 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
Our cyber word(s) of the week: Polyglot file
(Source: Sibylline)