Hensoldt Flight Tests Advanced SIGINT Capabilities

Hensoldt has concluded a flight test campaign intended to demonstrate new airborne signals intelligence (SIGINT) techniques and technologies.

Undertaken from Hohn Air Base in Schleswig-Holstein using a GFD GmbH Learjet 35A aircraft, the six test flights were designed to provide German customer representatives with an insight into the company’s current system portfolio and its future technology roadmap. Hensoldt self-funded the demonstration – which used a payload in an underwing pod – with the intention that it will inform plans for future airborne SIGINT capability.

Outputs are also feeding into the further development of the company’s own KALÆTRON Integral product. KALÆTRON Integral has been conceived as a modular SIGINT payload that can be scaled for installation on various airborne platforms, including unmanned aerial systems.

The so-called “expansion stage 1” demonstrated the localization, direction finding, tracking and recording of communications band signals in the communications band in a range of tactical signal reconnaissance scenarios. For this demonstration, the system concept developed by the company was specifically designed for high-bearing accuracy and fast detection.

A follow-on “expansion stage 2” is planned. According to Hensoldt, this will be designed to highlight monitoring and pattern recognition techniques, potentially including artificial intelligence algorithms. – R. Scott