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Join us on 9th – 13th September 2024 to learn practical implementation of spectrum management, spectrum monitoring, radio direction finding, and signal measurement techniques as they relate to the international standards of the ITU and today’s signal environment. This year’s seminar offers the opportunity to acquire practical knowledge and technical insights from an exceptionally accomplished team of spectrum professionals here at our office in Fremont, California.

Marc Haysey, Managing Director at SPX Communication Technologies, shares insight into the challenges faced by today’s defense 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 defense teams?

A: Firstly, we’re witnessing an increasing demand for greater real-time intelligence as soldiers and defense 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 defense teams. We prioritize 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 defense organizations 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 customizable 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 defense 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 customization 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 defense 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 center 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 defense space?

A: Our ultimate goal is to sustain the delivery of exceptional results to defense 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 defense teams and across the business to ensure we’re always one step ahead.

We’ll also continue to optimize 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 modernization programs, such as the Philippines’ Re-Horizon 3 armed forces initiative to bolster maritime and air defense 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 defense 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 defense teams with COMINT, Counter-UAS and Tactical Data Links – Asian Military Review

TCI, part of SPX Communication Technologies, will provide additional spectrum monitoring capabilities to Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) under a new contract secured in partnership with Egyptian telecommunications and technology services company EGPowers.

A mesh monitoring network formed by 20 differently configured TCI Model 709 compact spectrum monitoring systems (SMS) will be deployed to strengthen the NTRA’s ability to manage and optimize its telecommunications services. These capabilities will be especially critical as the NTRA has recently licensed Egypt’s first 5G network.

Most of the 709 systems will be fixed across 16 sites, and four will be fully transportable or vehicle-mounted, which increases the network’s flexibility. For example, mobile systems allow spectrum monitoring in rural areas where fixed systems are not feasible or in urban settings where they can “hunt down” an interfering or illegal transmitter.

The 709 provides high system sensitivity, low phase noise and high dynamic range to maximise system coverage and ITU measurement capabilities. This results in fewer systems required for monitoring and geolocation across large areas.

TCI and EGPowers partnered in 2015 to deliver a mobile monitoring and direction-finding system to NTRA covering the 20 MHz to 8 GHz bandwidth, with an additional frequency extension up to 40 GHz. Today, with the new NTRA contract win, EGPowers will be responsible for the installation, set-up, and ongoing support of the network of TCI spectrum monitoring sensors.

“Egypt’s telecommunications and digital landscapes are expanding, and new 5G networks will inevitably add complexity. New spectrum monitoring capabilities will address this complexity and give NTRA the tools it needs to master the spectrum,” says Ann Bustamante, Vice President Spectrum Monitoring and Management Sales at TCI.

The TCI Model 709 Compact Spectrum Monitoring System detects and locates modern signals of interest for spectrum optimization, interference mitigation, public safety, and national security missions. SPX Communication Technologies’ Spectrum Monitoring Systems portfolio also enables government-mandated regulators to digitize and monetize the Radio Spectrum by licensing, managing and protecting spectrum bands for telecommunications services – including 5G.

The NTRA’s mesh monitoring network is set to be fully operational by the end of 2024.

For further information on SPX Communication Technologies’ Spectrum Monitoring Systems get in touch via the Contact Us page or email tci_sales@spx.com.

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, defense budgets are broadly increasing while advanced defense 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 specialized 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 defense 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.

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 center around two areas: combatting hostile use of UAS, and their ability to assist 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 emphasized how critical real-time Communications Intelligence (COMINT) is for defense, 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 defense 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 defense teams across the globe, while ensuring a smarter, more secure future for all.