Device enables interoperability among secure voice communications systems hosted on secure and unclassified networks at geographically disparate locations

10:09 GMT, June 22, 2011 Cutting edge encryption technology developed by experts in the UK called ECTOCRYP BLACK encryption device has been approved to participate in the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed annual Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) this month.

The event consists of a simulated, U.S.-led coalition operation that includes various components of homeland security and homeland defence mission scenarios.

The high channel capacity of the ECTOCRYP BLACK encryption device will support the goals of the exercise by enabling interoperability among numerous secure voice communications systems at geographically disparate locations, hosted on a combination of secure and unclassified networks.

The military aspect of this year’s event will use the Afghan Mission Network (AMN) as the operational backdrop to demonstrate the integration of mature information-sharing technologies that support coalition mission planning and execution.

During the 9-day event, mission-specific role players using the CWID unclassified (CWID-U) network will make several secure voice calls per day using Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol, or SCIP, terminals. The ECTOCRYP BLACK gateway will enable role players at Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) to receive those calls on the CWID secret network (CWID-S).

“At CWID 2011, ECTOCRYP BLACK will make an important contribution to the exercise objectives by supporting a scalable communication architecture and providing interoperability among multiple secure voice systems operating in disparate bandwidth domains,” said David Oliver, Chief Operating Officer at EADS North America. “Through this trial, we hope to demonstrate this capability to a wider Department of Defence audience, gain feedback on its utility to our war fighters, and better understand any enhancements or adaptations that would benefit them.”

During the exercise, the ECTOCRYP BLACK unit will be located at the CWID Joint Command Task Force headquarters at United States Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) in Suffolk, Va. The role players on the CWID-U network will be remotely located in Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Mass., U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) in Colorado Springs, Colo., Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego, Calif., and a remote deployment at JFCOM itself. During the event, users will evaluate ECTOCRYP BLACK’s
performance under a CWID ‘war fighter assessment’.

ECTOCRYP BLACK uses a common commercial off-the-shelf hardware architecture that can be programmed to perform various cryptographic functions, allowing the suite of products to meet the changing needs of communications and information networks. Capable of simultaneously handling up to 92 channels of SCIP voice communication, the gateway can provide interoperability between
SCIP telephones and secure speech networks to a greater degree than any existing system of its size. It also can interface to secure Voice over IP (VoIP) networks, providing interoperability between the different secure voice technologies.

Cassidian Systems, the division of EADS that developed the ECTOCRYP
BLACK technology, showcased a U.K. variant of the technology during CWID 2010 at the event’s U.K. location. In September 2010 ECTOCRYP BLACK was certified by the United Kingdom’s information assurance agency (CESG) to the equivalent of U.S. Type 1 certification necessary to protect Top Secret information.

CWID

The Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) is a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed annual event that engages cutting-edge information technology, focusing on operational shortfalls identified by combatant commanders and government agencies. Technologies are approved for participation because they address a new information sharing capability or might improve an existing capability. The demonstrations - which take place in various locations worldwide - focus on technology discovery, risk reduction, and interoperability. Technologies are assessed using real-world inspired warfighter, Homeland Security/Homeland Defence and emergency responder scenarios.

During demonstrations, technologies may receive three types of assessments which include User Utility, Interoperability and Information Assurance.

Assessment results are captured in CWID’s annual final report which informs defence, federal, state and local acquisition decision-makers. The final report publishes by October/November.