Sponsored by Spectra Group
https://tacs.at/Spectra
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04 Jul 19. USAF seeks information on non-satcom beyond line-of-sight communications. Key Points:
- The US Air Force seeks information on beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communication technologies that are not satellite communication (satcom)
- The Pentagon is concerned about how to communicate BLOS if satcom is unavailable in war
The US Air Force (USAF) seeks information from industry regarding non-satellite-based beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications.
The request for information (RFI), reissued on 1 July on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website, specifically seeks technical information on the current state-of-the-art and the future development potential for non-satellite communications high frequency global communications system (HFGCS) (satcom) BLOS technologies such as tropospheric scatter (troposcatter), high frequency (HF), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) relays, passive reflector systems, and others. Further, it seeks information about current and planned development initiatives, technology maturity, fabrication methods, availability, schedule, and cost of such materials for potential use in anticipated military applications.
The USAF is interested in systems that would provide the best redundancy to satcom systems in performance characteristics. These systems may include well-known systems such as troposcatter and HF but also lesser-known systems including passive scatter systems such as aircraft and meteor burst scatter, or an entirely novel idea of achieving BLOS communications.
Troposcatter technology uses particles that make up the earth’s atmosphere as a reflector for microwave radio signals. Those signals are aimed just above the horizon in the direction of a receiver station. As they pass through the troposphere, some of the energy is scattered back toward earth, allowing the receiver station to pick up the signal, according to Raytheon.
Responses are due by 29 July. In responses, the USAF wants to learn more about new technologies that would decrease maintenance cost fivefold, have a 50% increase in average time between failure, a 100% increase in part failure prediction accuracy, and a 25% increase in reuse. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Jul 19. The US Army is putting two and two together to mature its network. Army leaders recognize they can’t forecast what a network will look like in 10 years, so they plan to insert new technologies into the overall network design every two years beginning in 2021 to keep up with the exponential growth of technology and software. To facilitate this modernized network architecture, dubbed the integrated tactical network, Army Futures Command is working to align mature technologies to incremental deliveries.
The cross-functional team is “working with the C5ISR [Combat Capabilities Development Command Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance] Center to align all of these [science and technology] efforts so that when they put them on a [capability set] — like advanced air-ground comms or reduced [electromagnetic] signature — they’re lining up those S&T efforts so that they’re available for demonstration one to two years early,” Col. Garth Winterle, program manager for tactical radios in Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, told reporters during a demonstration at Fort Myer June 18.
“So, when it comes time to field it, it’s actually been through a demonstration and a test and it’s actually ready to go out.”
Winterle, whose office is the primary organization within the program executive office running point on the integrated tactical network, said that while the C5ISR Center explores technologies, the cross-functional team is keeping track of both internal developments and external projects and the pace at which they can be deployed.
“It either comes out of our S&T community or if vendors at technical exchange meetings either demonstrate or communicate that they’re going to have that capability at certain times, that’s where we kind of insert it into the cap sets,” Winterle said.
One such example could be electromagnetic spectrum decoys: devices that are dropped on the ground and emanate a signature akin to a command post, potentially confounding enemies.
Winterle said the C5ISR Center is actively pursuing these types of decoys, but they aren’t ready for the first capability set delivery in 2021. There should, however, be prototypes in the field by 2022 at the latest, he said.
In terms of overall funding, the Army is working hard with Congress to make sure the right dollars are in place to keep up with this newer, fast-paced DevOps cycle for the integrated tactical network.
“For the most part we have not been able to run as hard and as fast as we have liked in [20]18 for sure. [20]19 we’ve got a plan and then [20]20 we’ve actually got allocated funding approved by the Hill,” Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, the cross-functional team director, told an audience in late May at a technical exchange meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
“We were able to convince the right stakeholders that we needed prototyping funding … [because] industry is really interested, based on these tech exchanges what are you going to put on contract and allow us to participate,” he told C4ISRNET at the event.
Maj. Gen. David Bassett, the program executive officer for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, told C4ISRNET that they’re trying to identify technology opportunities, which sometimes requires reprogramming of resources during a fiscal year.
“We [want to] make sure we’re clear and transparent to Congress on how those funds are being used,” he said. “We want to be as flexible and agile to take advantage of opportunities to capitalize on technology.
“We want to make sure the resources are there to demonstrate these capabilities on a scale that’s relevant; the ability to demonstrate ITN up through a brigade scale is important to us and something that we’re still working toward.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
01 Jul 19. Are war fighters closer to AI-enhanced situational awareness? A new update to the Link 16 situational awareness network uses direct connections to prioritize data for the war fighter and paves the way for artificial intelligence to be integrated into the system.
The Link 16 network is a tactical situational awareness network that provides friend and foe locations to the user, giving the war fighter the information they need to operate effectively on the battlefield. The Link 16 network includes everything from handheld units to terminals installed on ships, aircraft and more.
The latest major update to that system, Concurrent Multiple Reception, allows the units to simultaneously demodulate and decrypt multiple messages. That means that high-priority positional data can be updated more quickly without sacrificing the data speeds of lower priority information.
CMR was developed by Viasat, a company that supplies many of the components that make up the Link 16 network, and in May was awarded a contract to launch the first Link 16-capable space vehicle, which would expand the Link 16 network to beyond line-of-sight communications.
“You can think of [CMR as creating] an HOV lane that doesn’t impact the other lanes in the highway. They’re still operating and carrying all the traffic they would otherwise, but this creates an HOV lane that operates in parallel such that information can be passed in an accelerated way among those force elements that I choose to be directly connected to,” explained Ken Peterman, president of government systems business for Viasat.
“You can have an appreciation that it would be desirable to have the update rate of those elements closest to you be updated much more frequently than those elements that might be 10 or 30 or 50 or 100 miles away from you, because, frankly, you simply don’t need to know that with the same kind of update rate,” he continued. “So what this does is instead of having a constant update rate for everything, it gives you the opportunity to directly connect with those force elements nearest to you and for them to communicate directly in any time slot such that the information is always fresh and even more precise.”
Beyond providing an immediate advantage for the soldier on the battlefield, the CMR update also paves the way for future artificial intelligence integration.
“If we start to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to anticipate emergent threats or opportunities, or if we watch patterns of behavior of, say, adversary forces, and we’re going to predict and provide proactive tipping and queuing to war fighters as to what might happen next, that information in a fast moving battlefield environment needs to be communicated really rapidly,” said Peterman.
In other words, artificial intelligence can determine which information is most relevant to the war fighter and put it into that HOV data lane to ensure it gets into their hands as quickly as possible.
“It’s starting to lay the foundation such that the Link 16 tactical data network has the communications infrastructure, is starting to add the features, to support artificial intelligence and machine learning,” said Peterman.
For handheld units and small terminals, CMR has been added with a software update. Viasat said that many older terminals were being retrofitted with CMR capability, while all future terminals will be delivered with it. In April, the company announced that it had successfully incorporated CMR into all of its next-generation Link 16 products. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
02 Jul 19. DST pursues technology to eliminate chemical weapons. DST scientists are actively supporting international efforts to obtain a total and comprehensive ban on the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. These efforts have included providing scientific advice to diplomats from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade during the negotiation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, and, later, supporting the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the international agency tasked with the implementation of that convention.
A critical part of the support provided by DST is the development of methods to accurately analyse chemical warfare agents and their degradation products. This analysis capability is necessary for the effective verification of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention, including the destruction of all existing stockpiles of chemical weapons and investigations into their alleged use.
Leader of DST’s chemical and biological verification team, Dr Craig Brinkworth, explains that in order to become designated, nominated laboratories are required to participate in rigorous proficiency testing.
“To achieve and maintain designated status for biomedical samples, we must successfully complete annual proficiency testing across two consecutive tests. Failure of any subsequent test results in loss of this status,” Dr Brinkworth said.
One way in which the OPCW has ensured that it can maintain a capacity to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use is through the establishment of a network of OPCW designated laboratories.
DST is one of a relatively small number of laboratories among the 193 member states of the Chemical Weapons Convention that has earned the status of ‘designated laboratory’ with the OPCW, achieving designated laboratory status for the analysis of biomedical samples (plasma and urine) in 2016.
Designated laboratories must be able to rapidly and accurately perform analysis of chemical samples collected by OPCW inspectors from suspected chemical weapons production facilities, storage depots or sites of alleged chemical weapons incidents.
Dr Brinkworth added, “The samples we receive may be spiked with compounds at concentrations as low as four parts per billion, so we need to be sure that our techniques are both sensitive and accurate.”
Having achieved designated status for biomedical samples, DST is currently working towards achieving designated laboratory status for the analysis of environmental samples.
“Unlike biomedical samples where we are measuring for evidence of exposure to a small number of select agents, when we analyse environmental samples we are measuring for the possible presence of a large number of different chemical warfare agents and their related products,” Dr Brinkworth explained.
With proficiency requirements for analysing biomedical samples satisfied, Dr Brinkworth and his team are now waiting for the legal agreements to be put in place to enable them to start receiving samples obtained during OPCW inspections. It is anticipated that these agreements will be in place in the near future. (Source: Defence Connect)
02 Jul 19. New Australian cyber security centre aims to protect democratic process. Flinders University has launched The Jeff Bleich Centre (JBC) for the US Alliance in Digital Technology, Security, and Governance, which it says will “tackle” cyber issues such as foreign meddling in democratic elections.
The research centre will be the first in Australia to “adopt a multidisciplinary approach to social science by bringing together the three key areas of technology, security, governance”.
The JBC will undertake research in areas of mutual concern to Australia and the US to improve the capacity of governments and industry to respond to cyber challenges and threats.
“It will consolidate Flinders University’s research expertise and strengths in digital technologies, security and governance, and build upon Flinders’ existing strengths in US policy studies and the university’s strong US alliance,” Flinders vice-chancellor Professor Colin Stirling said.
“The centre aligns with the South Australian and federal governments’ cyber security plans and will further strengthen South Australia’s position as Australia’s Defence State.
“The Jeff Bleich Centre will undertake research to identify reforms, including regulatory models, that preserve the gains of the digital revolution, but enhance the protection of democratic freedoms, and restore trust in the institutions of democratic societies.”
The launch coincides with the release of the latest Lowy Institute Annual Poll, which rates cyber security as the most significant threat to Australia’s vital interests after climate change.
The Jeff Bleich Centre is named in honour of Jeff Bleich, special counsel to president Barack Obama and a diplomat who served as ambassador to Australia from 2009 to 2013, who said “the costs of the digital revolution on democracy have been high, largely unanticipated and only recently addressed as some have escalated into crises”.
“We know that the advent of digital technology has fundamentally changed the way we each work, eat, shop and live. But it has also changed our societies and how we defend ourselves,” Bleich said.
“Our nations – both separately and together – must operate in new ways to preserve our values and protect our people and allies in new battle spaces.
“This is the mission of the Jeff Bleich Centre for the US Alliance in Digital Technology, Security, and Governance.
“Flinders is the ideal home for the centre with its long-term track record in American studies, its focus on disruptive technologies, and its successful bi-national programs.”
The centre was established by Flinders University alongside additional funding from private sector donors, and will be seeking to grow through philanthropic support, additional external fundraising and research contracts. Flinders confirmed that a five-member advisory board will be appointed to provide strategic guidance and direction for the centre. (Source: Defence Connect)
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Spectra Group Plc
Spectra has a proven record of accomplishment – with over 15 years of experience in delivering secure communications and cybersecurity solutions for governments around the globe; elite militaries; and private enterprises of all sizes.
As a dynamic, agile, security accredited organisation, Spectra can leverage this experience to deliver Cyber Advisory and secure Hosted and Managed Solutions on time, to spec and on budget, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices.
Spectra’s SlingShot® is a unique low SWaP system that enables in-service U/VHF tactical radios to utilise Inmarsat’s commercial satellite network for BLOS COTM. Including omnidirectional antenna for the man, vehicle, maritime and aviation platforms, the tactical net can broadcast over 1000s miles between forward units and a rear HQ, no matter how or where the deployment. Unlike many BLOS options, SlingShot maintains full COTM (Communications On The Move) capability and low size and weight
On 23 November 2017, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd announced that it had recently been listed as a Top 100 Government SME Supplier for 2015-2016 by the UK Crown Commercial Services
Spectra’s CEO, Simon Davies, was awarded 2017 BATTLESPACE Businessman of the Year by BATTLESPACE magazine and is a finalist in the inaugural British Ex-Forces In Business Awards in the Innovator Of The Year category.
Founded in 2002, the Company is based in Hereford, UK and holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
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