C4 EDGE partner Solinnov demonstrates mesh radio
Adelaide based C4 EDGE partner Solinnov, has successfully demonstrated the mesh capability of its BlueBottle multi-mission software-defined radio, capable of RF signal detection and countermeasure generation, based on a novel flexible architecture.
Solinnov’s BlueM infrastructureless network was used to demonstrate a Blue Force Tracking scenario and the geolocation of emitters at an event attended by representatives from Army Headquarters (Land C4), DST Group, electronic warfare company DEWC, and fellow C4 EDGE partners Shoal Group and Acacia Systems.
Traditionally, cellular 4G would be used for networking to demonstrate geolocation capability but that has limitations as the infrastructure is not always readily available. A BlueM network is a self-forming and self-healing network made up of BlueBottle radios, each one integrated with a transmit-receive module and an antenna, using Solinnov’s Halite orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing waveform.
Matt Jones, CEO for EOS Defence Systems (Australia) said, “Solinnov is one of Australia’s most innovative communications companies. Their ability to design and implement their Halite waveform offering infrastructureless mesh radio communications, dispel the myth that Australian industry does not have the capability to develop sovereign waveforms in this country.”
“We expect this technological innovation, successfully demonstrated by Solinnov in SA, to be just the first of many technology spin-offs of the ground-breaking C4 EDGE program, sponsored by the Australian Army”, Jones said.
Solinnov plans to continue to enhance the network to be immune to electronic warfare, making it harder to detect, geolocate and jam. There are also plans to extend the capability to become an adaptive radio that optimises to the operating environment.
Solinnov recently secured a $1.4 million contract with the Defence Innovation Hub to develop a portable radio frequency monitoring solution through the development of machine learning technology to identify, classify and locate radio frequency emitters in complex operating environments.