Secure communication systems and products are used to connect a variety of airborne, space, and ground- and sea-based communication systems. They are used in the transmission, processing, recording, monitoring, and dissemination functions of such communication systems as:

• Secure data links for airborne, satellite & ground- & sea-based remote platforms for real-time information collection & dissemination to users
• Highly specialized fleet management & support, including systems integration, sensor development, modifications & maintenance for signals intelligence & special mission aircraft as well as airborne surveillance systems
• Strategic & tactical signal intelligence systems that detect, collect, identify, analyze & disseminate information
• Secure telephone & network equipment & encryption management
• Communication systems for surface & undersea vessels & manned space flights

Wireless Secure Communications System

Because recent developments around the world have shown the need to enable higher interoperability between the various Allied forces, the U.S. Army is engaged on a major upgrade to its military radio capabilities. Similarly, the need for an enhanced radio communications system to allow the various public emergency services (e.g., police, medical 911 services, firefighters, etc.) to communicate with each other has become more critical in recent years.

Altera provides high-level solutions to many military secure communication programs such as the joint tactical radio system (JTRS) for the U.S. Military, as well as in many handheld civilian public mobile radios. Software-defined radio (SDR) in embedded systems is now possible through the use of FPGAs. The underlying concept behind SDR is the ability to reprogram a modem so the waveform process (modulation/demodulation) can be updated in-system according to the situation. Thus, FPGAs are ideal for this application. Power and processing features are key requirements for the wireless world and Altera offers low-power solutions through its MAX®  II, Cyclone™ II and HardCopy® device families.

Wireline Secure Communications System

The key trend in high speed military trunk communications (backbone) is the need for Gigabit-level communication (1, 5, 10, 40 Gbps). For the civilian requirement, these networks need strong encryption capabilities. Altera®  Stratix®  II and Stratix GX FPGAs combine high performance and high speed I/O capabilities.

Encryption Technology Evolution

Given the computational capabilities of current embedded systems and applications in electronic warfare, the need for stronger encryption is imperative to keep communications secure. Stringent customer requirements imposed on the capability of the encryption engines enable stronger security and the ability to process rapidly-growing bit rates. At the same time, given the rapidly evolving electronic warfare capabilities, the encryption functions within these communications systems need to be reprogrammable in order to defeat any attempt of discovering the encryption techniques used, or to upgrade if the encryption scheme may have been discovered. The Stratix II and MAX II families provide embedded security features that protect the FPGA designs.

http://www.altera.com.cn/end-markets/military-aerospace/secure/mil-secure.html