Tactical communication in the air force

Transcription

No 1 | 2015
Tactical communication
in the air force
Focus
Information decides
showdowns in the air
Page 3
6 | Swiss Air Force Centenary:
the military taking command
of the air
1 0 | Interview with Lieutenant
General Aldo C. Schellenberg
Dear Readers
The secure transmission of tactical information in
the air force has undergone enormous technological
advances and companies such as Crypto AG have
done much to bring them about. The fact remains
that the reliable protection of communication between
operational command and control on the one hand
and the fighter aircraft on the other is a particularly
critical factor for the success of a mission.
12 | Unmanned reconnaissance
from the air
1 5 | Personal protection at conferences: secure mobile communication
is essential
19 | IDEX in Abu Dhabi:
focused on security
2 2 | Integrated radio system
for diverse operations
The exchanged information is subject to risks. In the
interview with the current head of the Swiss Air Force,
you can read about those risks and the protective
actions taken to counter them.
I hope you enjoy reading this latest issue of
CryptoMagazine.
Publication details
Published three times a year | Print run | 6,200 (German, English,
French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic)
Giuliano Otth
President and
Chief Executive Officer
Publisher | Crypto AG, P.O. Box 460, 6301 Zug, Switzerland,
www.crypto.ch
Editor-in-chief | Tanja Dahinden, Crypto AG, Tel. +41 41 749 77 22,
Fax +41 41 741 22 72, [email protected]
Design / layout | illugraphic, Sonnhalde 3, 6332 Hagendorn, Switzerland
Translation | Apostroph Luzern AG, Töpferstrasse 5, P.O. Box,
6000 Luzern 6, Switzerland
Printing | Druckerei Ennetsee AG, Bösch 35, 6331 Hünenberg,
Switzerland
Reproduction | Free of charge with the consent of the editorial office.
Courtesy copies requested. Copyright by Crypto AG
Illustrations/photo credits | Bloomberg / Kontributor: p. 17 |
Crypto AG: pp. 2, 20, 21, 23 | DCNS Group: p. 22 | Federal Archive: p. 9 |
Keystone / Photopress-Archive / RIA / Str: p. 6 | R. Winzer: pp. 7, 12, 13 |
R. Winzer (Royal Jordanian Falcons): p. 3 | Shutterstock: cover, pp. 15, 19 |
Swiss Air Force: p. 11
Focus
Information decides
showdowns in the air
For air force units, fast and reliable communication channels between partners make all the difference between the success and failure of a mission. From the flood of data generated by the various sensors (radar,
etc.), pilots must immediately be able to cull the information needed for a consolidated operational picture
and exchange commands and instructions for the upcoming operation with their commander quickly and
precisely. Special challenges are associated with the use of the necessary communication resources.
Ralf Winzer | Customer Segment Manager
The successful deployment of modern air forces has long
depended upon much more than just high-performance fighter
aircraft and skilful pilots. Numerous players communicating
efficiently among themselves play at least as big a part in the
effective execution of a mission in the air.
As with any other military option, the air force relies on the
perfect interplay of effectors, sensors and command structures.
The effectors include fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft units
in particular.
The sensors consist of ground-based radar systems with
stationary and mobile stations, but also on-board radar, etc.
They deliver the data necessary to compile recognised air
pictures (RAPs) at the tactical operation centre (TOC).
At the deployment location or air operations centre (AOC),
the tactical fighter controllers (TFCs) draw on the mission
objectives and the RAPs to command and control the pilots
assigned to them.
CryptoMagazine 1/15 | 3
Focus
The three communication
channels in air operations
AIRBASE
The aircraft and ground units typically communicate with
each other over three communication channels:
• Mission-net voice: Broadcast push-to-talk (PTT) voice
channel between the pilots and the TFCs or the pilots
among themselves
• Mission-net data: A data link for transmitting tactical
data between the AOC and the aircraft (and other combat
participants). Data is typically transmitted in the TDMA
(time division multiplex access) process.
• Airbase-net voice: Voice channel between the pilot and
the airport tower for attending to take-offs or approaches
and taxiing.
Threats and protective actions
The exchange of information between the aviators and the
ground units is subject to different threats:
• Interception: Intercepted transmissions give the opponent
an indication of the intentions of the mission, the level of
available knowledge and the operational disposition and
position of the aircraft.
• Localisation: The localisation of radio signals allows the
opponent to determine the combat participants' current
position and direction of flight.
• Jamming: The opponent inhibits communication by
transmitting interference signals at the same frequency level.
• Deception: The opponent alters the messages or feeds bogus
messages into the communication chain.
4 | CryptoMagazine 1/15
Adequate action must be taken to provide effective protection
against the above threats both for the transmitted information
and the communication channels employed.
TRANSEC and frequency hopping
Voice and data communication during combat are vital
components for survival in air operations. Despite all the
automated electronic data-transmission, fire-control and
control systems, voice communication is the top choice for
communication "in the heat of battle" between pilots, their
comrades-in-arms and the TFC.
As mentioned above, the TDMA process is employed in data
communication where sensor data from various systems has
to be sent to several different mission participants. In the data
block sent periodically, every participating system is assigned
a time slot during which it inserts its data.
Various transmission security (TRANSEC) precautions are
taken to enable communication to be protected from jamming
and to make localisation substantially more difficult. Frequency
hopping is an established method, especially in voice and data
transmissions during combat. Instead of broadcasting at a constant frequency, the radio unit hops several times per second
within the defined frequency range. This procedure greatly
inhibits localisation and jamming on a certain frequency. The
adjustment of broadcasting power to the given situation also
optimises a stable connection with respect to detectability.
Focus
COMSEC and encryption
Even though the transmitted information usually does not
contain any state secrets, eavesdropping by the enemy can still
affect events in substantial ways. The consequences are much
more serious when the opponent actively intervenes in
communication by falsifying messages, so that, for example,
planes are rerouted or firing orders are manipulated.
AOC: air operations centre
The AOC is the central command and control instrument
an air force has for tactical operations. The operational
processes are largely standardised in today's world because
of NATO influence. The powers of command and control are
in the hands of the air component command (ACC). Work
proceeds within the framework of the air operations directive
Tap-proof encryption of voice and data effectively protects
communication security (COMSEC). It makes it impossible
for the opponent to interpret the tapped messages and they
become useless. It also prevents the opponent from feeding
altered messages into the encrypted system.
(AOD) – a high-level operational directive for the air force –
and the rules of engagement (ROE).
The Swiss AOC comprises the three sections operations
planning, operations command and control, and operations
support. The AOC is in close proximity to the relevant operational centres, allowing the ACC to intervene in events in the
air in real time. The work of the AOC or ACC results in the air
tasking order (ATO), where the individual flights are planned
in detail in a daily time frame and in the airspace control order (ACO) and special instructions (SPINS), where airspace
reconnaissance objectives and any instructions for special
situations are stipulated. One example of a special situation
is the provision of security at an international event with
government representatives such as the World Economic
Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
Time division multiplex access (TDMA): every slot is assigned one station for transmitting while all
the other stations receive. Under this arrangement, data can be exchanged continuously between all
network participants for commands, track exchange, common operational pictures, etc.
Swiss Air Force Centenary:
the military taking command of the air
In many armed forces across the globe, the air force is highly prestigious and holds a special fascination for
observers. It is no wonder given the advanced and complex technology incorporated in aircraft and other
aerial vehicles. The training of pilots – and of support personnel – is demanding and arduous. The Swiss Air
Force celebrated its centenary in July 2014. For Crypto AG, this occasion is reason enough to recount the
exciting story of military aviation in this country and in general.
"What is going on over the next hill?" This question is one
that every commander asks in combat. A completely new
answer opened up the moment human beings were able to
take to the air.
Back in 1891, the Swiss Armed Forces (together with several
other European armies) discovered airspace as an area for
operations. The general staff decided to procure captive
balloons to support the cavalry's reconnaissance activities.
Kite balloons, also commonly
known as "federal sausages"
(undated photo from sometime
during World War I (1914 – 1918)
Great pioneering spirit went into designing and equipping
the first aerostats. Circular and kite balloons were filled with
hydrogen generated in field conditions. They rose into the
air on a rope tethered to the ground, enabling the first form
of air reconnaissance. With the advent of new field phones,
reconnaissance findings could be transmitted to ground troops.
Reconnaissance was thus the first use of air force units and still
remains an essential one today throughout the world.
Hawker in a duet: Swiss Hunter T Mk 68
with Australian Sea Fury in a demonstration
flight at the AIR14 air show in Payerne
As World War I approached, acceleration occurred not only in
political events. The military also had to cope with fast-shifting
fronts and rapid troop movements. People therefore began
questioning the use of captive balloons. A number of aviation
pioneers throughout Europe and the United States were demonstrating the first functional flying machines at the same time.
Their potential uses were not lost on the military. On 31 July
1914, the Swiss Federal Council commissioned Theodor Real –
a cavalry captain and fervent pilot – with creating an air service.
The project was financed through a popular fund-raising campaign. Captain Real was able to motivate nine aviation pioneers
to contribute their own private flying machines. When war
came, Switzerland was compelled to build up its own aviation
industry, as the machines ordered in Germany could no longer
be delivered. So, the armament company K+W in Thun, in the
Swiss canton of Bern, developed the DH-1, a bi-plane with twin
fuselage for conducting reconnaissance.
Between the two World Wars, the growing significance of air
warfare was recognised. The air service became a full-fledged
branch and successively expanded its stocks of aircraft and
aerial equipment. Air forces widened their scope of activity
continuously in the conflict-filled environment created by the
World Wars. Along with reconnaissance, they were soon performing combat-support measures such as airspace control,
control of enemy airspace and engagement with ground targets.
Effective anti-aircraft defence equipped with 20 mm cannons
also began developing from 1935. At the outbreak of World War
II, the Swiss Air Force already had 86 fighters and 121 observation and ground-attack aircraft. Chief among them were the
Messerschmitt Me-109 and the Morane D-3800. During the
same period, Junker Ju-52 transport planes were procured.
Four of them continue to be used today for sightseeing flights
and are fondly nicknamed "Aunt Ju".
From this time forward, the Swiss Air Force was capable of
performing the three tasks it continues to have today, namely
intelligence gathering, protection of airspace and air transports.
Combat actions have occurred repeatedly between Swiss aircraft and aircraft from other countries in conjunction with the
defence of Swiss airspace. In addition to actual flight activities,
the air force also had to build up the requisite logistics and a
suitable set of management instruments. So, during mobilisation from 1939 onward, 221 ground-based observation posts
supplied information about the airspace and other militarily
relevant events as well as producing recognised air pictures.
Radar techniques were still largely unknown at the time.
The planes communicated by voice radio using an ingenious
system known as the "Bambini Code". Unlike today's encrypted
communication, the purpose of this "baby talk" was not to
conceal the content of the message but rather to use easy and
straightforward key words to render the message as understandable as possible in a noisy environment. So, the "angeli"
(own aircraft) were taking a stand against the "diabolic" (enemy
aircraft). The air force had "bibis" (fighter planes) and "camions" (transport aircraft) for its missions. A radio message to the
bambini was directed to everyone; aircraft flew in the direction
of Norway (north), Atlanta (west), Sudan (south) or Mecca
(east). Following the operation, the pilots returned to their
base with "ritorno casino", where they treated their planes to
a "Campari" (fuelled them) on the "campo" (airport).
The Swiss Air Force was capable
of performing the tasks it continues to have today, namely intelligence gathering, protection of
airspace and air transports.
After the nearly seamless transition from World War II to
the Cold War, military aviation faced ever-tougher requirements. Greater flying speeds and altitudes were needed to
evade the steadily improving anti-aircraft and reach the
operations site quickly. At the same time, the planes had to
be able to make observations slowly and close to the ground
and attack ground targets if need be. From the 1950s, military
aviation and defence against it took on a fundamental
significance in military doctrines.
Thus propellers gave way to jet engines. As in other countries,
the Swiss Armed Forces substantially increased its armaments
and successively purchased single-engine fighters of English
origin. In this context, the Hawker Hunter in particular proved
to be one of the most advanced and manoeuvrable fighters of
its time. It is no wonder that, even today, the Swiss aerobatics
squadron Patrouille Suisse still displays the agility of the
Hunter in bold manoeuvres.
Technology and aviation continued to advance rapidly.
In the 1960s, the next wave of modernisation hit. The military
leadership opted for the French Mirage III from Dassault,
a plane with characteristic triangular wings. The Mirage III
flew at double the speed of sound and, in specialised versions,
could be used for air reconnaissance and as a fighter-interceptor. From 1975 to 1985, the fleet of combat aircraft was modernised with the addition of about 100 F5 Tiger fighters (Types E
and F) from Northrop.
In the 1990s, controversial discussions ensued between
opponents and supporters of the armed forces. They culminated in a referendum where the supporters won out. The political
powers that be then procured 34 fighter aircraft of the Type
F/A-18 Hornet from McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). With
the F/A-18s, Switzerland currently has a polyvalent fighter
plane of the fourth generation with board electronics capable
of meeting today's combat situations (radar, fire control system,
early detection of enemy target acquisition, deception of the
enemy fire control system, etc.). The F/A-18 thus takes over
the task of defending Swiss airspace from its predecessor,
the Mirage IIIS.
The historic development of the air force is an example of
the effects that technological advances have on military
procedures in general, but also on the resources that are
furnished. During World War II and the Cold War that
followed, hundreds of aircraft were in action defending the
airspace of a small country such as Switzerland. In light of
today's radar systems, anti-aircraft options and systems for
information procurement and analysis, the same task can now
be handled by a few dozen aeroplanes.
The history of military aviation is an example of how human
beings and enterprises can apply top technological performances and great enthusiasm in order to attain great achievements
in a fast-changing environment, be it in aviation, in information procurement, or in the field of communication technologies. The further technical development of national defence
is certain to bring about exciting innovations, to which
Crypto AG will continue to contribute.
Pigeon basket for bicycle
and alpine troops (1917)
Another type of transmission:
carrier pigeons in the military
Pigeons were being used to carry messages in Antiquity. These
The birds found their way autonomously, were swift and hardly
intelligent animals are capable of finding their way back to their
needed to fear the enemy's "air defence". They proved to be
"dovecote" when let loose at a far distant location. The pigeon
such an effective means of communication that the final
towers of the then Republic of Genoa, or the "airmail" announce-
30,000 feathered members of the Swiss Armed Forces were
ment of the English victory in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, show
not discharged until 1996, at which time they were given to
that the military has long made use of the capabilities of these
a charitable foundation.
feathered friends for the long-distance transmission of tactical
news. The Swiss Armed Forces founded a carrier pigeon service in
1917, which was integrated in the regular signal troops in 1951.
"Safety is a process that entails
constant improvement"
Interview with Lieutenant General Aldo C. Schellenberg,
Head of the Swiss Air Force
The interview was conducted by Casha Frigo Schmidiger | Publicist
Lieutenant General, the Swiss Air Force has a broad range
of tasks to perform in ordinary and extraordinary circumstances. Not only does it safeguard air sovereignty (in efforts
that include air patrolling and air defence), it also performs
additional diverse activities such as providing air transport
and preparing information for political and / or military
entities. What role do you feel a well-functioning command
and control and information network plays in this regard?
How big a priority is it to protect the information processed
in this network?
The deployment of the Swiss Air Force is based on a system
group consisting of sensors, effectors, command and control
systems, airports, means of communication and aircraft. Realtime control and command is practiced today and demands a
well-functioning network for command and control, and for
information. Information is processed in applications. That
means the application systems and the transmission networks
both have to be protected in accordance with the classification
of the information. The protection of information is mandatory for ensuring that no mistakes occur either in the chain
of information from sensors to effectors or in the chain of
command from the operation centre to the fighter planes.
What risk is there that the exchange of information between
sensors and effectors can be influenced from the outside and
what consequences could this have?
The risk of outside influence tends to be considered minimal
because the application systems and the transmission networks
are decoupled from the outside world. To estimate the risk,
one has to understand the methods that can be used to attack
a decoupled system. The biggest danger is presumably posed
by careless use of storage media, which allows malware to be
planted in the system. Media reports tell us that attacks were
launched on "opposing" systems. There are scarcely hard
and fast facts about these activities, which are presumably
carried out by secret services. The damage can be tremendous,
however, because entire systems can be paralysed in extreme
cases. A particularly serious problem appears to be that the
systems function impeccably on a daily basis, lulling people
into a false sense of security.
The command and control and information system of the air
force ‒ abbreviated FIS LW ‒ is also based on individual
components such as FLORAKO, a Swiss radar system for air
surveillance. What operational possibilities does this system
give to your commanders and what additional possibilities
are set to come in the near future?
FIS LW has diverse customised tools to support staff work as
well as operations planning and operations command and
control for air force resources. It also enables the air force to
monitor and evaluate operations. With command and control
management on FIS LW, basic and operational commands can
be recorded, managed and distributed, regardless of whether
the recipient is in a command and control facility or on a plane,
is reachable through partial mobile access via microwave, or is
abroad and connected by satellite. Operational command and
control for FIS LW controls all phases of aircraft operations,
from the provision of resources and flight preparation up to
take-off and after landing, to refurbishment, evaluations
and statistics. FIS LW is the system used for planning and the
issuing of commands in every instance, whether fighters are
commanded to conduct air patrols or a Stinger battery is
deployed to engage in dynamic anti-aircraft protection, whether
dozens of intelligence units are sent to observation posts or
transport helicopters are ordered to take supplies to villages
cut-off from the outside world. It is always the same FIS LW
with flexibly configurable role authorisations, whether an air
operation directive is drawn up or the start of an aeroplane
deployment is signalled. Since 2003, FIS LW has been running
365 days a year, 24 hours a day – even though the air force
performs its air patrolling and search and rescue (SAR)
responsibilities day in and day out. If the situation ever
becomes critical, nothing needs to be changed or replaced –
the same FIS LW is used all the way up to a state of defence.
to ensure the operational capability of the armed forces
at all times.
• Reaction in order to determine the effects in technical and
non-technical areas and to restore the operational capability
of the armed forces.
These processes must be able to be implemented in all
situations, even in a highly disrupted cyberspace.
Lieutenant General Aldo C. Schellenberg
(*1958) studied economics at the University of
Do the armed forces treat strategic and tactical information
differently in terms of security?
Yes. Strategic and/or tactical information is classified according
to the informational content and its significance for an operation. Treatment varies with the classification. This approach, in
turn, has an influence on the design of the technical systems.
Zurich, where he earned a doctorate (Dr. oec.
publ.). He was the owner of a corporate consulting
firm. Schellenberg has been head of the Swiss
Air Force since 2013.
How does the air force prepare for special operations such as
the World Economic Forum (WEF) held annually in Davos,
Switzerland? What role does safeguarding information
sovereignty play in this context?
The cyber threats are real. Cyberattacks can have serious effects
especially where they can endanger operations and infrastructures. That is why the necessary security mechanisms have to
be incorporated when systems are designed and procured to
make sure cyberattacks fail. A clear-cut, identified air situation
is needed for the operational command and control of aircraft.
Everything is done to safeguard the integrity and secure transmission of data. No additional technical actions are required
with respect to information security because the same systems
are used on a daily basis for operations planning and operations
command and control.
Apropos cyberattacks: What do you think the Swiss Armed
Forces can do to provide protection from cyberattacks?
The armed forces must always be in a position to recognise
cyber threats, to protect against them, and to ward them off.
To this end, the armed forces must implement and have full
mastery of the following four processes:
• Command and control in order to be in a position continuously and at all times to ensure and control cyber defence
both in the basic readiness and in the operational readiness
of the armed forces. Achieving this objective requires the
best possible deployment of the necessary partners and
providers.
• Anticipation in order to detect possible cyber threats early
on, so that necessary decisions can be made and corresponding actions planned.
• Prevention in order to minimise risks from cyber threats in
all possible areas (technical, organisational, human, etc.) and
How safe is our airspace today?
Switzerland is located at various intersections of international
air routes. As a result, it has one of the most complex and
densely used airspaces in Europe. Over a million instrument
flights are conducted through Swiss airspace annually, part
of them as transit flights, but over 450,000 flights going to or
from a Swiss airport. Instrument flight traffic is monitored by
civilian and military radar and managed by flight controllers
round the clock.
Strict adherence to aviation regulations is essential and must
be monitored at all times and enforced whenever necessary.
This latter task is a sovereign responsibility of the state. For
this reason, the air force is entrusted by law to safeguard air
sovereignty.
Like the police on the ground, the air force carries out preventive checks in airspace, helps out if technical problems occur
(e.g. failure of transponders or communication systems), or
intervenes with its fighter planes to address serious violations
of aviation regulations and border violations by government
aircraft. Preventive checks are conducted almost daily, with hot
missions taking place once or twice a month. Accidents cannot
be entirely prevented – there is no such thing as absolute safety.
Safety is not a static state, either. It is a process that entails
constant improvement. Every incident relevant to safety must
be analysed precisely and, where need be, it must trigger actions
to improve safety. The air force contributes to these efforts in
essential ways. To optimise air patrolling, the air force will
introduce "Luftpolizeidienst 24" (LP24) by 2020 – an on-call
air patrolling service operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Unmanned reconnaissance
from the air
Aeroplanes represent a privileged means of reconnaissance, i.e. the acquisition of relevant information outside
one's own sphere of influence. To operate outside one's own sphere of influence, one must be able to act as
discreetly, flexibly and quickly as possible and not subject one's own resources – especially human resources –
to avoidable risks. Unmanned aerial vehicles, aka drones, offer interesting possibilities in this regard.
Knowledge about the environment is of eminent importance
in conflict situations: to perform his duties, every head of
operations, military commander or political negotiator
depends on finding out what is going on behind the scenes
on the opponent's side and what the terrain is like, in short,
on knowing what awaits him "over the next hill".
With the advent of aviation came the rise of air reconnaissance,
in other words, a means by which an army can observe terrain
and troop movements from the air without first expending
great efforts overcoming obstacles on the ground. But military
aviation has its price. Fighter planes, military helicopters and
similar aerial vehicles are highly complex to develop and quite
expensive to procure. They need extensive maintenance
logistics and require airports whose runways pose potential
targets that enemies can recognise from afar and attack.
The biggest efforts go into the extensive training of the pilots.
They must have perfect control of their supersonic aircraft at
all times and succeed in carrying out whatever mission they
are assigned.
What could be more logical than wanting a lightweight aerial
vehicle that could be easily controlled from the ground or that
is capable of flying autonomously? The advantages of these
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or remotely piloted aircraft
(RPA) are obvious:
• If fitted only with reconnaissance equipment, RPA is
lightweight and also inexpensive to procure and operate.
• The required infrastructure (take-off ramp, piloting system)
is minimal.
• The aerial vehicles are highly manoeuvrable and can
"fly under" enemy radar in nap-of-the-earth flight paths
(flying low to the ground).
• RPA moves along quite discreetly with its quiet rotors
and night vision devices.
• Owing to their small size, RPA does not (yet) currently
conform to the "predator-prey system" of common
anti-aircraft.
• The pilot is at a safe distance away at a location on the
ground directly next to the evaluator, which operates
the sensors and analyses and forwards the transmitted
reconnaissance information.
ADS 95, a reconnaissance drone system used by the
Swiss Armed Forces*: console in the mobile ground control
station: control of sensors with evaluator workstation
(on the left), navigation and maps (in the middle), flight
instruments with pilot workstation (on the right)
* The operational scenarios depicted in this article relate neither to the ADS 95 nor to the responsibilities of the Swiss Armed Forces.
RPA can deliver aerial reconnaissance in the visible range but
also in the infrared spectrum or in other measurement ranges.
Furthermore, heavier-duty models can of course also be
equipped with weapons and fire-control systems.
Airborne reconnaissance is employed by the military, the police
and border control. The latter two functions are increasingly
performed by drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles function
similarly to model aircraft. The essential difference is that the
toy can be controlled only as long as it is in view, whereas a
drone can be piloted from a mobile or stationary control centre.
The operating console at the ground station is typically divided
into three areas. Reconnaissance is the first. This area shows
the reconnaissance information received by the sensors (particularly the pictures taken by the cameras) and allows the evaluator to control the sensors or direct the cameras to zoom in on
relevant details. Control is the second area. Like an aeroplane
cockpit, it features a compass, an altimeter and airspeed indicator, etc. that allow the pilot to control the drone. The pilot's
work in today's RPA consists primarily of entering flight
direction and altitude (comparable to the autopilot feature
in a plane). Stabilisation in the air is done automatically.
The aerial vehicles now take off from a type of catapult and
land largely independently using a radio control system similar
to the civilian ILS (Instrument Landing System). In the third
area of the console, the pilot and the evaluator are furnished
with various navigation aids and maps.
The data gathered by the sensors on the drones is typically
transmitted in real time to the operational command and
control or the operations centre. There, this information is
analysed and incorporated into the common relevant
operational picture (CROP).
ADS 95, a reconnaissance drone
system used by the Swiss Armed Forces*:
ranger drone with take-off ramp
Drones have gained in military significance in recent years.
Many analysts see them as a symbol for a change in the way
war is waged. Some go as far as saying that drones will one
day largely take over the combat and logistics functions of
manned aircraft.
The backbone of every drone
system is data transmission between the drone and the ground
control station and between the
ground control station and the
operations centre.
Drones can be divided into three categories: strategic, operational and tactical. Strategic drones are used for large-area
reconnaissance over enemy territory. They include systems
such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk from Northrop Grumman,
which operates up to 40 hours at a maximum flight altitude of
20,000 metres and has a range of 3,000 nautical miles. Operational drones include the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper
from General Atomics. They are used in military operational
areas and can be employed for reconnaissance as well as for
attack purposes. Finally, tactical drones fly at a low altitude
over short distances. Their main function is to enable commanders on site to monitor enemy activities without endangering their own soldiers. One example of this type is the RQ-14
Dragon Eye from MCWL. Unlike their strategic and operational counterparts that are capable either of being remote
controlled or being pre-programmed for autonomous flight,
tactical drones are always controlled by operators in the ground
control station. Police forces also often use them for crowd
control and border control.1
Drones perform valuable services in national defence, in the
fight against terrorism, in police work (e.g. during demonstrations and unrest) and in border control. They arrive where the
action is, quickly and discreetly. Of even greater relevance is
that no human soldier need be exposed to direct danger in
these types of missions.
The backbone of every drone system is data transmission
between the drone and the ground control station and between
the ground control station and the operations centre. It must be
as insusceptible as possible to interference and unauthorised
tapping. A potential enemy should not be able to render the
drone non-manoeuvrable, to take control of it, or to intercept
the data the drone is recording.
Protection against interference or jamming is achieved by
means of frequency hopping and similar processes whereby
protection against undesired tapping requires effective
encryption that in no way impairs the transmission rates of
data transfers. In this respect, drones vividly show the significance of ultra-secure data transmission.
Source:
1
ETH Zurich (Federal Institute of Technology Zurich),
CS, 2010: Analysen zur Sicherheitspolitik (Security policy analyses)
Drone
Operations
Centre
DRONE GROUND
CONTROL STATION
OPPONENT OUT OF
OWN AREA OF INFLUENCE
Controlled from their ground control station, drones deliver information about enemy troop movements.
The ground control stations transmit the information that has been gathered to the operations centre.
Personal protection at conferences:
secure mobile communication
is essential
A conference with top politicians and other decision-makers inevitably involves security units coming out in
force. Ensuring the personal security of national and international guests and their delegations incurs considerable expense. The goal has to be "absolute security" from arrival to departure. One key to success is having
a reliable mobile communication group of bodyguards in close contact with the mission operation centre and
with other complementary service providers.
Urs Kürzi | Customer Segment Manager
The jet of the top politician invited to the event lands at a private
airport outside the commercial capital. Comfort and convenience await the high-ranking guest and his delegation on their
arrival. After landing, the guests are picked up directly from
the aeroplane stairs with a limousine and taken immediately
to the customs office set up especially for the conference.
There, they take care of entry formalities, identity checks and
customs clearance.
The bodyguards greet the guests at the customs office right
after the entry point and give each of their counterparts, the top
politician's security agents, a secure mobile phone. The conference participant's bodyguards and security agents are in the
same communication group. The civilian communication
device, a mobile phone with integrated encryption module, is
inconspicuous but has an encrypted address book containing
all phone numbers of the security forces and various emergency
numbers. The smartphone has hardware-based encryption, so
the security agents' phone numbers and names are protected
against all attacks from the mobile network, even if the phone
is lost. No instructions are needed for using the secure mobile
phone because there is hardly any difference between it and an
off-the-shelf smartphone. Once the user logs into the secure
application, phone operation is intuitive.
The trip to the venue of the ministerial conference takes about
two hours. On the way, the bodyguards send the security
manager at the mission operation centre encrypted text
messages informing him about the status of the convoy. They
can comply with spontaneous requests from the guests because
deviations from the daily itinerary are part of their everyday
routine. They are accustomed to reacting spontaneously and
understand how to make last-minute decisions. The travel routes
are adjusted to current traffic and weather conditions, with any
changes communicated to the mission operation centre. The
group passes through the police-run checkpoints at the conference venue in no time.
The bodyguards belong to a special unit of the armed forces.
They ensure the security of individuals protected under international law and guard their accommodation. The conference
centre itself is secured by units of the armed forces responsible
for facility protection. This work consists mainly of identity
checks on individuals and monitoring goods entering and
leaving the conference centre. The checks and the inspection
of materials entail major efforts on the part of the facility
protection unit.
Simple and pragmatic preparations to limit threats
Successful protection of the conference begins months earlier
with thorough planning. The government security service
draws up a precise list of the top politicians who are coming,
with exact information on their arrival and departure times,
flight numbers and detailed planning of the meeting and
presentations. The potential dangers faced by the respective
guests and protective measures to counter them are determined
in advance and discussed with the security agents. This knowledge does much to minimise any dangers the guests might
face at the conference. Then, the mission infrastructure is put
in place and the alternative plans are recorded with security
options and converted into operational plans.
The bodyguards customarily use smartphones for reasons
of discretion because they look just like off-the-shelf mobile
phones. One central advantage of a mobile voice solution is
that it allows the person to follow unforeseen events. These are
the types of situations in particular where security forces rely
on fast, secure voice communication. On request, conference
participants themselves can be given encrypted smartphones,
allowing them to call and text each other in encrypted form.
Another vital aspect of security involves keeping secret the
location of the conference visitors under protection and of their
bodyguards, all of whom bring along their own secure smartphones. To prevent the location of these individuals from being
determined, it is advisable that they make temporary use of
a local mobile number or SIM card. This precaution does
not prevent the possibility of the guests calling home or any
number in their country of origin – and their location is not
revealed in the process. A gateway in the government ministry
in the guests' country of origin terminates the encrypted calls
and passes them on to the national phone network.
Security management centre
Central communication management is indispensable
because it is designed especially for quickly changing situations.
Crypto Management Suite CMS-1200 makes this management
possible. With its help, the communication hierarchy is
defined, address books are created and participants are put in
cryptographically separate groups (Crypto Domains), which
are then transmitted to the security modules of the smartphones. The Crypto Management Suite fully supports the
handling of lost phones as well as the inclusion of ad hoc
units in extraordinary situations, so the security policy can be
enforced no matter what the circumstances. Security management has yet another special feature. Individuals and representatives of a defined user group have to be duly authorised in the
defined communication hierarchy in order to contact the
high-ranking conference guests.
These are the types of situations
in particular where security forces
rely on fast, secure voice
communication.
Guarding airspace
So much for the scenario on the ground and for the direct
protection of guests. The air force is naturally responsible for
safeguarding air sovereignty. The airspace is closed to all
civilian aircraft for the duration of the conference. Any
violation of this rule in the restricted airspace can be clarified
immediately. To do so, fighter jets take off from the closest
military airfield of the armed forces to enforce air traffic
control in the protected zone. If the closed airspace is violated
(e.g. owing to poor flight preparation by the pilots and their
consequential ignorance), the fighter jets are in the air within
minutes to identify the aeroplane, have the air operation centre
check the identification against the civilian flight plan, contact
the pilot and escort the plane out of the no-fly zone. These
types of airspace violations can result in five-figure fines in
dollars, as the international currency. To protect conferences
attended by high-ranking political and business decision-makers, the air force also has to be prepared to down a plane in
cases of clear danger. During the conference, the defence
minister is always accompanied by an air force pilot as liaison
to the air operation centre. If a pilot of an aircraft that has
penetrated the closed airspace ignores every attempt to have
him contact the fighter jets, which rock their wings or fire
magnesium pellets to indicate clearly that the pilot is supposed
to follow them, the minister of defence can basically order the
plane to be shot down.
The air force makes helicopters available to protect the
surrounding terrain by flying over valleys lying in the radar
shadows. It also conducts passenger and cargo flights to
neighbouring cities. Individual helicopters are equipped for
SAR (search and rescue) missions to ensure rescue or medical
care in the event of an accident. For all eventualities, helicopters with aerial gunners are likewise available, ensuring
preparedness to intervene against slow flying objects.
Coordination through the mission operation centre
During the conference, the mission operation centre (MOC) is
abuzz with activity round the clock and can aptly be called the
"nerve centre" of the entire operation. The phone in the MOC
rings significantly more often than in a regular operations
centre. The constant exchange of information and a correct
flow of reports to the MOC staff are vital for the success of the
operation and therefore essential to the security of the conference participants. Above and beyond that, the security
managers have intimate knowledge of the local features of their
area of operations. This is indispensable because a common
relevant operational picture (CROP) is compiled from all
messages, calls, operational pictures, weather reports, aerial
surveillance pictures, flight and operational plans, facility
protection, transport requests, traffic reports and even VIP
personal security. And the security managers can interpret all
this information accordingly and put it into context with the
local features of the area.
At the private airfield outside the city, bodyguards
take charge of security by accompanying their guests
in the car or guarding the convoy from the air.
CLOSE PROTECTION
OFFICERS
VIPs
VIP A
VIP B
VIP C
Officer A
Officer B
Officer C
Crypto Management
Suite CMS-1200
Security
Manager
MISSION OPERATION
CENTRE
Sample configuration of a reliable communication hierarchy: the security management centre (Crypto Management Suite CMS-1200)
supports the preparations of the mission infrastructure with secure smartphones for the bodyguards or flexible reactions to quickly
changing situations during a "hot mission". A PC application can be used for defining new communication hierarchies simply and
conveniently, for incorporating additional equipment in the network, for changing the encryption key, for excluding lost phones,
or for carrying out a factory reset on a stolen device.
Secure voice and messaging communication by means of
secure smartphones from the mission operation centre to the
bodyguards is indispensable. The mission operation centre
communicates over secure voice radio with the outposts of
the armed forces, namely the facility protection unit, the
checkpoints, the mobile radar posts, the logistics centre, the
patrolling service and the civilian traffic control centre of the
police. Last but not least, the mission operation centre for the
conference is in constant contact with the fighter jets and the
air control centre over the secure aeronautical radio service
of the air force. In a communication group for protecting a
conference, a wide variety of secure communication solutions
can provide services. The ones actually chosen to do so depend
on which system is especially well suited for the deployed
troops in terms of mobility, radio propagation and speed of
movement. In the case of bodyguards, factors such as discretion and the determination of the communication hierarchy
also come into play.
All's well that ends well
A conference of this kind is of more than just political significance. It gives the venue an opportunity to give a positive impression of the country to top political and business leaders.
Instead of feeling like being locked up in a fortress, guests and
the local population should feel protected at all times through
discreet measures. Secure communication on smartphones
can offer reliable security particularly for personal protection.
What counts in the end is that security can be furnished round
the clock.
Sources:
• "Tages-Anzeiger", online edition, 7 May 2014: So funktioniert
das Air Operations Centre (This is how the Air Operations Centre works)
• "CUMINAIVEL", 22 January 2013: Spontanes und flexibles Handeln
im Personenschutz (Spontaneous and flexible action in personal protection)
IDEX in Abu Dhabi:
focused on security
Every two years, the most important suppliers of armaments gather at the International Defence Exhibition
& Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi. In February 2015, that time had come again. Under the patronage of His
Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Supreme Commander of the UAE Defence Force, this, the world's largest defence exhibition, took place for the twelfth time.
Crypto AG was also on hand once again with a stand.
Markus Baumeler | Head of Bid Management
Given its enormous size, international orientation and diverse
programme of social events, the IDEX is an ideal opportunity
to forge close ties and to engage in professional discussions
with governmental decision-makers and high-ranking representatives of defence organisations.
The exhibition opened with a spectacular staging of a terrorist
attack, which left the audience in the stands riveted every day.
A realistically replicated container port was captured by a
group of terrorists. However, the fictional military intervention
spearheaded by the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates
was not long in coming. In a large-scale operation involving
helicopters, armoured vehicles and ground troops, they fought
the terrorists, freed the hostages and won back sovereignty
over the territory to the accompaniment of simulated
bombing raids.
The IDEX is known for these kinds of action-packed and
elaborately staged shows – but also for its reputation as one
of the most important defence exhibitions that counts the
leading companies of the industry among its exhibitors.
Steady growth
In some 140,000 square metres of exhibition space, 180 local
and 1,100 international suppliers from 55 countries presented
their product innovations for operations by land, sea and air.
The largest exhibitors were companies from the United States,
Germany, Turkey, China, Italy and France. Over 80,000 visitors,
mostly local, viewed the exhibition stands in the spacious
indoor and outdoor areas – a record high attendance for
the IDEX.
The IDEX is an ideal opportunity
to forge close ties and to engage
in professional discussions with
governmental decision-makers.
Scenario of a terrorist attack on a
container port
The "Unmanned Exhibition (UMEX)" was fully integrated in
the exhibition premises for the first time this year. Last time
it was still part of the "Naval Defence and Maritime Security
Exhibition (NAVDEX)", now held for the third time in a row
as part of the IDEX. This integration underlines the growing
importance of unmanned systems. Their possible uses are
practically unlimited and they are increasingly deployed in
modern armed forces (refer also to the article entitled "Unmanned reconnaissance from the air", pages 12 to 14). Through
numerous live demonstrations, visitors vividly experienced
the ingenious technical functions of the unmanned systems.
Will Star Wars soon be a reality? Will the fights involving laser
weapons from the films of the same name occur in future not
just "in a galaxy far, far away" (quotation from the films)?
Many visitors may have asked themselves this question after
seeing the laser cannons at the IDEX, intended for use as
anti-aircraft weapons.
The portable hand terminal of the MultiCom
radio system from Crypto AG is also available
with an Arabic keypad.
Opening of the Swiss Pavilion by Lieutenant General
André Blattmann, Head of the Swiss Armed Forces,
Martin Sonderegger, Chief of Armament of the
Swiss Armed Forces and the Swiss ambassadress
Andrea Reichlin (from left to right).
Lively interest in the products from Crypto AG
This year, Switzerland was represented at the IDEX by more
than 30 companies. One of them was Crypto AG. Along
with most other Swiss enterprises, its stand was in the Swiss
Pavilion. The pavilion is an appealing platform and exerted
a real pull on exhibition visitors once again. This can be seen
as a sign of the excellent collaboration of the Gulf States with
neutral and politically stable Switzerland and its independent
companies, collaboration based on years of trust.
Information security and top quality are of prime importance
in the Arab World, a fact also evident from the numerous
visitors who stopped by the Crypto stand. They obtained
information there about high-security solutions and took the
opportunity to discuss current and future challenges facing
the most modern networked defence organisations. Keen
interest was shown in the MultiCom radio system, among
other products. Along with voice radio, it enables real-time
transmission of text messages, an increasingly important capability in tactical operations. The keypad of the mobile hand
terminal (HC-2605) or a computer connected to the stationary
unit (HC-2650) can be used to send and receive text messages
quickly, easily and reliably. For example, this approach can
help to prevent misunderstandings and misinterpretations
caused by a high level of ambient noise.
Visitors also displayed great interest in the secure solutions
for end users and network security. They were amazed by the
smallest encryption platform in the world, which provides
reliable maximum protection for mobile telephony, or topperforming network solutions, such as the robust HC-8224
Airborne Version, designed to protect IP/VPN-based
connections and to be integrated in an aircraft.
Dialogue on information security
Along with guests from the Arab World, Crypto AG was able
to welcome to its stand again this year the Chief of the Swiss
Armed Forces, Lieutenant General André Blattmann, and
the Chief of Armament of the Swiss Armed Forces, Martin
Sonderegger, plus other high-ranking officers and the Swiss
ambassadress to the United Arab Emirates Andrea Reichlin.
In this setting, the latest trends, information security challenges but also local conditions and developments were discussed
extensively in a direct dialogue among the parties.
Integrated radio system
for diverse operations
The Secure HF Radio Communication System from Crypto AG is a portable yet complete radio system. As such,
it can be put to highly diverse use to ensure ultra-secure messaging and voice communication no matter what
the situation. For instance, the coast guard can employ it to maintain sovereignty over state coastal areas or
joint naval forces can utilise it to fight piracy. It can be deployed in vehicles of the border patrol or ground
forces, or in diplomatic missions.
Tanja Dahinden | PR & Corporate Communications Manager
Pirates operate off coasts worldwide, e.g. the Horn of Africa,
but also parts of Southeast Asia. They are organised mostly
in gangs. These sometimes heavily armed militias attack and
board (cargo) ships on the open sea, threatening international
shipping routes and posing immense dangers to the security
of global trade routes.
To counter piracy effectively, navies of different countries join
together in many cases to form joint armed forces and provide
common support to the affected coastal nations. These multinational operations are coordinated from a military base on
land in the affected region or from an operations centre on
board a ship.
From these centres, the military issues operational commands
and communicates situation reports and other highly sensitive
information. The ships and reconnaissance aircraft involved
in the anti-piracy operations likewise always maintain radio
contact with each other.
On missions such as these, the (joint) naval forces are compelled to rely on the high-security transmission of strategic
and tactical operational information in order to maintain
sovereignty over the operational area at all times and to prevent
endangering the security of their own forces. Non-encrypted
information could be intercepted by the pirates and manipulated. An international algorithm is generally used for encrypting
the highly classified information exchanged within an alliance
of states. Under this approach, the individual states can retain
their sovereignty without compromise.
Sovereignty over the operational
area should be able to be maintained at all times.
The portable secure radio system* from Crypto AG ensures
high-security communication among ships or with the operations centre on land. It can be installed and de-installed quickly
and easily as a semi-permanent infrastructure on frigates, offshore patrol vessels and other ships in the operational zone. A
sturdy case holds the system components, from notebook and
encryption solution to radio, antenna and other accessories.
The integrated system enables voice communication and
messaging over an encrypted radio link, thereby meeting
different communication needs: Do messages have to be sent
immediately or are they of great importance but not timecritical? Is an immediate answer or confirmation required?
Are certain events required to be documented in writing?
Change of scenery. A region that already has a weak infrastructure suffers a natural disaster, a terrorist attack or a major
armed conflict that prevents any further communication over
the Internet, by landline telephony or by radio. This outage
also affects diplomatic missions in the crisis region that
desperately depend on contact with their headquarters at the
foreign ministry in the country sending them. Being portable,
configurable and immediately deployable, the Secure HF
Radio Communication System from Crypto AG also ensures
ultra-secure radio communication completely independent
of central infrastructure in these kinds of situations as well.
Of course, this radio solution is intended not only for disasters.
It can be put to highly versatile use that is not confined to
certain scenarios. Regardless of the use and the basic conditions associated with it, this product guarantees maximum
security and the reliability of the entire system, trouble-free
operation and the transfer of comprehensive know-how because with Crypto AG, all system components are delivered
by a single company.
* The radio system supports HF, VHF and UHF bandwidths.
The integrated radio system
ensures an ultra-secure
exchange of information in
military and in civilian settings
no matter what the situation.
Zug
Abu Dhabi
Muscat
Kuala Lumpur
Rio de Janeiro
Headquarters
Seminars
Crypto AG
Information Security Specialists
P.O. Box 460
28 September to 2 October 2015
6301 Zug
Switzerland
Technical Vulnerability Testing
T +41 41 749 77 22
5 to 9 October 2015
F +41 41 741 22 72
[email protected]
Contemporary Cryptography
www.crypto.ch
12 to 16 October 2015
Regional offices
The seminars are all held at Crypto AG premises
in Steinhausen, Switzerland.
Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Sultanate of Oman, Muscat
Contact and further information
United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
www.crypto.ch/en/products-and-services#seminars

Tactical communication in the air force

Transcription

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