Sarah Eggleton

Enterprise Control Systems (ECS) recently launched ECS Connect, a next-generation intelligent data link network manager designed to deliver seamless, secure connectivity across airborne, maritime, and ground operations.

As mission environments become more complex, operators require reliable, real-time data transmission without the burden of manually managing multiple communication systems. ECS Connect addresses this challenge by automatically selecting and switching between communication protocols to ensure uninterrupted video, audio, and data transfer.

What is ECS Connect?

ECS Connect is a first-of-its-kind data link network management solution that intelligently aggregates and manages multiple communication technologies, including:

• COFDM data links
• SATCOM communications
• LTE and Cellular networks
• MESH networks

By continuously monitoring signal strength, location, and mission requirements, ECS Connect automatically selects the optimal communication path to ensure maximum reliability and cost efficiency.

This intelligent automation reduces operational complexity and ensures continuous connectivity across air, land, and sea missions.

The Challenge of Multi-Network Data Links

Modern defence, security, and public safety operations depend on secure real-time situational awareness. However, no single communication protocol provides complete coverage.

Dedicated COFDM links such as ECS Evenlode deliver exceptional robustness and low latency, making them ideal as a primary transmission bearer. However, they depend on ground infrastructure coverage.

Alternative networks such as satellite and cellular systems can extend coverage and reduce operational costs but may be less reliable in contested or remote environments.

Operators traditionally must manually manage these networks, increasing workload and risk of communication disruption.

ECS Connect removes this burden.

Intelligent Network Switching

ECS Connect continuously evaluates available networks and automatically switches between communication protocols based on:

• Geographic location
• Signal strength
• Available infrastructure
• Mission priorities
• Operational costs

This intelligent approach ensures operators always maintain access to the most reliable communication channel available.

The result is:

• Continuous data availability
• Improved operational efficiency
• Reduced communication costs
• Simplified mission workflows

Reliable Connectivity for Airborne Operations

Airborne platforms increasingly operate across complex mission environments including:

• Border surveillance
• Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
• Maritime patrol
• Law enforcement support
• Disaster response

ECS Connect acts as a managed data link service in the air, automatically handling network selection and optimisation.

This reduces pilot workload and eliminates the need for additional onboard link management operators while maintaining continuous intelligence flow.

Designed for Mission-Critical Communications

ECS Connect has been developed in response to growing global demand for secure and resilient data links between airborne platforms and ground stations.

Built on more than 30 years of RF engineering experience, ECS Connect reflects ECS’s evolution from a hardware provider to a complete managed connectivity solutions partner.

The system is designed to support:

• Defence operations
• Border security missions
• Public safety deployments
• Security operations
• Maritime surveillance

Key Benefits of ECS Connect

Seamless Connectivity

Automatic switching between communication protocols ensures uninterrupted data transfer.

Intelligent Automation

Removes the need for manual network management and reduces operator workload.

Resilient Communications

Maintains reliable links even in challenging or contested environments.

Cost Efficiency

Optimises network selection to reduce transmission costs.

Mission Flexibility

Supports operations across air, land, and maritime domains.

The Future of Data Link Management

ECS Connect represents a significant advancement in intelligent data link technology, enabling organisations to move beyond single-network solutions toward adaptive, multi-network communications.

As defence and security organisations demand higher levels of situational awareness and operational efficiency, intelligent network management will become essential.

ECS Connect is the first step toward a new generation of smart, resilient, mission-ready data links.

Learn More About ECS Connect

To learn more about ECS Connect and how it can improve your mission connectivity, please Contact Us – or if you are visiting Security and Policing (from March 10-12th in Farnborough UK), we will be showcasing our advanced security and defence solutions, including the very first public demonstration of the new ECS Connect on Stand E60 – please pop by and meet the team to learn more!

📍 Farnborough | 10-12^th March 2026 | Stand E60

ECS is proud to be exhibiting at Security & Policing 2026, showcasing advanced security and defence solutions, including the very first public demonstration of the new ECS Connect data link network manager.

Designed to enable mission success in complex and contested environments, our latest innovations will be exhibited on Stand E60, including:

• Intelligent Data Links – Secure, resilient communications for real-time intelligence sharing, including the new ECS Connect, which redefines data link intelligence across land, sea, and air
• Counter-UAS – BLACKTALON™ Ecosystem for detecting, tracking, and defeating drone threats
• COMINT – Advanced, deployable systems for communications intelligence
• Digital Interoperability – Including MAGTAB for mission execution and situational awareness.

👉 Visit us at Stand E60 to learn how SPX Communication Technologies is shaping the future of security and defence.

• BLACKTALON Ecosystem is one of the most comprehensive, configurable counter‑UxS systems available today, integrating with multiple vendor-agnostic sensors and effectors.
• To be shown at the World Defense Show, highlighting how it can respond to increasingly complex threats across land, sea and air.

5th February 2026: Radio Frequency (RF) specialist, Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), will showcase its BLACKTALON Ecosystem at the World Defense Show (8-12 February 2026, stand H1-E33). The open-architecture counter-UxS system can enable defense and security teams to respond to increasingly complex surface, sub-surface, and above-surface threats across the Middle East.

Designed as a fully configurable, multi-vendor ecosystem, BLACKTALON Ecosystem combines ECS’s operationally proven BLACKTALON counter-UxS capability with a broad network of sensor and effector partners.

To meet evolving threats, operational concepts and budgetary requirements, operators can integrate and adapt multiple technologies, including radar, EO/IR, passive RF, acoustic sensing and electronic attack, without redesigning the entire system. For example, sonar sensors can be easily integrated for use in shallow-water ports or coastal patrols, or added kinetic systems to kill drone threats.   

BLACKTALON Ecosystem’s flexibility is particularly relevant in the Middle East, where there are growing risks to critical national infrastructure, air bases, airports, and strategic sites, including oil and gas facilities. Air base approach paths, low-altitude airspace, and dispersed assets pose challenges that require layered detection, tracking, and defeat capabilities rather than single-vendor solutions.

Graeme Forsyth, counter-UxS Product Manager at ECS, says: “No single provider can own every technology needed to counter today’s UxS threats. BLACKTALON Ecosystem allows operators to integrate best-in-class capabilities, evolve their systems over time and avoid being locked into fixed architectures as threats change.”

“There is fast-growing demand across the Middle East for electronic warfare and counter-UxS capabilities as teams move beyond detection to active defense,” said Mohammed Al Ibrahim, Chairman at DEMCO. “Interoperable systems that can integrate multiple sensors and effectors are becoming essential for protecting air bases, critical infrastructure and national assets against rapidly evolving drone threats.”

At World Defense Show, ECS will showcase a representative BLACKTALON Ecosystem configuration, ECS’s Claw jammer and TCI’s passive RFDF capabilities, including the 953 RF COMINT receiver.

Visit ECS at stand H1-E33, or the GAMI Pavilion H3-B2 at World Defense Show 2026 to learn more about BLACKTALON Ecosystem and ECS’s broader electronic warfare and counter-UxS capabilities.

• ECS Connect redefines airborne communications in support of defense, security, intelligence and emergency services organizations
• The first-of-its-kind solution automates switching between communication protocols to ensure reliability, lower costs, and simplify operations
• Presented for the first time in the Middle East at the World Defense Show from 8-12 February 2026, stand H1-E33.

4th February 2026. Radio frequency (RF) technology specialist Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), part of the SPX Communication Technologies Group, will introduce its new intelligent data link network manager to the Middle East at World Defense Show (8-12 February 2026, stand H1-E33).

Key capabilities of ECS Connect include:

• Uninterrupted airborne intelligence. With airborne platforms increasingly required to operate across diverse scenarios from border surveillance to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), ECS Connect provides the flexibility and assurance needed to maintain a continuous flow of intelligence data.
• Seamless, secure connectivity. Ensuring access to the most reliable and cost-effective communication protocol, removing the burden of manual link management.
• Automated network SWaP. ECS Connect intelligently switches between COFDM, SATCOM, LTE, Cellular, and MESH networks to ensure uninterrupted and reliable transmission of video, audio, and data between air, land, and sea.
• Optimised channel selection. Evaluating geography and signal strength in real-time to select the best connection, even in the harshest environments.

ECS Connect marks a shift in the company’s evolution from a data link hardware provider to a holistic managed connectivity solutions partner, building on 30 years of delivering reliable RF technology to security and defense organizations in the Middle East and across the globe.

David Robins, Business Development Director for Data Links at ECS, says: “We’re seeing rapidly growing interest in data links across the region driven by a push to modernize military and civilian infrastructure, transition to digital economies, and address evolving security threats. ECS Connect represents a significant step forward in data link technology and the all-important shift from single-solution systems to a smarter, more adaptive approach to airborne and ground-based communication.”

Ludovic Seixo, Sales Manager at expert radiocommunication distributor SORRAC, says: “We’re seeing growing demand for secure, real-time data transfer between air and ground, especially as nations seek to strengthen their situational awareness and border security. ECS Connect will deliver for customers because it brings reliability, flexibility, and automation together to maintain critical communications even in the most demanding operational conditions.”Visit ECS at stand H1-E33 at World Defense Show 2026 to learn more about ECS Connect.

Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), part of SPX Communication Technologies, has recently announced the launch of ECS Connect – a next-generation Data Link network connectivity manager that’s redefining mission-critical communication across land, sea, and air.

This intelligent Data Link solution automatically switches between multiple communication protocols – including COFDM, SATCOM, LTE, Cellular, and MESH, to ensure uninterrupted, secure, and cost-efficient connectivity in any operational environment.

Intelligent Data Link Management for Seamless Operations

In modern defence and security missions, Data Link reliability can make or break a mission. Operators rely on stable connections to transfer real-time video, audio, and data between platforms, but traditional systems require manual intervention to switch between networks.

ECS Connect eliminates that complexity. By automating Data Link management, it continuously monitors signal strength, geography, and mission conditions to select the best available network, therefore guaranteeing reliable Data Link performance without operator input.

“ECS Connect represents a significant step forward in Data Link technology,” said David Robins, Business Development Director for Data Links at ECS. “We’re enabling customers to move beyond single-solution systems towards a smarter, more adaptive approach to airborne and ground-based communication.”

Flexible Multi-Protocol Data Link Connectivity

Different Data Link systems have distinct advantages. COFDM links (such as ECS’s Evenlode series) provide outstanding robustness but can be limited by ground infrastructure. Satellite and cellular links, while cost-effective, may face reliability challenges in remote or contested environments.

ECS Connect intelligently integrates these protocols, aggregating and managing multiple Data Links simultaneously. It automatically transitions between COFDM, SATCOM, LTE, Cellular, and MESH to maintain continuous Data Link communication, ensuring mission-critical data always reaches its destination.

Enhancing Mission Effectiveness and Reducing Operator Burden

For platforms supporting ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and border security operations, maintaining constant connectivity is vital. ECS Connect acts as a managed Data Link service in the air, freeing pilots and operators from manual network management.

This innovation allows users to focus on mission objectives rather than troubleshooting communication channels – a vital benefit in high-pressure or remote operations.

“ECS Connect will deliver for customers because it brings reliability, flexibility, and automation together to maintain critical Data Link communication even in the most demanding operational conditions,” said Ludovic Seixo, Sales Manager at SORRAC, a leading RF communications distributor.

The Future of Adaptive Data Link Intelligence

Built on ECS’s 30-year heritage in RF technology and secure communication systems, ECS Connect represents a shift from traditional Data Link hardware toward fully integrated managed connectivity solutions.

As defence and security organisations seek enhanced situational awareness and real-time data transfer, ECS Connect provides the adaptive Data Link intelligence needed to meet modern operational demands – wherever the mission takes place.

Key Benefits of ECS Connect

• Automated Data Link switching across COFDM, SATCOM, LTE, Cellular, and MESH
• Reliable multi-domain connectivity for air, land, and sea missions
• Reduced operator workload through intelligent link management
• Enables continuous and secure Data Link communication in all environments
• Cost efficiency via dynamic network prioritisation

About Enterprise Control Systems (ECS)

Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), a trusted name in Data Link technology and RF solutions, has supported defence, security, and public safety organisations for over 30 years. As part of SPX Communication Technologies, ECS continues to innovate with solutions like ECS Connect, driving the future of intelligent Data Link connectivity.

To learn more about ECS Connect and how it can optimise your Data Link performance, please contact us or visit: ECS Connect – SPX Communication Technologies

• Enterprise Control Systems (ECS) launches ECS Connect for better data link intelligence across land, sea, and air.
• First-of-its-kind data link network manager automates switching between communication protocols to ensure reliability, lower costs, and simplify operations.

Wappenham, UK: Radio-frequency (RF) technology specialist Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), part of SPX Communication Technologies, today announces the launch of ECS Connect.

An intelligent data link network manager, ECS Connect automatically switches between multiple communication protocols, including COFDM, SATCOM, LTE, Cellular, and MESH, ensuring uninterrupted and reliable transmission of video, audio, and data between air, land, and sea.

Designed to meet the growing demand for seamless and secure connectivity in complex mission environments, ECS Connect ensures operators always have access to the most reliable and cost-effective communication channel available without the burden of manual management.

Different communication protocols have their own advantages and limitations. Dedicated COFDM links (ECS Evenlode) offer exceptional robustness and are often the primary transmission bearer, but are limited to the coverage available within the ground infrastructure. While alternatives like satellite or cellular can be more cost-effective, they can be less reliable in contested or remote environments.

ECS Connect solves this by intelligently managing and aggregating multiple networks, automatically switching to the optimal connection based on geography, signal strength, and mission demands.

With airborne platforms increasingly required to operate across diverse scenarios from border surveillance to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), ECS Connect provides the flexibility and assurance needed to maintain a continuous flow of intelligence data. It effectively acts as a managed service in the air, taking over complex link management and reducing pilot burden and the need for additional onboard operators.

“ECS Connect represents a significant step forward in data link technology,” said David Robins, Business Development Director for Data Links at ECS. “We’re enabling customers to move beyond single-solution systems towards a smarter, more adaptive approach to airborne and ground-based communication. ECS Connect is the first step in that journey, delivering the next generation of intelligent, resilient, reliable, any-mission-ready data links.”

“We’re seeing growing demand for secure, real-time data transfer between air and ground, especially as nations seek to strengthen their situational awareness and border security,” commented Ludovic Seixo, Sales Manager at expert radiocommunication distributor SORRAC. “ECS Connect will deliver for customers because it brings reliability, flexibility, and automation together to maintain critical communications even in the most demanding operational conditions.”

Guided by extensive customer feedback and building on ECS’s 30-year heritage of delivering reliable RF technology to defence, security, and public safety organisations, the announcement also marks a shift in ECS’s evolution from a data link hardware provider to a holistic managed connectivity solutions partner.

For further information, please contact us.