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09 Apr 26. Oh Vienna!
Holly Martins trod its streets in the seminal 1949 film noir The Third Man helping cement Vienna’s reputation as a European centre of espionage. Austria’s neutrality and the city’s geography, situated as it is betwixt Central, Western and Southern Europe, has helped Vienna become a backdrop to intrigue. National embassies, international bodies like the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, private banking and a wealthy population are all useful to those who purloin secrets on behalf of governments around Europe and beyond.
The city’s reputation in this regard was underlined further in a report published by the Financial Times in mid-March which claimed that the Russian embassy in Vienna was a major centre for Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) collection. The report cited anonymous Western officials who claimed that Russia’s SIGINT gathering capabilities at the embassy constituted one of her largest such operations globally.
Alarm bells started to ring when large satellite dishes began appearing on Russian-owned buildings, including non-diplomatic ones, across the city during the past two years. Around 500 Russian diplomats are thought to be based in Vienna, with around 150 of these involved with intelligence work. Having satellite dishes present on the roofs of diplomatic buildings is not that remarkable. Embassies need to communicate with their governments, which maybe thousands of miles away. Satellite communications is a favoured method therein. However, when the orientation of one of the Russian dishes between changing during the Munich Security Conference, held in the southwestern German city this February, the Austrian authorities realised something was up. They deduced that the dish may have been used to eavesdrop on SATCOM traffic flowing into and out of this event.
It seems unlikely that Russian diplomats will stop this alleged activity, particularly given Vienna’s convenient location, and the fact that Austria remains neutral. That said, the latter’s domestic intelligence agency has issued warnings over Russia’s suspected actions. There is one upside to the revelation: Given Russia’s suspected behaviour, governments or organisations which maybe the targets of this SIGINT collection can now assume that communications occurring within range of these Russian intelligence gathering assets are compromised. Other satellite communications conduits can be employed which avoid falling within range of Russia’s SIGINT collection activities, thus denying Moscow its haul. Nonetheless, even if such steps are taken, and Moscow’s Vienna signals intelligence pipeline slows to a trickle, the Austrian capital is unlikely to lose its attraction as a spook’s mecca any time soon. (Source: Armada)
09 Apr 26. Video Nasty
The PKN-005 Black Eye Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) jammer
Details are emerging concerning the Russian military’s PKN-005 Black Eye uninhabited aerial vehicle jammer which began to appear on Ukraine’s battlefields last year.
The PKN-005 Black Eye Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) jammer is believed to have first been deployed in Ukraine from mid-2024, its appearance confirmed in early 2025, Armada understands. Initial indications of the PKN-005’s deployment was from Ukrainian First Person View (FPV) UAV operators. FPV UAV pilots reported their aircraft’s video signal being jammed. Jamming the video transmission from a UAV to its pilot contrasts with orthodox UAV jamming tactics. The latter emphasises attacking the Radio Frequency (RF) link connecting the aircraft with its pilot and Ground Control Station (GCS).
Attacking the RF video link between the UAV and the GCS has two effects: Firstly, the UAV pilot can no longer collect imagery intelligence if this link is severed. Secondly, a lack of visual situational awareness deprives the pilot of seeing potential threats to their aircraft.
Such was the potency of the PKN-005 that this counter-UAV system became a high priority for Ukrainian tactical units at, and near, the zero line. Armada has obtained Russian language documents purporting to be operating manuals for the PKN-005. These documents give some useful clues regarding the system’s capabilities, and tactics of employment.
PKN-005 tactics
The PKN-005 can jam video link frequencies across the following wavebands: one gigahertz/GHz to 1.399GHz, 1.4GHz to 1.7GHZ and 4.9GHz to 6.1GHz. UAV RF video link frequencies are targeted by three modules each covering one of these wavebands. Two jamming antennas equip the PKN-005; one covering a waveband of one gigahertz to 1.7GHz and a second covering 4.9GHz to 6.1GHz. The manual claims the system has an effective range of 10.8 nautical miles/nm (20 kilometres/km).
A notable feature of the PKN-005 is that it is not designed to jam the aircraft but instead attacks the RF link carrying video imagery between the aircraft and pilot. It is a golden rule in electronic warfare that the aggressor does not jam the transmitter, as this would need too much power, but jams the receiver: The targeted signal is much weaker by the time it arrives at the receiving antenna. The Black Eye therefore directs its jamming signal against the pilot’s video feed receiving antenna.
The PKN-005’s operator console has four screens each of which shows a waterfall display from the system’s spectrum analyser. The operator will see a ‘spike’ representing the aircraft control radio signal between the pilot and UAV. The passive receiving antenna provides a Line-of-Bearing (LOB) towards the pilot based on the angle of arrival of that radio signal. Once pilot’s LOB is determined the PKN-005’s jamming antennas are turned in their direction.
Armada understands from Ukrainian sources that each of the modules generates 50 watts (47 decibels-per-milliwatt/dBm) of jamming signal strength. Each of the Black Eye’s two antennas is believed to have a 0.2 square metre surface area. The antenna covering the one gigahertz to 1.7GHz waveband is believed to provide between ten and twelve decibels-relative-to-isotropic (dBi) of antenna gain. Gain is a measure of how much signal strength an antenna focuses. The 4.9GHz to 6.1GHz antenna is thought to have a gain of between 17dBi and 19dBi. Taking these figures together, this would provide an Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP/the amount of power leaving the antenna) of between 57dBm and 69dBm.
Suppose the PKN-005 is transmitting a jamming signal on a frequency of one gigahertz against a UAV pilot four kilometres away. This scenario will assume the pilot’s video receiving antenna has a ten decibels-relative-to-isotropic gain. This receiving antenna would be hit by between -37.58dBm and -46.6dBm of jamming power depending on the jamming antenna used. As a ballpark figure, we will assume the UAV is transmitting a signal with an EIRP of 48dBm. The pilot receives a signal from their UAV with a strength of -64.5dBm. The jamming signals the pilot receives are between 13 to 112 times stronger than the UAV video signal.
Battlefield threat
Armada understands that the PKN-005 is one of the systems deployed by the Russian military’s elite Rubicon UAV unit. In this guise, the jamming system will provide protection against Ukrainian FPV UAVs reconnoitring Russian forces. One of the dangers of Black Eye is that the UAV operator may try to change the frequency of their RF video feed to avoid the jamming. However, if the new frequency is within the PKN-005’s wavebands, it can still be jammed. The tactic of jamming the pilot rather than the aircraft is an interesting approach. Black Eye, and its innovative UAV video feed jamming tactic, is something that allied nations need to contemplate should they face Russian forces on the battlefield (Source: Armada)
09 Apr 26. Cain is Able.
The British Army’s 16th Air Assault Brigade is receiving Persistent System’s MPU5 multiband transceivers as part of the Project Cain undertaking which will play an important role in enhancing this formation’s digital connectivity.
Two recent contract announcements by the UK Ministry of Defence herald a much-needed modernisation for the country’s land manoeuvre force tactical communications.
In February, Armada published an article about a thorough and detailed assessment of the United Kingdom’s failure to adequately obtain a replacement for the aging Bowman combined communications, and Command and Control (C2). Bowman is used extensively by UK land manoeuvre forces. One month earlier, another Armada article detailed the UK Ministry of Defence’s roadmap to field a Bowman replacement. The MOD is now moving at pace to overhaul the tactical communications British land manoeuvre forces rely on.
On 10th March, Persistent Systems announced its selection by the MOD to provide its MPU5 multiband tactical radios and ancillary equipment under the auspices of Project Cain. Project Cain is enhancing the tactical communications used by the British Army’s 16th Air Assault Brigade. MPU5 radios provide several wavebands in 1.35 gigahertz/GHz to 1.39GHz, 2.025GHz to 2.150GHz, 2.2GHz to 2.507GHz, 4.4GHz to five gigahertz and 5.1GHz to six gigahertz, as noted in the company’s brochures. On the same day, the MOD announced that TrellisWare will provide its TW-860 Spirit and TW-135 Shadow radios to the army. The TW-860 is also a multiband, handheld system. The transceiver covers wavebands of 225 Megahertz/MHz to 450MHz, 698MHz to 970MHz and 1.250GHz to 2.6GHz, according to the company’s official literature.
One of TrellisWare’s TW-860 tactical radios is shown here worn on a soldier’s back. The company is expected to deliver thousands of its transceivers to the British Army over the coming years.
Eve Shapiro, Persistent Systems’ director of international business development, told Armada that the radios will mainly be used by the brigade’s dismounted troops, but that these will “also support wider elements of the communications infrastructure”. Matt Fallows, TrellisWare’s vice president of global business development and customer support, said that the company had already sold 800 radios to the MOD in 2025. The March order could see 5,000 transceivers eventually being supplied as “part of a much larger modernisation effort by the British Army that will end up equipping every UK soldier with a radio”.
Mr. Fallows continued that TrellisWare is supplying its TSM and Katana waveforms as part of the order. According to the company, the TSM waveform is a robust, Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) waveform carrying voice, data and position information. Katana provides long-range, narrowband voice, data and position information using a robust MANET waveform. The MPU5 radios will accommodate Persistent Systems’ Cloud Relay MANET system. Cloud Rely can use a selection of conduits such as satellite communications, cellular networking, along with conventional tactical radio links, to move Internet Protocol (IP) data across line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight distances.
Project Cain defined
According to an April 2025 report, Project Cain is providing a digital network to 16th Air Assault Brigade. The selection of the MPU5 and Cloud Relay makes sense in this regard, particularly given the latter’s ability to handle IP traffic. The report continues that lessons learned via Project Cain will inform the wider development of the digital backbone technologies to be acquired through the MOD’s Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information Systems (LETACCIS) initiative. LETACCIS is also the initiative of which Bowman’s replacement is one part. Digital communications architectures are assuming growing importance across the UK’s armed forces given the MOD’s commitment to introduce a joint Digital Targeting Web (DTW). The DTW forms a key part of the United Kingdom’s commitment to embrace the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO’s) Multi-Domain Operations philosophy.
The delivery of TrellisWare’s TW-860 Spirit and TW-135 Shadow radios will give a much-needed boost to UK land manoeuvre force tactical communications. Armada understands that concerns have been voiced in the UK land forces community about the resilience of existing Bowman transceivers and networks to Russian electronic warfare. The step change provided by TSM and Katana in this regard will be palpable from an electronic protection perspective. The MOD should be commended not only for the order, but for getting these radios and waveforms into the hands of soldiers as quickly as possible. The TSM waveform is also equipping Canadian and US land forces, deepening UK interoperability with her counterparts.
That the UK now has a roadmap to update its tactical communications, in the form of the MOD’s Tactical Communications Systems contract vehicle, will hopefully ensure that UK land forces get the systems they need when they need them. Time is of the essence. Tensions between NATO and Russia are unlikely to reduce any time soon. Ensuring that the alliance’s communications and networks can survive on a future battlefield likely to be inundated with Russian jamming is paramount. (Source: Armada)
09 Apr 26. New EW Capabilities for Switzerland.
Switzerland is moving ahead with a modernisation of the country’s electronic warfare capabilities under the auspices of the Insigne programme.
Armasuisse, the country’s defence procurement agency, formally announced the Insigne programme on 12th February. The announcement states that Insigne will enhance the Swiss armed forces’ electronic attack and electronic support capabilities. Insigne is an outgrowth of the Sawfish Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In November 2025 the Federal Council, the country’s cabinet, concluded an agreement with Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands to deepen EW cooperation. The MOU lets Switzerland participate in joint EW procurements involving these countries.
According to Armasuisse’s announcement, the country is looking to deploy distributed, networked Electronic Support Measures (ESMs) to fulfil the electronic support component of the Insigne requirement. ESMs will detect, locate and identify potential electromagnetic threats. These threats will then be engaged by jammers. Insigne capabilities will be procured in several stages as per the country’s 2026 armament programme.
Insigne’s implementation is the responsibility of Armasuisse’s science and technology unit which is working with the joint Armed Forces Cyber Command, the Swiss Air Force and the country’s army. All three stakeholders are defining Insigne’s overall scope and requirements. To date, a pilot systems architecture, which will inform the larger Insigne architecture, has been developed. Associated testing is performed at the science and technology unit’s communications and information systems laboratories. The pilot architecture includes the ESMs and jammers discussed above along with communications for networking, and command and control systems.
An Armasuisse spokesperson told Armada that “Insigne … will comprise electromagnetic sensors and effectors with a modular structure that … can be flexibly adapted to evolving threats (that will be) integrated into the network of sensors, intelligence, command and effects”. Insigne’s software “will support EW command and control, recognised electromagnetic picture and electronic order-of-battle management, data analysis and intelligence dissemination to command posts”.
Interoperability
Armada understands that the funding for Insigne will be drawn from the $305 million that the 2026 Swiss defence budget earmarks for EW and cyber defence capabilities. A key requirement for Insigne is that the capabilities developed thus easily connect not only with Insigne’s associated network, but also with other Swiss platforms and capabilities. For example, an Insigne ESM may detect a radar signal from a hostile combat aircraft which may have, or be about to, violate Swiss airspace. It is imperative that this information can be shared with ease with the Swiss Air Force’s FLORAKO (Flight Operations Integrated Defence and Acquisition Radar and Communications System) integrated air defence system and forthcoming Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning combat aircraft. Such synergies demand robust, redundant communications links and associated protocols.
Current capabilities
According to Armada records, the Swiss military currently uses several, dedicated EW capabilities which are deployed with the country’s Armed Forces Cyber Command. The latter formation has two electronic warfare battalions and one Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) battalion. These latter formations possess twelve General Dynamics Piranha-IIIC Kompak-Pz eight-wheel drive SIGINT-configured armoured fighting vehicles. The country’s strategic Integrated Radio Surveillance and Transmitter System (IRSTS) employs a network of static and deployable ESMs to collect and process SIGINT. This intelligence is analysed by the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service. Deployable jamming in support of targets processed by the IRSTS is the preserve of eight Piranha-IIIC Mehrzwecksender (Multipurpose Transmitter) Mzs Pz SE-630 platforms.
The Armasuisse spokesperson confirmed to Armada that Insigne equipment will furnish the cyber command’s EW units. Associated procurements will begin in 2027 and “will be carried out in an iterative and phased manner so that the forces can be equipped with new capabilities as soon as possible”. Given the relatively young age of the Piranha-IIIC EW platforms, which entered service from 2012, Insigne will complement, rather than replace them. Insigne clearly represents an important enhancement to Swiss tactical, operational and strategic electronic warfare. Moreover, Insigne’s new capabilities will be truly joint, benefitting both the country’s air force and army. (Source: Armada)
09 Apr 26. April Radio Roundup.
Intellian’s OW7MP backpack satellite communications terminal provides Ku-band links for the OneWeb broadband low earth orbit SATCOM network.
Armada’s monthly roundup of all the latest news in the military communications product, programme and operational domains.
New OneWeb Backpack Terminal
In early February Eutelsat announced the launch of Intellian’s OW7MP Satellite Communications (SATCOM) backpack terminal for use with the former’s OneWeb network of broadband low earth orbit communications satellites. The terminal will be made available to Eutelsat government and defence customers requiring this connectivity, according to a press release. The document stated that the OW7MP features “one-touch network acquisition”. It can be used in environments where Global Navigation Satellite System Position, Navigation and Timing signals are unavailable. This is due to the use of the proprietary AstraPNT architecture embedded in the terminal. OneWeb provides Ku-band connectivity for SATCOM terminals across downlink frequencies of 10.7 gigahertz/GHz to 12.7GHz, and uplink on a 14GHz to 14.5GHz waveband. Ka-band connectivity to satellite network portals is furnished with Ka-band links of 17.8GHz to 20.2GHz and 27.5GHz to 30GHz. Eutelsat told Armada in a written statement that OW7MP terminals are now available for order, although declined to share the identities of customers and order sizes to date.
Global Invacom launches XY Terminals
Global Invacom revealed its new XY antenna satellite communications terminals via a press release in late February. The company stated that the new terminals are available in four antenna sizes; 0.98 metres/m, 1.2m, 1.8m and 2.4m. According to the press release “the rapid‑deploy XY antennas feature a highly modular, no‑tools assembly, allowing systems to be deployed, calibrated and operational in under fifteen minutes”. The antennas integrate a single “IP67‑rated mechanical housing with an internal cable raceway, ensuring repeatable accuracy and orthogonality across all pointing angles, even in harsh field conditions”. The terminals’ pedestal and antenna control unit supports “multiple operating modes including one‑button auto‑acquire, inclined‑orbit tracking, programmed tracking with closed‑loop signal optimisation and automated calibration via advanced search algorithms”. Bob Potter, the company’s chief technology officer, told Armada that the terminals can facilitate C-band (5.925 gigahertz/GHz to 6.425GHz uplink/3.7GHz to 4.2GHz downlink), X-band (7.9Ghz to 8.4GHz uplink/7.25GHz to 7.75GHz downlink), Ka-band (14GHz uplink/10.9GHz to 12.75GHz downlink) and Ku-band (26.5GHz to 40GHz uplink/18GHz to 20GHz downlink) links. Mr Potter continued that the new terminals work with low-Earth orbit, mid-Earth orbit and geostationary constellations. Sales of the terminals to European customers have been concluded, although the company declined to identify customers citing confidentiality. (Source: Armada)
07 Apr 26. Bittium and Telia have jointly implemented a hybrid network that extends the Finnish Defence Forces’ resilient communications into the 5G network. The hybrid network combines Bittium’s tactical communications network, which forms the core of the Defence Forces’ C5 system, with Telia’s 5G network, which serves as the backbone for wireless digital communications. The seamless entity provides the Defence Forces with secure communications and data transfer across an even more extensive network. The solution supports the flexibility and operational capability of defense operations, as well as cooperation with authorities and allied partners.
“At the core of developing support for military command is the consistent yet rapid development of C5 systems using modern technologies—combining the benefits of dual‑use technologies and military networks optimized to meet the requirements of the battlespace. The Finnish Defence Forces’ objective is to develop a strong Finnish communications platform based on a hybrid approach, offering a high level of automation and versatility to support Defence Forces operations. Telia and Bittium have successfully verified how communications for critical operations can be implemented securely and seamlessly by leveraging the strengths of both 5G networks and tactical communications networks,” states Defence Command Chief of C5, Major General Jarmo Vähätiitto
At the heart of the network interoperability is Bittium’s next‑generation FUSOR software router, which enables agile and cost‑efficient extension of Bittium’s tactical network. FUSOR can be deployed on virtual platforms, seamlessly extending the tactical network’s resilient communications into the 5G network. Both FUSOR and Bittium’s tactical network routers use the same advanced routing protocol, enabling a dynamic Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) that always selects the optimal route for data transfer. Communications remain continuous despite changing circumstances.
“Bittium and Telia have verified to the Finnish Defence Forces how 5G can be used to complement and extend networks used in critical operations. With Telia’s 5G network, tactical networks can be interconnected reliably and securely in a manner required by rapidly changing situations. This implementation marks another milestone in our long‑term cooperation to harness 5G networks in support of critical operations,” says Jari Collin, Telia Finland’s Head of Mission Critical Division.
“With FUSOR, we are bringing resilient communications into 5G networks for the first time. Together with Telia, we are supporting defence requirements with a unified network that provides a high‑performance platform for the critical services, applications, and communications of mobile units, and for cooperation between partners. Communications can be flexibly extended across wide areas, which provides significant operational advantages, for example in situations where units operate at long distances from each other,” says Tommi Kangas, Senior Vice President of Bittium’s Defense & Security business segment.
Bittium and Telia will continue testing and validating the hybrid networks in operational environments
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