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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.

Enterprise Control Systems (ECS), part of the SPX Communication Technologies platform, announces an extended partnership with Belgium-based business development company Depicon to provide the Benelux region with advanced Radio Frequency (RF) technology and Tactical Data Link solutions to drive growth and success in the aerospace and defence industries.

This marks a key milestone between the two companies that first began collaborating in 2017 with a representatives agreement covering Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, among other countries. Today, with geopolitical conflicts impacting business operations in those regions, ECS has granted Depicon exclusive rights in Benelux to offer its Tactical Data Link portfolio.

ECS’ Tactical Data Link solutions allow aircraft to become network-enabled across land, sea and air and, therefore, able to carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions across all of them. This includes the recently launched Evenlode Video and Audio Encoder / Decoder which delivers improved low-latency, long-range, high-definition video and audio transfer for faster and more accurate intelligence-gathering. Its compressed video and audio data allow for the transfer of up to four videos over a lower bandwidth pipe. Fast and accurate capture and delivery of ISR data ensures effective decisions can be made, even on the tactical edge, which also allows users to select the latest mission-critical information required without disrupting the operation and simultaneously process multiple video inputs for improved situational awareness.

“By combining our operationally-proven Tactical Data Link capabilities with Depicon’s local knowledge and expertise, we’re empowering teams with faster and more accurate ISR data so timely and effective decisions can be made”, commented Jackson White, Business Development Director of Tactical Data Links and VP of Marketing at SPX Communication Technologies. “At SPX Communication Technologies we’re committed to providing solutions that enable more detailed communication across longer distances as part of our continued strategic development of technologies that ensure a smarter, more secure future for all.”

“We are excited to expand our collaboration with ECS and represent their high-tech products in our home market of Benelux,” said Hans Deprez, Managing Director at Depicon. “Our journey with ECS has been marked by trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision for success. We are ready to embrace this new chapter and look forward to bringing ECS’s cutting-edge technology to the region.”

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 SPX Communication Technologies’ Tactical Data Links, visit Tactical Data Links (enterprisecontrol.co.uk)

About Depicon
Depicon, headquartered in Belgium, is your trusted partner for representing high-tech companies in the European market. Our select partners specialise in top-tier, reliable aerospace-related products, and we are renowned for our outstanding client service and expertise in delivering tailored solutions.

Depicon is your bridge to the world of high-tech aerospace solutions in Europe, backed by our commitment to excellence and unwavering customer-focused dedication.

For more information about Depicon and how we can assist you in achieving your aerospace goals, please contact us: www.depicon.com

Jackson White, Business Development Director of Tactical Data Links and VP Marketing, SPX Communication Technologies looks at the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs).

Global security has been on high alert in the last few years with heightened geopolitical and social tensions and evolving electronic warfare efforts all impacting the threat landscape at a rapid rate. Security and policing are seeing more incursions across borders and threats to critical national infrastructure, where billions of dollars of services are at risk.

In line with these trends, our teams at SPX Communication Technologies are having more and more conversations about the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs). These usually centre around two areas: combatting hostile use of UAS, and their ability to aid communications and intelligence gathering. In this context, successfully defeating any danger posed by errant, illegal or malicious UASs is becoming ever more critical for global security.

UAS for intelligence gathering
Recent years have emphasised how critical real-time Communications Intelligence (COMINT) is for defence, CNI and national security.

Teams increasingly must rely on instant, precise information from multiple sources to effectively address threats and make the smartest tactical and response decisions. The ability to record, receive, and stream real-time high-quality video and data is therefore critical for all defence, security, and policing organisations charged with securing their nation’s population and Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Due to a shift toward Unmanned Aerial Systems, Tactical Data Link technology has increasingly been deployed to enable the transfer of critical data. As well as fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, drones are now able to conduct reconnaissance missions to support teams on the ground. Air-to-air transmission enables rapid, long-range data exchange with decision-makers, which has a direct impact on improving the tempo of tactical response.

In line with this trend, SPX Communication Technologies recently launched its enhanced data link encoder / decoder. The capability delivers improved low-latency, long-range, high-definition video and audio transfer for faster and more accurate intelligence-gathering across defence, security and policing organisations worldwide. The lightweight, low-power unit can be installed on manned and unmanned air platforms, providing real-time intelligence-gathering, incident response, and civilian safety.

The next generation Evenlode Video and Audio Encoder / Decoder’s high-efficiency video coding (HEVC) H.265 low-latency encoding delivers superior multi-video compression for efficient video recording and real-time, secure distribution. Latency below 120 milliseconds end-to-end means images are transferred and received in real-time, enabling greater situational awareness, and more accurate, faster response. 4K Ultra High Definition video ensures crisp image quality, making it easier to identify details and potential threats.

It significantly reduces the required bandwidth to transfer the same – or better – quality video and audio data than existing models in the market. Considering the limited Radio Frequency (RF) bandwidths available to defence, security and policing organisations, access to freed-up IP allows greater flexibility for sharing critical data through encrypted file shares. It also allows greater use of applications such as electro-optical/infrared sensors, and tracking and location data being shown on a moving map – all improving incident response.

The decoder 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 users’ video distribution aims in one single solution.

Combatting hostile use of UAS
Malicious actors are increasingly using UAS because of their flexibility, low cost, and capacity to be updated. Today, unmanned systems such as drones are considered one of the biggest threats to national safety, and their use is only intensifying. Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices (RCIEDs) account for most military and civilian casualties in asymmetric warfare environments.

To help address this growing threat, we also launched an upgraded 953 Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Radio Frequency (RF) Receiver. The capability is designed for superior identification, direction-finding, and tracking of hostile RF signals to support COMINT and Counter-UAS tactical operations.

The new 953 COMINT RF Receiver builds on the success of its predecessor and now boasts reduced size and weight, but with greater power. This makes the device portable for dismounted operations and easily mounted on a vehicle to support mobility operations. For example, it can be carried to an elevated position in a dismounted role, such as a tactical position only accessible on foot or on top of a high-rise building, to ensure the antenna is situated at height for optimum signal detection and increased range.

The 953 COMINT RF Receiver performs continuous, unmanned, remote, and real-time signal collection up to 80MHz bandwidth across a frequency of up to 40GHz for signal monitoring, collection, and direction-finding. This bandwidth delivers a sweet spot between monitoring sufficient signal breadth and amplitude to ensure quality and accuracy in identifying threats.

As specialists in RF spectrum technologies that enhance COMINT and video and IP data transfer, we work very closely with defence teams to keep up with their needs and develop new solutions alongside them where they will make the greatest impact.

In 2024 SPX Communication Technologies – made up of TCI and ECS – will continue to build on its decades of experience to deliver sustainable and exceptional results to defence teams across the globe, while ensuring a smarter, more secure future for all.

The line between security and susceptibility is becoming ever so thin with the ever-expanding Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and drone-filled sky. Particularly, as these aerial systems get smaller, stealthier, and more sophisticated, the imperative is shifting from deploying countermeasures to becoming proactive in tactical electronic warfare. 

Jackson White, Business Development Director of Tactical Data Links and VP of Marketing at SPX CommTech, paints a vivid picture. “Consider drones zipping through the air at 125 mph. That’s nearly twice as fast as they used to. We need to detect them when they’re five to six kilometres away, if not further, to act in time.” 

SPX CommTech—an SPX Technologies [NYSE:SPXC] platform—is leading the charge in this strategic shift. 

With its deep expertise in specialised radio frequency (RF) technologies, the platform is equipping civilian, law enforcement, emergency and defence sectors in their quest to proactively detect, pursue, and neutralise malicious UAS and drones. 

This mission has been strengthened by SPX Communication Technologies’ acquisition of Enterprise Control Systems (ECS) and TCI, resulting in a formidable force in radio frequency (RF) technology solutions. By combining ECS’s specialization in RF jamming and tactical data links with TCI’s background in Communications Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and spectrum regulation, the unified entity—SPX CommTech—offers an unparalleled array of services. This includes Communications Intelligence (COMINT), Counter-UAS technologies, tactical data links and RF spectrum management. 

White sheds light on what sets his company apart in the market. “We’re bringing together the best of both worlds. The same brilliant minds behind our top-notch, military-grade data links are also skilled at spotting and disarming the communication networks. It’s not something you see every day in our field, and that’s what makes our company rare.” 

For military strategists and defence industry professionals, the implications of this broad expertise are profound. It signals a new era in RF technology, where integrated systems and collaborative expertise pave the way for enhanced situational awareness, rapid response capabilities, and a robust shield against the evolving landscape of unmanned threats. More resilient and adaptable defence mechanisms are not a distant dream but made a reality with SPX CommTech’s combined capabilities. 

That said, SPX CommTech’s operational philosophy is deeply rooted in embracing diversity. Two key aspects of this consideration are the complex matrix of communication links intrinsic to UAS technologies, and the different contexts in which these might be used—frontline combat, air defence, or facility protection. Each scenario demands a bespoke approach. 

Even the concept of a ‘successful defeat’ of a drone varies with changing scenarios. For some, it may mean completely 

disabling a drone, while for others, it could involve compelling the UAS to withdraw. SPX CommTech conducts thorough assessments of these scenarios and collaborates with industry-leading partners to develop solutions perfectly aligned to customer needs. 

SPX CommTech’s flagship offering, BLACKTALON 2, epitomises this versatility. This scalable Counter-UAS system is designed to integrate additional passive and active sensors, optics, and an array of third-party sensors, all coordinated through a central command and control hub. This lets SPX CommTech seamlessly deliver a tailored solution for detecting, classifying, and neutralising unmanned threats, offering a customised security posture for various operational environments. 

Many Eastern European customers recently turned to SPX CommTech for specialised solutions amidst growing national security concerns. While the objective remains consistent—to detect and neutralise unmanned aerial threats—the specifics of what constitutes a ‘successful defeat’ differ. SPX CommTech took a consultative stance to align technology choices with each client’s unique requirements. 

As the modern battlespace evolves, SPX CommTech aims to push the boundaries of its sensing and inhibition technologies even further by effectively countering drone threats from greater distances. Nurturing this growth is the company’s collaborative management style that values humility and inclusivity to give all team members a voice and access to leadership. This approach keeps SPX CommTech, an innovative powerhouse it is, moving like clockwork.

(Article published on p24 of Aerospace & Defense Review, Dec ’23 Edition).