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July 1, 2024 by

BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold connects with Eric Kaled – President of SPX Communication Technologies and Genfare at SPX Technologies – as candidate for BATTLESPACE Businessman of the Year 2024.

Tell us a bit about SPX Technologies and your role within the business.

SPX Technologies is a global specialist in building innovative next-generation technologies that ensure a smarter, more secure future for all. Since joining SPX in 2019, my role has evolved, and I am now President of SPX Communication Technologies – formed by TCI and Enterprise Control Systems – and the transportation company Genfare, as part of SPX Technologies detection and measurement platform.

With over 10,000 employees globally, I lead a team committed to making easy-to-use high-tech solutions that solve some of the world’s biggest challenges today. I’m proud to be on the company’s executive council for diversity and inclusion and a facilitator of the sponsorship of our executive leadership programme. I’m also part of our executive software council for engineering development, focused on innovation, and an executive leadership member for enterprise-wide activities and influence.

How did your career start?

Since my early college days in engineering, I’ve been excited about innovation and solving problems creatively, which is what I believe technology is all about. Regardless of the industry, I’ve always been a firm believer that you can innovate and solve problems, whether they’re purely technological or involve applications such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), or the Internet of Things (IoT).

After graduating, my work experience has been quite diverse. I’ve been fortunate to work in over 20 countries, within many disciplines and at different levels. Before joining SPX Technologies, I held executive leadership roles across CraneCo, including payment, merchandising and process flow technologies for the chemical, refining, and power industries. I spent over two decades at the intersection of growth, optimisation, and business acquisition, stewarding businesses and cultivating leaders in publicly traded B2B companies spanning fintech, retail, mobile, gaming, transportation, and industrial manufacturing. These experiences have ultimately allowed me to grow to where I am today at SPX Technologies.

How is SPX Technologies supporting modern battlespace operations?

Defence teams and governments rely heavily on real-time spectrum monitoring and data transmission that help protect entire communities within and outside national borders. At SPX Communication Technologies we specialise in Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum technologies which enables them to do this faster and more accurately than ever.

Our primary goal is to use our RF technology to deliver innovation and progress. It’s been three years since TCI and Enterprise Control Systems (ECS) joined forces and combined decades of expertise in RF countermeasures, encrypted data links systems, and leading RF detection and location systems, creating the global infrastructure we know today as SPX Communication Technologies. Since then, we’ve made some significant changes in our company structure, and rapidly expanded business operations,  culminating in multi-million contract wins for the first jointly developed BLACKTALON counter unmanned aerial systems (counter-UAS) solution. BLACKTALON is proven in active conflict and is currently deployed across the globe.

Can you go into a little more detail on BLACKTALON?

BLACKTALON is a scalable solution that detects, tracks, and defeats UAS engaged in hostile activity or surveillance by nuisance drone enthusiasts, insurgents, state actors, or hostile militaries. It provides comprehensive situational awareness and mitigation as a standalone or networked capability, a multi-layered counter-UAS, or a component of a Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) system.

BLACKTALON’s cutting-edge technology provides defence and security teams with the necessary capabilities to maintain airspace dominance and protect critical assets from the evolving UAS landscape. What’s more, we’re currently working on taking this even further with advanced customisation features which we look forward to sharing in the coming months.

How are you helping defence teams stay one step ahead?

First and foremost, we listen to our customers. Their perspective is essential to informing our business strategy, particularly when it comes to product development and innovation. The SPX Communication Technologies team regularly meets with customers from across the world to learn about their challenges, how their requirements are evolving, and to ensure we understand their problems from their point of view.

We also review and assess global challenges and trends, which allows us to be ready to adapt and evolve as the world and our end-users require. Additionally, in order to best support customers, we’ve built a strong network of global in-country partners. Having these local representatives across nations allows us to keep up with local issues, identify specific needs and deliver the right products even faster – even in the places that are hard to reach due to geopolitical and social tensions.

The most recent example of this is SPX Communication Technologies’ extended partnership with Depicon, a Belgium-based business development company that has been granted exclusive rights to offer our Tactical Data Link portfolio to aerospace and defence organisations in the Benelux region.

Ultimately, in order to address challenges with the appropriate solution we’re combining our proven technology with local expertise to provide the appropriate solution.

To read the full press release in the Battlespace publication, please click here: BATTLESPACE interview with Eric Kaled, President at SPX Communication Technologies and Genfare (battle-updates.com)

SPX Communication Technologies spearheads an open-architecture Counter-UAS capability, combining its operationally proven BLACKTALON solution and decades of experience with a global network of providers to meet defence and security needs, threats, skill sets, and budgets.

June 27th, 2024 | Wappenham, UK – Radio frequency (RF) technology specialists SPX Communication Technologies today launches the BLACKTALON Ecosystem, a new Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) capability based on the operationally proven BLACKTALON solution.

The BLACKTALON Ecosystem integrates SPX Communication Technologies’ BLACKTALON C-UAS technology and decades of expertise in the space with a vendor-agnostic framework. This approach ensures solutions can meet every customer’s unique requirements. Defence and security teams gain from a tailored solution meet to their specific Concept of Operations, threats, user groups, existing capabilities, and budgets.

Customers also benefit from SPX Communication Technologies’ extensive experience developing C-UAS solutions for high-threat scenarios from Ukraine to Iraq and other active global hot spots. SPX collaborates closely with customers from their concept stage to operational deployment, ensuring solutions are optimised for specific user needs and mission objectives and remain supported throughout their operational life.

The core BLACKTALON solution includes carefully selected active radars, EOIR, passive RFDF, RF jammer, and mast configuration. While SPX will continue to offer this standard configuration, the open architecture of BLACKTALON Ecosystem allows any of these elements to be customised or replaced. This flexibility provides customers access to the latest systems and hardware capabilities without unnecessary barriers and in a suitable timeframe.

For example, customers could choose autonomous optical tracking from OpenWorks, cutting-edge 3D radar from US provider Echodyne, RF subsystems from SPX and mount them on a range of dispersed or centrally located mobile or transportable masts to provide a single scalable BLACKTALON counter-UAS capability.

These latest capabilities join the Ecosystem alongside existing providers Chess Dynamics, supplier of surveillance, fire control, and large positioning systems, and Blighter, the UK’s leading supplier of ground-based electronic scanning radar systems.

Graeme Forsyth, Counter-UAS Product Manager at SPX Communication Technologies, said: “The complexity and speed that modern conflict develops means it’s impossible for a single Counter-UAS provider to own all the necessary technologies to provide a best-in-class solution suitable for all forms of threats today and in the future. As a trusted partner for global defence and security teams, our BLACKTALON Ecosystem helps break down barriers to threat response. It continues evolving to support their counter-UAS need – all in close collaboration with customers, the industry, and supported by our proven technology.”

James Cross, Director at OpenWorks, said: “Collaboration is key in the development of successful Counter-UAS defence technology. Integration and flexibility are at the forefront of system capabilities and requirements. Our inclusion in the BLACKTALON Ecosystem reflects this, and we are proud to be involved with a system that allows end-users a fully customisable design depending on mission-specific requirements.”

David Montague, Director EMEAI at Echodyne, said: “Systems are evolving rapidly to address the Counter-UAS threat, with accuracy, flexibility, and ease of integration being key evaluation criteria. We are pleased to be included in BLACKTALON Ecosystem, which provides rich optionality for customers to easily tailor system design and performance to mission and location requirements.”

The BLACKTALON Ecosystem offering is now available. For more information, visit www.tcibr.com/blacktalon-ecosystem or email sales@enterprisecontrol.co.uk

About SPX Communication Technologies (TCI | ECS)

SPX Communication Technologies, part of SPX Technologies, innovates specialised technologies within the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to ensure a smarter, more secure future for all.

Formed by TCI and Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), SPX Communication Technologies and its Spectrum Battlespace portfolio enables defence and security teams to detect, defeat and exploit RF signals to enhance Communications Intelligence (COMINT) and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS).

Combining decades of technology innovation and expertise with agile and collaborative teams, SPX Communication Technologies delivers sustainable and exceptional results to customers across the globe – including Europe, APAC, the Middle East, and Africa.

For more information, visit www.tcibr.com or www.enterprisecontrol.co.uk

Wappenham, UK – Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), part of the SPX Communication Technologies platform, today announces an expanded partnership with expert radiocommunication distributor SORRAC, to provide the French security and police teams with advanced Radio Frequency (RF) and Tactical Data Link capabilities.

The partnership agreement gives SORRAC rights to resell ECS Data Links capabilities in the region, where there is growing demand for secure real-time data transfer from air to ground to protect the nation and events such as the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This extends SPX Communications Technologies’ existing relationship with SORRAC which provides defence and security teams with TCI’s Communications Intelligence (COMINT) capabilities.

Specifically, SORRAC will be able to sell ECS’s next-generation Evenlode Video and Audio Encoder / Decoder, its latest Tactical Data Link solution. It delivers improved low-latency, long-range, high-definition video and audio transfer for faster and more accurate intelligence gathering. Evenlode Video and Audio Encode / Decoder ensures timely and informed decisions can be made, even on the tactical edge. It also allows teams to select the latest mission-critical information required without disrupting the operation and simultaneously processing and transferring up to four video inputs for improved situational awareness.

James Cooke, European Business Development Manager at SPX Communication Technologies says: “After years supporting defence and security forces across Europe, the extended collaboration with SORRAC reflects our commitment to the French market and in delivering its teams the right technology for a more secure future. By combining our proven technology with local expertise we’re able to address challenges with the appropriate solution, a process based on listening and working collaboratively within the business, but also with customers and partners like SORRAC.”

Mr Ludovic Seixo Sales Manager at SORRAC says: “We look forward to expanding our collaboration with SPX Communication Technologies and delivering its Tactical Data Link technology to the French market. By continuing to combine our expertise, we’re confident in our ability to support customers in such a buoyant market and at such a critical time.”

About SPX Communication Technologies – ECS
Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), as part of the SPX Communication Technologies platform, innovates specialised technologies within the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to ensure a smarter, more secure future for all.

SPX Communication Technologies’ Tactical Data Link portfolio allows organisations that are conducting airborne ISR operations in the defence, security, and policing environments to transfer video and data securely and reliably between enabled aircraft and ground users over long distances in congested RF environments.

Combining decades of technology innovation and expertise with agile and collaborative teams, SPX Communication Technologies delivers sustainable and exceptional results to customers across the globe – in regions including Europe, APAC, the Middle East and Africa.

For more information on our Tactical Data Links, visit: Tactical Data Links – SPX Communication Technologies (enterprisecontrol.co.uk)

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Marc Haysey, Managing Director at SPX Communication Technologies, shares insight into the challenges faced by today’s defence teams, how technology is evolving to meet their RF spectrum monitoring and control needs, and the businesses’ next steps in supporting them.

Q: Firstly, can you briefly introduce yourself and your role at SPX Communication Technologies?

A: I’m Managing Director of SPX Communication Technologies UK and the commercial lead for the entire group, covering Wappenham (UK) and Fremont (USA). SPX Communication Technologies is the union of TCI and Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), which brings together decades of expertise in the radio frequency (RF) space.

In my role, I’m responsible for developing and delivering the UK’s business strategy while overseeing our global sales and customer support teams. By bringing these teams together we can promptly identify and address any gaps between the challenges our customers face on the ground and the development of our solutions to meet those needs.

Q: What are the key challenges you and your customers are seeing that impact soldiers and defence teams?

A: Firstly, we’re witnessing an increasing demand for greater real-time intelligence as soldiers and defence teams operate in highly complex threat landscapes. They need to gather and transmit ever larger volumes of data over longer ranges – from the air to the ground as well as between aircrafts. To do this, they need input from a wide range of sensors – beyond video – to enhance airborne ISR and guarantee teams are always connected in the air.

In this context, we’ve focused our expertise in advancing our Tactical Data Link solutions. Our Data Links capabilities enable the secure and reliable transfer of large volumes of mission-critical data between enabled aircraft and ground teams, and over long distances.

Another key challenge is the rapid evolution of hostile unmanned aerial systems (UAS), particularly drones. As these get smaller and more intelligent, we move in line to ensure our counter-UAS solutions are as scalable and flexible as possible to keep pace with the evolving threat.

Q: What actions is the business taking to help teams stay one step ahead of the next threat?

A: We value listening to and working alongside defence teams. We prioritise their voices and base our business strategy on their perspectives, particularly when it comes to product development and innovation.

Our team regularly meets with customers from across the world to learn about their challenges, how their requirements are evolving, and to make sure we understand the problems they’re trying to solve from their point of view. We also closely follow geopolitical trends and consider how they affect our markets. This allows us to anticipate and adapt to changes in the landscape that may impact our operations, supply chain and market opportunities.

While there’s no silver bullet for detecting and defeating the vast array of threats present on the battlefield, constant review and assessment of challenges and trends allow us to be ready to adapt and evolve as the world and our end-users require. We’re able to be super responsive in our innovation because our strategy is rooted in listening to the customer.

To support customers, we’re also strengthening and expanding our network of global in-country partners. Having local representatives across nations allows us to keep up with local issues, identify specific needs and deliver the right products even faster. This also allows us to have an essential presence in places where we can’t physically reach due to geopolitical and social tensions, or the inevitable complexity associated with modern conflict.

A recent example is our extended partnership with Depicon, which grants the Belgium-based business development company exclusive rights to offer our Data Link portfolio to aerospace and defence organisations in the Benelux region. This marks a key milestone since our collaboration began in 2017 with a representative agreement covering multiple regions.

Ultimately, by combining our proven technology with local expertise we’re able to address challenges with the appropriate solution. This process is based on listening and working collaboratively within the business, and with those customers and partners that benefit from our capabilities.

Q: How has this collaborative approach manifested since the union of TCI and ECS?

A: A clear example is the development of the BLACKTALON counter-UAS system, our first joint offering combining the expertise of both transatlantic teams. BLACKTALON is a fully integrated, scalable and customisable system designed to detect, defeat and track hostile UAS and drones.

One key aspect of BLACKTALON’s capabilities is its ability to effectively jam every combination of global navigation satellite system (GNSS), command, control, and telemetry signals used by commercial and military drones. This ensures a decisive advantage in countering UAS threats while simultaneously safeguarding friendly RF signals from any unintended inhibition.

BLACKTALON’s cutting-edge technology provides defence and security forces with the necessary tools to maintain airspace dominance and protect critical assets from the ever-evolving UAS landscape. What’s more, we’re currently working on taking this capability even further with advanced customisation features. We look forward to announcing more in the coming months.

Q: What other solutions are assisting operations across land, sea and air?

A: BLACKTALON is currently being deployed by multiple defence teams across the globe and is proven in active conflict.

Other solutions include our recently introduced Evenlode Video and Audio Encoder / Decoder. This allows aircraft to become network-enabled across land, sea and air domains. It delivers improved low-latency, long-range, high-definition video, audio and data transfer for faster and more accurate intelligence-gathering. The result is compressed video and audio files that can be transferred simultaneously over a lower bandwidth pipe – up to four video files at a time. This real-time data capture and delivery capability ensures effective decisions are made, even on the tactical edge, allowing the necessary information to be selected without disrupting an ongoing operation.

Furthermore, the decoder component mirrors the encoding capabilities, allowing the real-time re-streaming – or transcoding – to multiple destination points such as a command centre or at the tactical edge using mobile devices. This adds flexibility to end-users’ video distribution aims in one single solution.

Another solution is the upgraded 953 COMINT RF Receiver, designed for the identification, direction-finding, and tracking of hostile RF signals to support COMINT and counter-UAS tactical operations. Its reduced size and weight means the device is portable for dismounted operations and can be easily mounted on a vehicle to support mobility operations. For instance, it can be placed at an elevated position in a dismounted role, such as a tactical position only accessible on foot, to ensure the antenna is situated for optimum signal detection and increased range.

Q: Looking ahead, what’s next for SPX Communication Technologies in the defence space?

A: Our ultimate goal is to sustain the delivery of exceptional results to defence teams across the globe while ensuring a smarter, more secure future for all. To achieve this, we’ll continue listening to the voices of those on the ground and maintaining an open dialogue with defence teams and across the business to ensure we’re always one step ahead.

We’ll also continue to optimise our processes and supply chain by setting up repair and inventory depots across multiple nations. These will enable in-country partners to deliver support and first-line maintenance to the highest standard at the precise moment teams require.

Finally, from a product innovation perspective, we’re working to implement technologies like big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to further automate processes and provide deeper analytics to mission-critical information. We look forward to announcing new capabilities throughout the year, particularly in the coming months, to support operational teams across land, sea, and air.

For further information and to download the PDF version, please visit: Volume 33 | SPX Communication Technologies | Interview with MD Marc Haysey (soldiermod.com)

By Jackson White, Business Development Director of Tactical Data Links and VP Marketing at SPX Communication Technologies.

Nations across Asia are experiencing growing tensions and an increasingly complex threat landscape. For example, the heightened dispute between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea, and China’s combat drones circumnavigating Taiwan in ongoing sea and airspace disputes. Such incursions highlight the need for greater real-time intelligence and more sophisticated security measures. In response, nations are investing in modernisation programmes, such as the Philippines’ Re-Horizon 3 armed forces initiative to bolster maritime and air defence capabilities.

A critical part of such initiatives is strengthening radio frequency (RF) spectrum monitoring and data transmission capabilities to help protect their borders, citizens and infrastructure. SPX Communication Technologies is working closely with defence teams across Asia to help them meet their individual communications intelligence (COMINT), counter-unmanned aerial systems’ (counter-UAS) and Tactical Data Link requirements.

To read the full article published in the recent edition of Asian Military Review, please click here: Strengthening Asia’s military and defence teams with COMINT, Counter-UAS and Tactical Data Links – Asian Military Review

Marc Haysey, Managing Director at SPX Communication Technologies

Heightened geopolitical and social tensions, increasing conflict complexity, and growing threats to national, government and civilian security, are posing new challenges to nations worldwide.

In response, defence budgets are broadly increasing while advanced defence technologies are seeing readily available, low cost commercial RF technologies driving the need to monitor and control the RF spectrum to keep pace with evolving threats.

Against this backdrop, at SPX Communication Technologies, we’re leading the innovation of specialised radio frequency (RF) spectrum technologies that enable teams to detect, defeat and monitor RF signals for communications intelligence (COMINT) and counter unmanned aerial systems (counter-UAS) for the global defence market, and also real-time spectrum monitoring for telecommunication regulatory authorities.

We’re also advancing our portfolio – under our ‘Tactical Data Links’ capability – our Data Link solutions to enable the secure and reliable transfer of large volumes of mission-critical data between enabled aircraft and ground teams and over long distances for airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

Click here to read the full article published in Aerospace & Defense Review.